THR Lynne54's Recovery Thread

[CricketHip]

Hi Lynne, that hip sounds like it gave you a painful reminder. It can be so frightening, when it happened to me, it was such a rush of fear/uncertainty. Don't get discouraged or down on yourself, many of us have experienced this jolt of pain.
Hopefully you can take it easy for a few days? I must tell you I cringed when reading about your doing left lifts. Living alone and doing your ADL's is more than enough extra work for your recovering body.

It's still so early in the healing game for you, and I think you are handling the ups and downs very well!

 

[Rhonda K]

How scary Lynne! I sure hope no damage was done and that hip was just unhappy. Glad things are better today. I think right now we really have to be careful. We are just starting to feel less pain and are gaining more confidence. We try to do too much and want to be more “normal” so badly that it’s very easy to push too hard. We have to call on any hidden patience we can find. It’s very hard.

 

[Lynne54]

My hip has settled down thank goodness. The physiotherapist is still asking me to attempt exercises that hurt, especially straight leg raise, but I have politely declined. A friend visited me yesterday and took me to my local supermarket. I hung onto the trolley and managed to slowly get round the aisles okay, and that slow walk has done me more good than dedicated exercises. I will still do them but it's the walking that has really helped, together with ice and elevation occasionally.

 

[Mojo333]

So happy to see your post @Lynne54
Straight leg raises can be done later down the line if needed for strengthening.
We know our bodies best...
what is helpful....

Glad to hear you are seeing improvement.

 

[FCBayern]

I hung onto the trolley and managed to slowly get round the aisles okay, and that slow walk has done me more good than dedicated exercises.

Walking is by far the best thing for hips, as for the other PT, ehh....

 

[Layla]

that slow walk has done me more good than dedicated exercises

Hold that thought and listen to your body. Also..a refresher on the BIG TIP from the BoneSmart Recovery Guidelines -

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.

 

[Klassy]

The physiotherapist is still asking me to attempt exercises that hurt, especially straight leg raise, but I have politely declined.

It can be hard to go against the supposed experts, so well done for speaking up for yourself. As others have said already, there will be plenty of time to do leg raises in the future.

The shopping excursion sounds ideal. Retail therapy of the best kind.

 

[Lynne54]

Walking is definitely the best exercise for me at the moment. It gets everything moving such that when I now attot the exercises suggested by the physio, I can do them with the exception of straight leg raises. Perhaps that will come in time.

My sleep is very patchy still, and I was up again at 2 a.m. it is difficult sleeping on my back, plus I have pains in my legs. I would rather be vertical than sitting or lying. Very strange, but I had this issue prior to surgery.

I am feeling so much better hip-wise, but it's a lonely existence when you are on your own. I nipped into my garage and started up my car today which was okay even though it has been idle for 3+ weeks, but I don't think it will be too long before I am able to drive again (6 weeks I believe??). Cannot wait.

 

[Jaycey]

I don't think it will be too long before I am able to drive again (6 weeks I believe??)

Six weeks is pretty much the norm. If you are off the heavy pain medication and can perform an emergency braking with no problem you will be good to go. Do you see your surgeon at 6 weeks?

 

[Lynne54]

Yes I see my surgeon just before the six week point and will check with him then.

 

[Lynne54]

I am getting around much easier indoors and can walk without crutches for a while, but then revert to my "left to right waddle", so it's back to at least one crutch. Perhaps I am trying too much too soon.
Sleep has been a problem especially last night. My legs, knees and ankles really ached and I could not get comfortable. My physio checked my legs today and said they were okay, no indication of DVT which is good. I was in bed for a couple of hours and then up again and had to find some oramorph but that did not work either. I hope tonight is better as I feel really tired. I am using ice and elevating regularly. Does anyone have any suggestion

 

[Klassy]

I think you are doing well for less than 4 weeks out. ExceptIonally well considering the rough start you had. I sympathise with you about the aches and having disrupted sleep still. Sorry I can’t offer any suggestions (other than to try taking a break from the exercises for a while) . But it is normal and it will get better. You are doing the right thing in going back to crutches when you get tired, you don’t want to get into the habit of limping.

