THR Jobaby's Recovery Thread

Jobaby

junior member
Joined
Feb 17, 2020
Messages
20
Age
60
Country
Australia Australia
Gender
Female
I initially had an excellent experience in hospital. Surgery went well and i was up and walking a little with a cane for the next 2 days. Also did stair climbing successfully. The next day I was to be discharged from hospital, but I could barely walk to my ensuite toilet because of shooting pain in groin (even though medicated with pain relief). The next day I was discharged but needed to be wheeled in a wheelchair to the car. Entering and exiting the car was very painful. Spent the day in bed. Excruciating pain to walk to bathroom with walking stick. Hard, painful night. Climbing in and out of bed very difficult and i need to lift my left leg manually. Woke this morning in the same state. Phoned the surgeon's office and one of his staff advised me that this was probably normal and that people heal at different rates. Unfortunately the pain has become worse, even though I am taking Endone and Panamax. I am virtually house bound. Physio phoned to try and make an appointment which of course I declined. Is this what anyone else has experienced?
 
Hi @Jobaby and welcome to the forum.
I'm sorry that you are struggling...I think maybe the extended effects of the anaesthesia and numbness from surgery trauma may have initially masked some of the pain or they had your pain better managed than it is now! Too much activity especially stairs can definitely bring on groin pain...did for me.
I hope you are taking the pain meds on time to stay ahead of the pain.
These first days are tough but all temporary. The "log leg", as we hippies often refer to that heavy uncooperative leg, is normal and will abate in time.
Ice and elevation is paramount for now.
Please let me leave you the recovery guidelines.
Pay special attention to the Big Tip.
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
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

5. At week 4 and after you should follow this

6. Access to these pages on the website


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 that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.
 
Could you please leave us the date of your surgery and which hip was replaced?

I would suggest taking it really easy for now and concentrate on icing and resting.
Still very early days.
 
Thank you so much Mojo333. Feels so good to talk to someone in the know. I am so glad I came across this forum. I am 56 yr old female. Previously very active and fit. I had left hip replaced (anterior approach) on 12 Feb. I had a spinal epidural and general anaesthetic. I have rheumatoid arthritis in my spine, hips and knees. In every other part of my body, it has been controlled with drugs. Unfortunately, for some reason my left hip was vulnerable and my cartilage was eroded and I developed bone necrosis. So my pain has been intense pre-op and I have been unable to move without a stick for months. I guess I may be expecting too much too soon. I will definitely take advice from guidelines you have generously supplied. Thank you again.
 
Hi there @Jobaby.
Welcome to the site and congrats on your new hip.
Not to discourage you but keep in mind you are only 5 days after a major surgery and all pains and aches you are experiencing here are normal and part of the recovery process.
Please do not force any activities - all you need at this point is rest, ice and elevate your leg.
I first climbed few stairs two weeks after the surgery when I saw physiotherapist for my first checkup.
At this stage of the recovery your hips do not need anything beside rest and short walks to the restroom.
Please take care of yourself.
 
Thank you so much Rin Tin Tin. I am so glad I came across this forum in my feverish googling. Can't tell you how comforting it is to hear that this is all part of the normal healing process.
 
Hi Jojo,

There is a broad range of initial responses to THR ... yours is not unusual, at all! Everyone is different!

The general consensus from most here, is that aggressive PT is inadvisable - light stretching and walking is the most you should be doing for some time.

What I found most helpful:
- lay on small sofa
- leg(s) elevated by pillows under knees so hip is above heart
- silicon ice pack on the hip (mine were posterior so hip and incision were is same place ... I guess anterior is more frontal, so maybe have to find the right spot for the ice)
- 45-60 minutes like this
- walkabout to bathroom and around house a bit ... extend walks as you feel better
- right back to the elevate and ice
- repeat

This isn’t a time to feel like ya need to do something - except heal.
 
@Jobaby Welcome to BoneSmart! Ice and elevate as much as you can throughout the day. Be sure and put something between your skin and the ice pack. Several session lasting between 45-60 minutes will help ease internal swelling that is causing this pain.

Hang in there - it does get better!
 
Welcome Jobaby. Sorry to hear about your pain level, but not unusual for the first week. It will get better day by day. Ice, ice, ice! I also tried to drink plenty of water. Sometimes I had as many as 4 ice packets around my hip and knee at once (wearing flannel PJs).

Its mostly resting, bathroom, icing, eating what you can, repeat, so tissues heal, the first week, which is nearly over for you.

I used a leg lifter from Amazon. It was black and had a bendable metal insert which made it easy to get on my leg and move my leg, to help with the groin pain.

My bathrobe belt was not sturdy enough, or I was not strong enough, to handle the swollen log leg after surgery. I tried. I had bought some things and left them in their packages unopened until I knew I really needed them.

The leg lifter is a very good tool, but hopefully in a few days you may not need it. I found it really took the strain off the groin. You may have success with something you have readily available at home, too.

I am at Day 18 post surgery. Every day gets a little bit better.
 
Thank you, thank you, thank you! You people are amazing and I only hope I can pay it forward in a similar fashion. Elevated and icing as I type. Totally makes sense! Isn't it weird that in hospital (brand new Norther Beaches Hospital Sydney, Australia) they only gave me ice packs when I requested twice to ease the burning sensation. Nothing at all was mentioned about elevation. Granted, I was in bed a lot of the time, but they (and PT) advised me to get out and sit in chair and walk lots. No wonder I had a meltdown the day after doing laps of the ward, stairs, and sitting in the chair with feet on floor. I only wish I had found you legends earlier. I'm going to jump over to pre op section to offer any advice or comfort to anyone about to have surgery.
 
