THR Left Hip replacement on wed June 17

Nickelpede

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Hi everyone,
My surgery went very well.
I had the surgery at West Marion Community Hospital in Ocala Florida.
The staff of Nurses, Technicians, Food service, Physical and Occupational Theraphy were all wonderful.

I arrived at 7 am for a 9 am surgery.
Everyone was great and made me feel very comfortable.
As I was rolled into the operating room I remember being beside a table that had ski boot like devices on the operating table. I joked "I'm here for hip replacement not ski lessons. I felt the boots being clamped onto my feet and that was it.
The next thing I remember was coming awake in recovery.
They kept me in recovery until the spinal wore off and I could move my legs and feet.

The Orthopedic Surgeon came by and told me everything went well, he said I have big bones and made him work pretty hard.
A Physical therapist came by around 1:30 pm he had me up and walking.

I was asked to be in a study testing 2 types of spinal anthestia.
It's randomized. They are interested in seeing there effects on urinating after surgery.
So they were paying extra attention to how soon I could pee and how much I pee'd.
They said I would get a urinary catherization if I did not pee by 3 pm. A bit after 3 pm I started trying to pee and had to push pretty hard to get 500 ml out.
A couple hours later I pushed out anther 500 ml. And later I pushed out 450 ml.
Late that night I pee'd 900 ml. A technician came by to take my blood pressure and emptied the urinal. She didn't tell the nurse so the nurse thought I was behind on going pee.
The Nurse came in at 5 am and did an ultra sound on my bladder. It had 400 ml and she told me I would probably get a Cath. I tried going and it was real easy now and got 450 ml.
The same Technician came by to take my BP While I was telling the Nurse that i pee'd. The Tech confirmed the 450 ml and told her about the 900 ml earlier in the morning. This meant no need to Catheter me. I really did not want a pipe shoved down my weenis.

The Surgeon came in during the 5am visit by the Nurse.
Again he told me the surgery went well. I showed him that I purchased and was reading "Younger next Year" a book he recommended. He is normally pretty reserved but opened up and we talked about the book. He went on to tell me not to push recovery too fast. He told me that he messed up after his hip replacement by going out to dinner the day after his surgery and had a very painful next day. He said that I will feel pain and swelling in my thigh and it will move down my leg into my ankle. So don't be alarmed.

My Surgeon performed the replacement through a single 6" inch incision on the side of my hip. They incision was closed with skin glue an strips of tape. No staples.

I got a number of sessions of IV anti biotics and pain Med's throughout the night.
Around 6 am I told my Nurse the pain was up to a 7. She gave me a couple of Oxycondones 2- 5mg tablets. They worked quickly.
Around 7 am the new Nurse gave me a bigger bag of ice and it worked better.
At 9 am I got one last IV of anti biotics and anti inflammatory medicine then I was off the bag of saline and was untethered.
The Occupational Therapist came by around 9:30 and trained me on using the walker the best way.
He brought along a thing to help me put on socks and a nice grab tool to help reach things.
The Physical therapist came by around 11 am and took me for a much longer second walk.
The Food Services people showed up in fancy wait staff outfits with white shirts, black suspenders and bow ties and had a wonderful lunch for me and my wife. We ordered it the day before, I got chicken cordon blu and she got beef tender loin. We shared the meats. Very nice meal for a Hospital.

Around 2 pm the Phsyical therapist came by and took me for another walk and I was shown how to walk up and down stairs.

Then I was released.

I'm home now and doing really well.

I'll post again later.
 
Welcome to Recovery! Congrats on your new hip.

As I was rolled into the operating room I remember being beside a table that had ski boot like devices on the operating table. I joked "I'm here for hip replacement not ski lessons.

That’s a good one! :heehee:

Seems you’re off to a good start and enjoyed some fine dining last evening. Your description of the food service people sounds like they make it a fun experience.

Following you‘ll find the Recovery Guidelines.
Wishing you comfort as you begin the journey!


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

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.
 
Congratulations on your shiny new hip. Your hospital sounds quite nice especially the food service. Just keep remembering what your OS said about not rushing recovery. Slow and steady will get you to regaining your movement and ability to do things. Keep icing and elevating.
 
@Nickelpede congratulations! I noted a huge difference between you and me-- you remember Every Single Detail! I remember to boots being put on but never saw them. I remember virtually nothing except little vignettes from my overnight stays. I wonder if it's all because you had a spinal and I had GA, which came with an amnesiac drug.

