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THR Moms4tne's Recovery Thread

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Sorry you are having a tough time @moms4tne I have been putting a pillow under my knee when on my back and that is helpful. but really I have been cruising along till my hip reminds me when it is time to rest and ice
 
@Jaycey Thanks for your response. They sent me home with RX for 10mg x 1 per day Xarelto, which I believe is an anti-coagulant and I take for 18 days. Pain meds is a "cocktail" of 1 mg Apo-Hydromorphone x 1 tab every 2 hrs as needed and Extra-Strength Tylenol every 4-6 hrs. I have an RX of 30 tabs of the Hydromorphone, with no repeats, so basically covers only 60 hrs after getting home. It's the weekend and I'd be out by now if I'd been taking every 2 hrs (and I know this isn't uncommon). Haven't even started at-home PT yet!

So, I'm taking the Tylenol faithfully and the RX when needed. My pain is 0 when I don't move, and about 3 or 4 when I do. It concentrates on the 7" incision area and the bruising surrounding it. The muscle that runs along the outside top length of my thigh is the only one that really still hurts - again when I move - and I was going to search around here for mentions of groin pain because I'm getting a bit of that. (I have a tendency to walk with my foot pointed out, so I'm thinking that might be causing this pulling feeling in the groin and am focusing more on foot placement when I walk). Getting situated in bed, and in/out of it is an absolute bear - takes at least 30 minutes to get out of bed. Other than that, sitting down elicits strong complaint from the incision site and getting up from a sitting position is tough/painful when pressure transfers to the bruising. The RLS hits mostly at rest - when I'm stretched out on my back. It does help to elevate the knee a bit, but last night I became convinced I'd created a clot and it was going to my lungs. So I removed the pillow by myself, after hubby was asleep, and the RLS started. It went on for over two hours in the middle of the night while my exhausted husband slept beside me. I finally unraveled and started to cry. I hated to wake him, but I was convinced I couldn't breathe. He gave me meds and iced the thigh muscle and it finally settled down enough to sleep about 3 hrs.

So, what should I do? I'm sure I'll need the meds when PT starts. Two hours is nothing, even when I take them, and I can't take them 24/7 or I'd already be out. I know we're paranoid about addiction these days, but isn't there a happy medium somewhere?


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@moms4tne - I was sent home with a minimal amount of drugs too. I panicked and called the pharmacy, the doctor's office, etc and there was no problem getting a prescription for additional drugs. I don't know why they don't send us home with adequate meds, maybe because they're not sure how they'll work out for us? Anyway, it was no problem getting more - if I was you, I would try. No one would seriously suggest that you take only extra strength tylenol so soon after this major surgery. I was prescribed Tylenol 3s and at first had to call every couple of days to replenish. But they did replenish my supply and I took them for weeks - at least until the constipation was worse than the surgical discomfort! Good luck.
 
@grandma chris. That's the frustrating part - I came home on Thursday, by Thurs nite hubby was unhappy about the "lack" of pills and the fact that they nauseate me so called both the OS and our family Dr on Friday morning and couldn't get hold of either. I struggle with pain meds here in Canada - Vicodin works so well for me at home, but they apparently don't have an equivalent here. They couldn't even find anything to prescribe for me to take in prep for my first MRI that didn't make me throw up. Oh well, I chose this country with the "for better, for worse" and I got an amazing husband for my trouble - so I'm still blessed. I'm sure he will call our family Dr again Monday, and I'm confident I'll hear from the OS as well, so I guess I should just take the meds and not worry about the nausea or about running out. Don't borrow trouble as they say.

One bright moment: I was able to get into a side-sleep position for about a two hour nap this morning, and it was glorious. Woke up with some new aches and pains as far as location (like my unoperated side knee was sore) but those resolved nicely. Felt good to have one normal moment.


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Hi @moms4tne how are you feeling now? I sure hope you've been able to get some rest. I've been able to sleep but I still feel exhausted most of the time. Is your knee doing better? This sounds rather unpleasant but the nurse told me they yank hard on your leg during the procedure to dislocated the hip so it definitely can cause knee pain post surgery. Are you having physical therapy at home? Don't let them do anything that hurts and ice on your knee as well as your hip may help. I had those awful zingers and zaps of pain on the outside of my knee prior to surgery so I can commiserate and I pray your pain will resolve soon.:angel:
 
@moms4tne I wrote the reply above to you yesterday about your knee pain - but for some silly reason I just realized that I forgot to actually post the darn message (must be all those drugs still in my system)! What a dingbat. Well anyway I am not happy to hear about the lack of your pain control. Do you have to wait until Monday to get it resolved? Isn't there an emergency contact number for your doctor? They sent me home with Percocet.
Unfortunately it made me very nauseous and it gave me a terrible headache. But I was able to change the medication to Tramadol and acetaminophen (Josephine has mentioned that this combination worked well for her). And it is so much better for me too so you may want to ask about it - but you never know as everybody reacts differently to pain meds. I really hope you don't have to go all weekend with that yucky nauseous feeling :eeeuw: Hugs!!!
 
