THR Hopefully Hippy Recovery
- Thread starter SurreyGirl
- Start date
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SurreyGirl
supremo
Ah ha Detective Mojo - you may have a point there.. the seatbelt does rub against that part of the scar. It was so itchy the other week I drove to work with an icepack against that side which seemed to help.. Also taking a benedryl at night seems to help.. Off for my lunchtime walk in a minute. Have a good day..
Mojo333
Former BoneSmart Staff Member
OP
OP
SurreyGirl
supremo
No Crazies for you ;-)
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I had the same, SurreyGirl!
I believe you experienced Posterior, just as I did.
Early on I placed a small gel ice pack under the buckle portion of the seatbelt because it landed / rubbed and irritated my incision. I didn't experience the other symptoms you mentioned, just a discomfort. It did pass after a couple, maybe even several months, I don't recall anymore. But....when it did bother me, I wasn't commuting as you do, or driving every single day. Possibly yours is just continually being irritated. What about a hand towel, thick washcloth, something like that, kept in your car and placed over your incision where the self belt lands for a few months and see if the discomfort eases, then completely goes away? Just thoughts....
Hope you're having a nice Tuesday, I'm still on Java at 8:57 am.
@SurreyGirl
I believe you experienced Posterior, just as I did.
Early on I placed a small gel ice pack under the buckle portion of the seatbelt because it landed / rubbed and irritated my incision. I didn't experience the other symptoms you mentioned, just a discomfort. It did pass after a couple, maybe even several months, I don't recall anymore. But....when it did bother me, I wasn't commuting as you do, or driving every single day. Possibly yours is just continually being irritated. What about a hand towel, thick washcloth, something like that, kept in your car and placed over your incision where the self belt lands for a few months and see if the discomfort eases, then completely goes away? Just thoughts....
Hope you're having a nice Tuesday, I'm still on Java at 8:57 am.
@SurreyGirl
OP
OP
SurreyGirl
supremo
Thanks all - will give this some thought.
I did stop the e45 cream for a bit but the dry skin seemed to make it worse.
Typing this after a full day’s work and hubby cooking up pork masala with mushrooms. Yum!
Scar fine at the moment. Working from home tomorrow so no driving. Let’s see!!
I did stop the e45 cream for a bit but the dry skin seemed to make it worse.
Typing this after a full day’s work and hubby cooking up pork masala with mushrooms. Yum!
Scar fine at the moment. Working from home tomorrow so no driving. Let’s see!!
OP
OP
SurreyGirl
supremo
Nurse Josephine referred to stiffness as pain in her list of questions she sends to people. I thankfully have almost no pain now but do get stiffness.
Should I be taking paracetamol still to help with this, even if I don’t have pain? . I feel I am so nearly there with this recovery and keen to sort out things that are holding me back.
Thanks everyone who has responded here. I find it very helpful.
Should I be taking paracetamol still to help with this, even if I don’t have pain? . I feel I am so nearly there with this recovery and keen to sort out things that are holding me back.
Thanks everyone who has responded here. I find it very helpful.
Mojo333
Former BoneSmart Staff Member
You can try this.
I had stiffness/tightness after sitting for a bit or upon waking ..for well over a year as I do have an active day.
I didn't take anything regularly for this...only when I got really achy. I'm not much of a medicine person..
Then I find if I do feel I need it...it actually works.
Things will keep getting better and better.
Just be mindful of any changes with how that scar feels, I would say...hopefully just a bit one time and things will resolve or you can certainly check with doctor for reassurance.
Hope today is a Good Day for you!
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@SurreyGirl, 
I'm truly sorry you're not getting answers, or the reassurance you're seeking here.
Please consider calling the office of your OS with your concerns. Hopefully through answering a few of their questions they'll be able to offer you some peace of mind.
I think we're all quick to blame symptoms on our new hip. As far as stiffness, in some cases I think some of our aches, minor pains and stiffness are just part of the aging process. We're not Spring Chickens anymore
Right?
I hope you're having a good day working from home. Wishing you a peaceful relaxing evening.
I'm truly sorry you're not getting answers, or the reassurance you're seeking here.
Please consider calling the office of your OS with your concerns. Hopefully through answering a few of their questions they'll be able to offer you some peace of mind.
I think we're all quick to blame symptoms on our new hip. As far as stiffness, in some cases I think some of our aches, minor pains and stiffness are just part of the aging process. We're not Spring Chickens anymore
Right?
I hope you're having a good day working from home. Wishing you a peaceful relaxing evening.
