THR Hippie Chick’s Recovery Journey

[Hippie Chick]

Hello all!
Surgery went well! On to recovery! Having group support is awesome! So glad I found it here before my surgery!

 

[Jockette]

@Hippie Chick Welcome to Recovery!

I‘ve moved your post above out of the Monthly team thread as we reserve that thread for surgery date information, and so members can see who else has surgery the same month. We prefer all other comments and discussion to take place in a pre op or recovery thread, such as this one.

So, I’ve started this Recovery Thread for you. Please share your updates here.

Enjoy interacting with others who are on the same journey, here in this thread, and Best Wishes with your recovery.

I will leave you our Recovery Guidelines. Each article is short but very informative. Following these guidelines will help you have a less painful recovery.

Just keep in mind all people are different, as are the approaches to this recovery and rehab. The key is, “Find what works for you.“ Your doctors, PTs and BoneSmart are available to help, but you are the final judge as to the recovery approach you choose.

Hip Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary

2. Control discomfort:
rest
elevate
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)

If you want to use something to help heal the incision,
BoneSmart recommends hypochlorous solution. Members in the US can purchase ACTIVE Antimicrobial Hydrogelthrough BoneSmart at a discount. Similar products should be available in the UK and other countries.

3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.

4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these
BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy

5. Here is a week-by-week guide
Activity progression for THRs

6. Access to these pages on the website
Oral And Intravenous Pain Medications
Wound Closure

Pain management and the pain chart
Healing: how long does it take?
Chart representation of THR recovery

Dislocation risk and 90 degree rule
Energy drain for THRs
Pain and swelling control: elevation is the key
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

BIG TIP: Hips actually don't need any exercise to get better. They do a pretty good job of it all on their own if given half a chance. Trouble is, people don't give them a chance and end up with all sorts of aches and pains and sore spots. All they need is the best therapy which is walking and even then not to excess.

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask the at each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.

 

[myglasshalffull]

Welcome, all my best with your recovery, slow and steady for right now!

 

[benne68]

Welcome to the Healing side, @Hippie Chick. Happy to see you posting here.

Once you've read through all the articles Jockette shared, let us know if you have other questions or concerns. We're here to help!

 

[SurreyGirl]

Good to see you on this side of the forum and all the. Best!

 

[Hippie Chick]

Thanks everyone! Super tired and sleepy. Still nervous too!

 

[CricketHip]

Congrats for your brand new hip!!
I was euphoric after my surgeries.
I hope your nervousness has calmed down, your new hip is a solid new part and will serve you well. Just read through the recovery articles and if you’re like me, you may need to read them a few times as you progress.
Hopefully you are getting some sleep plus lots of ice packs!

 

[Hippie Chick]

I have a polar pac- it is my new best friend! My leg feels like it is waking up now.

 

[Hippie Chick]

Help! I am 5’8 ish- very short waisted and long legs. TRHR was Thursday- other hip is doing its best.

I can get in and out of bed without assistance now. Toileting is going well.

I am struggling to get in a short chair with unattached foot stool. I can sit on a barstool with a foot stool, but after a couple of minutes, my surgical side is in pain. I can sit up in the bed. Surgical leg is still very numb. A bed pillow underneath to provide cushion doesn’t help in short living room chair- think wingback.

Walking with a walker is going well.

Is this something that will come with time?

Any tips or encouragements are appreciated!

 

[Eman85]

The getting a comfortable place to sit can be a chore. My first I actually went chair shopping on a walker twice. The final purchase was an electric recliner and it worked well for both of my THR's. One chair I could get comfortable in was one of those cheap white plastic patio chairs with arms. We put a cushion in it and I used it at the dining table and had another on the porch. The arms made it easy to get in and out and it sat comfortably.

 

[Hippie Chick]

Thanks for sharing! A white patio chair might be an answer!

 

[Gloucestergal65]

@Hippie Chick Echoing @Eman85 - I also used cheap plastic garden furniture with cushions set up in different rooms around the house. I thought I would try it first before investing in anything more expensive and actually it worked really well. Finding comfort is a bit of a challenge in the first few weeks. I found not staying anywhere for very long worked and gave me a bit of exercise moving from one location to another - bed to chair to bathroom to kitchen to chair to bathroom to bed.

 

[benne68]

@Hippie Chick My husband bought some plastic bed risers to put under the legs of our couch. That elevated the couch about 3 inches which made a huge difference for me!

They looked something like this:

 

[Hippie Chick]

Help!
RTHR was last Thursday 8/31/23, posterior approach with anesthesia. My leg still feels very numb and log like. I am now up walking and trying to do PT exercises every two hours. I am struggling to move it when reclining on the bed. I am using my polar pac and taking my meds as prescribed. I am planning to check on numbness with doctor’s office tomorrow. I have not been elevating because I cannot lift my leg up. It hurts to move my leg still.

Help!

 

[myglasshalffull]

First, Benne, why didn't I think of that when I had my THR! Couldn't sit on couch, too low and too soft, like Goldilocks! But apartment downstairs has a couch that's "just right!"

Hippechick,
Use a towel in between back of knee and leg and you should be able to lift your surgical leg to elevate. Very important to elevate and ice. Is there someone who can assist you with this? that will make it much easier.
Numbness quite normal.

 

[Mojo333]

@Hippie Chick
Welcome to the not so wonderful world of early days of recovery... This is definity the hard part so try not too discouraged or too worried.
All Temporary!
If you don't have a leg lifter (which many use, but I didn't)
@myglasshalffull 's suggestion is excellent. You could also use
ab elt from a bathrobe or sash of some sort which will work just as well.
If you type log leg into the search feature, you will find this is a common phenomenon with new hippies.
All Normal, all temporary.

 

[Hippie Chick]

Thank you both for your replies! I had purchased the leg lifter prior to surgery. The 90 degree rule had me a nervous wreck- almost worse than being a new mom. Will try new strategies today! Thanks again!

 

[Eman85]

I never "elevated" my leg more than sitting in a recliner or lying in bed. My right had log leg and most times I could lift it with my left enough to get it where I wanted it.
What PT exercises are you doing every 2 hours?
My polar Pack was on me if I was stationary it felt so good. I slept with it the first weeks. Mine would fit 4 frozen water bottles and would last for hours.

 

[Hippie Chick]

Hi! Walking around every two hours. Home PT couple times a day- one where you try to slide heel towards your bottom is just not happening with my log leg. I can send the message to move and my leg won’t move.Having a really numb leg was scaring me. I was worried it was numb where I was struggling to elevate it. Polar pack is heavenly, but then I worried that I was using it too much. Knowing I have a second bad hip does not help. Reading y’all’s responses help me to stay calm.

 

[benne68]

I can so relate, @Hippie Chick! My leg was swollen and bruised -- and immobile -- during the first few weeks post-op, and I was terrified. When I saw my surgeon on day 10, he looked at it and said "boring!" and sent me home.

What you are experiencing is normal. You are only a week out from surgery and have a lot of healing to do. Give it time -- it will get better.