THR Holly's Hip Recovery

[HollyNY]

Good morning everyone!
I had my robot assisted surgery on 9/12.

I spent overnight in the hospital. The nurses and staff were great. Very helpful!

Now I am home, icing the hip continuously. Leg is not too bruised yet but that will come.

I have a PICO dressing which will be off on 9/20.

Have some zaps and zings in the thigh when I walk but that is normal w the nerves being moved.

I was very prepared thanks to all of you!

 

[Layla]

Congrats Holly! Welcome to the recovery side of BoneSmart.
It sounds like you're off to a good start. I'll leave our Recovery Guidelines with best wishes for your comfort as you begin healing.

HIP RECOVERY GUIDELINES

As you begin healing, please keep in mind that each recovery is unique. While the BoneSmart philosophy successfully works for many, there will be exceptions. Between the recommendations found here, your surgeon's recovery protocol and any physical therapy you may engage in, the key is to find what works best for you.

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!)​

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. At week 4 and after you should follow this

Activity progression for THRs​

The recovery articles
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 that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.

 

[BellaMac]

Wonderful news. So happy things are going well!!!

 

[dnordo220]

Sounds like you are on your way !

 

[myglasshalffull]

Welcome, my daughter in law's name is Holly.
Keep us updated and I wish you rest and pain free recovery.

 

[HollyNY]

The hardest part so far is keeping the
'pico vampire' dry.

I use saran wrap and medical tape to cover my right leg from knee to hip. Basically it is an umbrella for the dressing. Then I sit on the edge of the tub to bathe and wash my hair.

I have not tried a standing shower yet. The shower head will spray right onto the dressing.

 

[Eman85]

I don't know what a pico dressing is. I had a piece of clear tape over my incision and could shower from day 1 and didn't have to keep it dry. I did all I could to get that tape to come off in the shower and it didn't budge.

 

[HollyNY]

@Eman85 PICO is a negative pressure wound dressing. Drains excess fluid and helps to heal the wound.

PICO Patient Guide | Smith & Nephew - US Patient

www.smith-nephew.com

 

[HollyNY]

Update for everyone.

The swelling and bruising are kicking in.

The leg still has some zaps when I first stand, with numb patches on the front of the thigh.

Check these out if you need ice packs:

Nordic Ice

They are much lighter weight and easier to handle. We got a bunch with food ordered in the start of the pandemic.

I freeze them, ziplock bag them, then put them in a pillowcase.

 

[Abbylayla]

@HollyNY

Happy to hear you are home & on the mend!!

 

[HollyNY]

Hi @Abbylayla ,
The bruising is really setting in now.

The ice packs are great, as is the foam wedge pillow which I can finally use comfortably.

I always bruised easily my entire life so I expected this, but it still a reminder that a trauma had to happen to get rid of the hip.

 

[HollyNY]

Update for everyone.

Had my post-op appt at 8 days. Got rid of the PICO and a smaller dressing is now on.

Everything weird that the leg has done (zaps, zings, numb spots, bruising, swelling) is all normal.

The original bruised area is dissipating. He warned that it can appear in flares.

Xray was taken. Bionic parts are all in place.

 

[HollyNY]

Good morning everyone,
Today's update.

A small new area of bruising appeared and is already fading.

The zaps/zings when standing are lessening.

The numb area on the leg has grown.

None of this even requires a pain pill. Just tylenol and ice so far.

I use my cane when outdoors. Still using the grabbers

 

[Woodstockhip]

Holly, it sounds as if you're doing great. Isn’t it a relief when you get the “all clear” at the post-op checkup? I had this surgery two years ago and am going back for the other hip next week. I’d forgotten a lot of the little pings and zaps that come along with recovery so I'm grateful you are a couple of weeks ahead of me and there to remind me that it's all normal!!

 

[Abbylayla]

@HollyNY Also super happy to hear how well your doing! Those zaps your getting is interesting. Don't remember getting that with my knee replacement. But I've been told the hip is totally different. Your recovery is sounding great! I'll bet your thrilled to be done with that horrendous arthritis pain.
We 3 Hudson Valley girls must do the "Ladies who Lunch" one day when we're all up to it!

 

[HollyNY]

Yes ladies we will get together to celebrate!

Because of these boards I was ready for Day 3 when the pain meds wore off.

My boyfriend has done a great job keeping me supplied w ice packs.

@Woodstockhip I really think these robot assisted surgeries are game changers. With anterior approach no muscle is cut. The CT scan means no surprises anatomically for the surgeons. More precise alignment of the bionic parts. Less time under anesthesia. Less blood loss. Better results for the patients.

@Abbylayla getting past the fear of the surgery itself was the biggest hurdle for me. I focused instead on getting rid of the pain.

 

[Abbylayla]

Same here @HollyNY! Getting the courage to make the surgery date was very difficult. But it's done & I'm now looking forward to it. I cannot handle the pain & crutches anymore. I will have posterior surgery but it will also be Robotic, (Mako).
Would you believe Medicare denied the ct scan needed for Mako??
I am waiting for an update from OS office. It has to be a coding error or something. I can't imagine anything else.

 

[HollyNY]

Hi @Abbylayla my doc said he uses the Mako for all of his surgeries no matter what approach he uses.

I don't think it can be guided by anything other than a CT. Medicare must have wires crossed somewhere.

I hope they get it fixed asap.

 

[Abbylayla]

@HollyNY exactly. Can't do Mako without a CT scan. It's got to be some type of miscommunication. I'm waiting, not so patiently, for an update.
Robotic surgery is definitely a huge advance in these surgeries. I have quite a few friends who've had knee replacement without Robotic surgery. Seeing their incisions made me queasy. It was what I expected on mine. But when my surgeon unwrapped my knee & I saw the incision for the 1st time, I was braced for a horrible experience. But upon seeing it my reaction was "that's it"?, that's nothing". And my surgeon laughed.
And my scar right now is no big deal at all.

 

[SweetV]

Hi @Abbylayla ,
The bruising is really setting in now.

The ice packs are great, as is the foam wedge pillow which I can finally use comfortably.

I always bruised easily my entire life so I expected this, but it still a reminder that a trauma had to happen to get rid of the hip.

@HollyNY my bruising set in about 4 days after surgery and it went all the way to my ankle. It got worse over the next few days. My home health nurse that came out used kinesio tape on my leg and it cleared up in about 3 days! I am not sure how that works...but it did.