Bilateral THR Mac2022 in recovery

[Mac2022]

Leaving to go home walked 2 times yesterday 2 times today. Showered and dressed by myself so far pain has been managable

 

[Mac2022]

Ok so last night the pain was really really bad. I can't stand up at all my legs just can not hold the weight. Can I stay in bed today. My husband had to lift me up to get me out of the bed. It's day 3 is this normal.Thank you

 

[Jaycey]

@Mac2022 Sounds like your pain is not managed well. I would call your surgeon's office or your family doctor and get your medication tweaked a bit. Are you icing and elevating?

 

[Jaycey]

I moved your posts about recovery to a recovery thread for you. I'll also leave the recovery articles here for you to refer to. Hang in there! The situation will improve with time.

Hip Recovery: The Guidelines
We are all different, as are the approaches to this recovery and rehab. The key is, “Find what works for YOU.“ Your doctor(s), physiotherapist(s) and BoneSmart are here to help. But you have the final decision as to what approach you use.

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​

elevate​

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 this BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy
5. Here is a week-by-week guide for Activity progression for THRs
6. Access these pages on the website

Oral And Intravenous Pain Medications​

Wound Closure​

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 that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.

 

[Ocean]

@Mac2022, sorry to hear that you are in too much pain to get out of bed. As said above, call your surgeons office to get better pain management.

Let us know what they have given you to help when you have got in touch with them.

 

[Mojo333]

@Mac2022
This is the toughest time, these earliest post op days...I know... but it really will get better pretty quickly so try not to get panicky.

The log leg (heavy, uncooperative) sensation is normal... Common... and double hippies like us can have it doubly hard.

Everything can go extra slow... even getting up and down to the bathroom.
My husband had to help me with this for the first week until some of the shock and trauma done to our poor legs wears off.

Please do ankle pumps while resting to promote circulation...and the small walks to bathroom is all that is needed.

All Temporary...and do check to see if pain meds can be tweaked, or certainly make sure you take current meds on time (with a small nibble of food) so as to stave off nausea.

Healing hugs...
Remember....All Temporary.

 

[Mojo333]

I remember I felt really scared and guilty that I needed alot of help for the earliest days, poor hubby who is not normally the nurturing kind...but he was worried for me and did well.
But I stayed 2 days in hospital, so he helped alot for the first 4-5 days as I was on pain medication.
But as surgery trauma wears off, your amazing healing body will catch up quickly.

 

[Mac2022]

Thanks for all the encouragement I am glad to know I will be feeling a little bit better soon

 

[Mojo333]

Hang in there

 

[Eman85]

Of course you can stay in bed, that's what recovery is all about being comfortable and resting. It almost sounds like you took the fast lane to the ODIC. Your first post is what leads us all to ODIC, we get to feeling good and think we're superstars of recovery so we do things a little more then we should. Pain management is important for being able to be comfortable and rest, you have to stay ahead of the pain.

 

[Layla]

Showered and dressed by myself so far pain has been manageable.

This is a lot for one or two days post op, especially for a bilateral. I didn’t muster up the strength to shower, (well there was a little anxiety involved too) until several days post op. I think Eman is right, you may have taken a wrong turn and landed in the ODIC (Over Did It Club) Hopefully a day of rest and some gentle bed exercises will have you feeling better in the morning. Hugs and best wishes for a quiet peaceful Saturday!

 

[cold_brew]

Rest up, ice, and elevate. Like, Really Elevate. For the first couple of days at home I could have done better with that, and once I got a proper pillow wedge to get my ankles up above knees it helped a lot.

Don’t be shy in getting the pain meds you need. Hopefully the pain etc will bottom out after 4-5 days and start getting better - for me it took until about that point in time to go from ‘can I stand up?’ to ‘I can stand up!’ and it’s been uphill since. Agree don’t rush to shower if it’s going to be something that hurts afterwards.

Good luck and welcome to Club Bilateral!

 

[Mac2022]

Thank you I think your right I overdid it and paid for it. Feeling better today I went pretty easy yesterday. Will try to do more walking today.

 

[Mojo333]

Glad you are feeling better.
Please don't worry about doing any longer walks....
just the necessary short trips several times a day is enough for the next few days.
You really will be glad you did this...
I remember telling my OS at my first followup at 10 days post-op that the reason he set it for 10 days out, is so I would be through hating him by then.
He is now my hero, for sure.

 

[Ocean]

I’m pleased that you are feeling better today

 

[Jad26]

Hi Mac. I am exactly your age ( but will be turning the Medicare age this Friday!) and I will be 6 weeks postop from bilateral hip replacements tomorrow.

I was given the option to spend the night, but feeling wonderful after surgery, I was sent home 3 hours after getting into the recovery room!

No OS would do, or recommend, a bilateral surgery on anyone they didn’t feel was an excellent candidate for it. My OS said I needed both done, both hips had a similar wear pattern, I was young enough, strong, and healthy enough for the surgery. Also no comorbidities.

I also don’t think it’s done all that often, judging by the reaction from my PCP, the hospital staff and anesthesiologist!

I am super glad to have had both done at once because I wouldn’t want to do this twice! I had no problem recovering both hips at once. I have been doing pre-hab PT hip strengthening exercises for 7 years so had strong enough quads to do it.

I hope i can have the same results as you and go home as soon as possible
I am due for bilateral in 10 days can i ask what technique did your surgeon use. Thank you

 

[Mac2022]

I am 5 weeks post-op for anterior bilateral hip surgery. Very happy I did both at once. I am walking a mile a day in intervals trying to build back my stamina also got COVID ten days after surgery so maybe that is affecting my energy level also. My pain prior to surgery pretty much gone. Legs still a little stiff but I expect to keep on improving every day. Looking forward to walking 4 miles again with friends and playing miniature golf with my granddaughter who was tired of picking up the ball for me

 

[Jockette]

@Jad26 I moved your question to this recovery thread.

@Mac2022 I moved your reply out of your pre op thread to your Recovery Thread.

 

[Zoebichon]

My surgeon uses the anterior approach. Good luck on your upcoming surgery!

 

[Jad26]

Thank you am also having the anterior approach. Do you know how long the surgery time was and did u have general anaesthetic?