THR July 13 Rebirth

[EAW]

Hi All,
I am so thankful this forum exists. I had thr on 7/13/18. I’ve been recovering nicely and felt ready for a real outing. My 15 year old son drove me to my favorite nursery to pick out flowers he volunteered to plant in my pots. I was only walking around for 10-15 minutes. My pain level was only a 2 and I did not take anything for it. I’m trying to only use pain meds at night, if needed. However, I was so exhausted that I slept for the rest of the day.

For the past 3 days I’ve been feeling more energized and have only napped for an hour or so during the day. I know my physical therapist will tell me it’s too soon for me to be out and about but I felt ready and I feel I will get depressed if I don’t get out of the house. Btw, I’m using a cane and walking well. I do all of my exercises three time a day, and I have no other health issues.

Has anyone else experienced this after surgery? Is it too soon to do small outings?

 

[editted]

@EAW, I am right there with you, having had THR on 7/11!
My experience is much the same as yours. Exhaustion hits almost daily. The2-week doctor visit had me napping almost as soon as I got home.
I think there is a simple answer: our minds say “yes”; but our bodies say “slow down, still healing,”. I give in to the tired feelings. My mantra is to listen to my body...hard for this true type-A personality!
No advice per se....just my experience. I am learning to slow down. It feels odd, but increasingly, it feels healthy.

 

[Layla]

Welcome to BoneSmart and Recovery!
We all understand boredom can set in pretty quickly. It's nice you got out but if may have been a bit ambitious this early into recovery.

Please read the Recovery Guidelines below. The articles are informative. Pay attention to the one explaining Energy Drain as well as Activity Progression for THR and use it as a rough guideline for activity as you heal.
Stop back often, we'd love to follow your journey.
A great weekend to 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. At week 4 and after you should follow this

Activity progression for THRs​

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 that each, member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice. @EAW

 

[Bull76!]

Welcome and congrats. Tiredness has hit me this week, been napping in the afternoon for 30 mins to a few hours. Mainly down to the fact I've been out walking. So any activity will knock you. Take your nap, don't be in a rush. You've been through major trauma and that takes time to recover. I want to do more, but know that won't help. Boredom is a nightmare but we have to deal with it. Time to binge on Netflix, read a good book. i know easier said than done. Keep in there it will get easier.

 

[Mojo333]

I think small walks are fine.
Follow up with the rest and ice!
Be mindful of uneven ground when outside! No falling down. Have someone with you...
I needed outside also.

 

[Bchbum4evr]

I told PT that I had been to grocery store on Wednesday, was it too soon? Her advice was if I do something and afterwards have to take pain meds I hadn't been taking, then yes, I did too much. (I'm off all opioids meds, just Tylenol and Advil if needed).

Being tired is ok, being in more pain is not. Make sense?

 

[Jaycey]

It's energy drain. Read the article Layla left for you above. Don't fight it - just nap when you can. This will soon ease.

 

[REM]

Welcome @EAW. We're glad you found the forum too. Best place to be for advice and where people really care about what you're going through. Been there, done that too.
Rest. Ice should be your best friend. We're here for you.

 

[Eman85]

This is a pretty major deal and the drain on your body is incredible. It takes quite a while to get stamina back to an acceptable level. I was never a napper, but did a lot of sitting and icing. I was off of any pain medicine pretty quickly and used only Tylenol and not much of that. I was driving at 2 weeks so I was out and about but didn't stay out long as I'd get tired. I'd drive to the park and walk a couple of laps and then head home to sit and ice.

 

[EAW]

Thank you for all of the encouragement and wisdom. Since my post, I have been taking it easy and napping when I feel like it. I met with a nutritionist prior to my surgery and she recommended extra protein in my diet. I hadn’t been mindful of this until my exhaustion spell. Now, I’m making a morning smoothie with spinach, a banana, and organic, vegan protein powder. This really helps!

Also, am wondering if anyone else asked for pics of their femoral head once it was removed? I did and I asked for the actual femoral head. I got both. I find it strangely comforting to see the damaged femoral head and know I made the right decision. Plus, it’s just kind of cool to have (though some think it’s gross)

 

[Hip2BGone]

You can always make a nice tasty stew.