@MsFit1 At the moment I am sitting in the modified recliner out in the LR with my hubby, race on TV. It's the first time I've felt "normal" in my home since pre-op. Granted the recliner is not nearly as comfortable as it usually is, but it's my spot and I'm in it so that's good. The good thing (a misnomer for sure) about the nausea of this pain med is that it doesn't get so bad that I throw up, and the nausea doesn't last long, but guaranteed within about 60 seconds of taking it, the wave of hot, dizzy sick washes over me and I'd best be lying down! Then it passes. I'd just like something that would last longer, sans any sick feeling.


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How concerned should I be about the bandage feeling squishy, like there's fluid underneath? This has just been noted as I'm waking this morning. Was not like this yesterday.


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I'm glad you're enjoying the company of your hubby and starting to feel a little better! Hopefully you'll be able to get some better pain medication from your doctor tomorrow.
 
@moms4tne Regarding the dizziness/nausea- that has been consistently happening to me. My husband called my surgeon's office and the nurse called in a prescription for some anti nausea medicine. Maybe you could try that if it is still bothering you. Hope you get some answers about the bandage soon. I think I have read in past threads that some drainage from the wound is normal. In fact, now that I think about it, the nurse told me at discharge that some drainage is normal... but, to call in if it was excessive. Happy Mother's Day!
 
@young hippie Thanks for the reply. We are blessed to have a sweet lady friend in our lives who is a nurse. She is coming over to check my incision, just to be sure nothing is wrong. I will feel so much better knowing what we're dealing with. Will update later. As far as the meds: frustrating subject. I will post more about that in a bit (have to get ready for my visit!)


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Good luck! I'll say a prayer for you. Hopefully you'll get good news!
 
OK Update: my dear friend who is a nurse came over today to check on me. Such a blessing! Lots of fluid built up in the bandage, so she changed the dressing and cleansed the wound, but said there was no indication of infection. One area that's a bit pink, so needs to be watched carefully, but all in all a good report. Hubby took pics to send to Dr on Monday. We both feel so relieved and peaceful. We've had a good evening together watching TV for several hours in the living room (not bed - yay!).

She also advised I take something for the swelling (Nicocin?) because my leg and foot are very swollen, and thought Percocet might be a better option for pain relief. The Hydromorphone honestly does nothing except make me nauseous and (especially) drowsy. I can take it or not and the pain when I move is the same. No pain when I'm immobile, whether on or off meds. I am still faithfully taking 3 Extra-Strength Tylenol every 4-6 hours (my pre-surgery dose was 3 at bedtime each night). I want something that will control the pain enough that I can manage PT this coming week. My friend says she also feels I will be much more comfortable when I've got something dealing with the swelling as 99% of what I consider to be painful is the incision itself (and probably the pull of the bandage, which hurt a lot being removed). So, officially, now that we've seen it: incision is 10" and I have 26 staples to come out next week! Oh joy.
I really have to say that all the support and prayers I'm finding here, in my community and church, and with family/friends are truly lifting my spirits - but knowing there is a place like BoneSmart to come to and discuss these sometimes scary things is an absolute God-send. Thanks, everybody, for being here !

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Good to get your update, @moms4, and catch up on your story! Dingbat that I am, I hadn't worked out notifications and tagging, and only just realised that you sent me good wishes on my op day! Thank you! It's good to hear you're making progress and feeling happier. It's interesting to see you had a melt-down on day 4/5 - I did too! I freaked out just like you at the 'zapping' in my legs and couldn't breathe, and then had a big weep the following morning. Our two experiences are so similar that I wonder if it's a typical pattern...? Anyway, with any luck it's onwards and upwards from here! Now I'm off to update my own thread... :)
 
Sounds like you're on your way to a great recovery, @moms4tne ! The good report from your nurse friend is a big relief. I'm doing well except my ankle has quite a bit of swelling today, so I'm elevating and icing my hip as we speak!
 
@MsFit1 @FionaW. I honestly am quite confused about the elevating thing. MsFit, my ankle also got quite swollen - still is - when sitting in my modified recliner with my toes WAY below my nose because knees are supposed to stay below hips, right? I can't figure it out :(


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