THR New here Help<

[SurreyGirl]

I think you may be coming off the cane a little early and your body is telling you this. Are you still icing a lot? It does help. Glad your gp renewed your subscription. You don’t need that pain.
Re sleeping at night - do you have something under your back to help like a pillow?

 

[Mojo333]

@Tesjohn
All the feelings you describe were certainly normal for me.
They can be quite intense and disconcerting.
I remember calling out to Josephine in a panic...if you look on my recovery thread, I sounded just like you.
These sensations will lessen with time, but they are reminders things are still getting sorted, so take it slow and easy.
You aren't going backwards.
Hope today is a Good Day.
All temporary...all worth it in the end.
Sending healing Hugs!

 

[Tesjohn]

Well. I hit the six week mark! Pretty pleased with my progress. Steps are no longer a problem. Can walk well without assistance once I get started. Upon getting up from a chair or seat I cannot walk immediately. Have to stand still at first. Pain upon putting weight on leg for the first maybe five or six steps. Is this normal for most? I don’t think I’ve seen this posted anywhere. I know, we are all different but want to know if anyone experiences this. Once I get going there is a great improvement. Nights are still a little rough. Bed still calls me but I cannot stay there. That’s ok, I dont mind the recliner but I get shooting pains more so at night. Every day is still a little different. Pain here and there but getting better. Groin pain still sometimes, that part still worries me. Ice is still my best friend. @Jaycey im holding on this roller coaster....and trying to ride with it! @Mojo333 and @SurreyGirl thanks for the encouragement. Every bit is very much appreciated and helps me immensely!

 

[Tesjohn]

Forgot to mention that I think the difference in length is adjusting. Just a slight limp detected right now. At least I think so. And perhaps I’ve Just had a good day....but I’ll take it. HAD to take the bad but welcome the good. Who knows what tomorrow will be????? It’s late and I hope EVERYONE had a good day and a better night! Sleep well.

 

[Mojo333]

Hi tesjohn

Pain upon putting weight on leg for the first maybe five or six steps. Is this normal for most?

Stiffness/pain on those first "stutter steps" as everything goes up to go...yes, ma'am. I had that going on and so have many others!

Nights are still a little rough. Bed still calls me but I cannot stay there. That’s ok, I dont mind the recliner but I get shooting pains more so at night

This was my experience too

Every day is still a little different. Pain here and there but getting better. Groin pain still sometimes, that part still worries me. Ice is still my best friend.

Also very normal and was my friend for many many months.

You are right, it does feel like a rollercoaster...Still lots of healing happening.
All we Can do is ride it out.
You are doing just fine, in my opinion so try not to worry. I was a chronic napper as a full night sleep wasn't happening..my legs just seemed to want to move all the time...
Healing hugs...hang in there friend.

 

[Jaycey]

Pain upon putting weight on leg for the first maybe five or six steps. Is this normal for most?

Very common and this should ease as you build strength in that leg. Sounds like you are making great progress! Well done!

 

[Tesjohn]

@Jaycey , @Mojo333 . Good morning ladies. Thanks for addressing my concerns. I had asked before but did not see anyone talking about the getting moving...soreness and stiffness...so it seems like I am pretty much rolling along as normally as possible. Yes, I do seem to be progressing well, finally. I notice I’m doing better than some......worse than some...par for the course. We all go through the same symptoms and plateaus, just at different times. I especially liked the reference @Mojo333 about the night. I thought I was developing g restless leg syndrome on top of everything else. You guys are all lifesavers. Last night was just as restless. What I would not do for one good nights sleep! Ok, it will come. I have a friend, a bit younger, than I, who had a thr and he was one lucky fella. No pain meds needed after a week and hardly any difficulties at all. That’s why I need all these answers. We should all be so lucky as my friend but it doesn’t work that way.

 

[Carriemay60]

You seem to be really taking this recovery in your stride and doing very well!

 

[Tesjohn]

@Carriemay60 ....I wasn’t a few days ago....lol. I was a chronic complainer. Yesterday was a really good day and today seems to be starting off well. But from this little bit of experience so far, I may be here crying tomorrow that I am not doing so well! But thanks for the words on encouragement!

 

[Layla]

And if you are here crying tomorrow....it's okay.
We'll be here to support you through it all.
You're doing great, keep it up.
Thanks for the update. Enjoy the rest of the week!
@Tesjohn

 

[Tesjohn]

@Layla, as promised....here I am! Not complaining today ....Questioning. The groin pain I have been talking about that is normal and many people have is what is still scaring me anyway! What I want to know, is the groin pain you have front to back or up and down from hip down toward knee as it was when stretching to get in the car? Anyone relating????

