THR Marguerite's introduction & recovery

[marguerite]

Hi everyone! I found this forum about a week or so before my surgery, when I was trying to finish up stuff at work and get my house cleaned, so I read a lot but didn't post much. My surgery was yesterday and now I suddenly have all kinds of things to say.

My LTHR surgery was at 630 am at an outpatient clinic about 30 minutes from my house, so
I had a 4 am alarm. I was most worried about anesthesia - making sure I would come out of it #1; worried about coming out of it with a horrible headache, which is what happened the only other time I had general anesthesia, about 35 years ago #2... Well, the nurses were joking and making me giggle when they wheeled me off; the next thing I knew they were waking me up as I was having the loveliest dream about frolicking kittens. Seriously, kittens. It was a sweet way to wake up and I had no headache at all.

After I came out of the anesthetic, they let my DH come see me and we called my parents. I had water and then chocolate chip cookies and Coke until I felt stable enough to start walking. Unfortunately I had so much water and DH was making me laugh so much that I had to ask for a bedpan. I didn't think I would make it to the bathroom in time on my first post-op walk. Another first, I suppose.

Walking was just OK, but not because of my hip. My left (surgery) leg was numb and my knee had started to hurt about 3 weeks before surgery. When I woke up, my knee felt like it was locking out and when I walk, the knee buckles if I go too fast and put too much weight on my leg. Of course now I'm very worried about this and will be calling my dr today. If nothing else maybe I can strengthen it with an ace bandage until I see him?

That and not being able to fit an elevated seat on our toilet are the two biggest worries I have right now. My leg is sore but only at level 2 right now as it is still numb.

 

[marguerite]

Aside from the toilet gymnastics, my first day at home was not bad at all. I exercised some, walked some, and slept some. I hope today goes well for me and for everyone else here!

 

[Layla]

Hi @marguerite
Welcome to BoneSmart!
It sounds like you're off to a good start. Hopefully your doctor will ease your mind today in regard to the knee.
Please check out the article below, it contains a lot of useful information. There are variations in toilet seat devices. I'll include an article with options. Hope you have a wonderful day!

Hip Recovery: The Guidelines
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 these

BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy​

5. At week 4 and after you should follow this

Activity progression for THRs​

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.

 

[Layla]

Hi again,
Please find below the article on Recovery Aides -
http://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/recovery-aids-a-comprehensive-list-for-hospital-and-home.12499/
We will get your thread title changed as you've requested. Warm wishes for a wonderful day at home!
@marguerite

 

[marguerite]

Thanks Layla!

 

[Jaycey]

@marguerite I changed your thread title for you.

Please don't worry about that knee just yet. Very early days for you. They sometimes wrench your knee to access your hip joint. Many new hippies complain about knee pain and problems.

 

[BeBe]

Welcome @marguerite !

First of all, you can get a commode chair, remove the bucket from under its seat then it can slide right over the toilet. They have arms and are adjustible for height. Also can double for a shower chair.

https://www.easycomforts.com/buy-fo...MIwruFhPqY2QIVnrrACh01JgaaEAQYAiABEgLTtPD_BwE
Second I want to dream of kittens during my surgery!

Keep iced and elevated and enjoy your recovery!

 

[marguerite]

Thanks for fixing the title and for the comforting words, Jaycee! and BeGe, that is a great idea, I will ask DH to get one today.

 

[GrannyC]

Good morning @marguerite. It is good to hear your surgery is now behind you and that you are off to a great start. Our toilet is slightly higher than normal, maybe 2 inches if I remember correctly. Prior to surgery I asked my OS if I needed to get a toilet seat riser and he said no so we didn’t get one. It was a little challenging for a couple days but all in all, it was fine. He also told me I wouldn’t need any PT to recover from hip surgery and I found he was right in that as well.

I could not get my leg over the edge of the tub to take a shower though. We were advised that our local rescue squad had a huge supply of medical equipment that people could borrow for free so my husband went over there and got a nice shower chair which we kept for a couple weeks before taking it back. It worked great.