OP
OP
SurreyGirl
supremo
I do! I take 1000mg in the morning before heading out to do all my chores. Eases the stiffness very quickly and the all the moving around I need to do keeps any stiffness at bay.
OP
OP
SurreyGirl
supremo
Good to hear. Thanks. Will take a dose early morning before driving and see if that helps...
Hi, Surrygirl! I've just read through your recovery thread and I think you're coming along really well with your new hip. I believe you may have something about the seat belt rubbing on the scar and causing you some discomfort after driving. Those twinges can be nerves reconnecting as well. But I don't think this is anything to worry about and that it will lessen with some time. Some of us just take a bit longer with our recovery than others...sometimes for no rhyme or reason.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking paracetamol for those minor discomforts like stiffness and a little pain. It can help sometimes to start the day or some people need it in order to get a good night's sleep.
Your experiences with your hip and the tightness seem to indicate that you have muscles that need to be gently stretched back into normal functioning. This contracting of muscles can occur if you had a bad hip for quite a while and/or if you modified your gait over the years to accommodate the bad hip. These are normal things that one's body does to adjust to the deteriorating hip. Then surgery comes along and immediately puts all the bones and your joint back into normal position. Your poor soft tissues then must work to stretch and adjust themselves to the new normal. It can take time and I think you are wise to continue to work on it gradually with exercises, swimming and possibly even some therapy exercises.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking paracetamol for those minor discomforts like stiffness and a little pain. It can help sometimes to start the day or some people need it in order to get a good night's sleep.
Your experiences with your hip and the tightness seem to indicate that you have muscles that need to be gently stretched back into normal functioning. This contracting of muscles can occur if you had a bad hip for quite a while and/or if you modified your gait over the years to accommodate the bad hip. These are normal things that one's body does to adjust to the deteriorating hip. Then surgery comes along and immediately puts all the bones and your joint back into normal position. Your poor soft tissues then must work to stretch and adjust themselves to the new normal. It can take time and I think you are wise to continue to work on it gradually with exercises, swimming and possibly even some therapy exercises.
OP
OP
SurreyGirl
supremo
Thanks Jamie. I am thinking of going back for a few more physio sessions specifically to work on this. The exercises and stretching they gave me for the knee did work and they specialise in hip and knee rehabilitation and know which bits to massage!
The swimming does help as does walking and I can now go downstairs almost normally which was one of the last things to get right. I do stiffen up after walking for more than a mile which is annoying so still rely on my Leki for longer distances. As the weather warms up here things should get better.
Sleeping is good and I am averaging 7.5 hours a night which is SO much better than pre-op.
I am trying hard to lose weight but it is hard when I can’t up the exercise without problems.
I have cut back on food and wine and still the scales won’t shift :-(. All that said things are so much better than pre-op and I am so glad I went ahead. Just wish I hadn’t had to spend 2 years plus hobbling about waiting for the op.
Have a great weekend everyone
The swimming does help as does walking and I can now go downstairs almost normally which was one of the last things to get right. I do stiffen up after walking for more than a mile which is annoying so still rely on my Leki for longer distances. As the weather warms up here things should get better.
Sleeping is good and I am averaging 7.5 hours a night which is SO much better than pre-op.
I am trying hard to lose weight but it is hard when I can’t up the exercise without problems.
I have cut back on food and wine and still the scales won’t shift :-(. All that said things are so much better than pre-op and I am so glad I went ahead. Just wish I hadn’t had to spend 2 years plus hobbling about waiting for the op.
Have a great weekend everyone
Alitm
post-grad
Hi @SurreyGirl! Thank you for your kind messages.
I was reading through your posts and see about the seat belt rubbing your scar. There is a fleece manufacturer here in my town and they make fleece seat belt covers! If you don't have any luck in access that, I'll go and get you what you need! Just let me know!
I have a great physio, and he has given super exercise to help me stretch what needed to be stretched, and slow build up of weakened muscles. But we took baby steps and we didn't start all that until I was six/seven weeks post op second hip.
Wishing you a great weekend and hope you are getting Spring over there?!
I was reading through your posts and see about the seat belt rubbing your scar. There is a fleece manufacturer here in my town and they make fleece seat belt covers! If you don't have any luck in access that, I'll go and get you what you need! Just let me know!
I have a great physio, and he has given super exercise to help me stretch what needed to be stretched, and slow build up of weakened muscles. But we took baby steps and we didn't start all that until I was six/seven weeks post op second hip.
Wishing you a great weekend and hope you are getting Spring over there?!
