Hip surgery in my future

[allena]

it's good to know that not everyone gets insomnia,stomach pain,nausea or constipation.that gives me some hope.
Also it's good to know that one day this will be over with.
I definetely don't like pain.
i am glad for anesthesia despite fearing it to the point of a phobia-I wouldn't want to hear someone sawing on my hip.

 

[Layla]

Yep, Fake It Till You Make It. I like that one. I'll bet you do too.

To be honest, most DO wear Compression socks but a lot of docs let you leave them off a certain number of hours a day.

Please look into Pro-biotics if you haven't already and see if you find the research favorable for yeast infections etc.

Sometimes too much research isn't a good thing. Truly consider giving yourself a break from it all if you aren't immediately moving forward. Go check out the Social Room here and see if you feel like participating in any of the games. You can access it under "Community" beneath the blue bar at the top of the page. Just a suggestion. Hope you have a pleasant evening.

Here's an article on Probiotics from the forum Library in addition to info you can find online.
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/probiotics.20811/

@allena

 

[dlp]

Compression socks aren't a requirement with my surgeon. When I had my left side done last year, I definitely needed them. My left foot looked like a "foot balloon". This time, though, my thigh is swollen but my right foot isn't. So keeping up with ankle pumps, moving every so often, etc. and I've been able to avoid them this time around.

Also, regarding fears about not being able to bend over with the posterior approach - check out this page here on Bonesmart: https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/dislocation-risk-and-90-degree-rule-with-videos.10181/
I had posterior THR last Tuesday, and by Saturday I felt steady enough -- with added support -- to do the golfer's lean. To quote that post:

"There is also this tip to pick things up from the floor - it's called the 'golfer's reach'!
Make sure you have one hand on something stable like a kitchen counter
Put your operated leg back as far as you can so it is in line with the straight of your back
Bend your good leg and reach down with your free hand

As you can see, the operated leg is in a straight line with the body so not violating the rules. It's a very easy manoeuvre but do be careful the first few days and always hold on to something firm like the kitchen counter or an armchair until you are confident with it.
​

And this is assuming that the surgeon would place the restriction on you in the first place.

Good luck!

 

[allena]

layla.so true.you can do too much of a good thing.I will check out the probiotics.

 

[allena]

I do that golfers pose all the time.I didn't know it had a name until recently.Crossing my legs hurts so I don't do that too often.I already have to use a dressing stick ,a shoe horn and some other aids.
He might ih goes with posterior.I'm really,really ,really hoping he does the other approach.

 

[allena]

thanks.

 

[Layla]

Hi again @allena
Most of us have an idea of which approach we'd prefer through reading or listening to others, but let your OS make that decision. Even though anterior sounded more appealing to me, my surgeon only did posterior and I'd already made my decision to have him perform my surgery...so posterior it was. With no restrictions.

 

[Alitm]

Hi @allena,
I am yeast intolerant so no wine, bread or fermented anything for me. Prior to giving those up I suffered from yeast issues all the time. I still do when taking antibiotics. My GP will give me a prescription for something to counter act the yeast reaction. It is all doable Layla had some great advice. Try and keep your mind off things by doing other enjoyable things that you can do. What Layla mentioned about just taking on one issue at a time really helps me manage when I get overwhelmed. This is such a supportive community of people, keep coming back here as you have been doing.

 

[allena]

I didn't know you could have posterior without restrictions.I just assumed there would be.that's the internet seemed to be telling me.I'd type ain posterior nd there would be hip restrictions mentioned.It had the effect of scaring me alot.Which is why i decided I wanted anterior if that was possible.i want this process to be as easy as possible.I don't think it will be easy 0f coarse.I figure i need to do all i can to make things better for myself.

 

[allena]

I normally don't get yeast infections unless I take antibiotics or use anything scented. I can avoid scented things but you can't avoid antibiotics. There's a pill I always ask for to cure them sometimes it takes two of them. There are worse things than yeast infections but they aggravate me and I don't like them. I doubt anyone likes them. So true. Dealing with one problem at a time is good.

 

[Jaycey]

I didn't know you could have posterior without restrictions.

You can have any approach with no restrictions. These days many surgeons are not imposing restrictions. Ask your surgeon about restrictions and don't rely on staff. I can't tell you how many members here put up with restrictions imposed by hospital staff only to find out their surgeon did not require them.

 

[Eman85]

Pre surgery I was confused by "restrictions" and what it meant. Post op it was pretty clear and trust me, your body isn't going to want to do most things that are "restricted". I didn't know it until someone clarified it to me that anterior's restriction is don't do things like the golfer's bend. There's a chart somewhere on this site that shows the likelihood of dislocation and how the chances diminish over time but never disappear.

