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Bilateral THR My post op journey has started

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Hi puddle fish!
Congrats being on the post op side. Sounds like your doing great. I too am waiting for a bilateral hip, posterior approach, ceramic on ceramic, Nov. 9. Weezy in surgery today. Keep sharing, its soooo helpful as I'm trying to stay positively focused, wishing a solid lasting recovery to all of us.
 
Day 12, it's is all getting easier, Im uncomfortable so no longer in pain. Meds wise 75 mg diclofenic twice a day with occasional OTC paracetamol, not needing the cocodamol. Sleeping wise is still difficult never needed much sleep and resting through the day I will have to just work round that, I can't give up my day time rests. I do have a double pillow between my knees as the pain has gone I much more likely to try and roll over in the night. Walking wise it's getting longer each walk so many muscles to stretch out twinges in all sorts of strange places. The lower outer thigh just above the knee on both legs had growing like pains seems a strange place.
 
Wow puddlefish you are doing amazing! I guess it has to do with your frame of mind too. Life just gets better eveyday now and yes we will have a down day now and again but thats to be expected. I haven't needed meds much from the start I am so lucky in that way too. Keep up the good work:)
 
Hi puddlefish

Sounds like you are right on target for day 12... napping is so important in these early weeks, so take it where and when you can :)
 
Staples out today and the nurse is very happy with the way it's all healing. I find it a bit scary but less so than day 8, bruises still seem to be developing varoius colours. Im covered up again until Tuesday when they check to see if it's ok for a hydrothreapy session.
The rest of the day was not so good as we thought we would pop to the shops to pick up some bits and ended up with a two hour journey instead of the usual 20 mins accidents, heavy rain, roadworks, last day of school before 1/2 term = nightmare traffic. I have never been so pleased to get out of a car. Narrow wet roads with no pavements and torrential rain meant getting out of the car to stretch was not an option.
 
Thank you for being you Puddle Fish. Your calm and confidence in light of a bilateral has done more to put me at ease with my upcoming surgery (RTHR) than you will ever know. I am happy your recovery seems to be going so well for you and your pain is starting to diminish. Hang in there and you will be diving again before you know it.
 
Hi PuddleFish-
Great to see you on this side of the forum. I have a little under three weeks to go and getting a little more nervous. As Damn! says, it is really nice to hear the good outcomes over here. I wish you a continued good recovery
-nerdgrrl
 
Hi puddlefish... What a fabulous user name.. Living here in OZ, we love to go to our fav beach and puddle with the fishes (snorkeling or diving).. We have a great scuba diving area 12 k off our part of the coastline...

So sorry, that you had the horror car trip.. I can just imagine how uncomfortable and confined you would have felt by the end of it, especially as a bilateral THR.

Ice is the trick after an event like that lots of ice packs..

Regards the bruising, that is good that it is now changing color, exactly what should be happening for the healing process..

Great to get the staples out, how many did you have?

Take care :)
 
When we got home I think all I said was ice I'm going to bed, after about an hour it was ok. The staples I was dreading never had them before and stitches always hurt when having them removed. Luckily 9 in the left leg and 8 in the right leg. So compared to most very few. I think the scars are about 4-5 inches. The left is a bit bumpy but the right nice and flat. I picked up some bio oil so once the dressing comes of I will apply it and hope the bumpy bits go flat.
 
This weekend was two weeks post op, not much has changed in my routine I've extended my walks as far as I feel comfy so I will see how it goes before adding the next bit as its a bit of a jump. I was able to stand for a shower as our shower is in the bath Im so happy :). I'm still having dizzy spells especially after lying down, the nurse checked my blood pressure when she took the clips out, a bit low but it's within my normal range, I have a blood test on Friday to check to see if I'm still anaemic. Her advice was to take it slowly when getting up im still trying to get up too fast pre hip op speed, it's not unusual and it's still early days, just phone if it gets worse. Bruised and battered so lots of ice only I get cold so ice for my thighs and a hot water bottle for my back bliss. To pass the time I've been totally unproductive and filed and painted my nails something I've not done in ages.
 
I was thinking about you Puddle Fish and wondering how your week is progressing...

Have the dizzy spells settled down for you yet?

How is the ice working on your thighs?

Now that your nails are painted - what is next?