OP
OP
SurreyGirl
supremo
Hi @Alitm That is so kind of you! I put a big soft woolly hat between my hip and the seat belt and think it might be working. Drove home with the roof down yesterday
06:34 and a beautiful spring day here. The birds are singing, the sun is shining and my husband is snoring. Oh well, 2 out of 3!
I was with lovely Alaskan friends last night eating homemade fried chicken and lemon tart which she cooked up in their tiny apartment. The hip played up a bit but I think that was sitting in a squashy sofa for 3 hours. Had a lovely time though.
Hope life as a double hippy is treating you well
06:34 and a beautiful spring day here. The birds are singing, the sun is shining and my husband is snoring. Oh well, 2 out of 3!
I was with lovely Alaskan friends last night eating homemade fried chicken and lemon tart which she cooked up in their tiny apartment. The hip played up a bit but I think that was sitting in a squashy sofa for 3 hours. Had a lovely time though.
Hope life as a double hippy is treating you well
Alitm
post-grad
@SurreyGirl Home fried chicken and lemon tarts sound delicious! Squishy couches aren't the best anymore are they? My hubby bought all new, really firm inserts for our couches, and they are so nice. He also installed new legs on the couches, as they were the low squishy kind and now are built for tall folks who are recovering from various surgeries....and the couches still look great!!
Life as a double hippy is good. My first hip still complains at times that it has to take the lead still, but with the strengthening through physio everything is coming on line, I'm able to do so much now with the horses and hope to start riding again mid to end of May. I can sit in my saddle comfortably now, so will move to sitting on a saddle form, with saddle, at a friend's tack shop. It is amazing the range of motion I have now! I do a lot of stretching each morning and physio exercises at home every other day. It is all a bit of a bore, but it enables me to be back having an active life again, so I get them done!
Glad the wooly hat seems to be working! If you change your mind, the sheepskin is quite amazing!
Enjoy your spring weekend
Life as a double hippy is good. My first hip still complains at times that it has to take the lead still, but with the strengthening through physio everything is coming on line, I'm able to do so much now with the horses and hope to start riding again mid to end of May. I can sit in my saddle comfortably now, so will move to sitting on a saddle form, with saddle, at a friend's tack shop. It is amazing the range of motion I have now! I do a lot of stretching each morning and physio exercises at home every other day. It is all a bit of a bore, but it enables me to be back having an active life again, so I get them done!
Glad the wooly hat seems to be working! If you change your mind, the sheepskin is quite amazing!
Enjoy your spring weekend
OP
OP
SurreyGirl
supremo
Thanks so much. There are some very kind people on here
Brw after a month of agonising re work I applied for voluntary severance. It felt weird as I started to get used to the idea of a different life. I, along with a lot of other people had to wait a week to find out the results, and in my case , it was rejected!
I have a very busy few weeks coming up so not much time to absorb this information. The people I work with, from all disciplines, seem pleased I am staying but I am going to have to adjust my mindset again. And there is always the threat of redundancy in Phase 2 of this ongoing procedure. deep joy!
Thanks for all the support on here both privately and publicly....life goes on...
Brw after a month of agonising re work I applied for voluntary severance. It felt weird as I started to get used to the idea of a different life. I, along with a lot of other people had to wait a week to find out the results, and in my case , it was rejected!
I have a very busy few weeks coming up so not much time to absorb this information. The people I work with, from all disciplines, seem pleased I am staying but I am going to have to adjust my mindset again. And there is always the threat of redundancy in Phase 2 of this ongoing procedure. deep joy!
Thanks for all the support on here both privately and publicly....life goes on...
OP
OP
SurreyGirl
supremo
I have been touched by the overwhelming kindness of academics, finance and admin, cleaners and catering staff I know as many contacted me and said they were glad I was staying. I really wasn’t expecting that and could have cried...they themselves are going through the whole process too and it is affecting everyone. There is something of a blitz spirit here amongst the “survivors” and some very black humour!
On another plus note, I can consider joining the “swanky health club” now - although as am still working have limited time to make the most of it! Shall I or shall I not?!m
Hubby's work will be taking him out two-three nights a week soon so I could and should be doing the exercise followed by the steam room and watching the fit blokes swimming from the comfort of the hot tub..... TBC......
On another plus note, I can consider joining the “swanky health club” now - although as am still working have limited time to make the most of it! Shall I or shall I not?!m
Hubby's work will be taking him out two-three nights a week soon so I could and should be doing the exercise followed by the steam room and watching the fit blokes swimming from the comfort of the hot tub..... TBC......
