THR Just had my hip replacement on Jan 14th.

[luluohio]

ByGosh
My doctor didn't offer very encouraging news. He said I have acute inflammation and hyper sensitivity in outer area of my hip and the only thing I can do is rest and ice as long as it takes, no PT, no walking without my cane. He prescribed a topical anti inflammatory. The pharmacist said it works for some people and not for others ($85 for 2 oz). So I'll go on slow but sure I hope it will improve. He said he thought it might have been caused by over doing it in the very beginning of my recovery and how bad my hip was before surgery. I have to admit at 4-6 weeks, I was doing laps with my walker around the living room and walked a half mile one day outside with my cane but I didn't think I was overdoing it. I realize now how I should have been doing a lot less. So be careful, less is not what we think is less normally. If I knew this was going to happen I would have been more careful. Before my surgery I was encouraged to do more, to strengthen by muscles. I should have been encouraged to do so much less post op. They don't do a good job informing you of these things. Thank for you encouragement, I can only hope for the best.

 

[luluohio]

ByGosh
I'm sorry I didn't answer your question about the NW sticks. You can find out everything about them if you read Poppets article recommended in her last message to me. They are lighter weight and have wrist straps.

 

[ByGosh]

Oh boy, luluohio I'm sorry about the diagnosis. Gosh, how terrible. I totally agree with you about them not informing us to go slowly post-op! I think I did the same thing to myself, unintentionally, and that's why I'm in this pain now. I thought the more I did, the quicker I'd recover. And my home PT had me doing the stairs up and down the week after surgery, doing knee flexes up as high as I could, and walking outside. I was still in so much pain then. So the impression was that I should push myself, even if I had pain.
I'm really sorry. But I would think that by resting and icing and using the cream, it should improve. What's the name of the cream? Are you still taking the meloxicam? One thing I've used that helps a little is Lidoderm patches. They're by prescription, mine cost $30 as a co-pay, and they're applied to the skin, 12hrs. on, then 12hr. off. They numb the area, very superficially. They're supposed to be good for nerve pain, so if you have hypersensitivity, maybe it'll help? I've used them along with an anti-inflammatory cream with no problem.
There's a few of us here with lingering pain, we're not the only ones. But it doesn't provide much comfort, does it? I know how much you want to get back to walking. I feel the same exact way. I want to get back to life - I don't even do errands yet. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can make it through my daughter's high school graduation next week. I'll do it, no matter what. I can't miss that!
Well, hon, don't get too discouraged. It won't help any to be too down about it. Just keep telling yourself that it'll get better. It has to. The human body has an amazing ability to heal, and yours will. It'll take some time, but it'll improve. Just take it easy - rest as much as you're able to, keep it iced, try the cream and you'll improve. You've already started to improve a little - the cream will help even more. Keep me posted, I want to know how you're doing, OK? Good luck, luluohio. I'm thinking of you and sending you all good wishes.

 

[luluohio]

ByGosh
Yes, it sounds like many of us overdo it. After reading everyone's stories so many times, it would seem like it would sink in but I don't think it ever does. It's difficult to be patient enough to sit when you would rather be out doing things. A friend tonight told me she would go out and overdo it one day and expect to pay for it for 2 or 3 days. She had multiple bone surgeries during her life. So she has been living with this concept her entire life.
The cream was a compound mixed up at a local pharmacy prescribed by my doctor. It has several things in it, Ketamine, benzociane, and a few other things I'm not familiar with it. It's worth a try, I picked it up tonight and it's too early to tell whether it works or not. I don't feeling it numbing or heating up, I guess I expected to feel something, maybe it works differently. If it helps with the pain I'll be happy. What's in you anti- inflammatory cream? I'm taking Meloxicam in a lower dose to see if I can get rid of my heart palpitations. So I'm trying to balance the good with the bad.
You are still pretty early on though I think you have time to make a quick turn around. I hope you make it to your daughters graduation, that should be a happy occasion to get out of the house. Don't start doing too many errands too soon, relax.

 

[Poppet]

It is such a fine balance between knowing how much exercise, walking etc to do.. We all push our boundaries and then have to take a few steps back.. slow and steady, it will get better.

