mlsread January 2017
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Two weeks and a day. What a difference! I'm moving around a lot better. I still use the cane to do the stairs. Stairs are definitely tricky when my other hip is an issue. Going down the stairs is more of a problem than going up but I find it so amazing that I have zero pain in my right hip. Have not been in a car in the past 2 weeks. Today, I made lunch, washed some dishes, showered, dressed and then needed a break.
Is there any specific time for keeping the incision covered? I hope everyone is well! ML
Is there any specific time for keeping the incision covered? I hope everyone is well! ML
opie
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Today was my 14 day post op appointment. The PA took off the bandage (ouchie) and made the comment that I could have taken it off sooner. The incision, she said was pristine. It looks clean, dry and long to me!
Do you have stitches or staples? They are usually removed at 10-14 days out and the bandage removed then. If not, is your bandage water proof?
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Hi. I have been MIA trying to pull a summer vacay together. @Jaycey I had dissolvable stitches and did take my waterproof antibiotic filled bandage off 7 days post-op.
@opie My incision is longer than I thought it would be too.
I'm doing quite well. Not sure if my stiffness this morn is because of over doing yesterday or just stiffness. Just use Tylenol now. Yippee.
@Josephine some parts around my incision feel hard and other parts are soft and feel like fluid is under the skin. There is an area that has no feeling?
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@opie My incision is longer than I thought it would be too.
I'm doing quite well. Not sure if my stiffness this morn is because of over doing yesterday or just stiffness. Just use Tylenol now. Yippee.
@Josephine some parts around my incision feel hard and other parts are soft and feel like fluid is under the skin. There is an area that has no feeling?
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Josephine
NURSE DIRECTOR EMERITA
Stiffness is a form of pain and needs to be medicated
That's normal post-op swelling. Swelling is also a form of pain!
How much Tylenol (mgs) are you taking and how many times a day?
What approach did you have because posterior and lateral approaches do interfere with superficial nerves which result in a numb area. I know this is about knees but the general information still applies Numb area
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You're right. I'm taking Tylenol in the morning and forgetting about it at night. I had anterior
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@Josephine. I knew I would had nerve issues on the outer thigh region. This is to the left of my incision between thigh and groin.
I sometimes have tingling in my toes each morning too. I'm cool about it for now.
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I sometimes have tingling in my toes each morning too. I'm cool about it for now.
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Hi all,
Had my one month follow up appointment today. Everything looks great. As everyone says, I am so glad I did this and will talk about scheduling my left hip when I return for my next follow up.
I was told I could drive and that I could go to work anytime. I was so excited that I told my supervisor and many others that I would be coming back the 13th, 11 days from today. My sister pointed out to me that perhaps I should be starting on a Wednesday so I have 3 full days and then a chance to recover. I forgot all about the fact that I have not been on my feet for long lengths of time in a month and I will be totally wiped out for at least the first few days back.
On the job I do sit 70% of the day and of course I will need to get up every 30 minutes or so.
I have been doing well. No pain. Almost off the cane totally. Have swelling mainly in the morning and usually ice and elevate upon waking. Have had no PT. I actually don't walk as much as I should every day. Some days more than others. Anyway, any thoughts on my going back to work?
Had my one month follow up appointment today. Everything looks great. As everyone says, I am so glad I did this and will talk about scheduling my left hip when I return for my next follow up.
I was told I could drive and that I could go to work anytime. I was so excited that I told my supervisor and many others that I would be coming back the 13th, 11 days from today. My sister pointed out to me that perhaps I should be starting on a Wednesday so I have 3 full days and then a chance to recover. I forgot all about the fact that I have not been on my feet for long lengths of time in a month and I will be totally wiped out for at least the first few days back.
On the job I do sit 70% of the day and of course I will need to get up every 30 minutes or so.
I have been doing well. No pain. Almost off the cane totally. Have swelling mainly in the morning and usually ice and elevate upon waking. Have had no PT. I actually don't walk as much as I should every day. Some days more than others. Anyway, any thoughts on my going back to work?
Hi @mlsread!
If you are planning to go back soon I agree with your sister about starting on a Wednesday or Thursday!
I used to work in HR though in Compensation and not in Benefits, but had some overlap and also have gone through the processes of short term disability and the Family Medical Leave Act when I've had surgeries.
For others reading this - I am discussing benefits relating to Short Term Disability (STD) and the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) in the United States.
About going back to work - if you are on a short term disability policy through work (or one purchased on your own) I would strongly suggest checking to see if the policy allows for returning to work on a part time schedule so that you have that option if available and want to start back gradually. Maybe 4 hours per day or working every other day. Some plans are an "full time and full ability or nothing" - and the insurance company won't pay the time you aren't working if your return is part-time - and in that case, you might want to think about taking a bit more time off (seeing how you feel in a week) as going back full time can drain you pretty quickly. Some disability plans allow you to return to work gradually and you will receive disability pay (whatever % that may be - usually 60-100%) for the hours that you aren't working. I find that most doctors listen to their patient's request in this regard in terms of signing off on return to work approval - the date of return as well as any restrictions. I'm not sure what your job entails and what the other 30% is when you aren't at a desk. My STD coverage did not allow part time return when I had back surgery (in 2014) so if I had returned part time, I would have essentially been earning the same as if I stayed home and recovered better on STD as our policy was 100% of salary covered on STD. So I did not return to work for an additional 3 weeks because I would lose money.
