Hope?

[hurtingbuthopeful]

I am a very active, fit, fifty year old female, and was diagnosed last year with congenital hip dysplasia which led to severe arthritis in the left joint. After being in pain for nearly four years I decided it was time – the pain had become unbearable. It has been one week since my THR and I am still struggling. The operated leg is still very swollen and the pain has not decreased much. Mobility has increased a bit with the PT, but I find myself getting a little depressed . I guess I was thinking I would be further along by now. Is that unrealistic? Also, the operated leg is now longer than the other one and I am worried it won’t go back to normal.

 

[Troweltalk]

I am about 13 weeks ahead of you and attending a business meeting in Ft. Lauderdale Florida. People who haven't seen me for a year are remarking left and right, "wow look at you move, you even look younger".

Looking back, that first week was the hardest, the next month will be touch and go; meaning you'll see gains some days and maybe set backs on others, hopefully minor ones. But two months from now, you will be saying to yourself, "wow, look at me move!" and you will feel younger and stronger.

Keep doing your PT, get plenty of rest when you can, use your pain meds to get you through the rough patches (incluing getting some restful sleep), eat plenty of healthy food, and you'll be feeling much better soon!

 

[Judles]

Welcome,Hope,,,,and that's what you should have! I take it you went right home right after your hospital stay instead og going to rehab!
You are still early days so give yourself more time! You mentioned that your leg lengths are different lengths, does that mean you're going to have future hip surgery?
Are you taking enough pain meds? Whenever you have questions you should open up dialogue with your OS, then come & rant here!
I have no knowledge about different leg lengths so I don't know if they'll even out, keep up with your PT,
& remember to elevate & ice!
Let us know how you are progressing! Good luck!

 

[hurtingbuthopeful]

Thanks for the pearls of wisdom I did go directly home after surgery and the PT is here 3x's a week. Also, have exercise routines that I do 3 x's a day on my own. Not scheduled for any future surgery... I guess I will have to pray that all works out.

I guess I just need to chill a little...it's hard when you don't see the results you imagined.

 

[JudyS]

hurtingbuthopeful

You JUST had major surgery. I am 51 and very active adn had my right hip replaced June 6th. I went home directly myself with a one day stop at rehab. i saw my doc at 2 weeks after surgery. Up until that time, I had hung out in my recliner (we just named her Constance) , gone to the bathroom, taken a nap every day and did my pt every day. Did not even take a step outside or get dressed.
After that the pace picked up a llittle. It is hard to lay around and recover, but very necessary. As Mudpro said it is really a roller coaster ride to recovery. At about 4 weeks I was feeling pretty good and added too much activity. I paid the price with more pain than I had right after surgery.

Are you taking enough pain meds on a regular basis? And enough stool softeners on a regular basis. Very important. Oh and the swelling. I came home after practically not eating at all and spending one whole day puking. I got on the scale (kind of ) and had gained 24 pounds. Swelling in both legs, feet it was incredible. When I was leaving the hospital I actually looked at my legs and commented to the nurse that my abdomen was not even that big when I was ready to give birth. My feet were unrecognizable. The home pt gave me instructions to lay in bed for one weekend. Very little else, but laying in bed. A ton of swelling went away. That was at 2-3 weeks. I am not saying all was gone, but a whole lot.
When I saw my doc, he told me my operaated foot was still swollen becaUSE when I walked I was not putting enough weight on it. So, I concentrated on thaat and the swelling did go down.

Any way you are way to early to worry about anything. Please share your recovery and progress with us. We are here for all kinds of crazy questions and venting.
Judy

 

[Jamie]

Welcome, Hopeful.....you are still very early in the recovery process so try and be patient. When the swelling lessens things should go a little faster. Be sure and take your pain medications, ice and elevate as you were shown somewhere along the line. Many on our forum have reported initial discrepancies in leg length that works out over time. As Judles and Judy said, keep up a dialog with your surgeon regarding any concerns you have. And Mudpro offered excellent advice too! Bottom line is that this is MAJOR surgery and recovery takes some time....hang in there and come here when you need some extra support!!

 

[JudyS]

Hopeful
I just thought of something else. Did your surgeon tell you your leg was longer?
My leg felt longer for quite a while. My surgeon told me right after surgery that my legs were the same length, but it would feel like the operated one was longer. He was correct.
Judy

 

[Jamie]

Excellent point, Judy! Nothing like someone who has actually BEEN there!!!

 

[Mr.T]

Hello,your patience sort of sounds like my own.I had THR the first time last Sept.I had PLANNED on being well and back to work at the end of the year.So much for my planning.I wound up having to go through the whole surgery AGAIN 6 weeks later.I am now HOPING to return to work in April.
You have to remember that this is a very serious surgery that we have had.Our bodies just don't heal as quickly as we would like them to.I have learned to set small goals for myself.That way I don't get as discouraged.It's sort of like losing weight.It is better to have a goal of losing 5 lbs. a month,rather than thinking about the total weight you want to lose.
Yesterday I walked 1/3 of a mile using a cane.That is not very much at all compared to a lot of other people on here.But,it was a lot to me.I did it without stopping to rest.And it was the most that I have been able to do in 42 years.
I hope that your future continues to look bright.

