THR My recovery time has begun...

[Nannyannie]

Welcome to everyone new on here - I wish I'd found the site before surgery because I have got so much info that I should have known earlier! I see my surgeon on Friday and I will tell him about this forum.
Ilovefall and nanal - I have had days like that when I go from chair to chair, stand, use my perching stool, drive my husband mad with my fidgets. Nothing is comfortable but they are getting fewer.
julied Back to normal in 2 weeks? No way!!!! If you can stomach it, find a THR on YouTube and you will see why you have a sore knee and maybe a sore ankle as well (as I did). The way that they have to grip and pull the leg is pretty brutal and explains a lot. This is major, major surgery and you need to heal - give yourself time.
We are all different and remember rollercoaster!
Healing vibes coming out to all
Anne

 

[bottomshollow]

Good advice, Anne.

 

[luluohio]

julied I had my surgery on Jan 14th too. I found this site a few days after I got home from the hospital. I was very happy to find it too. Do you have weight bearing restrictions? Are you using a walker or crutches. I'm using a walker and have a 75% wb restriction. After reading these posts I've learn that you have to rest and not overdo it. Overdoing it won't help you recover but slow you down. I know everybodies OS is different but mine just gave me a set of about 10 excercises to do 3x a day and I walk a path from my front door down a hall way into my kitchen and do that about 3-4 x a day if I'm not having much pain. I think it's all gentle activity, there is enough time for more activity after you start healing.

 

[ilovefall]

Anyone further out than me (24 days).....can you tell me how long it takes for this "2x4" feeling in my hip to go away????

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated. THX!

 

[luluohio]

Does the pain only happen when you are sleeping or when you are walking? I'm just curious because I haven't experienced that feeling.

 

[ilovefall]

It's when walking. Tight feeling in hip area. Like a 2x4 and like the leg is longer. I truly feel it is muscles etc.

No pain just the "weird strange feeling".

 

[luluohio]

Well it sounds like you are a little further ahead than I am. I'm still walking with a walker. My leg does feel like it is a bit stiff and it seems a little longer feeling. I'm not bearing total wt on it yet. It's something I'll watch out for. It's good that it doesn't hurt anyway..

 

[nanal]

Diane I am experiencing the same feeling. My PT said it was normal an nothing else. I go my first post op next Wed and am going to ask that question. Mine gets worse the more I am up and walking.

 

[ilovefall]

nanal I go for my 4 week post op on Wednesday and ill be asking too. It's just a crazy annoying feeling. LOL!

luluohio I'm on a cane. However I walk around the hose w/o the cane. The PT showed me how to practice walking w/o the cane around the house so I'm doing it as much as possible!

Take care ladies. Hopefully this 2x4 won't be around much longer!

 

[Texas Girl]

I am 7 weeks post op and by the end of the night my hip feels like that if I am on it alot. It didn't before I quit using the cane. I barely use it anymore. My leg feels longer too and is about 1 centimeter different than my other leg. My OS said I should not have any problems and should not need a lift in my shoe. I guess it just takes time to feel normal again. I guess we all heal at a different pace. I just take a pain med if I am hurting. I have cut down on them alot, but not totally off of them yet. Hope you heal quickly!!

 

[ilovefall]

Lots of snow starting to fall here in PA. WOW this makes me feel stuck in the house....just as the weekend is here.

 

[luluohio]

At least it's a good reason for you to stay inside and relax. It's all over the news here in Washington State. Sounds bad! Hot chocolate may help.

 

[nanal]

Diane I am so sorry for the horrible snow you guys are getting. It is suppose to be almost 60 here today and I hope to get outside later and get some Vitamin D and maybe walk a little in drive. My walking is okay not what I would like but PT says I am perfect. That patience thing again but still have muscle strain in thigh on walking. Oh well guess I have to have something to complain about. Hope you find something wonderful to do inside.

 

[ilovefall]

Hi everyone

Here is my 4 week update.

Walking with cane. Can walking without cane around the house but still have a slight limp. NOTE. Husband said he doesn't see a limp, but I feel one...again that block of wood feeling in hip area is what is making me feel awkward when walking. It's not painful, just awkward. Can walk about 1/4 mile comfortably w/cane.

Only taking Tylenol for pain.

Sleeping well. Mostly on my back with pillows under my legs to resemble the position of a hospital bed. I also sleep on both sides occasionally.

Can do straight leg raises. Up to 12 independently and to 90 degrees.

Walking stairs regularly leg over leg.

Showering and dressing independently.

Doing light housework and cooking dinner for my family.

Driving daily.