Anyway, sounds like a textbook first day, and brave man you to participate in a study that could have landed you with a cath!

I hope you are sleeping right now, pain well-managed, and that your freezer is working flawlessly!
 
I'm not sleeping very well. I think it's from not being able to sleep on my side yet. It's only 2 nights since my surgery, it may take more time to get used to sleeping without rolling to a side.
I'm not counting the night in the hospital because that was just a series of naps between visits by Nurses and Technicians.

I'm having a problem with constipation.
I usually go two times a day, but nothing in 3 days.
I'm beginning to feel uncomfortable.
It must be the opioids.
Stool softener has not worked yet.
Prune juice is now on the grocery list.

I'm really glad I have 2 ice packs they are so helpful.
I have the Flex kold oversize 13"x21.5"
They provide great coverage.
I used them quite a bit before surgery and constantly post surgery so far.
 
@Nickelpede oh the constipation.... sometimes that was more uncomfortable than the hip! My go-to for the second hip was cooked carrots in huge quantities. I used percocet for 2 days a couple of weeks ago and used my current go-to-- wilted spinach, and, ground flax, lots of it. I make crispbread with flax meal, water, and whatever spice sounds good. I also have a good quick bread recipe which also includes chia seed, another high fiber choice. I'll be happy to share, but if Mr ZF is any indication, for mainstream eaters these two items are so much cardboard.... :heehee:
 
Hi @Nickelpede
A couple things...
I wasn’t a back sleeper either as I never could get comfortable. During recovery while it was necessary to sleep on my back, I found pillows helped. I surrounded myself with many pillows, soft and not as soft, because doing so offered comfort and support for an arm, or a leg etc.

I recently read of the Prune juice working for someone. I believe it was, Carita. Another option that’s been mentioned on the forum is Pumpkin Purée from the can. It has to be Pumpkin Purée though as the only ingredient, not Pumpkin pie filling. It can be sprinkled with Cinnamon making it more palatable if it sounds unappealing. Hopefully the issue has resolved itself by now and you’re feeling more comfortable.

Kudos for large ice packs! :ok:I had one that covered a large area and I loved it. It was pretty much affixed to my leg unless I was up taking a break of some sort. I even fell asleep with it nightly and switched it out for a fresh one during my middle of the night bathroom run.

Hope you’re having a good weekend! :)
 
Hi @Nickelpede
A couple things...
I wasn’t a back sleeper either as I never could get comfortable. During recovery while it was necessary to sleep on my back, I found pillows helped. I surrounded myself with many pillows, soft and not as soft, because doing so offered comfort and support for an arm, or a leg etc.

Kudos for large ice packs! :ok:I had one that covered a large area and I loved it. It was pretty much affixed to my leg unless I was up taking a break of some sort. I even fell asleep with it nightly and switched it out for a fresh one during my middle of the night bathroom run.

Hope you’re having a good weekend! :)
I'm getting used to sleeping without rolling to a side.
I actually got 5 hours of continuous sleep yesterday.
 
Woohoo... that is awesome!
Things are looking up. I hope you have a great day! :)
@Nickelpede
 
Personally the constipation was the worst part of my entire experience; I didn't go until day 5. You might add senna -- there are pills, which are more predictable, and tea, which is in some ways nicer. If you use the tea, brew it with a herb tea bag that you enjoy the taste of (peppermint, or chai flavor are my favorites). If you use the pills, one every 12 hours works for me. I'm continuing on this plan until I am done with the pain meds. And good luck with all the rest :) :sleeep::ice::walking::SUNsmile:
 
Sounds like everything is going well, and I am super jealous about your food at the hospital. You have no idea what they feed you here in Canada - inedible. And what's with the margarine, isn't that trans fat and bad for you? Anyway, happy to hear you had some nice food...:)

About the constipation, it might help to take magnesium - checking first to make sure you can take it with your meds. Some medications must be taken 2 hours after or 4 hours before magnesium. I am now 19 days post op, and when I wake at midnight (habit), I take a bis-glycinate 200 magnesium. It helps with sleep and with constipation.
 
Good luck with the carrots @Nickelpede ! If they don't work, 4-6 tbsp of flax meal mixed with at least equal amount water and flavored up might be palatable as a cereal?

