THR Long, Long Wait - Rhonda K's Recovery

[muckingabout]

Welcome to the other side, @Rhonda K I had posterior as well and no complaints at 6 weeks in. I'm back to work full time this week. I came home from the hospital with knee high teds, so you may be okay. Are you on bloodthinners as well?

If Percocet isn't helping, can you ask to try something else? My doc switched me from lortabs to tramadol because I couldn't stand how loopy it made me. I think most docs are okay with tweaking meds to find the one that works.

 

[Rhonda K]

Thanks for the welcome @muckingabout.

I've enjoyed your recovery thread very much, made me laugh out loud more than once. Better to laugh than cry for sure and seems we are all doing well and glad we can. Sure glad to hear the knee high's are acceptable. They are a thousand times more comfortable. Hearing that put another smile on my face ( doesn't take too much right now, I'll take anything).

Yes on Coumadin, so I don't worry too much. Yes I think I will ask about a med change, it can't hurt. Today I felt the pain go down a notch, so maybe not a huge issue for much longer. Thanks again, I'll keep reading to keep up with what's around the corner.


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[MajorHeidi]

Hi @Rhonda K glad you are progressing along nicely!
Just want to warn you that as long as you are on pain meds, the constipation MONSTER lurks.
In any case, Phillips MOM works wonders.
Treat yourself kindly, as there is no hurry with recovery.

 

[Carriemay60]

@Rhonda Congratulations on your surgery. You are facing everything with a lot of bravery and a sense of humor so I am sure you will do very well. I was very lucky, despite having had two DVTs, one in late March, I was not given Teds at all but am on a blood thinner. I used baby wet wipes to freshen up between sponge baths, doing chest and underarms while changing clothes and the bottom bits while sitting on toilet. On days I washed my hair, I did just that in the sink and had a chair right behind me to sit down on and get my breath before trying to walk, etc. There is a lot to be said for pacing yourself. I hope your recovery continues to go smoothly!

 

[beachgal]

@RhondaK, you should start leveling out on the pain soon! My OS switched me from Percocet to Tramadol but by the time I figured out that a change was in order, I really didn't need it as much anymore. No reason, though, not to have it on hand. With PT and various "oops" in your path, you never know when you'll need some help with pain relief. Keep icing, too. I still have to remind myself that its a great pain reliever and doesn't have any side effects!

 

[Rhonda K]

Hi everyone,

Had an appt. with an orthopedic nurse today. Very nice and knowlegible. He changed my bandage. I couldn't see much but my husband got a good look and I saw a pic. Sooooo many staples, my jaw dropped. Husband counted 50! Yikes! But he said it looked real good so that's the part that counts. We tweaked my meds a little. Hope the nausea goes away soon. That's the part I don't understand. I will feel just fine one minute and the next a wave comes over me. Weather or not I take my meds with food, which I have been better about doing. Wonder if GA can stay in your system that long? My husband said I reeked of it when he saw me in recovery...

The pain is easing up some so hope so, Beach gal, I can taper off soon. I am well aware now that the old pain is gone! So wonderful!

One bad bit of advice, told me I had to go back to thigh high TED's.....dang it! All in all a good report.


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[grnplatebrd]

@Rhonda K
Congratulations on your success and moving on with healing. It sounds like you are doing well and you have already received great input and advice. Everyone here is so helpful and supportive. Your posts also sound like you are in good spirits and that goes a long ways in healing. Look forward to reading more from your smooth healing. I am posterior too, so I can relate to much of what you have already experienced

 

[Carriemay60]

@Rhonda K I also experienced a lot of nausea. After surgery I did not vomit which I usually do 2-3 times in the 1st 24 hours after surgery. My nausea has only lifted in the last 10 days or so after finally vomiting twice. I'm sure it was in my head but I could have sworn I smelt anesthetic when I did vomit and the acid burn in my throat was very noticeable. It was a horrible feeling to get those sudden severe bouts of nausea and then they would subside after 10 minutes or so of a cold cloth. I have heard it can take a year to get all the anesthetic out of your system.

Overall, it sounds like you are doing nicely. Sorry about the Teds

 

[Rhonda K]

Yes @Carriemay60, exactly the same for me. I lost my dinner last night.. Ugg! And I feel bad acid and heart burn in throat and chest.. Just don't know if it is lingering effects of anesthesia or the Percocet making me sick. I really need to sort that out because my head says no more Percocet but I think I still need something at this point. I do have some "Norco". Maybe will try that. Didn't take anything last night and had my worst night yet.


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[Carriemay60]

@Rhonda K I hope you get better soon.

 

[beachgal]

Please tell us you're better today ??? Goodness, we've got to get you happy and comfortable. Wouldn't hurt for you to be able to eat, either.