For the most part, I'm thrilled with my recovery. The only thing I'm a "bit" concerned with is that darn block of wood feeling in my hip area. I wonder if I will forever feel that. I'm tagging some of our bonesmart experts for their advice. Josephine Poppet sharonslp. Thank you for any insight you can provide.

My four week follow up is Wednesday. I'm looking forward to see what my OS has to say.

Take care everyone. As always, thank you for all the support.

 

[Nannyannie]

Hi Diane - your recovery seems to be going really well, quicker than mine but you are younger (if that makes any difference!) Did you have a spinal block for the operation? I did and it left me with a very odd feeling in my butt and thigh, hard to describe but not numb or pins and needles - just "heavy" - which wore off gradually over a few weeks. I wondered if that is what you are feeling now.
How's the snow? We had some this morning which turned to drizzly rain but the temperature is only 34deg F so worried about it all freezing as it gets dark later! I am staying indoors for the rest of the day.
Best wishes to all
Anne

 

[stargirl]

Great update ilovefall , sounds like you are doing amazing it really is life changing surgery isn't it!,. I'm 3 wks post op and could not be happier , of course still more comfortable with the cane but I am in hurry it is perfection of my gait that I am interested in not fast forwarding release of each stage .

Let us know what is says about block feeling, perhaps it is residual swelling which will inevitably dissipate over time?

Best wishes xx

 

[Josephine]

The only thing I'm a "bit" concerned with is that darn block of wood feeling in my hip area. I wonder if I will forever feel that.

Dear me you are in such a hurry, aren't you? You're 4 weeks out from MAJOR surgery and you really expected it to be all better by now? Doesn't work like that, I'm afraid!

Oops - I was going to refer you to your recovery thread but it seems like we all forgot to give you them! So here they are now - better late than never! - and the ones you need to read first are the ones in bold. I hope they will explain about that 'block of wood' feeling and assure you that while it will persist for some time yet it won't last forever.
Pain management and the pain chart
Healing: how long does it take?
Chart representation of THR recovery
Dislocation risk and 90 degree rule
Energy drain for THRs
Pain and swelling control: elevation is the key
Activity progression for THRs
Home physio (PT)
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds

 

[octopus]

Hi Diane, you are doing fantastic! Only a week to go for me and I hope that my recovery will be similar to yours. The block of wood feeling must be very frustrating, but I understand this goes away eventually.

Best wishes
Kiwi Diane

 

[nanal]

Great news Diane- I am 3 week post op and feeling really well. I don't use a cane except for security I think. I generally walk okay but feel "just in case" I keep it with me. I still have a little hitch in the walk but getting better everr day. I don't drive yet just because hubs is retired and just let him chauffeur me around. I still have some issues sleeping but manage to survive on what sleep i get. I have worked a couple of hours about every or every other morning at my office. Get tired but that involves getting up, showered, dressed and then off to work. It gets me out of the house in the morning and then I can relax in the afternoon. Got 1 more week on coumadin and will be glad when that is over. Taking tylenol for any discomfort usually after working. Don't do much housework or cooking as hubs has been doing that since he retired and I still work. Will be interested in visiting the OS on Wed myself to see his take on my recovery. I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to chit chat with such wondedrful ladies and share experiences.

 

[sharonslp]

Hi Diane. Your update indicates you are doing wonderfully well. I'm not totally clear about the "block of wood" feeling you are asking about. Do you mean that your hip is terribly stiff when you sit down or stand up, and when you walk? If that is what you are referring to, I'm thinking it could be either: 1) the LLD you are perceiving, which usually dissipates within a few months; or 2) it's actually pain that the tylenol is not adequately treating, in which case you need more, or more often, or in combination with something else; or 3) a particular muscle that was impacted during surgery and which will take it's own sweet time getting back to normal. Also, are you still icing regularly? If so, do you notice that the feeling is any better right after icing?

If none of that matches what you are talking about, can you describe in more detail? Exactly where is the feeling? Under what circumstances do you feel it? Does anything you've tried relieve it? Is it always the same, or does it change in intensity....and if so, under what conditions?

Are you doing any outside PT? If not, perhaps a few visits can pinpoint and address this concern. Assuming your surgeon doesn't see anything he's worried about, you could ask him to prescribe some PT. (I'm thinking that if you were getting outside PT, you'd have already discussed this with your therapist.)

I wish I could be of more help. Keep us posted about what your doc says on Wednesday. For the most part, since you are doing so well otherwise, it doesn't sound like anything alarming is happening. I'm really thinking that what you are feeling is plain and simple post-surgical pain (stiffness IS pain), and tweaking your meds could be the plain and simple answer.

Sharon