I don't know if you eat refined flour and sugar, but both of those have a, er, stoppage effect on me even in the best of times. Also, oddly, peanut butter. But not pecans!
 
@Nickelpede hello! While I was reading I couldn't help but compare, we seem to have a couple similarities in our recovery stories so far! My surgery was the 12th in Jacksonville FL. All my hospitals staff, from nurses to surgeons to food service as well were also quite wonderful! I had salmon for lunch and a Thanksgiving style turkey dinner! We seem to have found the thing that Florida excels at!!:yes!:

Wow I am jealous that you remember even getting into the OR and seeing the table with the ski boots! I had a nerve block done with IV sedation prior to going into the OR. So while I know that I was still awake when they rolled me into the OR before the anesthesia, I have less than zero memory of it..nothing nada. I got my IV sedation and then woke up post op!

I had, I think, the exact opposite of your urinary situation... Everytime I went it was between 1000-1400 mL!! My nurses were amazed...they had me on IV fluids and I drink a lottt of water regularly so it just kept adding up. Since I've been home I've had quite a bit of trouble with constipation as well. I am more prone to constipation on a regular basis so the opioids are doing me no favors there. I'm adding benefiber starting today so we'll see if that helps at all.

I don't sleep very well on my back either I can't wait to sleep on my side. I seem to fall asleep okay but can't stay asleep on my back. Remember it's only temporary!! A few weeks! I can do anything for just a few weeks. By the end of this we might even turn into back sleepers! (Okay okay, I know probably not likely lol)
 
Today is day 7 since surgery.
I had a bad day yesterday. I cut back on the pain Med's in hope of having a bowel movement. I just had pain.
I took 2 servings of prune juice, 2 stool softeners, psycillium fiber , 6 prunes and lots of liquids. No movement.
I had a couple of zingers while sleeping and got up feeling very tired.
I have 3 Tramadols left. I'm going to take 1 every 8 hours along with a couple Tylenol. I still have all of the Oxycodone as a last resort.
The ice packs help but don't seem to last as long as they did before. I know that's not possible but that's how it feels.
 
I am sorry you had a bad night, sometimes this is the hard time in the recovery stages. I took Miralax when I had a real constipation issue along with warm prune juice and canned pumpkin. Let's just say I took everything to get to a normal stage with the bowel. I continued with prunes and stool softeners throughout my recovery (ies). What also helped which makes no sense is frozen grapes. However, try not to cut back on pain meds as you really need them at this stage. I know what you mean about the ice packs, so I just kept changing mine more often to get that cold feeling and relief. I iced pretty much non stop all day and night and when I started sleeping upstairs in my bed instead of the recliner downstairs I took a small lunch cooler with ice packs (I have many) up to bed with me and changed it during the night when I woke up which was often at first. I was more addicted to my ice than any pain meds and it did help.

I hope you find bowel relief soon as it does make one feel horrible. Sending positive vibes your way.
 
Oh, yes, this was the rough time for me as well. If you need more pain meds, don’t hesitate to ask for them. You may want to try an oxy, unless you have really negative side effects, to get on top of that pain. In lieu of that, adding Tylenol to your regimen if it’s not a component of your other meds, could help. I think there is a suggested schedule here in the library. It took a combo of different meds on a regular schedule plus almost constant ice and elevation for me to get through that time. I had to get a refill of my Tramadol and no one had a problem with that. The medical people just like to keep track and be able to help you with suggestions if you’re having any issues. It’s just going to take some time and I’m wishing you quick resolution and comfort soon.
 
@Nickelpede oh I am sorry about your bad day! I know exactly how you feel! Almost 30 years ago I had the worst constipation while on a cruise, despite eating 6-9 prunes/day, plenty of water,' and walking miles daily around each port stop city. The nurse gave me a suppository, which worked within a few hours. It wasn't fun, but it worked. I don't know if the OS gets upset aboit us calling our PCP, but maybe the PCP has a more effective way to treat constipation.

I'm thinking I also had to take miralax for my first hip.

And do consider trying the oxycodone, with tylenol. Being out of pain will relax you. There is also this cute little item called Squatty Potty which we just bought, as the house we just moved into has new, very high toilets. If you don't have a 90-degree precaution, you might look into that.
 
I'm having my surgery next month, what are the boots before surgery for? Also how was your pain while walking for the first time ?
 

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