THR My recovery journey<

[Arlene56]

@Jaycey - walk in shower. I am using a walker at the moment. I do have cane and commode

 

[Arlene56]

@Cynthia777 -_how long did you stay on your meds?

 

[Arlene56]

@Krista. You are so right. I shouldn't be walking so much. I make a loop inside our house which only takes me a few seconds. I have not ventured outside and won't until my 2 wk postop. Thanks for being honest and getting me straight.

 

[Jaycey]

Will your walker fit into the shower?

 

[Arlene56]

@Jaycey yes it will. I will use that. Thanks

 

[Cynthia777]

@Arlene56
I still take two 10mg's of Percocet every day because of my unop hip (which has collapsed).

 

[Krista]

@Arlene56 I was so worried that I came on too strong. And also because I felt way weaker than most immediately post-op, I always wonder if I my experience is relevant to others. But they do recommend on this site that in the first weeks, we should really rest, lying down whenever possible, sitting instead of standing when you can, etc. So I pushed "post reply". Really hoping you will have the best possible recovery, Arlene!

 

[Arlene56]

@Krista No worries. The physical therapist says I should walk every hour. To be honest I am not walking every hour as I am tired and I take naps. So goal is to walk every hour. I'm just not going to push myself at the beginning.

 

[Krista]

Right on, @Arlene56! Go at your own pace. The PT does not know what is going on inside of you, is not in your house with you 24/7 watching your progress. Walking whenever you need to should be just fine. PT's need to give advice in order to justify their jobs, I think! We don't have to take it if it feels like too much. The in-home PT that I had did not suggest any extra walking for me, but I wouldn't have done it if she had!

 

[Rutabaga]

I used a shower chair for the first week and it worked great. I have a waterproof bandage (Aquacel) and do not worry about getting it wet. I'm not sure if other bandages are less waterproof but I let water run right over it and it has not peeled away or anything. I did not prepare for the showering thing pre-op, once I got home I had to have a friend go out and rent a shower bench for me from a medical supply store ($20 for a month). Now at day 10 I don't need it anymore, but it was definitely necessary that first week when I would get so tired after standing for a few minutes and was not confident on my feet.

From what I've read of @Krista 's posts, it does sound like she had a rougher recovery than most. But all experiences are useful to learn from on this site! I was definitely really tired and sleepy the first week, dozing suddenly at all hours, but the past few days I have a lot more energy and have not been napping during the day. I am not sure if it's just the natural healing progression or if it was the Norco making me sleep all the time. I recently reduced my dose of Norco from 10 pills a day to 4. I am still staying in bed about 12 hours overnight though since I wake up during the night a lot with discomfort.

 

[Josephine]

@Arlene56 The only pain killers you are taking are Norco 5-325 1-2 tablets every 4hrs and OxyContin 10mg 1 every 12hrs. If these aren't doing it for you, I suggest you ask to be changed to something else like Tramadol. FWIW, I was put on oxycontin and hydrocodone (Norco) for my last knee and it was useless. So I asked to be changed to Tramadol which was much better. These drugs don't suit everybody but there are alternatives.

I'd like to ask you some questions if you don't mind, and it would be very helpful if you would answer each one individually - numbered as I have done - in as much detail as you can then I'll come back as see where you are ....

1. what are your pain levels right now? (remember the 1-10 scale: 1 = no pain and 10 = the worst you can imagine. And don't compare this with the bone-on-bone pain you had before surgery! ) Also don't forget to include other forms of pain such as soreness, burning, stabbing, throbbing, aching, swelling and stiffness

2. what pain medications have you been prescribed, how much are you taking (in mg please) and how often?

3. how often are you icing your knee and for how long?

4. are you elevating your leg, how often and for how long?

5. What is your ROM - that's flexion (bend) and extension (straightness)

6. how swollen is your leg?

