THR I'm on the other side!!

[newguy]

At center 5:30 am , in surgery by 7:30 in recovery at 9:00 . Home at 1:30 !! A brand new titanium and ceramic posterior surgery. Walking every hour once around the family room . Ankle pumps etc . Hurts a bit just Tylenol and Mobic. )) Merry Xmas all

 

[djklaugh]

@newguy Welcome to the recovery side and congratulations on your shiny new hip! Sounds like you are doing well. Remember to rest, ice, elevate and take those medications!

 

[Cdogger76]

Thank you for taking the time out of your recovery to give us an update, new guy! You sound upbeat ready to work to on your road to recovery! Having a TRHR on Dec. 28th. You're very encouraging!

 

[Layla]

Congrats and welcome to recovery! it’s like drive thru THR! All done in less time than a full days work. Wishing you comfort and I hope you have a peaceful night.
I‘ll leave our Recovery Guidelines below. Stop back often, we’d love to follow your progress.

As you begin healing, please keep in mind that each recovery is unique. While the BoneSmart philosophy successfully works for many, there will be exceptions. Between the recommendations found here, your surgeon's recovery protocol and any physical therapy you may engage in, the key is to find what works best for you.

Hip Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary

2. Control discomfort:

rest​

elevate​

ice​

take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)​

3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.

4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these

BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy​

5. Here is a week-by-week guide

Activity progression for THRs​

6. Access to these pages on the website

Oral And Intravenous Pain Medications​

Wound Closure​

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
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?

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.

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask the at each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.

 

[Sigma1]

It's going to hurt more. During surgery they bathed the inside with a local anesthetic plus epinephrine (or something similar). So expect day 3 to be a lot more painful. Sorry.

Have your narcotic handy. Read stuff. It's not just you. You will get through it.

 

[Layla]

It's going to hurt more.

I respectfully disagree. Increasing pain may not be newguy’s experience. My surgeon used Exparel during my THR. Exparel is a non-opioid anesthetic that blocks nerve impulses in your body, injected into the area before closing, gradually wearing off over a 72 hr period. I was also prescribed an opioid (took 4) and an NSAID for 5 days. That coupled with almost non-stop icing kept my pain more than manageable, allowing me to sleep and rest comfortably. I waited for the often predicted Day 3-4 of increased pain and it never happened. I share this not to boast, but to give hope to those that hear / read accounts of unmanageable pain. It isn’t always the case, so no need to stress or brace yourself in anticipation. If I ever need my other hip replaced, I realize I may not be as fortunate, but I’d be remiss in not sharing that each recovery is unique and not always predictable.

 

[newguy]

The opioids never touched my pain after my hernia repairs . I have them if it’s awful but I am icing actually dozed the last couple of hours . It really feels better standing! Go figure . I have a nice sleeping resting couch so we let Father Time do his magic)

 

[NickS]

Just want to echo Layla's comments above and share my experience in the hope that it reduces anticipatory fear and/or anxiety.
My LTHR was three weeks ago tomorrow (Dec. 1, 2021). Anterior approach, no overnight stay and completely off the prescribed oxycodone within five days. Was down to half the prescribed dose by day two with no nsaid use. Post-op pain was my biggest, maybe only, fear going in and I was fully prepared to spend as many days as needed taking as much pain med as allowed. It just wasn't necessary.

 

[newguy]

Ok , I took 3x1000 of Tylenol yesterday, 1 7.5 Mobic at 1:30 pm yesterday when I got home . It is 2:30 am , uh yep as tuff and strong I am I just took 5 mg of my oxy . Posterior I can feel every cut and slice . I did not fail , 3:10 am sitting in the recliner it feels so much better. Yea this new hip surgery is no joke but it is a life changer. I’m going to stay ahead of this pain for a few days like my friend did with her surgery. By the way it seems the Mobic did zip after 10 hours . I’m going to Motrin later with the Tylenol. And a 5mg Oxy if needed .

 

[newguy]

It's going to hurt more. During surgery they bathed the inside with a local anesthetic plus epinephrine (or something similar). So expect day 3 to be a lot more painful. Sorry.

Have your narcotic handy. Read stuff. It's not just you. You will get through it.

Oh yes IT DID, see my new post ))

 

[Mojo333]

At center 5:30 am , in surgery by 7:30 in recovery at 9:00 . Home at 1:30 !!

Now that's a quick new hip trip!

First days can indeed be tough...but there is certainly no "givens" when it comes to recovery with all hippy having unique bodies.
Listening to your body and making healing your priority will certainly get you on your way to healthy and happy.

I am coming up on my 5 year bilateral hipaversary and am so happy to be active, healthy and pain free!

 

[Mojo333]

@NickS

My LTHR was three weeks ago tomorrow (Dec. 1, 2021).

You sound like you are doing well....
Hope you start a recovery thread to share your recovery story.

 

[Sigma1]

By the way it seems the Mobic did zip after 10 hours . I’m going to Motrin later with the Tylenol. And a 5mg Oxy if needed .

I was told to not take NSAIDs such as Mobic/ibuprofen or naproxin . I think that is because inflammation is part of the healing process. Reread your instructions, but I know different surgeons give different instructions.

I think it is good to expect that the pain will pick up rather than worrying that that means something is going wrong. It's not a straight line. Part of the process is to recognize what hurts the most and finding workarounds to those.

Note that narcotics often cause constipation, so a suitable laxative is good. Polyethylene glycol laxative (such as Miralax) is good but not fast. I would act early on that. Drink plenty of water, even though that will cause more trips to the bathroom.

