Bilateral THR KungFu/BJJ hips

[bsilvers]

9 days out from surgery I no longer needed my walker. I am able to get around the house without the walker and I just need to focus on correcting my walk without it and make sure I don't develop the abnormal walking gait. It's like full time PT now.

 

[cnydutch]

congrats Brian! it sounds like you are recovering very well!
did you say you were working 1/2 days?????
the gait will get better, i'm sure you were walking pretty funny for a lot
of years, so it will take time and practice. the PT should help you with
that, and give you many exercises to improve your gait and overall
coordination and balance.
keep up the good work!

 

[bsilvers]

cnydutch yes, I am working 1/2 days, I am a programmer so I can work just about anywhere, on the couch, bed, desk, etc.. I had been monitoring my work email and couldn't help myself, even the 3 days I was in the hospital I did a few things and that first week I came home I was already doing work again just not in huge spurts.

 

[bsilvers]

Poppet, I no longer feel the surgery pain and I went the whole day yesterday without Hydrocodone so I am going to try taking tylenol during the day instead.. I thought I read it was bad to go cold turkey like that?

 

[sharonslp]

Brian, I don't think you've built up any physical addiction to hydrocodone in just 9 days or so. But do be careful about cutting back too quickly just because it's much harder to get back in balance if the pain suddenly realizes it's not being medicated and slams back with some vengeance. You no longer feel the surgery pain BECAUSE you have a great balance going. So cutting back means SLOWLY lengthen the time between doses; SLOWLY eliminate one dose and replace it with tylenol; give that a day or two, then SLOWLY try cutting out more. In just a few weeks, you realize you really are beyond most of the pain, and a few tylenol will suffice when necessary.

But when you suddenly go from several pain pills every day to maybe just one at night, your body might wait a day or two and then tell you HURTS!! Then you have to give it a day or two while you try to catch up again.

That's the accumulated wisdom of a lot of people here. If you find that your body doesn't rebel, then that's wonderful and disregard this. Some folks do have a very high tolerance for pain and can manage quickly without the heavy-duty stuff. It will be great if you are one of them. Good luck either way.

Sharon

 

[bsilvers]

sharonslp, yeah my pain tolerance is not that high. I woke up about 2am with pain so I had to take a Hydrocodone otherwise I wouldn't have been able to sleep. I'll stick to tylenol during the day and just take the hydrocodone it at night and maybe in a week try it again and see if all the pain is gone from the surgery.

Thanks

 

[bsilvers]

Today I'm officially past 2 weeks post op. Yay!!! I'm off my walker, off the hydrocodone, 3 days now, and feeling great looking forward to driving again and going to outpatient PT instead of in home as I am progressing so fast that my in home PT said that going to a facility would better serve me as they have all the equipment there. My hip flexors are still a little weak but are getting stronger day by day. I can't wait to get back to JiuJitsu!!!

 

[bottomshollow]

bsilvers, can certainly tell you're feeling great, but don't let that allow you to get ahead of yourself and do too much, too soon. Don't get too carried away with all that equipment. You really do not what a case of tendonitis after getting this far. Surely want you to be able to get back to your JiuJitsu---but you don't want to set your recovery back by becoming over exuberant!
I mean two weeks post op is very early days yet.

Take care and keep us posted. We care.

 

[bsilvers]

bottomshollow, I know. I'm not trying to get ahead of myself or too excited.. I am just surprised that I am where I am at already. I wasn't expecting to be at this point yet for a couple weeks so it's a welcome surprise for me.

 

[bsilvers]

Completed my last in home PT today. I start going to a outside PT 4 miles away starting Friday. yay!!

 

[cnydutch]

That's great Brian!
JiuJitsu is going to take some time though , so don't get frustrated
down the road when you realize that it may take longer than you think
with your fast start. It will come back, but it is a long process.

 

[bsilvers]

3 weeks + 1 day post-op and I'm driving. PT is going great. No issues so far.

 

[Newf]

Hey bud, good to see you are doing well. I am almost 2 weeks post-op and can relate with you about being surprised with how good you feel so early. It suprises me how fast our bodies can recover from something like this. A good attitude and willingness to do the required PT really goes a long way. I've been on crutches since day 2. Isn't it great to finally be rid of the bone on bone pain. Like yourself I have to fight with myself to not overdue it. My 2 week appt with the OS for staple removal is tomorrow and hopefully i can get approval to drive.

 

[bsilvers]

Newf, 2 weeks I was still pretty weak in my hip flexors. I got in my car yesterday and just moved my feet back and forth on the gas and break and felt pretty confident that i could drive and I went ahead and did so already today. I think my OS said I could start driving in 4 weeks but I'm progressing so fast and I feel that waiting another week is unwarranted so I made an executive decision. Yeah, just make sure you rest when your body tells you and don't overdue it. Good luck on your appointment tomorrow. You will probably go off your crutches in a few days. I think I stopped using my walker just a few days past my 2 week mark.. It's crazy!

 

[bsilvers]

So I have neglected doing the heel drag PT exercises until just recently. I'm finding it difficult to do 10 on each side and it's very tiring. I"m almost 4 weeks out from my post-op as of this coming Monday. As far as the other PT exercises I'm finding them relatively easy to do. I had the posterior approach and is it normal to have the hip flexor weakness even with that approach. I am seeing a lot of improvement in my hip flexors but as of all my hip muscle groups that one seems the most challenging. I really don't have anything to complain about, just an observation.

 

[Runaround Sue]

bsilvers WOW! That's some recovery, I thought I was doing great but you had both hips replaced and were/are doing so much in such a short time and with all you accomplished you didn't overdue it. Kudos! Keep up the good work and enjoy your new active pain free life

 

[bsilvers]

4 weeks post op today.. I want to do so many things now which I probably shouldn't... I can drive, I'm on my feet all the time now, i have no problems sitting at my desk for extended periods since I work at home.. I do get up every hour to just walk around.. I have cleaned the house and I can get down on the floor and back up with no problems or pain.. Aware of the bending and 90 degree restrictions but not really letting that stop me as I have "tested" things out and don't feel that is an issue for me.. PT is going great, I still get tired around 8PM at night and have to go lay down. I want to go walk my dogs!! I don't think it's a good idea as they are 50 and 75 lbs. respectively and that might be an issue if they all of a sudden decide to pull. Going a little antsy as to wanting to do more.. I did go up a ladder into my attic. Probably not smart but I felt I could and was careful. How do you come to conclusions as to what you can do to test the waters as opposed to listening to your OS to a T since we all heal differently???????

 

[Newf]

Sounds like you are doing great my friend. I think you do what your body tells you what it can or can't handle. Only you know how you feel and what your limits are. I find myself wanting to do so much more. It's only been just over 2 weeks post-op for me now and I'm starting to get cabin fever being in the house so much. I go for walks but I would prefer to go back to work already( not gonna happen ). I have a 75lb dog as well and would like to walk him but that's gonna have to wait . Good luck.

 

[bsilvers]

5 weeks post op.. I started walking my dogs again.. did 45 minutes this morning.. No issues.. Also started slowly picking up finishing the remodeling of my mother's kitchen.. Did all the hard work pre-op.. now just the smaller stuff to finish it up.. Life is so much better without the arthritis.. WOW!~!!!!!!!!

 

[djklaugh]

Great update, bsilvers! Isn't life grand on 2 pain-free hips?! I bet the dogs are delighted to have you back into walkies and playing.