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THR I’m worried about every new ache!<

Now that I am spending much more time with my ice bag, I’m wondering what types of icing devices the rest of the bonesmart gang have used. Right now, I am using a double sleeved thing that holds two 5X10 inch gel packs. I have three sets of these gel packs to rotate as they thaw. This only challenge is to keep the thing wrapped around the right places on my hip, so we are using Velcro straps for that. Any other devices you recommend? I’ve read the ice section, and specifically am wondering if any folks purchased one foe of the pump type devices and if they seemed worth it. Thanks
 
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Breg Polar Pack, it's basically a small cooler with a water pump. Put 4 frozen water bottles and top it off with water. Plug it in and it circulates ice water through the hoses to a pad that you place on wherever you want it cold. You can leave it on continuously and all you do is swap the water bottles with replacements from the freezer and you can ice 24hrs straight. I used it in bed while I slept the first week or 2. It was part of the package deal from the hospital. I don't see how anyone uses ice packs.
 
I used ice packs AND frozen peas.
Whatever works.
Hope easing off of some of that exercise is having good repercussions!
All temporary...
Hope today is a better day!
 
I had my hip surgery June 5..I read thru your posts and I can relate..I was nervous at every pop, ping and weird pain..I imagined the worse..I had home PT and then went to Outpatient facility. Looking back at that time, I know now it wasn't a good thing for me..Every time I went , I was in so much pain after..Thankfully, others on this forum, pointed this out and I stopped. The best thing I found was to walk..I would walk on the road in my neighborhood and increase my walking by going to the next crack in pavement. I eventually got up to 1.5 mile. The other helpful thing I did was to write in my journal..Over time, I was able to look back at those pings and pain and realize I don't have that anymore..All I can say..it takes time ( your OWN time) and don't compare yourself to anyone..Hang in there .Good luck
 
Well, things are still up and down a bit. I think I stopped taking Naproxen too soon(only 2.5days) because it was bothering my stomach on top of the aspirin therapy. The Naproxen was working though, which encouraged me to do more, and probably too much more. I admit to being a bit insecure about the suggested walk times mentioned in the BoneSmart guidelines for activity. For my post op week, the suggestion is 15-20 minutes. Yikes. I can’t do that. I walked today for several ten minute stints, plus all the times I got up to get a snack, or a drink or to go to the bathroom. And I hurt tonight. I paired down the PT exercises to only those that don’t seem to hurt, but I’m thinking I’ll take a complete break from all of them. But the walking? How did all of you gauge how much to do? And I am also wondering how long folks take pain meds stronger than Tylenol. Im finding that when I get hit with a spell of soreness the Tylenol just isn’t cutting it. Thanks for all of the supportive messages. As they say, the struggle is real.
 
@hiphoser I did my second hip 9/17. I have had a similar problem several times, used the wrong foot going up or down stairs or twisted a little getting out of the car passenger seat.

By now enough people have chimed in that you’ve calmed down, but here is one more voice of reassurance! Ice, elevate, don’t do things that hurt.
 
Happy One Month Anniversary!
Don't do anything you're uncomfortable with or that's causing you pain. The suggested walking in the Recovery Guidelines is a rough gauge. Some will walk more, some less. It's not a test or goal you have to meet. Take it at your own pace, no pressure. Break the walking up as you're doing and set aside the PT for now as you mentioned. Gradually increase your time walking at your own comfort level.

Here's the Big Tip from the Recovery Guidelines -
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.

I'm wondering how much Tylenol you're taking and how often? Maybe you can adjust your dosage temporarily for more effective pain relief. Josephine the forum Nurse recommends taking 1000 mg of Tylenol, 4 X daily, (every 6 hrs) not to exceed 4000 mg in any 24 hr period. Hope this helps....

Best wishes for a nice weekend!
@hiphoser
 
Hi @hiphoser I am five weeks out tomorrow. If I have done a lot of walking to do "activities of daily living" in the house, I count that in in my overall walk time. Found it helped not to over do it...

I'm taking 4,000 Tylenol at the moment. I've have my other hip to do next month, and it is kicking up! Couldn't live without the Tylenol. If the Tylenol doesn't cut it, I know I've overdone the walking.

My OS wants me to walk only until I see him again at six weeks.

Wishing you a good weekend :flwrysmile:
 
I found @hiphoser that I was regularly doing almost a mile around the house (I have a fitbit) from quite early on just going to the loo and doing little jobs, making a drink etc. I too learned the hard way that physio exercises can do more harm than good!3 months on my new hip is fine, old hip is very bad and needs replacing. I'm back on old pre-op medication regime of paracetamol and ibuprofen (I checked with the surgeon I could take the latter again at 6 weeks) Naproxen gave me stomach cramps when I tried it some years ago. At your stage of healing can't your doctor prescribe something like codeine? I still have the occasional one as a back up when I've been very busy or the weather is cold and damp. Best of luck.:prayer:
 
You're 4 weeks out from surgery..Don't be in pain..I was prescribed Tramadol and I would take half a pill , 25 mg as needed. check in with surgeon. I lived with ice packs..I remember not getting straight advice from surgeon as to what I should do to get better. He said just walk..My family and friends said go to PT. It was all confusing..I felt very alone..I'm still trying to figure this out at 4.5 months. It hasn't been an easy journey for me..There's no right way..its up to you to listen to your body..Don't compare yourself to other recovery..I learned that..
 
