THR Megsmum75's Recovery

[HollyNY]

Congrats on the bionic club membership!

Log leg is real but passes quickly.

Pay attention to the energy drain. Insomnia for a bit is normal Naps are needed!

 

[Megsmum75]

I am eating well - feeling much better this morning - took it slowly getting up. Think it’s a combination of lying down all night and blood thinners. Just been out for a walk and feel great - shattered but in a good way! Sent hubby off for a hair cut and daughter round later to cook spag bol - that’s about as far as my plans go for today. Take care everyone x

 

[Jaycey]

@Megsmum75 The blood thinners didn't agree with me either. After my first THR I was nauseous and did faint once. Second time around I was very careful to move slowly.

So glad you are feeling better! Depending on where you are in the UK - the next couple of days might be tricky. Ice and snow in some places. Please do be very careful if you venture outside.

daughter round later to cook spag bol

Yum - comfort food!

 

[Eman85]

Eating and eating for recovery are 2 different things. We need to think about what our bodies are trying to rebuild and give them the right materials to do it with. Real easy to get into the non-essential comfort food mode in recovery as we like those things.

 

[lanstan]

A high loss of blood is usually unavoidable with hip replacements. Average of 1500ml. It takes a while for the body to build back up. Nutrition and fluids are very important. Dizziness and weakness are very common.

 

[Megsmum75]

Oh my goodness - I have legs and feet like fat sausages!! I know it will go down but the last couple of days I have felt my legs and feet get swollen as the bruising spreads - although I am
not actually covered in bruises. I move very little around the house until lunch when I go for a short walk then I can feel Myself inflating until I can hardly put any weight on my leg at all! Ice and elevation does little to help - actually elevation is quite challenging due to discomfort even using pillows as described on here. It’s almost comical. The hip joint is fine I think - it’s simply the after effects of surgery. Do I stop moving around and rest (it’s really hurting my bum though!!) or do I continue with gentle movement? Or do I scrap my daily walk (I use 2 crutches and go very very slow) for a few days? The physio have given me 2 sticks but I dare not go out just with sticks - crutches give me more security and I still weight bear. How do people go back to normal life after a week - I am young, fit and healthy but this has really stopped me in my tracks. All those YouTube videos are very misleading.
I am on my own now, so do have to move a bit - friends are popping by to help and back to hospital on Friday for stitch trim and wound check so I will see what they say too. I have had to re-order the codeine as pain is significant in the evening - so annoying. Codeine makes it hard to go to the loo - such a vicious circle as movement helps in that department! But have other meds for that - honestly - I feel like I rattle with meds at the mo. This is not fun at all - not sure wether to laugh or cry. But still very glad I got it done - just having a good old moan

 

[myglasshalffull]

I remember first week after replacement and I saw all the bruising and swelling, I didn't know that was going to happen but I was so ill prepared for hip replacement thank goodness I found this site early on.
I'd take it slow for a few days, continue to ice and elevate.

 

[Merrimay]

Hi @Megsmum75 , you probably know what most of us will tell you: you are still at the earliest stage of recovery. Swelling, bruising, and pain are characteristic. As you discovered, YouTube videos are often misleading because no two recoveries are alike. The best thing you can do is listen to your body. If it wants to move around, do so, carefully and gently. If you don't feel safe coming off the walker or crutches, don't. I kept trying to push myself to walk unassisted, but all that did in the early days was trigger a limp and make me feel very unbalanced. So take your cues from your body's reality. You're doing fine. Rest, ice, elevate. When you want to get up, do so but don't overdo. As you approach weeks 4 to 6, you'll most likely begin to feel stronger and ready to take on more activities. Hang in there!

 

[Megsmum75]

This forum is amazing - thanks for replying so fast! Xx

 

[Eman85]

All those YouTube videos are very misleading.

That's a great quote. Just a little over 1 week into this it sounds like you're doing fine. Ice according to the guidelines and more. I was fortunate as I didn't have much bruising but my right did have a yellowish tint and the bruises looked like they were from someone's hand when they wrenched me around. First 2 weeks are the toughest physically.

