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THR Leg twitches

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Hi,just checking in. I will be two weeks from surgery tomorrow. Things are going pretty well. I've been doing more walking and the exercises they sent me home with. I found today that I am fine taking Tylenol with 100 mg of neurotin during the day. I'll take the hydrocodone before bed tonight.
I've taken my last shot of blood thinner in my stomach. Good thing I have plenty of extra to pinch in that area! Do you know how long I need to wait til I can take ibuprofen? I'd like to try the bonesmart cocktail when I can.
Also, is there any difference between anterior and posterior method when it comes to laying on he operated side or non operated side. My very favorite way to sleep is curled up on mt left side. That's my unoperated side but it still doesn't feel Rey comfortable.
I feel like I spend much of my time reading on your site. Thank you for such good information
 
I am so glad that you are doing so well. Keep it up and recover will be so sweet. Take care. Tashia
 
There really are no rules about when to sleep on your side as long as you are not under any specific restrictions from your surgeon. Some want you to sleep with a pillow between your legs for a while. It's more a matter of what is comfortable. So if you have no restrictions, try lying on your unoperated side first for a bit and gradually increase time until it seems okay. Then do the same with your operated side.
 
Thanks tashia, I'm hoping I can be patient. Being able to walk without assistance or a limp seems in the distant future. One day at a time, I know. Jamie, thanks. I'll keep trying. My front thigh muscle (quads?) were really tight going into surgery and still is. I've been icing, elevating and walking with some stairs. Boy, talk about ups and downs. I am also doing the exercises the PT sent home with me.
There must be some of them at will slowly help the soreness. Thanks for everything!
 
The muscles you are talking about are your quads. Please remember that you are only slightly over 2 weeks out from this major surgery. Recovery takes time!!! You will actually do more to help muscle soreness if you exercise less. Some walking is fine. But don't push it with the stairs just yet. The phrase to remember is "Less pain, more gain!" The less pain you give yourself trying to do activity and exercises, the faster your recovery will go.
 
LipHip I was able to sleep on my I operated side at four weeks, but used the pillow between my knees and had another pillow on the outside of that to stop the pillow between my knees dropping away..

Strange, I got so used to sleeping like that, even at 14 months post, I use the pillow to start off with at night.. It is all about individual experimenting within your restrictions :)
 
Having a emotionally bad day. I had just convinced myself that my slow progress was ok and I would just go forward. Then I got a phone call from the hospital and the orthopedic patient coordinator checking to see how I was. I mentioned that I was kind of frustrated but I was walking with one crutch and would just be patient. She said, 'oh, most of our patients are walking without a crutch by now'. Talk about having the crutch kicked out from under you. She recommended I see a PT for a few formal sessions. Josephine, is it normal for anterior approach THR to be walking unassisted at 2 1/2 weeks? I have been doing the exercises, walking, stairs. Am I behind? Cried more tears over this today than over anything Ina long time. Thanks for listening.
 
Liphip

That is dreadful that the patient coordinator (and what orthopaedic training does this person have?) would start comparing your progress with other patients - very unprofessional!

Honey, this is your recovery journey... no one else's.... not even any of us on the forum... please do not let this upset you.

Slow and steady is the aim with recovery... you have had major complex surgery, irrespective of the surgical approach, the process of sawing off bone, etc. etc. that the surgeon had to do to your hip is the same for every hip replacement..

Your body is going to dictate how long it will heal and recover... not an orthopaedic coordinator.. have a good cry and then take a deep breath and think about how wonderful your progress is ... YOU ARE DOING FANTASTICALLY!

Don't listen to people like this... they wouldn't be making these comments nor having these expectations themselves if they had a THR a couple of weeks ago... stay with your own game plan !! :)
 
Poppet.
Thank you. I needed to hear that. I called the PT of the hospital I would go to for therapy and she said the same thing basically. I will try to forget what the negative and just put my energy into recovery. Why is it so easy to put pressure on ourselves when nobody else has those expectations? It's interesting the things I am learning about myself during this process. Good night!
 
We are all a bit vulnerable physically and emotionally following our THR.. But just remember that the PT has a professional duty of care.. and essentially, they work for you!

Don't let them push you and if it hurts... Tell them and STOP!

YOU ARE IN CONTROL HERE :)
 
Well some do and some don't - it's probably about 50-50 either way so don't fret about it. I think if was cruel, tactless and unprofessional for that person to say such a thing. Is she a nurse? If so, it is even more reprehensible. If not, she had no business making such comments. Please forget it and own your own recovery. Poppet is right - it's YOUR recovery and it will go how it's appropriate for you.
 
Good Morning! Things are going pretty well on my recovery road. I've been trying to get out some everyday but decided to stay in today -1 with a chill factor of -24 in our part of Montana. Yesterday I went to school and had lunch with the kindergarteners and hung out for the afternoon. What a boost to see them and get all the hugs. I plan on going back half days next week. We'll see how it goes.
Of course I have a question. I've looked around the site and can't find what I'm looking for although I know it's there. I am having groin pain at night when I go to bed. I'm taking hydrocodone twice a day and using a cane for most of my walking. I know my muscles are really tight and weak from being favored so much before surgery. Is there a certain stretch I could be doing to get some relief? I'm doing the PT stuff they sent home with me and I have a formal PT appointment on Thursday. Icing helps. Just thought I'd ask in case there is somewhere on the site I can find an answer before then.
Thank you for being there!
 