Keep in mind that I am assuming that you are not in danger of losing your job by being over the 12 week FMLA timeframe - if that applies to your company (those that have at least 50 employees in your work location). I don't know if you took off work prior to surgery. Also, as you mention needing your left hip done, FMLA covered time off is calculated on a rolling 12 month basis and not per calendar year. If you do go back full time and then feel as if it is too much and need to go on leave again, most policies should consider you going back out on leave (or going to a reduced schedule if allowed) as a continuation of your initial issue (hip surgery) and not require a wait period to receive STD benefits again (there is usually at least a 5 day period where you must use sick or vacation time if available - or go unpaid if none available).
So to make your decision, consider first off your recovery and pain - it sounds like you have and that you are doing extremely well and that returning in a week could be just fine for you! But I'd also urge you to consider the financial aspect (the % they pay of your salary while you are on leave; return to work requirements - allowing light duty and/or part time scheduling; and your financial need if being on leave isn't covered at 100%), as well as the time you have already used being covered under FMLA which protects your employment due to disability. Going over the allowed 12 weeks per rolling 12 months doesn't mean you will lose your job, but it's good to keep in mind that you no longer have that protection by law once you are beyond that time, and the 12 weeks is a combined time period, not 12 weeks for each issue. You probably are well aware of all of this but thought I'd share for others as I've known a few people that didn't know that the 12 weeks for FMLA would include pre and post op time off, time off taken to care for a family member, time out for the birth of a child, time taken for another procedure. Hopefully not too many people have to worry about this, but for those that know they have multiple procedures coming up, it's important to know!
Keep us posted and my thoughts are with you as you go through recovery! I suppose I should start my recovery thread as I have some questions of my own and am today 4 weeks post-op of anterior RTHR! And I'm suffering insomnia lately so I'm up until 4am lately.
Kriste
RTHR anterior
2nd of February 2017
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If you are planning to go back soon I agree with your sister about starting on a Wednesday or Thursday!
I used to work in HR though in Compensation and not in Benefits, but had some overlap and also have gone through the processes of short term disability and the Family Medical Leave Act when I've had surgeries.
For others reading this - I am discussing benefits relating to Short Term Disability (STD) and the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) in the United States.
About going back to work - if you are on a short term disability policy through work (or one purchased on your own) I would strongly suggest checking to see if the policy allows for returning to work on a part time schedule so that you have that option if available and want to start back gradually. Maybe 4 hours per day or working every other day. Some plans are an "full time and full ability or nothing" - and the insurance company won't pay the time you aren't working if your return is part-time - and in that case, you might want to think about taking a bit more time off (seeing how you feel in a week) as going back full time can drain you pretty quickly. Some disability plans allow you to return to work gradually and you will receive disability pay (whatever % that may be - usually 60-100%) for the hours that you aren't working. I find that most doctors listen to their patient's request in this regard in terms of signing off on return to work approval - the date of return as well as any restrictions. I'm not sure what your job entails and what the other 30% is when you aren't at a desk. My STD coverage did not allow part time return when I had back surgery (in 2014) so if I had returned part time, I would have essentially been earning the same as if I stayed home and recovered better on STD as our policy was 100% of salary covered on STD. So I did not return to work for an additional 3 weeks because I would lose money.
Keep in mind that I am assuming that you are not in danger of losing your job by being over the 12 week FMLA timeframe - if that applies to your company (those that have at least 50 employees in your work location). I don't know if you took off work prior to surgery. Also, as you mention needing your left hip done, FMLA covered time off is calculated on a rolling 12 month basis and not per calendar year. If you do go back full time and then feel as if it is too much and need to go on leave again, most policies should consider you going back out on leave (or going to a reduced schedule if allowed) as a continuation of your initial issue (hip surgery) and not require a wait period to receive STD benefits again (there is usually at least a 5 day period where you must use sick or vacation time if available - or go unpaid if none available).
So to make your decision, consider first off your recovery and pain - it sounds like you have and that you are doing extremely well and that returning in a week could be just fine for you! But I'd also urge you to consider the financial aspect (the % they pay of your salary while you are on leave; return to work requirements - allowing light duty and/or part time scheduling; and your financial need if being on leave isn't covered at 100%), as well as the time you have already used being covered under FMLA which protects your employment due to disability. Going over the allowed 12 weeks per rolling 12 months doesn't mean you will lose your job, but it's good to keep in mind that you no longer have that protection by law once you are beyond that time, and the 12 weeks is a combined time period, not 12 weeks for each issue. You probably are well aware of all of this but thought I'd share for others as I've known a few people that didn't know that the 12 weeks for FMLA would include pre and post op time off, time off taken to care for a family member, time out for the birth of a child, time taken for another procedure. Hopefully not too many people have to worry about this, but for those that know they have multiple procedures coming up, it's important to know!
Keep us posted and my thoughts are with you as you go through recovery! I suppose I should start my recovery thread as I have some questions of my own and am today 4 weeks post-op of anterior RTHR! And I'm suffering insomnia lately so I'm up until 4am lately.
Kriste
RTHR anterior
2nd of February 2017
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@kristie
The sleepless nights got me too but it will pass. One thing that helped was to try and get on some kind of schedule so I wasn't napping the day away. Granted, some days you need it but it did help for sure.
The sleepless nights got me too but it will pass. One thing that helped was to try and get on some kind of schedule so I wasn't napping the day away. Granted, some days you need it but it did help for sure.
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