 

[dlp]

Had my 1 week followup today - I was basically released from most restrictions. I'm really only supposed to avoid internal rotations, and other extreme, odd angles. The key idea being to listen to my hip and leg muscles to know what I should or shouldn't be doing. My surgeon's standard line is 4 weeks, but he adjusts it based on lots of factors. Your age, your overall health, weight, muscle strength, etc. all play into what he restricts, and who he gives those restrictions to.

So even though I don't have restrictions from a "the joint will dislocate" point of view, I will probably follow them from a "they don't hurt as much" point of view.

 

[allena]

I'm glad you don't have so many restrictions now. Hopefully you will be in less pain soon.

 

[sequin98]

How lucky we are not to have incurable chronic diseases that there is no remedy for.
This CAN be fixed.

True that! I have been dealing with MS (kicking the **** out of it, actually) for 16 years. Dealing with fatigue from MS, and the hip surgery was no picnic.
But I did it. Still recovering, but I did it, and so can you. Depression and shock are normal, but ATTITUDE is everything in this.
Seriously. You got this.

 

[allena]

I realize that it is important to be positive but not everything is wonderful. I'm not Pollyanna! Just saying!I hate that sometimes! Your house burned down - be positive! It's not positive! You have a fatal disease! Be positive! It's not positive! I can't always be happy. It's not realistic. I live in this world - not la la land. :( I'm not trying to insult you but I find this very aggravating! One day I will be happy. One day I will be positive. Probably after I'm better. At this moment I can't manage either. Stop telling me to be positive!

You're saying what I feel isn't right! I can't help what i feel.

 

[Mojo333]

I realize you are frustrated but most people join the forum here are seeking reassurance and advice. You SHOULD keep this in mind and not blast off at those who are only trying to help, like Sequin, who is dealing with a rough recovery AND Multiple Sclerosis.

 

[EmEm]

@allena I can understand how scared you might feel because if you read a lot of threads here you will see some people have problems and sometimes it seems that it happens to everyone. So for some balance, I had the posterior approach 9 months ago. I chose the surgeon not the approach and let him do what he has trained for years to do.

The only restriction was sleeping on my back which I hated but coped with. I didn't have compression stockings but had 35 days of blood thinning pills. I came out of the hospital with two walking sticks (canes) and by the third week was only using one outside. By my post-op check at 5 weeks I was walking unaided. By 6 months I could walk more than 5 miles a day.

The early part of recovery, 10 days for me, was tough because I didn't cope with the meds but once they were changed I made rapid progress. The only thing I did and still do, is walk. No PT, no exercises.

You might hate going through this but it will be worth it. The anticipation is worse than the actual event!

 

[Layla]

@EmEm and @sequin98

Allena, You don't have to be Pollyanna. But you can try to believe the support and encouragement we're offering is sincere. People are reading of your fears and taking the time to respond on your thread in an effort to calm your nerves and help you find some peace in all of this. No one has to respond, they could roll on by, but they're choosing out of the goodness of their heart to try and console you. Break it all down for you, help dispel your fears.

It's your choice whether you have the surgery. If you choose to move forward in mental anguish and physical pain there is nothing we can do about that. We're speaking from experience, we understand your pain and concerns. It's painful physically and emotionally and finally scheduling that appointment is a process for many. Please don't shoot us down though for trying to walk you through this and share that it's not as frightening as you may think. We've learned through our own involvement. And I believe you're learning that many of your fears may be unfounded.

Possibly you just need a time out right now. Take a break, set it aside for a few days or weeks. Just know we mean well and will be here for you every step of the way.

Wishing you peace of mind and comfort in the midst of all.
@allena

 

[Windsong]

I doubt that any of us were particularly feeling positive initially when we all first realized we needed THR. I think it's a process you go through and we all get there in our own time.

What has helped me in my life when I'm not happy about something or feel upset is a shout out to myself for an attitude adjustment. And no, it's not easy and it doesn't happen overnight. But little by little when my attitude towards something changes, it really makes all the difference in the world on how I looked at something as a negative and turned it around. Maybe not so that it's necessarily a positive but I can accept it and embrace it. Which I know may sound Pollyanish but it really does make a big difference.

And in this instance, THR is a positive thing - I'm going to experience a lot of stuff I've never experienced before but in the end I'll get my life back.

What has helped me in this hip journey is reading about all the different recovery experiences and then coming to an understanding that everyone's recovery is different. Everyone is going to go through different emotions and healing times and everyone's recovery is their own recovery and mine will be different from others and I shouldn't compare.

I don't mean to be preachy or pollyanish - just relating what has helped me to cope with all of this.