THR JoeKnows Recovery Thread - Round 2

[JoeKnows]

Just getting the recovery thread ready for my second THR tomorrow (my left hip was about 4 years ago). Arrival time 5:30 a.m. and I'm doing it outpatient, so I should be home pretty early. I'm slightly nervous despite having gone through this before, but mostly eager to get it done. Last time I ended up with some complications (groin pain) that I believe were related to a cerclage wire necessitated by a fracture, but here's hoping things are smoother this time - they're using robot assistance this time, so maybe that will help (don't tell me otherwise, it's what I'm choosing to believe this afternoon, haha).

See you on the other side...

 

[Klassy]

Good luck for tomorrow. Robot assistance sounds super.

 

[Layla]

It’s all going to be good. You’ll probably be home by this time tomorrow!
Just relax and know you’ll be in our thoughts, Joe. Will look forward to hearing from you when you‘re feeling up to it. Here is a refresher -

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.

 

[Going4fun]

I remember you from round one. Good luck on round 2!

I'll likely have a round 2 one of these days.

 

[Hubblebubble]

Good Luck!

 

[Elf1]

@JoeKnows wishing you all the best tomorrow and look forward to seeing your update!

 

[Mojo333]

Sending all the best Mojo your way today @JoeKnows

Bye Bye hip pain!

 

[JoeKnows]

Already out. Arrival time 5:30, start time 7, heading home by 11.

Pain is ok. Surgeon said the surrounding bone was in much better shape than the left hip was (which makes sense since I caught this earlier).

Ready for Norco and a nap - anxiety caught up to me last night and I slept maybe 2 hours

 

[Mojo333]

Wow.... fast and furious.
Hope you can rest some.

 

[JoeKnows]

@Mojo333 I have painkillers on board, a delicious turkey sandwich, and a billion pillows - about as good as possible at this point.

Curiously, they didn't make me use that foam triangle thing for sleeping this time (and I sure wasn't gonna remind them if they forgot)

 

[Mojo333]

Good, I didn't have one with my two-fer.
Possibly the other trashed hip required the extra precaution.
Seems like pain management regiment is on point.
You know La-La land is a temporary place, so eat Turkey, ice it up....and rejoice that you are all Done and Dusted!

All Temporary, and worth the results!

 

[JoeKnows]

Absolutely. I'm counting the minutes until my next Norco at the moment...

Definitely intend to stay ahead of it, icing almost constantly, and not going to a 1 year old's birthday party and playing Cornhole this time (I do not rule out the possibility of a shower beer after I'm off the narcotics though, haha)

 

[Layla]

Curiously, they didn't make me use that foam triangle thing for sleeping this time (and I sure wasn't gonna remind them if they forgot)

Hahaha! That thing looks brutal. Hopefully they’ve moved away from using it in favor of a better idea.

Glad to hear you’re home. I hope you enjoyed the sandwich in your pillow fort and your pain stays in the manageable range. I’ll bet you’re on that YAY, it’s over high still. Gosh I remember that good feeling of surgery in the rear view.

 

[Layla]

a shower beer after I'm off the narcotics though, haha)

Forgot about this! I do remember we had a laugh over this with your first go round.

 

[JoeKnows]

I slept better than I really anticipated the first night - maybe just because I didn't expect much!

Feeling pretty good as I drink my coffee, though this is where the constipation gets noticeable (and where I remember the frustration that they don't make these raised seats for tall men).

 

[Klassy]

You are doing well Joe.

I had my finger poised over the “Like” button, but by the end of your post, it no longer seemed entirely appropriate.

So please consider this a Like/Commiserate symbol

 

[JoeKnows]

Haha. Understandable.

The swelling and pain are ramping up. Keeping ice applied, but it's gonna be a rough one

 

[FCBayern]

Ice, ice, and more ice! It will help with the pain Norco doesn't get.

 

[JoeKnows]

Thursday night was bad, but got noticeably better on Friday throughout the day. Now I'm feeling plenty of stiffness - e.g., when standing, it takes me a minute to be able to straighten my leg all the way. I remember that from last time. Getting into and out of bed results in a lot of little electrical shock pains, but it's getting smoother.
I'm also having pain in my right knee, which I'm 99% sure is from how I've been elevating.


Overall, no major issues to date (knock on wood). Eager to be able to get out of this house by myself, but I'm not going to rush anything this time...

 

[Layla]

Getting into and out of bed results in a lot of little electrical shock pains,

I’m sure you know why, but Forum Advisors will advise / share

While healing you may experience sensations of tingling, pins and needles, itching, burning and even the feeling of a minor electrical shock. These are usually good signs that the nerves are spontaneously firing through the regeneration process.

I know this isn’t your first rodeo, Joe, but check out the Elevation article to see if it offers any worthwhile tips for you - http://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/pain-and-swelling-control-elevation-is-the-key.7602/

Pain in your knee could be from the aggressive way in which it may have been manipulated during dislocation. My knee was sore also, but bruising didn’t show up until two weeks post op! Kind of freaked me out, initially. I was wondering WHY / NOW? Ice your knee along with your hip. Hopefully it will help.