 

[ByGosh]

luluohio Your cream sounds very good for your pain! I'm sure you know that benzocaine numbs, and I believe ketamine relaxes - I don't know what it does topically. I remember an OS I saw last year mentioned a newer cream that had ketamine in it and it was supposed to be very effective. If the doc had it specially compounded, he must have put some serious thought into what would help you best. I used to use diclofenac gel, which is generic Voltarin Gel. There is also an oral diclofenac NSAID, in the meloxicam category, but I've never taken it by mouth. I didn't use it for long and it was pre-op, when the pain wasn't responding to any topical anything.

I think that some of us overdo it without knowing we shouldn't, because others 'overdo' it much like what we've done, and they're ok. It's individual to our own bodies, our own surgery, etc. and since there's no absolute specific protocols, we learn by trial and error what our limits are. I had no one telling me to stop trying to walk the dogs up the street at week 5. I thought I was supposed to. Not even my PT cautioned me. So how do we know what's going to end up hurting us?
If I knew that this had a time limit on it, I'd feel a lot better. I tend to get stuck in the hear and now, and believe that this is how my life will be from now on. It's a very self-defeating outlook, especially when times are tough. So I'm trying very hard to stay positive and know it can't last forever and will get better, somehow. That's about the most we can do- that and "the tincture of time", as one OS told me.
Get better @ luluohio! Have a good weekend. You're cream is going to make a difference for you, I know it.

 

[Kim22]

luluohio How did your appointment go ? I am glad to hear that you are having more good days now.That is encouraging.I know exactly what you mean about every day that the hip feels better its followed by another bad day so you decide to say nothing.I am also interested in taking up Nordic walking and have found a local class so will make enquiries when I feel that my hip is strong enough.I loved walking before I developed hip pain and miss getting out in the countryside most of all.

 

[luluohio]

Poppet
How many miles were you walking when you were doing NW walking before you had to call it quits, temporarily. Just interested, I'm sure I would end up trying an extreme number of miles if I didn't know better now.
ByGosh
I'm not certain but I don't think this cream does much, I'll still give it another few days. I'm sure I'm going to take it very easy in the future. Thanks for the encouragement, again.
Kim22
March 18th is still pretty early, remember what happened to me, please take it easy. I will try not to overdo it again. Maybe next time I'll have a bit more muscle strength and it won't affect me so much. I'm sure that is an unknown.
Where are you from in the UK? I spent 4 weeks in Plymouth and visited London, Leeds and York for a total of 6 weeks, but it's been several years ago. I loved it, it was a business trip around the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, it was so much fun. I was by myself but I remember it as a wonderful experience. I tried all the steak and kidney pies at all the pubs, went on a double-decker bus tour of London, and stayed at a B&B in York, saw all the sites. I was lucky enough to have a sales person with me a few days to take me out to the countryside to see the moors and some little country pubs and thatched cottages. Of course I was much younger and it was an experience of a lifetime and it was beautiful. Most of the time I was in a lovely hotel right on the English Channel in Plymouth. I even walked down to the Plymouth steps on Thanksgiving Day. I'll never forget that trip.

 

[Poppet]

luluohio, it wasn't so much the number of miles or in my case kilometers, I Nordic Walked by time, always remembering that I had to get back.

I appreciate you have done and enjoy long walks, however, because Nordic Walking is a cardio workout with the proper technique and because with the support of the poles there is limited stress on your hip joint, there is always a risk that one can keep walking, because it feels good!

So I suggest, you time yourself, 10 mins out and 10 mins back and build up very slowly..

Please don't hesitate to ask me more questions

 

[luluohio]

Poppet
Thanks for that information. I guess it makes much more sense to consider time and keep it under control. I haven't even tried my NW sticks yet, so I'll hopefully soon learn the benefits, first hand.

 

[Kim22]

Hi luluohio I live in a large village 7 miles from the city of Durham which is about 60miles north of York.In fact Durham is very much like York, a medieval city with a castle and a huge Norman cathedral on a river.I was born in Durham but moved down south in 1977 when I met my husband.We lived in Buckinghamshire until 1988 when we moved back here and we have lived in the same house ever since except for 2 and a half years when we lived temporarily in Paris as my husbands company sent him there to work.It was a fantastic opportunity especially for me who got all that time off work !

Your trip to the UK sounds fantastic and you managed to see most of the highlights of the UK and had some great experiences.I have never been to Plymouth UK but last year we visited New England and stayed 4 nights in Plymouth MA and saw the Plymouth Rock as well as the Mayflower 2.It was fantastic and the highlight of the trip was a whale watching cruise off Cape Cod and we were lucky enough to see dozens of whales that day.The only problem was my hip of course which was really playing up by the end of the holiday.