 

[Eman85]

The first 2 weeks suck, no way to sugar coat it and any thing else would be a lie. Ice and rest are the best things for your new hip. I learned with my first there was no cash back bonus or any award for trying to be the first person off of pain relief after a THR. All it gets you is pain and no gain.

 

[newguy]

The first 2 weeks suck, no way to sugar coat it and any thing else would be a lie. Ice and rest are the best things for your new hip. I learned with my first there was no cash back bonus or any award for trying to be the first person off of pain relief after a THR. All it gets you is pain and no gain.

I just read the notes from my surgery. Fascinating. No wonder there will be swelling and pain!! My ICU nurse wife is making sure I take the appropriate meds at the appropriate times!! Love this lady . It is so helpful to not have to do this alone !!

 

[Boxmaker1917]

Personal opinion and only that. If you have questions, call your surgeon's office or at least ask your home health care nurse.

Meloxicam and celecoxib both are prescription NSAIDs. Meloxicam apparently has blood-thinning properties and needs to be stopped a week before surgery. Celecoxib can be taken until the day of surgery and restarted the next day. At least, those were the instructions from my surgeon.

My pain killers are Tylenol (1000 mg, 2x per day) and celecoxib (100 mg, 2x per day). My surgery was 12/13 so I towards the beginning of week 2. My issues are at night. No recliner, unfortunately. Lying on my back (posterior approach) and sleeping on my side are the best, but the pain is dulled, not gone.

I am up around 2:30 am, when I walk for about 10 minutes after taking an Ibuprofen. I asked my home health care nurse and she said the concern, especially since I am on xarelto until Friday, is bleeding. She said one extra Ibuprofen at night for the next few weeks was fine if the moment I bump something, I immediately ice it and apply pressure to try to prevent bruise and stop any below-the-skin bleeding.

As for inflammation: Yes, it is part of the body's response to trauma, but many of the things we do such as ice and elevate, is to reduce inflammation. It contributes to pain and beyond the initial response to injury, inflammation does not contribute to healing.

BTW, my surgeon chose the SuperPath approach for me and this surgery seems to have its own set of protocols from any other types of hip surgeries (with variation among individual surgeons).

 

[Layla]

The first 2 weeks suck, no way to sugar coat it and any thing else would be a lie.

This is difficult to read and not comment, only because this was not my experience, nor would I try to deceive anyone. I do realize I am in the minority, and that I may very well not be as lucky should I experience THR again, but I’m in no way attempting to offer a false sense of hope. We all have different pain thresholds and what feels minor to one, may feel excruciatingly painful to another. While I was fortunate (and thankful) I hesitate to share, but feel it is a worthwhile reminder to the anxious that the first week or two aren’t a guaranteed time of suffering for everyone.

 

[newguy]

Well I am now 2 days PO oh wait I will be past 48 hours PO in 2 hours I was that EARLY Tuesday case )) and slept a good 8 hours last night no oxy last night in fact only 1 5 mg taken since surgery. I am sitting with my legs up iced all night while sleeping. Just did a walker around downstairs. Yea it hurts when I try and lift my leg up to the ottoman. But whoaza if this stays on this track I will be a happy boy . Some swelling but I can full weight on hip and there is no pain in the hip ))). Just where the incision is and where they reconnected my muscles and tendons. I was able to read the notes from the entire surgery. The surgeon actually had to stop and take out the size 15 and go up with a larger size 16 . Said my 65 YO bones were in great shape except for the crushed head of my old femur )) I do not intend to rush this . It’s the holidays . I’m RESTING and gonna walk a little everyday and ankle pumps and leg pumps and some other non crazy PT exercises until stitches come out January 4 my pain med 1000Tylenol 3x day Motrin 400mg 4 x day 2 chewable baby aspirin for clots . 5 mg Oxy if needed . Needed 1 dose 2:30 am Dec 22 did not need any since .

 

[Layla]

Wooho, you’re doing well!
I iced all night long also. I didn’t have an ice machine as many do, but my surgery site sent me home with this huge ice pack, that actually held two ice packs because it had two pockets separated by stitching down the middle and Velcro at the end of each pocket for easy removal of the ice pack to re-freeze. So since it was doubled it lasted a LONG time while sleeping. I’m a firm believer in the benefit of ice as it not only eases pain but helps with the inflammation that causes the pain resulting in lesser mobility.

Getting the sleep you did, without the Oxy is fantastic! In mentioning it hurts to lift your leg onto the ottoman, consider using a belt, or even the tie from a bathrobe until you’re feeling stronger. It will come quickly, but now you’re probably dealing with some Log Leg as we call it. The first stage of healing is the inflammatory phase. During this time it is very common to notice swelling. After lower extremity surgery, or trauma involving bleeding and inflammation, there will be fluid in the leg causing the sensation of heaviness. Gravity pulls the fluid downward and since the patient is less mobile the fluid is not pumping back through the heart as quickly. The swelling gradually eases, but can persist for up to 3-6 months in some cases. Regular movement will assist in the reduction of swelling, as will elevation and ice.

Good to hear you’re not pushing it but giving yourself the time your body needs to heal properly. I hope today is a good one and I’m wishing you a lovely Christmas!
@newguy

 

[newguy]

Goal tomorrow. Walk up short driveway to mailbox and back . Today 200 meters in house and front porch and rear deck . Need fresh air .