It sounds like you may be under medicated. Did your OS say that you should only take hydrocodone twice per day? What does the prescription say about dosing and frequency? Maybe Josephine or Jamie can advise you on that.

At only 3 weeks post-op, I wouldn't recommend stretching until your pain is better managed and you have had more time to heal.
 
Thank you, alexthecat. Ah, the meds. I can be honest here and admit I feel some 'encouragement' (read 'pressure') to stretch out the time between the hydro. Add that to the pharmacy I am using is less than efficient, and I have ended up trying to make the hydro I have last till the new prescription comes in the mail. The prescription says 1-2 every 4-6 hours. Hopefully the mail will bring the refill today. I just called the pharmacy and they mailed it yesterday so it should be there.
 
Hi Liphip
Welcome to BoneSmart
I think you are doing really well with your progress but may I say I think you are pushing yourself a little too much. I made that mistake when I had my first hip done in 2011. I felt I had to be walking as much as possible from the word go especially as my hospital doesn't prescribe physio at all, only walking. I ended up frequently overdoing it and even now I have discomfort with that hip and I've had to have a cortisone injection in it. This time I have been so much more sensible and followed the BS mantra and listened to my body. I've allowed myself to rest more, taken my pain meds and totally ignored anyone who has said that I should have ditched my crutches etc and all those who know someone who at 3 weeks out of surgery has taken up rock climbing or snowboarding!! It's been a much better experience as a result.
It's your recovery, no one else's and you need to get it right to ensure it goes as well as it can so you can then go on to enjoy a wonderful life with your shiny new hip so be kind to yourself. It' s not a competition and there are no prizes for overdoing it! Listen to the Forum Advisors they really do know what they're talking about and only have our best interests at heart. Sorry to go on but it does make me cross when people can, with just a few words, do so much damage to us when we are at a very fragile point in our lives.
Onwards and upwards Liphip and all the very best with your recovery! :happydance:

Anne
 
Hey Liphip

How's it hanging? Haven't heard from you for a while and I'm especially interested in your recovery because we had our ops very close together.
I'm doing ok but recovery is very slow. I too have got groin pain. Worse at night when I wake from my 2hr kip(that's the longest I've managed so far!). Guess I'm just a bit stiff. Sometimes we forget how we were manhandled on the operating table. I'm walking, stretching, and doing the 3 sets of exercises the physio gave me in hospital and no more and so far have managed to get to 4wks without any extra problems.

Hope all good with you.

Onwards and upwards.

Queenie xxx
 
Queenie!
I have been thinking about you too and even started to write the other day but never finished. I'm doing okay. Pretty good I guess. I keep hearing about people who recovered in two weeks. I just cover my ears and try to go to my happy place. I am still very stiff. Managed to get my own sock on finally this morning but it was crooked so my hubby still had to help! I've been walking and doing the exercises from the surgeon. I did go to a PT appointment last week even though they said I shouldn't need any. I wasn't making the progress I wanted so the doc wrote the order for a few sessions. I think it helped, at least I learned a few things.
Sorry about your lack of sleep. I quit taking the hydrocodone at night and that has actually helped. I take two extra strength Tylenol and 300 mg of neurotin before bed, put a pillow under my knees and sleep fairly well. At least a lot better than I did before. I think my muscles are just so tight and weak from favoring that leg before the surgery. The hip doesn't hurt, it's the muscles around it and my quads. So weak!
Lets keep in touch. We can do this. One day at a time!
liphip
 
[Bonesmart.org] Leg twitches
There is nobody who is truly recovered from a hip replacement in two weeks. What absolute rubbish!! So just pay no attention to such nonsense!

Congrats on getting that sock on even if it wasn't done perfectly---you got it done and you'll get better at it in no time now that you've done it.

The progress you want to make may not be the progress your hip is willing to make at this point. You're just barely 1 month post op. It's going to be another couple of months at least before you have any sense of normality. Those weak muscles take quite a bit of time to strengthen and you just have to be PATIENT and give them TIME.

Just relax and take it easy. Everything will come in time. You're just going to frustrate yourself if you push too hard. So cut yourself some slack and just lay back and roll with the flow.

Take care and keep us posted. We care. [Bonesmart.org] Leg twitches
 
Dear Liphip, Queenie, Josephine and all .... Have been so glad to read your messages. Had my operation around the same time as Liphip and, fortunately, have had few complications - except for lower leg and foot cramps that wake me up around 20 times a night. They are not severe but are bad enough to wake me from a sound sleep. I am reading all your advice and am bumping up my calcium and magnesium levels. I'll see if that works. Also asked the post-op nurse here (Nova Scotia) about them. After figuring out that no, they are not blood clots (no swelling, heat,soreness, also feet and ankles are mobile), she said that sometimes, dehydration can worsen nighttime cramps. Since it's winter here, we can all easily get dehydrated, too. Anyway, just wanted to add that to the mix. So will try calcium, magnesium, more water and (tonight) tonic water. May you all feel better , ESP Liphip. We'll all get to that wonderful land of Recovery. Thanks to everyone for being such a great resource. Onward and upward!!! :thankyou: :thankyou:
 
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