 

[Megsmum75]

Yes - a little bit of a set back today as my wound has been really hot and itchy - turns out I have had an allergic reaction to the glue used inside the wound and it’s got a little infected from blisters forming and bursting. Honestly -you couldn’t make it up! So a weeks worth of antibiotics and antihistamines, a very attractive rash all over my right side to accompany my now black and swollen sausage leg Feeling very attractive - not!
However - I feel ok and have some girlfriends staying this weekend to help out so it should be good fun. Laughter is the best medicine (along with codeine!!)

 

[myglasshalffull]

Megs,
Sounds like a fun weekend and friends will be a nice distraction!
Enjoy.

 

[Eman85]

I had the reaction from the tape on my incision, cleared mine up with hydrocortisone but the itch drove me mad.

 

[Gloucestergal65]

@Megsmum75 Laughter definitely is the best medicine. Not so sure about codeine, it gives me terrible nightmares. Enjoy your weekend.

 

[Megsmum75]

Rough day today - probably the worst so far - day 10! Did my last blood thinning injection - yeah! Admired my collection of tummy bruises. On aspirin from tomorrow. But have had a horrible reaction to the antibiotics - spent all
Last night up with nausea and chronic acid reflux - I did not realise the effect strong antibiotics have on your stomach. Back to hospital today - the dressing was once again saturated so they have replaced it with a super absorbent one. The allergic reaction to the glue is well managed with antihistamines although the rash is still spreading. Came away with anti nausea medication and stronger omnaprazole (sp?) as I have to finish the course of antibiotics. Have just skipped the bedtime dose as can’t face another night like Last night, will start again first thing.
Having gone from the odd paracetamol to a bucket load of drugs it is no wonder our bodies wonder what is going on! To add insult to
Injury I have a stinking headache - that def isn’t fair!!
However, I popped back to my flat in school
Last night and it was so lovely to see everyone - the kids really cheered me up and just chatting to everyone was fab. I am glad I have moved out to recuperate as it’s too busy in school, but lovely to dip my toe in and say hello.
Friends arrive tomorrow - this is where we have to be very grateful for what we have as one of them is recovering from a stage 4 brain tumour - puts it all into perspective when I start feeling sorry for myself.
Hope everyone has a great weekend! Xx

 

[lanstan]

Don't know if you got Zofran for nausea but it can cause headaches. Take tylenol with it. I know it is crazy that you have to take another drug to combat the side effects from another drug but you will be off of all of them before you know it.

 

[Gloucestergal65]

Enjoy a weekend with your friends. Laughter is the best medicine.

 

[Megsmum75]

They gave me ondansetron - I am in the UK so that might be Zofran under another name. Taking regular paracetamol, cut back on codeine and just started aspirin for blood thinners, but that’s also a pain reliever so should help. I was hoping to be off most of it by now, but think the infection will delay things a little bit. You are right - it seems daft taking one drug to counteract another and when you read the data sheets it’s confusing, eg the flucloxacillin says not to take regular paracetamol with it, but I have been told to keep taking up to 8 a day. So I think it’s best to listen to your body, cut back where you can but ensure I take the antibiotics. Incidentally, not taking any last night was the best thing - I think lying down on your back straight after taking them, on an empty stomach is a big no!

 

[Jaycey]

I think lying down on your back straight after taking them, on an empty stomach is a big no!

You should not be taking any of this medication without something in your stomach. Just a small snack, yogurt or a biscuit. No wonder you are nauseous!

 

[Megsmum75]

I think lying down on your back straight after taking them, on an empty stomach is a big no!

You should not be taking any of this medication without something in your stomach. Just a small snack, yogurt or a biscuit. No wonder you are nauseous!

They said to take 1 hour before food or 2 hours after, but not on a full stomach. I was told to take 8 x 500mg tablets a day, so thought the last lot would be before I go to sleep - lesson learnt once again. There aren’t quite enough hours in the day!