 

[EAW]

@Hip2BGone Ewww! But I’m afraid it would taste like formalin. I am fascinated by the large bone spur on the femoral head. At least, I think it’s a bone spur. If anyone wants to see it, I’ll embed a pic. It’s really not that gory.

 

[Layla]

Hi @EAW
Interesting! I'm not sure if I'd want to see mine, I vascilate. Part of me would find it interesting
and I too would like the visual confirmation that I made the right decision. However, I think it would also make me sad. It served me well for many years, but in the end failed me.

I had a little moment in bed the night before my surgery before falling asleep. Some tears were shed as I mourned the loss of my natural God given hip, which ultimately I wish hadn't became diseased necessitating removal. I didn't think to request a photo but will definitely consider it should I go through this process again. I wasn't aware they could give you any part of what was removed, that is news to me.

A great week to you as you continue healing!

 

[EAW]

@Layla, I felt sad too about not being whole with all of my natural parts. It hit me a few days before surgery. I kept questioning whether I was doing the right thing.
I researched whether or not I could have my body part. I found that once it comes out of you, it is no longer yours. Most surgeons and hospitals have policies against returning parts because they are medical waste. My surgeon is in private practice and I had my surgery as an outpatient in a medical surgery clinic instead of a hospital so he had more discretion. Also, if the part needs to go to pathology, it can’t be returned to the patient. In my case, they had a chunk of femur to send to pathology and they knew the etiology of my condition so pathology was just routine. As to the pics, my surgeon took them for me on his phone and texted them to me.

 

[Layla]

You do question it. It's a scary prospect and we all are aware of the risks, short and long term but we took a chance. We took a chance to lose the pain with the hopes we could once again engage as we did before OA set in and stole pieces of our life and our joy.

I cried not only because I didn't want to lose a body part but hated the thought of my flesh being cut and power tools used to replace my natural parts with a prosthetic. I didn't want to be put to sleep, totally out of control. Naturally, not waking up also crossed my mind. I was ecstatic when I woke and realized I was still breathing! Going into surgery is a scary anxious time. At least I found it to be so.

You're lucky you got the pics. I'm guessing most wouldn't even guess that it may be a possibility, therefore never asking.
@EAW

 

[Eman85]

Your food is your medicine. It's pretty hard to believe that with such a major surgery there is so little focus on nutrition and so much on pain relief.

 

[Hip2BGone]

You do question it. It's a scary prospect and we all are aware of the risks, short and long term but we took a chance. We took a chance to lose the pain with the hopes we could once again engage as we did before OA set in and stole pieces of our life and our joy.

I cried not only because I didn't want to lose a body part but hated the thought of my flesh being cut and power tools used to replace my natural parts with a prosthetic. I didn't want to be put to sleep, totally out of control. Naturally, not waking up also crossed my mind. I was ecstatic when I woke and realized I was still breathing! Going into surgery is a scary anxious time. At least I found it to be so.

@EAW

Wow what a great way of putting into words the feeling.
I totally shared that feeling, but now I am totally happy about my decision and appreciative for all the research and work others have done so that I could have a 2nd Chance for living pain free.

 

[Cassidy]

You describe my thoughts entirely @Layla, and it's only now, having read this, that I realise it hasn't occurred to me since the op. I think that I worry about dislocation, etc., but of my hip - forgetting that it's a different, alien one - it's become my hip again. Strange ....

 

[EAW]

I’m having one of those nights where I’m feeling bummed. I walked (slowly) around my yard today and noticed all of the weeds overtaking my flowers and there is nothing I can do about it. I see my horse getting fat and sassy and I know it will be months before I can ride her. Anyway, just having a pity party for myself tonight.

 

[Mojo333]

Pity party allowed....seeing the restrictions bad hips put on us..then getting it FIXED, then recovery having us out of the game for real for awhile is Tough.

Post on blues do set in, no matter how well we're doing.
You got through this big surgery and with patience, you Will get back to your life.
I'm sorry you are blue...but things will get better. Try not to worry.