 

[Jamie]

Mr. T....what a great post....putting it all in perspective!! I'm so happy to hear of your progress and I think you have the perfect attitude for success.

 

[Karen54]

Hi Hopeful,
I'm 4 weeks out from RTHR and mine was also caused by congenital hip dysplasia, but mine was caught and treated at 13 months. Early arthritis caught up with me, though, and destroyed the joint. My leg was fairly swollen also for about the first week. Do ask your surgeon about the leg length. What mine told me is that they go for stability of the joint first and foremost, then worry about the leg length, so there may be a good reason if your legs aren't equal length. Keep posting here, because this site is the best mood lifter, information gatherer, chit chat place, etc. etc. that I've ever found! Take care and keep doing the PT - you will get there!!

Karen

 

[hurtingbuthopeful]

I am thankful that you all shared all your testimonials and advice. It makes me feel like I am not alone in this. So happy I stumbled upon this site! I know now that this journey will be much easier with a wonderful support group. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart!

My PT actually noticed my leg length discrepancy also. He feels it minimal and will improve over time. My OS mentioned that this does happen occasionally and that there was a chance I would have to wear a lift. I wasn't actually thinking it would happen to me tho...

I do pretty well with the pain meds making sure I don't go too long in between - it's so much harder to back to feeling decent if you let yourself get to far. I was wondering if anyone has any advice about sleeping? I am not a back sleeper so this has been especially difficult. I wake up several times a night with everything aching. Do they recommend sleep aids? I just feel it may be too much with the pain meds and all.

 

[JudyS]

Hope
For me personally being a side sleeper, the back thing was very uncomfortable. Although I remember the nurses helping me to get comfortable on my non operated side, then propped me up with pillows behind me. I think it worked for 10 minutes!!!
I have always been a bad sleeper and about 3 years ago or so i started taking trazadone for sleep. I used it with pain meds and it worked. Maybe still some problems in the really early weeks, but not as much as everyone seems to experience.
I would highly recommend something for sleep. No point being sleep deprived if you can help it.
I recently had back surgey (the most painful experience of my life) and have been taking my trazadone and it does still work for sleep. I was sent to a pain management doc last week and he is ok with me taking it with heavy narcotics.

Of course check with your surgeon about you . But I am all for sleep aids
Judy

 

[Judles]

Hope,,,,I don't think any, but cetainly MANY of us are NOT back sleepers! Just gey yourself lots of pillows & prop yourself up! You'll still be needing that abduction pillow between your legs! Just be careful!!

 

[Josephine]

All good posts and sound advice. Glad it's helped, hurting.

But one further thing to remember - your hip didn't take a couple of weeks to get into the state where it needed to be replaced so what ever gave you the notion it was only going to take a couple of weeks to get better?

 

[JudyS]

Jo it has only been one week since her replacement.
Judy

 

[Josephine]

It has been one week since my THR and I am still struggling.

So I read, Judy!

 

[Troweltalk]

Regarding Sleeping:

If you have a comfortable recliner chair (aka, Lazy-Boy) it helps as an option to sleeping flat on your back in a bed; I alternated at least once during the night the first couple of weeks.

Pillows, lots of pillows! Prop up your knees, elevate your ankles to get your heels off the mattress (mine got sore), prop up your back; you'll change them throughout the night until things heal a little more and you can begin to lay on your good side to help eleviate the back issue.

 

[Relaxed]

Wow, I just turn my PC on so I could post a "help me" note here. I'm in the same boat, Hope. A little over 3 weeks since my THR and I'm fighting the same demons. Lack of "good" sleep, fair (not too bad) pain, but mostly, the feeling of "when will this end?!?". Obviously, it's a VERY short amount of time after a major surgery (mine included bone grafts... painful), but I'm getting frustrated and depressed. Though I have no real reason to feel this way (everything is going as planned), I still do.

I may ask my doc about sleeping aids, since that's my biggest issue. I'm trying to work at home (computer programmer), but, with the lack of sleep, occasional pain and pain meds, my attention span isn't too good right now.

I am thankful for this forum. Just putting these thoughts down and knowing there are others out there than have been through, and are going through the same issues helps.

Hope, I "hope" you feel the same way and realize the fact that you're ready to get back to life full speed so quick, means, eventually, you will. Me too.
Steve

 

[kangaroo]

I imagine that part of the problem is that we have this expectation that this is the beginning of a new stage of life, more mobility, getting into life again etc. Doesn't that sound exciting? But unfortunatley it also requires time and effort and patience...lots of patience, and after a few weeks of sitting around I imagine that patience starts to wear thin, and frustration abounds. We begin to wonder "why did I ever do this to myself?"...

How do we get past this? because I imagine that its more in the brain than in the hips? We have to have hope that in time all will be well, (going back to young babies....remember those first days of breastfeeding and struggling with sleep deprivation etc....and how are we going to cope? I guess we have to concentrate on today, and not dwell on yesterday.....or wish that tomorrow was here...just today and do what needs to be done today. ...and if that means sitting with ice on our knees, or doing physio or resting, then so be it. Its easy to preach acceptance and living for today, another thing to embrace it when all you want is a reprieve from the pain, and the tiredness.
One day at a time Hope...and don't put to much pressure on what you should be up to...you are where you are
Rachel