7. what is your activity level? What do you do in the way of housework, cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc., and

8. what kind of PT exercises and exercises at home are you doing? How much and how often?
This is the most crucial question so please help me by using the format I have left as an example

Exercises done at home: 3 sessions a day
Heel slides x10 (reps)
Straight leg raises x10
Steps x10

At PT
Squats x5 (reps) x2 (sets)
Wall slides x5 x2
Clamshells X5 x2

 

[Arlene56]

@Josephine
Stiffness 5-6
Norco 5-325 1 or 2 every 4 hours
Advil/Motrin 600 mg 1 every 8 hrs
OxyContin 10mg CR 1 every 12 hrs
Protonix 40 mg 1 tablet 1 hour before breakfast
Coumadin 5 mg 1 tablet daily

Icing hip 24/7
Elevating all the time if I am not walking
ROM on left leg is ok considering my knee and thigh is swollen huge

The only activity I am doing is walking every he or 2 for 2-4 min

I do the Heel slides, straight leg raises , climb 14 steps twice a day
Squats once a day 10 times

 

[Arlene56]

When do you usually get your bandage/stitches out?

 

[Josephine]

Pain 5-6

Okay

Norco 5-325 1 or 2 every 4 hours
Advil/Motrin 600 mg 1 every 8 hrs
OxyContin 10mg CR 1 every 12 hrs

That's what you are prescribed - but is it what you are actually taking?

Icing hip 24/7

Good

Elevating all the time if I am not walking

Good!

The only activity I am doing is walking every hour or two for 2-4 min

Don't be too obsessed about it. Sometimes the rest is more important than the activity. I'd suggest you make it every 3-4 hours.

My comments in bold
heel slides - these are irrelevant for a hip - I suggest you stop doing them
straight leg raises - you haven't said how many/how often but I would suggest you do about 3 or 4 first thing in the morning only
climb 14 steps twice a day - are these because you have to or as part of your exercising? If the latter, stop doing them because they are unnecessary
squats once a day 10 times - NEVER do squats, especially this early. They are very hard on your hip and can cause a number of painful soft tissue problems

The base line here is that 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. What you are doing now (with my suggested amendment!) is perfect.

 

[Arlene56]

@Josephine
Thank you for your input. I do take all of the drugs they want me to. I will call Dr tomorrow and discuss my meds.

I do exercises when I get up in the am. I will use your recommendations

That's again for your input. Don't know where I would be without you all.

 

[Josephine]

Well, stop doing the exercises and things will improve. I can promise you that.

 

[Arlene56]

Day 6 today was an OK day. Woke up and saw that my leg was very swollen above the knee. I have "leg of lamb" - have been elevating the entire leg all day as well Today I just wasn't up to walking that much. I did therapy for a bit. I have been experiencing such sleepy moments. Guess my body needs extra sleep.

Have a good wk

 

[Josephine]

I did therapy for a bit.

No, DON'T do therapy. Not if you want things to get better. You don't need to anyway, remember?

 

[Arlene56]

Day7-doing ok today. I am a bit shacky as the stool softener kicked in a few days ago. . So now I am trying to bind up. I have a backache but that might be from all of the bms I have had.

The nurse came today to see me. Says I am doing very well. She can tell I have been icing a lot.

Pr came today. Just did some stretches and walked a few laps around kitchen, dining room and family room. He said I am walking so much better than last wk. It's so nice not to limp.

Is it normal to have gained weight from the surgery? Don't really have much of an appetite. Just feel sooo bloated.

Well I think I need to take a nap.
I hope all of BS friends are having great days today

 

[keepmovin]

Hi @Arlene56 - Your probably too tired to consider another shower option but here you go! ....I didn't take one until I got the clearance to do so. I have a somewhat small shower and will place a stool (actually a painter's stool because it sits high) inside. I use my walker to back up to the shower, then place my good leg in first then the operated leg and then sit down on the stool. I have a hand held shower head which makes it easy. To get out, I open the door, grab onto the walker, good leg out then operated leg.

In the beginning, I also had my hair washed at the kitchen sink, and yes, water all over the floor!