:wave: @Jobaby and welcome to Bone Smart! You have definitely come to the right place, really nice people and lots of good advice and helpful hints. Icing is definitely an awesome pain reliever and helps with any swelling. Not sure why the hospitals don't seem to get this ice and elevation for recovery. Definitely take it easy right now, just chill, walk a little when you feel up to it but no real major exercise at this point, just focus on healing.
 
I'm going to jump over to pre op section to offer any advice or comfort to anyone about to have surgery.
I so love this!!:loveshwr:
I'm guessing that things are going to ease off with your new protocol and all will be worth it.
You'll get your life back and the investment of time spent in recovery will pay huge dividends for your future.
You've got this!
 
I hope you can get your pain under control. I never really elevated beyond sitting in a recliner. but I didn't have much swelling and iced constantly with an icing machine. I'd say the reason they wanted you out of bed and walking is for blood flow and clot prevention.
 
I too have groin pain, which everyone as advised is normal. I find reclining and ice seem to help. Hopefully this is a short term. Im on day 20 post op. Some good days and some frustrated days.
 
When I had groin pain, I iced above it and below it, for maximum effect. Ice was my friend, and as things pop up it will be my friend again.

Now I am on day 19, no groin pain. I still use my walker, and only use the cane for short distances. Exercises make it worse, so I am not doing them. It’s definitely not a straight line recovery. You can over do it a little bit during the day and have a bad night. Just the way it is. Slow and steady wins the race with this surgery.

Yesterday and today the incision area is speaking up and I ice it when it does. I think it is going through a healing stage, nothing to worry about.
 
UPDATE: Admin, I wasn't sure how to change the title of my thread to Jobaby's Recovery thread. Is it at all possible please? If not, no problem. Anyhoo, here's the update.

Day 8 feels world's away from Day 5 & 6 (in a GOOD way). Many reasons for this:

1. This group's support, advice and recovery protcool which I have been faithfully following.

2. I enjoy cooking and yesterday I managed to cook a family meal (spag bol) by sitting on a stool in my kitchen (ice pack held in place with underpants lol). Because it is galley style, I could navigate gently moving around when I needed to by holding onto the counter tops. My daughter was home and assisted where needed (eg emptying the pasta into the drainer etc). I felt a real sense of accomplishment and joy when we ate the finished product as a family in the evening. I even enjoyed a lovely little glass of wine!

3. I rested up and iced big time after cooking. Basically did nothing else for the whole day.

4. I am sleeping a whole lot more comfortably and needing less of the narcotics for pain. Consequently, I'm waking feeling a lot better in the morning.

5. I only need to use non narcotic pain relief in the day time. Brain fog is lifting.

6. Beautiful friends have been popping in with coffees, fresh berries etc. One friend who lives in NZ had lollies delivered to my house for my Netflix binges. I also measured my scar. It is a strap and a snake in length lol.

IMG_20200219_145831.jpg


My dog Billy is the best company. He keeps me smiling.

7. Our public medical system in Australia is amazing. Everything so far has been free. This is because it was considered as urgent and necessary. Surgery, hospital stay in private room brand new hospital, outpatient physio (when i am ready) all free. They are providing me with 2 hours per week household help for 6 weeks for the grand total of $60! Fortunate to be allocated an angel called Lisa who has done laundry, vacuuming, etc as well as little touches like refreshing the water in my flowers. I have also been supplied with $100 in taxi vouchers which I can use for anything related to my surgery (Drs/physio visits etc). None of this is means tested. So happy to see my taxes going towards this excellent system!

8. Online grocery shopping delivered to the door within hours of ordering.

9. Netflix: The Making of a Murderer. Bingeworthy for sure.

10. The weather is gorgeous at the moment. I am typing this on my deck looking out to our garden.
I am sure I could continue to count my blessings, but I'll leave it at 10 for now.
I hope this helps somebody else who has had surgery more recently than I.

IMG_20200220_131630.jpg
IMG_20200219_145203.jpg

1582224549787.png
 
Last edited by a moderator:
@Jobaby :wave: I laughed out loud when I looked at your last picture here.. too funny! You are feeling better and isn't it a great feeling to have?
You will have some ups and downs but it sounds like you are over the first initial pains and worries.

The get well gifts are so nice, and my goodness, look at your view out there on your balcony, so pretty, especially with me sitting here in the winter months. ugh.

Glad you've found the benefits of icing and elevating. That will keep you in a good place for several more weeks to come.
I hope you can snag a good night's sleep!Or wait? Is it morning there? :shrug::heehee:
 
Happy Friday to you...in your part of the world!
You're a hoot! :rotfl: You made good use of that candy as measuring tools and for your silly selfie.:heehee:
You're off to a great start! Best Wishes for the day as you continue your healing journey. :wave:
@Jobaby

I take it you're a Rod Stewart fan, maybe just a teensy weensy bit? Enough to lay on the cold, hard concrete next to his star on the Walk of Fame. :heehee:
 
Your garden is lovely. What a great view for recuperation. Looks like a crepe myrtle tree and palm trees?
@Jobaby
Excellent observation, VSlowLife! Our house was built circa 1950 and the original owner planted those for his wife, Myrtle. My dad's ashes are buried below them. I think it is him saying hello every Jan/Feb when they flower. The palms are huge now but originally started out as pot plants on my inlaws' little balcony.
 

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