Hi all. Time for an update and some new questions. Completed week six, so am off the compression stockings and aspiring therapy-YAY! Had checkup and x-ray with my OS, and he is pleased with how things look. YAY again. I found this reassuring because I kept imagining bad things when I’d have a new pain or a set back. My current issue is my right knee (operative leg), which hurts! It’s been hurting off and on all throughout my recovery, but has gotten more troublesome as I’ve started to walk more ( and maybe added a few exercises that it doesn’t like). Both my PT and OS feel that the issue is not in the knee joint itself, but is a patellar tracking problem resulting in tendonitis. The pain is on the inside lower corner of my knee. I always kind of knew what to do/not do for my knees, especially the right one, as it has gotten angry before when I’d do something dumb (like get the idea to try jogging). So I guess it’s decided to be ticked off again! Arrggg. So, I’m backing off the walking, several of the PT exercises, wearing a patellar band, and looking again for pain meds. Has anybody tried CBD oil and had any success? I’m afraid to be on Tylenol anymore ( had been taking 3000 mg a day for weeks) and take some ibuprofen, but that will upset my stomach after a bit. Thought I’d try the CBD, but would love any info the forum might give. Yes, this is definitely a marathon, not a sprint. Sigh.
 
Just to clarify, I had been accumulating around 3000- 4000+steps per day on my fitness tracker ( 1.5 -1.75 miles). This might be too much, eh? The trochanter area of my hip hurts when I’ve done too much, as it does now. Obviously, I’m finding the sweet spot hard to find.
 
@hiphoser I think you are too focused on distance. Don't worry about steps or the length of your walks. Walk half the amount of time you think you can do - then turn around and come home. If you are not sore the next day, try that distance again and add a bit. If you are sore, you have done too much.
 
Thanks. Jaycey. I think you are right. I tend to be a bit too hard on myself, and I guess I expected to be doing more by now, so keep thinking if I just try harder, I’ll be able to do more. Nope. Not working, so doing less and meditating on patience will have to be my thing. But I will be interested to see if anybody has had luck with CBD oil. Just maybe to be another tool in the toolbox.
 
Hello fellow bone smarties! I’m in need of another round of encouragement and some advise.

Geez oh man! What is with me? I’m not normally so thick headed, but I can’t seem to just give in and accept that my recovery is going much more slowly than I imagined. I went into the surgery in decent shape, so figured I’d be at least average in recovery and I guess I bought into the “you’ll be back on your feet in no time” bit hook, line and sinker.

Thus, despite reading all of the excellent advice here about not overdoing it, I keep OVERdoing it!!!! It doesn’t help that my OS and his PA believe in physical therapy, and neither of them are warm fuzzies. So, I’ve been afraid to completely defy them by discontinuing PT. Plus, my PT is really nice and at this point, he is the only friendly medical professional I get to see regularly to answer questions, provide moral support, etc.

This past Friday I overdid it again with a new exercise: twice standing on the operative leg for one minute without holding on to anything. Although it didn’t hurt at the time I was doing it, just felt very fatigued, the day after it hurt a lot to bear weight and walk. Still does today, despite three days of reduced walking, no PT exercises, and 600mg of Advil three times a day.

I am so very discouraged, and ticked off with myself for overdoing again as this happened to me at least once before. I called my OS and the PA just returned my call to say that this much discomfort is a bit unusual for nine weeks post op (ack, so scary to hear!) but the timing suggests that the PT was the culprit, so to back off for a week and then start back in gradually.

My problem is that it’s apparently really hard for me to gauge what is “ too much” as it doesn’t hurt at the time. Should I defy my medical folks and just stop PT altogether and risk offending them? Should I worry about the pain with walking now? Feels like a pinch with each step.

Ask me any questions that you think will help provide me with some advice. I’m feeling very discouraged and sad that I did this to myself just in time for my kids to come home for Thanksgiving.
 
Hi, I'm sorry you're hurting and unable to Just Say No to PT.
Your pain should be your best clue that it's not working.
Pain is your body asking for change. So I'd give it change by laying off the PT.

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.

Let's see what @Josephine has to say about your particular pain. Check back....she may have questions.
@hiphoser
 
Thank you! I agree that I’m having trouble saying no to PT. I’m more convinced now that I need to, even though I’m getting pressure from my OS to continue. Time for me to get assertive.
 
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