THR Hospital and post-op experiences?

[Littlejem]

Sorry you're having a few problems with your pain meds, I'm sure you'll get it right to work for you soon. I did have hot and cold spells for a few weeks after surgery and it did just ease off

 

[calikat]

I still get them at night and I am 5 1/2 weeks out. But they are starting to subside. I thought they were hot flashes! One minute freezing, the next throwing all the blankets off. LOL!

 

[Butterfly]

I woke up in the recovery room FREEZING and shaking violently. I do not believe I have ever felt so cold, and I couldn't stop the shaking. I was begging for something to help me get warm. I do not remember any particular pain at that time, but I was SO cold I thought I was dying or something was terribly wrong. They wrapped me up in blankets that had been warmed, and it started to abate. They kept changing the warm blankets as they cooled off a bit and I slowly got warm so they could take me to my room. I was OK then, but they made sure I had enough blankets and stayed warm.

It was a very scary experience for me, but the nurses didn't seem particularly upset by it, and they did have warm blankets waiting at the ready, and the doc later told me it was fairly common and not to worry about it. I had a spinal for both surgeries and the first one didn't affect me like that. The second one sure did, though. I don't know if it was the drugs or reaction to the surgery, or what, but it was terrifying to me. Now, a week out from the second surgery) sometimes with percocet I'll wake up in a cold sweat (very much like menopause stuff), but nothing like that immediate post op thing. Don't know what causes it -- I've always been very sensitive to temperature changes (too hot and I feel ill and grumpy and overwhelmed; too cold and I feel trembly and kinda anxious). Maybe the drugs mess with our internal thermostat or something??

 

[Acleme1]

Acleme1, Would you please put your surgery date in your signature, as well as what surgery you had (i.e., LTKR, RTHR) like the rest of us do? You can find the instructions here: How to create a signature. ​

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But please also remember that our membership is international and for clarity use the International Date system being Jan. 10, 2013 or 10 Jan. 2013 rather than 1/10/13 or 10/1/13. Thanks so much for your cooperation.​

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I'd be happy to add my signature, but I use the iphone app tapatalk. Do you know how to add a signature within this app? Thanks.

 

[Acleme1]

Does anyone have any good tips for showering after surgery? My doc says it's okay, so long as I keep the incision and dressing dry. Easier said than done. My incision is anterior, and runs up the front of my leg to my waistline. How am I supposed to keep that area dry?

Thanks!

 

[calikat]

I am not sure Acleme. I had a waterproof bandage so I was able to get it wet. Hopefully someone will chime in. I had an anterior approach also, but my incision was just on my thigh.

 

[Jaycey]

Aaron, if the Tylenol isn't controlling the pain please be sure and ask for something else. At this early stage I doubt if Tylenol will help give you the mobility.

 

[Littlejem]

Like calikat I had waterproof dressings and I was in the hydro pool the next day

 

[Acleme1]

Hi all. Just wanted to check in. Not much new to report. My home health PT comes tomorrow at 1:00. I'm actually glad she's coming. It will give me a reason to get my butt up out of bed.

I should probably be doing more exercises/walking than I am. I am 5 days post-op, and still spend 90% of the day laid up. I just don't seem to have much energy to do anything. Also, I get light-headed every time I get up. I worry about fainting.

Still dealing with a fever every night also. 100.8 is the highest it gets. Enough to make me feel terrible., then it goes down every morning.

I think I'm going to spend some time tonight reading through the archives to see where I should be in recovery at this point.

Sorry to sound so negative tonight. I know it will get better. As for joint pain, there's very little - so that's good!

Aaron.

 

[bottomshollow]

I am 5 days post-op, and still spend 90% of the day laid up. I just don't seem to have much energy to do anything.

Relax, Aaron,

and while you at it

!

This is just what your body needs at this point in your recovery. Just enough exercise to keep your hip limber is fine. You got a lot of healing going on and the body does that best with lots of rest. So just enjoy being lazy---you've earned that right.

So just continue to

for the time being. Before long you'll get bored and want to do more and then the time will be right.

Take care and keep us posted. We care.

 

[calikat]

I am 5 days post-op, and still spend 90% of the day laid up.

I easily spent 90% of my first week or two lying in bed elevating and icing my hip. My exercise consisted of getting up to walk to and from the bathroom or kitchen every hour or so. LOL Things will get better. The in home PT will help you feel more secure. My therapist gave me a few standing exercises to do before taking a step (weight shifting and heel raises) because walking even with the walker was painful. My leg felt like it was on a stilt or something. I don't quite know how to explain it. It was stiff, tight and very sore. The weight shifting and heel raises really helped before taking a step. I was amazed that such a small movement could make such a difference.

 

[Acleme1]

Thanks bottoms! It just feels so...wrong being so lazy. I'm happy to take the advice though.

 

[Acleme1]

Thanks calikat. Looking forward to working with PT. Hopefully they are knowledgeable about these things.

 

[Josephine]

I'd be happy to add my signature, but I use the iphone app tapatalk. Do you know how to add a signature within this app? Thanks.

Don't worry - I did it for you!

Does anyone have any good tips for showering after surgery? My doc says it's okay, so long as I keep the incision and dressing dry. Easier said than done. My incision is anterior, and runs up the front of my leg to my waistline. How am I supposed to keep that area dry?

