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THR Lily's recovery

Sounds like you are doing really well, @Goma! Be patient -- the stair climbing will come with time.

Happy new year.
 
I can sympathise re the incision and scar. I used to ask my hubby “does my bum look big in this?” Now it is “is my scar inflamed”?!

He reckons it looks fine btw!
 
I'm off meds so whatever is happening I can feel it.
There's no pain just feeling I'm overdoing it but I recover very quickly.

The incision will fade..put the rest out of your mind.

Sometimes I think about it but I also remember the pre op pain and I'm glad I had it done. We have the benefit of modern medicine and decades ago we would have probably ended up in wheelchairs.

Glad to hear you're doing well... we're very lucky..
 
Hey..if hubby says it looks fine then that's all you need to hear.

Same here..hubby says it looks good.:eyebrows:
 
Yes we are very lucky and I never take it for granted. I use biooil on the scar everyday and it helps . I haven’t taken any meds for quite a while but have paracetemol on standby just in case

Sleeping on my side still problematic but during the day and normal activities the hip feels fine most of the time. Apart from the Stinging Scar!

Stairs are ok but it depends on the stairs… sone I can do with alternate steps, the others I have to handle more carefully.

Coming up to my 5 month anniversary next week :)

Hope all is good with you Lily x
 
I also use Bio oil and my surgeon said massage to break up scar tissue. Use your fingers to massage inwards towards the line and upwards. I do it because he said so and I'm guessing it helps.

The stairs..ugh...depends like you. I can but not willing always.

My issues are muscular. I never suffer back pain but my muscles around my back and upper hip are springing back to life and they hurt. I thought I had piriformis pain and tried stretches which helped but I also used an anti inflammatory cream and it disappeared in a couple of days.

I don't know... I just go with it. My hip joint is great just everything around it but it'll all heal.

I was saying on another forum that decades ago we would have ended up in wheelchairs so these problems are minor and will get sorted.

You're healing great.....can only get better... still early days...xx:flwrysmile:
 
4 months for me. :loveshwr:Time flies and I'm reaching a point of not giving my hip much thought.

I can get through the day just doing my thing with no constraints. I barely think of the hip and don't make it my first thought when doing something.

That's not to say my hip doesn't think of me. Doesn't like being ignored....so considerate.:puppysmooze:Tells me to take a break,slow down when I'm going too fast. It does this by reminding me that everything isn't 100%healed and nudges me with a little ache. Nothing drastic but definitely there. I make a coffee,sit for a while and then continue on. I should ice but keep forgetting.

I love my hip and it loves me. I'm kind to it and it reciprocates. We are definitely finding common ground as weeks progress.

My last hurdles is stairs...still difficult but oh so slowly getting better. I don't like putting weight on my hip going up and it's my hip area not muscles in my leg.

And just wondering if the area around the scar smooths out in time. I feel like my scar dips in and there's a lump behind it. Just looks different from my other hip if you look. I know it's not fat as I'm not overweight. I just hope it evens out,no disaster if it doesn't but I have to ask.Anyone else have this.

Also stiffness when standing up from sitting. Usually at the end of the day when I'm tired. Only lasts a short moment and I'm off. This is also getting better and nothing resembling the pre-op stiffness.:walking:

I can sleep either side just not completely comfortable lying on my operated hip on a hard surface.

All up getting better and stronger just not quite there yet.

Hope everyone is making progress in their journey with tiny increments or leaps and bounds :flwrysmile:
 
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I love your description of your relationship with your new hip.:friends:
I can definitely relate to it and listening to our bodies needs and complaints is truly the best way to learn to get along.

You have done beautifully @Goma
Happy Friday and hope your weekend is sweet.
 
Hi! I am a little ahead of you but still am taking steps together. Muscles do not want to cooperate going up one foot per step. I also experience stiffness upon rising but more so when tired. Rising from short chairs still requires pushing up. I cannot put my foot on my surgical side to the opposite knee. Things are just taking time to hopefully get back to normal. I did not have PT afterwards so it is nice to hear where others are in the journey.
 