I’m so glad you found this forum. I found it so helpful and supportive in the early days after my surgery. There was so much to read on here and so many tips. Sending healing thoughts your way for a speedy recovery

 

[MammaT]

The knee pain is interesting @marguerite. I swear it was the most painful part of my first recovery. Thankfully it is not as intense with second (overall pain is lower). I like the toilet seat with handles, it make going potty much easier. You can adjust them to your height and they are easy for others to move. I have a walk in shower and bought an adjustable shower chair. While the toilet chair can double, since I live alone I went for what is easier.

As you go through recovery you will no doubt have things come up and wonder if it is normal or not. Don’t hesitate to ask questions. There is a wealth of experience here. Also, share how your recovery is going. Enemy if you think it is smooth and boring, it’s good for others to know.

Enjoy your Friday.

 

[Layla]

Hi @marguerite
I hope your day is going well. I had the same fears in to regard anesthesia. It really worried me.
I swear some of those nurses are angels in disguise! Most of them have very subtle but effective ways
in diffusing our anxiety. Kudos to nurses!!

My knee gave me some real grief also. Took about a week and a half for mine, so it kind of threw me.
But as Jaycey mentioned they really wrench it. It is used as leverage to dislocate the hip. I can go into a rather graphic description with an analogy I like to use BUT today is your lucky day, I'm going to spare you

I hope you have an easy peasy recovery and a great first weekend of healing with your new hip

 

[marguerite]

Thank you all! This was such a nice welcome. Saw my PT today but she basically told me to take it easy with three bed exercises and walking several times a day. I have read the tips about resting so I was glad to see her approach is prett much the same.

 

[Mojo333]

As you can see, Bonesmart is an invaluable recovery tool.
I had concerns and anxieties that were almost certainly confirmed as normal recovery stuff.
It was so nice to be able to get comfort from those who know.
You are on your way to a life without hip pain. Don't overdo, ice and elevate plenty these first weeks.
Soon you'll be

 

[MammaT]

The resting can get boring, but I think we end up with a payoff later @marguerite. I know during my normal work time I am always hoping for some “nothing” time. Now I have several weeks of just that and I know I will soon complain of boredom.

With my first hip there were site issues and I couldn’t really post on bonesmart. By the time they got sorted out, I was a few weeks out and going back to work so figured I was healed and didn’t need it. Boy was I wrong.

I came back when right hip started having problems. As I read through posts of people being further out from surgery, I realized I had missed a lot of good information for this process of recovery. As I moved back to my life, I was doing things that kept get leg more irritated than it needed to be. While we focus on the first couple of weeks, the full healing process is much longer.

Let’s have a good first weekend with these new hips.

 

[Layla]

Happy Saturday @marguerite
Easy does it with recovery, sounds like PT is taking it slow.
You'll find lots of support here for sure. Make sure to read the Recovery Article
If you haven't already. Its full of useful info as is our library located under the blue header at the top
of the page. Wishing you a peaceful weekend of healing!

 

[marguerite]

Ugh, I keep forgetting and I twist my body to grab things, on my bed, on a shelf, on my bedside table, whatever. Or I don't quite have the concept of the 90-degree restriction down. The muscle? Tendon? In the front of my leg / in the bend near my groin feels impinged after all this ill-considered movement. What should I expect to feel if I twist too much?

 

[MammaT]

Personally I think it is normal to feel strange things when you move. Everything is still pretty raw inside. I think it is impossible to avoid all twisting. Just take things slowly.

 

[Layla]

I didn't have any restrictions @marguerite
My OS used posterior approach.
I was told to move carefully, slowly, thoughtfully using my body as my guide. If it hurt....STOP.
Just S-L-O-W it all down so you don't have any accidents.
A great Sunday to you!

 

[Mojo333]

Hope things are easing for you...these first weeks are the toughest.
Sending healing Mojo your way!

 

[Cas]

Hi @margauerite to the forum. Can agree with all the above! My knee felt like it had been through a mill and then started to swell. Everyone on here was so supportive and put all my worries to rest. Anything you need to know just ask and someone will be along to help. The first few weeks are the worst and if like me you worry about moving wrong and doing damage = don't panic LOL. Just take it easy , small walks, move slowly at first, ice, elevate and rest as much as your body needs. Happy healing and do let us know how you are getting on. Carol