I have taken it easier today and will do the same tomorrow as my problem is muscle aches now I seem to ache in different muscles each day I am hoping this is due to me becoming more active generally and using different muscles which haven't been used for some time. I find recovery from this surgery baffling yet others seem to sail through it.The NW sounds like a great idea but I wonder how much the muscles would ache after a session ?

 

[Kim22]

Hi luluohio I am so sorry I seemed to miss your posting from Thursday about your visit to the doctor and have just read it I am so sorry that you are back to resting and icing How very frustrating for you.Does this mean that you are on sick leave from work ? The hardest thing is trying to work out a balance between doing too much and not doing enough and we all have this op to become more mobile and are motivated to get moving. I have noticed such a lot of conflicting advice regarding PT on this site.I hope the cream works well for you and you start ti improve so very soon.Thinking of you.Regards Kim

 

[Poppet]

luluohio and Kim22.. Good morning to both of you from OZ

A very wise friend who has had knees, hips, a shoulder replaced and spinal surgery warned me to expect two years to fully recovery and for most of the odd aches, pains and full energy to return.. I set my recovery timeframe to that so that I would give myself time to understand the healing, nurture myself, be gentle with myself and not get too darn frustrated ... Most days/weeks it works.

Recovering from a THR take a big commitment to patience for me

 

[luluohio]

Kim22
Poppet
Kim, The cream really hasn't seemed to do much but I'll continue to use it to see if there is any benefit. I wish I could have seen more of England, maybe someday I can come back. Yes, last year I went to Mexico and my hip was bothering me so much I couldn't get comfortable by the pool and we went for a walk and I was practically dragging my leg. I can't wait to recover and go somewhere tropical and actually relax.

Poppet that is great advice. I'm starting to realize recovery isn't going to be an easy thing and expect it to take a very long time. I just went to this local art walk and one of the artists just had a hip replacement one month ago. She seemed to be doing fairly well for that stage. I told her to check out this blog. I don't see how people get along without it. Yes, I'm starting to learn patience play a big part in this recovery process. Thank You for reminding me.

 

[Kim22]

Poppet and luluohio You are both right we need oodles of patience for recovery as it can take a lot longer than we would like.Thanks for the reminder Life becomes easier with this acceptance.

 

[bottomshollow]

with joint replacements is TIME & PATIENCE. We have to have (or find) the PATIENCE to give our hips and knees TIME to heal at their own pace. Nothing else works like these two things and nothing can take their place. But it is a very hard truth to absorb in the beginning of our recoveries.

 

[ByGosh]

Poppet and bottomshollow luluohio Kim22 Patience is so important, and along with that is the support from others who understand, like everyone here. I would feel very isolated and upset if it weren't for all of you providing encouragement and advice. Thanks everyone!
luluohio Please don't give up on the cream yet. It may take awhile for it to build up in your system, or maybe work on those inflammed nerve endings locally. Give it a good couple of weeks or more. It can't hurt, and you paid for it, so might as well use it!

 

[luluohio]

Poppet
ByGosh
bottomshollow
Kim22
My OS finally called me back and said he would try to get me in sooner. He told me to increase my Tylenol because I decreased my Meloxicam. I guess I should have thought of that myself. He also said I should keep walking with my cane but try to decrease my activity. If I decreased my activity much more I would be on bed rest. Well I guess really to do walk around the office building with my cane when I'm at work but I try to keep myself confined to my cube as much as possible. So I can't be much less active. Oh well, I waiting for him to call me back to let me know when he can fit me in for an earlier appt. At least I might be able to get in a little earlier hopefully find out if I have anything serious going on with my new hip.
At least my manager is letting me take off one day a week from work to rest. That helps a lot. So I'm off tomorrow.
Well I'm ready for bed and got to get some sleep, I'll check in with everyone once I see how things are going later this week.
Thank You for all of your support.

 

[Poppet]

I really hope our OS can work his magic and get you an earlier date.. You so deserve it.. Hugs from down under x

 

[Kim22]

Hi luluohio Good news to hear that your OS is arranging a earlier appointment and that you are having an extra day off to rest. Ihope that the extra Tylenol helps your pain and that you get some answers soon I have also increased my paracetamol which I think is a similar med.My long awaited appointment with the OS takes place on Friday I will let you know how I get on.Enjoy your rest day