Have made my 5 month mark and feeling grateful and happy with my outcome.

Positives are no pain :yes!: and flexibility. Walking long distances is easy.

I'm progressively improving with stairs. There's still a little niggle when stepping up but it's better. If I've had a big day I feel a bit of groin ache..not pain as such. I have a coffee and rest a bit and I'm ok.

I'm doing a big house clean and at night when I'm sitting up in bed the front of my hip is a bit tender ..not pain... so I'm entering the overdid it club I think.

Eventhough all is well I'm mentally aware of the new hip so always trying to be a bit careful. Mainly getting in and out of the car, how much I lift and as course ...stairs. I pause when I get out of bed eventhough there's no pain, just a little stiffness and this is gone by the time I've walked to the kitchen.
I can sleep both sides and stretch out on my front with no problems.

These all bothered me pre-op and I'm still hanging onto these thoughts. They don't consume my day but I adjust what I do to accommodate my concerns meaning for example I don't twist to get in and out of the car, carrying lighter loads in shopping bags and managing stairs slowly. Sometimes I forget and my hip reminds me.

Overall I'm extremely happy with my progress and I'm sure I'll get even better. I don't do any PT and have done very little thanks to Bonesmart guidelines. I never pushed myself to the point of pain or trying to achieve certain numbers of exercises. Just did what I could ,iced ,walked and rest. It's all worked out but definitely a process.

Still a few minor issues physically and mentally but getting there.

Wish everyone well in recovery:flwrysmile:

Could I change to 5 month mark.. thank you.
 
You will notice improvement up to, and beyond, the one year anniversary and those thoughts that can consume you or the preoccupation with all things hip do fade over time. Guessing you realize this since your TKR just passed the three year mark. It sounds to me like you're doing really well and your hip will protest if you're doing too much. Not too late to resort to ice and rest when that occurs.
Thanks for the update, Goma. I hope you have a great week!
@Goma
 
Last couple of days I've developed a tenderness in the front of my hip. I feel it when I'm lying down or half reclining in bed. It's not a sharp pain.

I can stand and walk normally. No problems moving around.

The feeling is in the front on the top of the hip. Feels a bit swollen and isolated to that area. The replacement is good.

I pushed a heavy cart of shopping around so maybe that caused it??? Not sure.

I guess ice, anti-inflammatory and rest ...back to the couch. Just hope I haven't developed anything new..recovery is still ongoing I guess.

Keep well hippie friends.
 
Hi Goma,
Because the healing process is still ongoing at only 5 months post op, you likely overdid it with pushing the heavy cart or some other activity that aggravated soft tissue. You have the right idea to use the OTC meds and ice until it eases. Wishing you speedy relief and a good week. Take care! :)
@Goma
 
Most likely the heavy cart, I think you, hippie chick and me are about a month apart on our recoverys!

Stairs getting easier….still cannot cross my leg over to put socks on. I ice after doing the shopping as a heavy cart causes stiffness but I log is as part of my physio.

Apart from stiffness and occasional zap from the scar - guess it is still healing - things are going ok.

Best wishes to you and HippieChick and keep posting the updates as I am finding them very helpful.
 
We all try & do more than we should once we start feeling better and I am no different.
Then hip reminds us we aren't invincible & sends us off to the couch with ice pack or heating pad for a "time out."
Personally, a little time out now & then feels great! :heehee:
 
Hi to all. It's just past one year since hip surgery and I'm posting my update.
I had my one year appointment with my surgeon last week.

x-rays are good and my hip is great to the point where I rarely think of it.

It's strong,stable and my leg functions perfectly. I have no limitations and can do whatever I want. No pain doing anything I want for as long as I want. Totally flexible and I completely trust that it will be like that for decades.

It was my best and a life changing decision for the best.
I wasn't without setbacks but I healed with time and hope others find positivity in this post.:walking:
 
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