THR I actually made it.

[rans0m00]

Well Dr today gave me 20mg Oxycodone every 4-6hrs and oxycontin 20mg morning and night. So a little less but in the ballpark of what I am taking now. Next month we will step it down.

For my exercise today I did 1.5 miles on the stationary bike. I wanted to do the arc trainer but decided to stay with what I know... Which is cycling. I was amazed at how hard it was compared to pre surgery. Oh well felt good to work.... And now home elevated and icing. A little wore down but not so wore down I need a nap so another good sign.

 

[fearbox]

I'm 3.5 weeks out. I still need Norco. I did manage to go to work 2 days this week. I only worked a few hours. It felt great. I did come home and ice and elevate. Since this is my second major surgery in 6 months I wear out easy. My PT is pool therapy. I think that is the best for me.
Don't worry about how long you are on the pain meds. I feel I can work harder if I'm not in pain. We are all part of a long marathon.


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[rans0m00]

@fearbox I agree it's better I am on the meds. Wish I didn't need them but it is what it is.

Pool pt is on my list of things I to try. Should be good fun.

 

[Mountain Momma]

@rans0m00 I was just dropping in to see how you are doing. So glad you are taking the advice to control your pain so your body can heal. For me, it has been more difficult to give myself permission to keep my afternoon naps (or whenever I feel like I need a nap) until my body is ready to go back to my normal pace. I haven't needed the pain meds, except for Celebrex an Tylenol, in the last two weeks so I thought I should be able to give the extra sleep also. I'm almost at the 5 week mark, but I've decided we are all on a different schedule. Take care of your self. You have lots of good support and advice on this forum. Hang in there. It is worth the struggle.

LTHR, posterior, 7 July 2014.

 

[rans0m00]

@Mountain Momma I'm doing good.. There are just some adjustments with me that have to be made. Redo my expectations and work on my patience. The pain I try to keep in check but some pain is just the way it is apparently going to go. I'm having no issue with the afternoon naps if I need one. That will come to an end fairly soon though. So taking full advantage of it while I can.

There is no option of giving up so hanging in there and making the best of it is just what I have to and will do.

 

[rans0m00]

Well another night of waking up just craving candy. Weird for me but did make it almost 5 hrs of actual sleep before I woke up. So ate a twizzler, cliff bar, and a boost drink. Hopefully that holds me over so I can get another 4 hours of sleep.

 

[bottomshollow]

@rans0m00, the inability to get a good night's sleep is one of the most frustrating elements of recovery. Something about the pain meds does strange things to our bio-rhythm. It took me a full three months before I was back sleeping more than three hours at a time.

Just get sleep whenever you can. I took short naps off and on during the day and didn't let being up in the wee hours get to me---just found things to stay occupied---like watching hours of mind numbing TV.

 

[beachgal]

@rans0m00, just checking on you--are you sleeping any better?? Keep posting so I'm not worried!!


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[rans0m00]

@beachgal not so much... I wake up at 1am and usually can't fall asleep till about 3am.... Doesn't seem to matter what time I fall asleep.

My posts are getting further apart. I have been very active from how I was. It's time to get the kids ready for school and things like that. I was going to be alone this week but decided I didn't feel like it so drove into the city to stay with my partner. I will be leaving tonight though.

Overall things have been getting better but as before something's have not progressed as expected. The stationary bike seemed to really help get some mobility back in my hip. The day of i was fairly sore but after that things were better.

I'm wondering if or when I will be able to sit with my legs crossed? I used to sit like this often but I am afraid to try it now.

Thanks for checking on me. Come next week I will be starting back regular life so you will either be hearing a lot from me if things go wrong or only a couple posts a week if things go right. I hope you are healing well. I have been keeping up with your recovery and it sounds like you are making nice steady progress. Your patience is impressive too.

 

[rans0m00]

This semester is going to be hard. Picked up my books and I guess I appeared to be struggling so bad a random person came up and asked if I needed a hand. My body was screaming yes... But my pride won over and told them thank you but no.