The great thing is that you are seeing improvements.

 

[subie2021]

Hi confined
I'm sorry that you're having troubles with sleeping and leg pain. It's so difficult to deal with.
Does your pain med make you drowsy during the day? If so, maybe you can adjust the schedule so that you have a dose at bedtime. I found that using my meds then, and not waiting until pain woke me up, allowed for at least several good hours of sleep.

It also helped tremendously for me to have a pillow under my knees and lower legs while I was confined to back-sleeping. On some nights, it also helped to use a wedge or 2-3 pillows to prop up my head and shoulders.

I also found that during recovery I needed to change my footwear to avoid leg pain. I always buy good supportive shoes, and had tossed most of my pre-THR pairs, so I assumed that all my new ones would be great. But no, a couple of them caused foot and leg pain. I don't know why, they just did; maybe it has to do with all the readjustments to our muscles and joints. Even now, 7 months out, I find that sometimes I need to put favorites in the back of the closet for a while, then switch out again days or weeks later.

 

[Lynne54]

Thanks @subie2021 for the suggestions, I will give them a try. It certainly helps putting my feet on a pillow. I will be glad when u can stop sleeping in my back.
The kegpains are a bit better and I have had my legs checked, so no DVT etc. I need to wear more supportive shoes indoors as at the moment I am wearing an old pair of slippers. I need to remember heel through to toe...

 

[Layla]

Happy One Month Anniversary, Lynne!
I hope this message finds you having a good day. Enjoy the weekend!

 

[Lynne54]

Hi, yes it was four weeks on Wednesday. Things are getting better slowly. I manage around the house without crutches although towards the evening my leg/hip aches and I can start "waddling". My gait definitely needs to improve and i hope it will in time.
Sleep still tends to be a problem and I am constantly waking. I think it's lying on my back which causes the issues..
Yesterday a friend took me to our local supermarket and I managed to make my way around using a shopping trolley which was okay. It was good to get out if the house..
All in all things are getting better, so fingers crossed! I am so glad that I found this website.

 

[CricketHip]

Sounds like a good day at the grocers! I bet you enjoyed getting out..
You are doing very well, it's only 4 weeks post op and here you are, going grocery shopping. I am impressed.
The sleep issue is a real darn, isn't it? I used a ton of pillows to prop and tuck in around me and could almost feel like I was cuddled up on my side. I learned that trick long ago when my lower back dictated I sleep only on my back.
The next 4 weeks will zip by quickly and you should see a lot of good improvements happening.

 

[Rhonda K]

I sure relate Lynne….sleeep is so hard to come by. My back hurts from lying in one position and I can’t stand that foam wedge. Seems another thing that most don’t have to use. it Keeps my legs so spread out and awkward feeling. Anyone else have to use one and if so for how long? I’m supposed to use it for 12 weeks!!!!! Lynne are you only using a pillow between your legs? I’m about ready to throw this thing….I can sleep pretty well if I take a Percocet but then they cause their own problems so I don’t know…

 

[Sohowarrior]

I mentioned this elsewhere but I’m sleeping fairly well on my non operated side now and I found on Amazon a pillow for between my legs called Cushy Form. It’s not a wedge per se, it’s more like a small rectangle with indentations so you can put the pillow between your legs but above your knees. I’m also using it for a short set of clamshells and one for posterior leg lift on the bed (prescribed by my PT). You could sleep on your back with it between your legs as well but I am doing far better sleep wise on my side. My surgeon advises 6 weeks like this but I know the recommendations vary widely. Hope this helps and that you are feeling better.

 

[subie2021]

I think I ditched that wedge at around a week or 10 days even though I was supposed to use the dang thing for 12 weeks. My OS's folder full of info as well as the going home instructions said that patients WILL use the wedge for 12 weeks, not SHOULD or Are Expected To. Ugh! At one of his last visits to my home, the pt guy showed us how to use regular bed pillows safely instead. The best one for me was a heavy memory foam one folded in half for a while, then just the pillow with no folding. I slept on my back for weeks, but without that horrible abduction wedge it was a lot easier.