Kind regards

Mike
 
Cheers Mike, I had a hydor session yesterday it was bliss but feeling it a bit today but not like a gym session. The dizzy spells are still there I just have to get up slowly esp after lying down, as they are no worse and my blood pressure is stable I guess I just have to take it easy. The ice has helped a lot but 25% stilll left to go Its the deep muscle tissue that will take time no magic cures just rest ice elevate as we all find out :-). No painted nails today but using my dive reel I was able to lower the laundry basket downstairs so I could put the washing on no hip rules broken :dancy:. Once its finished I can reel it back up, thats way too much excitment for today.

I amazed at how well your scar looks mine is at the itchy red healingstage still.
 
Oh Puddle Fish are you serious - dive reels and laundry baskets. You are a genius!!

I do remember my first hydrotherapy session. Afterwards I was so tired. Not sore but feeling very heavy in my arms and legs. But the next morning so much of my swelling had disappeared. I wish the same for you my friend.

Sounds like you are learning to manage your blood pressure issue very well at this stage.

Yeah I certainly happy with Mr Scar. He is the smallest one I have and the cutest...lol

Cheers

Mike
 
Hey Puddle Fish, Just checking in to see how you're coming along. My recovery is a lot like yours without the dizziness - but they tanked me up good with blood before I left the hospital - my request I must say. I'm at 5 weeks now & find I can do more & more or at least what I do is easier & easier. Still have a long way to go & I've had to lower my expectations of what I can do. I think the posterior approach lends its own set of challenges to the recovery. I had no staples or sutures - told the surgeon I wanted a plastic surgery closure & that's what he did! Now I just want to find something to minimize scarring - I have the Vitamin E oil but am looking to see if there is something else out there. I still sit on ice, just not as frequently and try to remember patience is a virtue!
 
Hi Mary Beth,
I had my own blood back from the op recycled cleaned and given back and then another 3 units on top of that. They took me off the anti-clotting drugs and started iron tabs as I had dropped to 7 in my blood test. I have another blood test tomorrow so hopefully it’s back to normal. As for the scars the right has healed well a little bit of a split, I’m using bio oil on it twice a day. Not sure about the left its back under wraps which come off Friday it was the worse one but it did look as it was healing well just with so much swelling and bruising it was lagging behind. I had a hydrothreapy session which was great it helped unknot some of the muscles, yesterday was hard work walking but today I managed to kick some leaves :).
I have PT assement next week it was a bit of a struggle to get this as it's not routine after hip replacememts in my area of the UK.
 
PuddleFish, so glad to hear that things are coming along so nicely for you. Maybe the blood pressure issue you are having is nature's way of telling you to lie down and take it easy :).

mary beth and PuddleFish: As for something to reduce the appearance of scars...here in the U.S., there is something called ScarGuard MD. It looks and smells like clear nail polish. You apply it over a completely healed scar (and it works on really old scars too) twice a day. After applying, it will dry and look like a piece of clear tape. You peel this off, and 12 hours later do it again. My surgeon recommended this to me after having a cervical fusion (incision through the front of my throat). I was very skeptical to say the least. My surgeon believes so strongly in this product that he said that he would personally give me back the money I paid for it if I wasn't happy with the results after 4 weeks. It's about $30 (US) a bottle. Nevertheless, I bought it, tried it, loved it and never did ask the doctor for my money back :dancy:I plan on using it again as soon as possible. You can find it at Target, WalMart and CVS.

Happy Thursday!

Tammy
 
Hello puddle fish.... how are those dizzy spells going? - great that you are able to have started hydrotherapy, good for the soul to get back into the water.. good for you! Just one question though you mentioned that there was a split in one of your incisions, is it open? if so, I would be reluctant to apply any oil topically to it.. :)
 
Thanks Poppet, It has healed up on the right, I uploaded a new photo and now I can see it properly it’s not nearly as bad as I thought. I'm still a bit dizzy no worse or better but getting up slowly cures it. The dizzy feeling may also be some balance issues as I've had both hips done hopefully it will pass like everyone says. I spent the last few days constantly in the loo and as a result lost 2.5kg I can fit into my trousers again :-); my skinny jeans are my next challenge.

Putting up these good points has in fact cheered me up and I can see the other bits are getting better slowly I’m healing. So looks like more rest, ice and a huge mountain of patience
 
You are so lucky! I still haven't gotten rid of all my retained fluid - can't fit into any of my clothes & I'm living in sweats. Very boring. Again something else I'm told not to worry about so I'm not. I am jealous of you however!
 
Damn! - thanks for the info on ScarGuard. I'm running out today to buy it.
 
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