Time to get my couple of miles of cycling in and then it's home to ice and elevate.

 

[Chessie]

yeah... Hopefully I won't be on it for long but never know.... This walking around a little bit has proven to be harder than I thought it would be.

Hey I am with you on that. I am so over this gimping around. I am at 4 weeks today, and even though I am back at the gym, and doing long bike rides (did 21 miles last night), I still find walking to be the most difficult and uncomfortable thing! I only use a cane on long walks, but I keep it with me every day just in case. I guess I am impatient, but I had hoped to be walking easier than I am, by now.

 

[rans0m00]

@Chessie yeah I don't really get it either. I am not close to you on the distances but my other actions are fairly normal looking. The walk I have a noticeable limp. I'm counting on it to get normal after the connecting tissue gets stronger around the hip and loosens up in other places that have been tight to protect my hip.

 

[Jaycey]

I'm wondering if or when I will be able to sit with my legs crossed? I used to sit like this often but I am afraid to try it now.

I would strongly advise you not to sit with your legs crossed. You are very early out and with any THR this is a restriction. Give that new hip a chance to heal. Remember it's a marathon not a sprint!

 

[rans0m00]

@Jaycey I was thinking it was a no go so if it was comfortable I would do it but if it doesn't fall into place then I'm not going to stretch for it or anything.

My Dr lifted all precautions except one and just do what's comfortable. I try to be very careful with my hip... A dislocation doesn't sound good at all.

 

[Hoppy Nanny]

@rans0m00 I walked with a limp for 6 months after my THR....it was so frustrating to stay with the one crutch, as advised but it sure worked....I have no limp at all now. I found the swimming pool a great resource ....walking & doing exercises in the pool really helped my muscles for walking! Xx


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[Jamie]

The walk I have a noticeable limp. I'm counting on it to get normal after the connecting tissue gets stronger around the hip and loosens up in other places that have been tight to protect my hip.

You actually are not very far out from your surgery. It is not good to be walking with a limp and that is a sign that your body is not yet ready to give up a walking aid. I suggest you go back to whatever aid gets you a fairly normal stride with no limp. If you can do that with a cane or crutches, that's fine. But, if not....you may need to use a walker for a while longer. You might not need it except when you're walking for exercise. But it is so very critical not to limp. Doing so is hard on your whole body and can actually increase the time it takes to get to a good strong normal an unaided gait. Please don't try to rush yourself!!

 

[rans0m00]

@Jamie even with the Walker I still had a limp. Pretty sure it's carrying over from pre surgery. I had a pretty bad limp before and my partner says it's the same but just less...

Hopefully it's good to be walked on because I am out of time to be off of it.

Today was an easy day. Just rested from the past two days of increased activity. Unfortunately come this weekend it's time to get kids ready to go back to school and get back to work. Not much to be done about it except rest when I can and take it as easy as I can.

 

[Jamie]

If you limped with the walker, then I suggest you have your therapist show you how to practice a proper gait.

This involves slowing down your walking and maybe even pulling in your stride a bit so you keep control over it. You concentrate on the proper walking motion of heel, roll forward on your foot and push off with your toe for the next step. At the beginning you may even have to say "heel - toe" to yourself as you walk slowly. You need the support of the walker to work on this initially. Go as slow as you need to to prevent the limp, holding on to the walker for support.

It sounds like you have a limp habit that will have to be overcome. It may take some work on your part. If you don't work on it consciously and just try to walk more and more with no aids, you are very likely to continue to limp. Please don't let that happen!

You are really early in the recovery process and you may be trying to hurry things too fast.

 

[Jamie]

I'm going to tag @alexthecat to provide some additional information to help you work on your gait training.

 

[Chessie]

@rans0m00 , I never had a limp using the walker. And if I feel like I have to limp, I use my cane. I just walk really slow, and concentrate on walking correctly - that is the frustrating part for me - I thought I would be beyond that at this point. But, I will just continue to use the cane as long as I need it. I really do agree with Jamie - allowing yourself to walk with a limp just reinforces that limp.