If they haven't supplied you with waterproof dressings, make one for yourself. Get a plastic bag, put it over the wound dressing and stick round the edges with sticky tape. Put a broader bit on the upper and side edges.

I just don't seem to have much energy to do anything. Also, I get light-headed every time I get up. I worry about fainting.

It appears no-one left you the recovery articles. One of them is this Energy drain for THRs which means your lack of energy is completely normal and expected.

Still dealing with a fever every night also. 100.8 is the highest it gets.

Also completely normal. It's all part and parcel of the healing process.

It just feels so...wrong being so lazy.

You're not being lazy, you're in recovery! You're not even one week out yet and entitled to feel the way you do!

Now read these and learn more about hip recovery - first the BoneSmart mantra
- rest, elevate, ice and take your pain meds by the clock
- if it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physiotherapist - to do it to you
- if your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again
- if you won't die if it's not done, don't do it
- never stand when you can sit, never sit when you can lie down, never stay awake when you can go to sleep!
- be active as much as you need to be but not more than is necessary, meaning so much that you end up being in pain, exhausted or desperate to sit down or lay down!

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
Activity progression for THRs
Home physio (PT)
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?

 

[Rezjack]

I concur...I am begining my 3rd week of "recovery" and I was undermedicating and it seemed to stifle the process of recovery. With my pain management under control and resting I feel that everything is going well. So, I can relate to your situation. And when I do something like go to the OS I get wiped out..however, I do get up and down throughout the day...

 

[Acleme1]

Hi Bonesmart. I am now 8 days out from getting my right hip replaced. I'm doing great now, but I had a few rough days there right after surgery. Mostly because I had a bad reaction to Percocet/Ocycodone, and they couldn't ever figure out what to replace it with. Water under the bridge...

What I'd really like to know from some of you survivors out there...How satisfied were you with your hospital stay, and the follow up care offered by your OS?

The reason I ask is because I sorta feel like I was abandoned after the surgery. I haven't had one single follow-up call from either the OS office or the hospital. I guess I expected the Dr. to take the time to maybe follow up and see how I was doing. I'll see him again 2 weeks after the surgery, but no other communication?

I also feel like I was sorta "duped" the morning of the surgery. One of his big selling points was with the anterior approach, I'd get to go home the next day. But yet right before surgery, he tells me most hip replacement patients stay for 3 days. Surprise!!

There were other things that were a little questionable as well. The morning after surgery, I was awoken by a nurse that wanted me to take my meds. Sure! I could use them right now. She handed me the little plastic cup, and there were about 12 pills of all shapes and sizes in that thing. Celebrex, blood thinners, stool softeners, nerve meds, and on and on. I had no idea I was going to have to take all this stuff. I made them explain every pill before I took it. I wanted to know: What is it and why am I taking it?

I guess there was just a lot of things going on pre-op and post-op that I wasn't expecting. I don't like to be surprised, so the whole experience has sorta left a bad taste in my mouth.

I'd like to know if this has been other people's experience? Maybe I'm expecting too much. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Based on what I hear back from everyone, I may be looking for a new surgeon to do my other hip next year.

Thanks, Aaron.

 

[G's Mom]

Hi Aaron, good to be on the other side isn't it?

I had an anterior THR on 10-21. I was very happy with my hospital stay and my surgeon.

I stayed 3 days and was told that was how it would be before hand. The nurses came every hour or two to check on me. They made sure my pain was well controlled, had ice and that I was drinking plenty of fluids.

My surgeon visited after the operation and every morning after that. He is a great doctor and always explained everything to me.

You are right about the research. I researched a lot to prepare myself for this operation. The initial doctor who made the diagnosis just said "pick a surgeon" and had the office give me a list. I was totally unprepared for the lack of advice. That was my cue to research, research, research. It was time intensive but do with it.

I'm very happy with the results. Getting better every day.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Acleme1]

I had ice on my hip when I woke up in recovery. They never iced it again. I had to ask for water every time. They never had it there waiting for me. :(

 

[Butterfly]

Well, my OS didn't call to check up on me either, but then I did not expect him to. They said "Call us if you have trouble or questions and come back in two weeks." I don't think you can expect your OS to call up and check on you. If they had to do that, it would probably add another couple months to the waiting time for surgery.

As to all those pills, I just figured that's what they do -- OS orders the meds and the nurses give them to you. A lot of things happen in the hospital that they don't exactly explain (why do they take that blood every time you turn around?), but I didn't expect them to explain every tiny thing to me. As someone on here recently said, "at some point you have to trust somebody." Besides, as Josephine says, "it's their day job" and they do it every day and are good at it. I didn't know what all those meds were, but I certainly wasn't in a position to dispute the surgeon's orders, even if I had known what they were, not being a pharmacist or a surgeon.

I do't think you'd get any different treatment from any other OS. They are not going to explain every tiny thing they do, and as to the length of hospital stay, they can only predict. You don't want them turning you loose before you are ready because they predicted otherwise, do you?

I got excellent care, and a good result, and that's what matters.

 

[Acleme1]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Butterfly - Thanks for putting things into perspective for me. I'm a worrier. I'll get hung up on something and can't get past it, but you're right. Although this was my first rodeo, it's a daily thing for them. I guess I just should be thankful for the result: I'm walking without any help and driving with no restrictions. 8 days after surgery! Just this morning, my home PT said I was the fastest hip recovery she's had in 29 years. Yay!!!