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[Rhonda K]

Feeling soooo much better today! No more Percocet for this lady! Have taken only Tylenol today and pain is manageable and no nausea. So switching game plans here and truly believe it will be better for me. I'm such a lightweight when it comes to meds. But I know myself and should of know narcotics would do a number on me. I will give it a couple of days with just the Tylenol and if not working will ask for something else, but today has been very tolerable. PT came also and he was impressed with my progress, compared to my weak as a kitten efforts last week. He says I am doing much better. Guess today was a banner day for me. And all in all very happy.


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[grnplatebrd]

@Rhonda K Great news and report. Happy that you know your body well and can make those decisions. I tried to get off or use Oxycodone minimally as I could tolerate. I probably toughed out a few moments, but preferred the Tylenol, ice and elevate route whenever possible. I would like 2nd @beachgal and her water intake. Are you still sleeping? That is great if you are. Keep it up

 

[Rhonda K]

@grnplatebrd thanks for advice, yes drinking so much water I'm floating away, but that's one way to get in my walks, haha. One thing I will miss about the Percocet, it did make me sleep, but not worth it at all. I have ambien because I have had horrible sleeping problems for years. Was just getting better when I went for this surgery. I took it last night, it does help me, but last night was tough because of feeling sick and some moderate pain. Hope tonight is better sleep wise, like so many, the sleeping on back thing is realllllly hard for me. Hopefully I get used to it.


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[grnplatebrd]

@Rhonda K I agree. In the last week or two I have started to alternate to my sides, both surgical and regular side(still with a pillow between legs). There were times when I thought I was going to mentally crack by always being on my back, but I made it. I still spend most of the night on my back, but having the other positions has been good for me. I hope you find your balance and what works for you. You really do sound like you are doing quite well. Have a good evening and hopefully a restful sleep.

 

[Carriemay60]

@Rhonda K , So happy to hear you found the source of your nausea and are feeling so much better! Being rid of those symptoms will make a huge difference overall I hope. I couldn't sleep on my back at all but had done ok in hospital with the head of the bed reclined. I duplicated that as best I could with lots of pillows so I now sleep in a fully reclined position which I find so much better! I haven't had much luck trying my side yet but really looking forward to that being comfortable again.

 

[Rhonda K]

Good morning all! Well did pretty well last night other than not much sleep. Gotta experiment and so some tweeking until we figure out something that will work for me. I kinda don't think my Doctor will be good with me trying the sleeping on side yet. It's soooo hard, hope the day comes soon when I can try. But Carriemay at least I can try the pillow trick or maybe even try sleeping in my recliner. Us hippies can usually figure out a way....hope everyone ahead of me has another day of improvement on their way to healing. And hope those behind me feel one day better. What a difference every day makes!


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[Carriemay60]

@Rhonda K Sleeping in the recliner doesn't work for me, even for a nap really but I have seen lots of people here say they slept in their recliner in the 1st week with great results. You are right, it takes some tweaking and experimenting. You might try some options with your naps today in hopes of a good sleep tonight. Good Luck!!

 

[beachgal]

@RhondaK, I was one of the ones who slept in my recliner for the first week. I was so grateful to find a place where I could relax without the blasted muscle spasm in my upper back kicking in. I tried hard to replicate the recliner position in our bed but never could quite get it right. I don't think I slept longer than two or three hours at a time in the recliner, rather up and down at night a bit, but with no set schedule and no time demands, it was ok, once I resigned myself to not getting the "good rest" a full night's sleep provides. After about 10 days, I had no problem with sleeping in the bed. I think my muscle spasm was just my nervousness at the whole event.

Glad the nausea is subsiding. Keeping a little something in your tummy throughout the day would probably be wiser than trying to eat three full meals. Think "morning sickness"....with my niece, she munched on goldfish crackers and such most of the time.

Hope you continue to improve. We all seem to turn our corners at different times but it's so amazing when you realize it's happening to you! Can't wait to hear that news from you!!

 

[Rhonda K]

Your insight is amazing @beach gal. You seem to hit the nail on the head every time...lol. I wonder if you have any advice on the dreaded TED's? I hate to whine but if I have my sanity after 2 1/2 more weeks of these, it will be a miracle. I swear they grow every time we take them off to wash and put back on. They now go all the way up to the very top of my thighs. If the top rolls down....ouch! If I fold them over that cuts into my legs too. Anyone have any tips? I go through major surgery, and it's the small things that are making me nuts! Go figure! But other than that and sleeping on my back angst, things are pretty good. Nausea issue solved by ditching the strong meds, only taking Tylenol and coping ok. That was a big relief to get over that. PT is happy with my progress so I feel good there. Maybe another week I graduate to cane. Can't wait so my poor husband doesn't have to get up and help me every time I need a bathroom break. I can of course make it by myself except for two steps I have to navigate to get there and I can't get my walker down them by myself. I can go up but not down. So that will be huge.

Hope everyone is comfortable tonight. I worry about the ones that post here, then go in for surgery, and we never hear from them again. Wish they would update so we know they are doing well.......


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