 

[Layla]

Please try not to stress about these things. Consider not looking at the way you feel day to day, but from week to week instead. In looking day to day, I feel you're setting yourself up for disappointment.

Let's use a weekend day for an example. Take an inventory every Saturday on how you're feeling and note any progress you've made. Then try to set it aside for a week. I'll bet some of the discomfort or niggles (as our friends across the pond often call them) will have eased, or disappeared.

If you have troubling concerns you can't let go of, keep those lists or refer back here to your posts and call the office of your OS so they can offer you reassurance.

Look at it this way....
You are in the infancy of your recovery at only 6 weeks post op. You have a year, maybe even longer for healing to still happen. You can pray for an overnight miraculous complete healing but I doubt it will happen. It's unrealistic. When you think of how long you hope to have this implant, 6 weeks post op is not much time at all.

Distract yourself as often as possible and continue moving forward. Take meds if you need them, ice the areas where you are feeling discomfort and use an assistive device until you are no longer limping.
Practice heel-toe walking IF you're still limping.

Give it time, you'll get there. Stay in touch, we're here and we care.
Sending love and a hug on this Valentines Day. I hope it's a good day for you.
@Tesjohn

 

[Tesjohn]

@Layla , you are right. I’m getting paranoid. But it does seem to be the same nagging pain I had before. However, I will try it your way. Keeping a journal and compare week to week. God, knows I was bragging yesterday about how well I was doing. I think I like the word “niggles”. I will use that from now on..... icing now... thank you with love and a hug sent back at ya! Have a great Valentines Day!

 

[Carriemay60]

@Tesjohn I wouldn't suggest dwelling on it or watching the surgery video but you have just recently run a marathon, had your leg and hip twisted, pulled and hammered on and broken like a wishbone for an approximate 2 hour surgery. All your muscles might be screaming for a while yet. Bruising can also be deep. Often we find a bruise on our leg or arm because it is suddenly tender to the touch, yet we can't remember what on earth we did to get it. Bruises like that are from hitting our shin on the car or a drawer (things that were almost insignificant). This bruising of your muscles goes far deeper and will take time to surface and dissipate. I've seen several posts here of people still getting the groin pain for months and then suddenly realising it was gone.

I totally understand you worrying over the "niggles", I always overthink things like that myself but as long as you don't strain those healing muscles, your walking and icing should set things right in time to tip toe through the tulips in the spring!

 

[Debru4]

@Carriemay60 Thanks for your insight and info!!!

Everytime I think about what actually happened during that hip replacement surgery, I am in awe ——-that such a thing is even possible...replacing a hip to give you a better quality of life and that we recover as quickly as we do (within a year mostly). All of that trauma, and there we are, taking steps, sitting and standing, walking up stairs, all typically within a week or two. Amazing!

Still it’s hard when you are experiencing something like this surgery not to worry. Everything feels odd, or painful at first, and it’s hard to know what to worry about and what to ignore. @Tesjohn, I like the idea of stepping back, resting, icing, taking plenty of Tylenol, and seeing what things feel like after a week. And don’t be hard on yourself for worrying...it’s human nature, and we all do it!

 

[Tesjohn]

Well, coming up on 8 weeks! Pain comes and goes. Walking much better. Still hard to get moving when I stand up. Practically back to a normal life, as far as daily activities. Doing almost everything I did before. Not as easily but there is a definite improvement! Still reverting to ice packs after shopping or a little more walking or exertion. etc. I’m still all about the groin pain! I get such sharp stabbing pains, but I have a Drs appt next Wed. Also sleep is something I yearn for. Have not had a solid night yet. Still going back and forth from bed to the recliner and back. But on top of it, I am no spring chicken so I may be a little slower...lol! Oh yes, I alternate between Tylenol and ibuprofen 800 for the pain. All in all, eight weeks is not a long time, so I guess im progressing pretty much on track. I have bad days, good days and better days. Sometimes half and half! This is the first time I’ve been here in a little bit. Hope everyone had a good day and have a pleasant rest of the evening! I’m going to try the bed for awhile. Good night, all.

 

[Debru4]

Sounds like you are right on track, and staying realistic, and positive. The difficulty standing and sharp zinging pains really bothered me as well. And then one day I realized they were pretty much gone---it had happened, gradually over time. At 7 months out I still occasionally have stiffness when I stand, but the zings are gone.

The difficulty sleeping must really be frustrating----lack of good sleep can take it right out of you, so be sure you are napping as much as possible if you can't sleep at night. Don't be a stranger on here, and do let us know what the doctor has to say about those groin pains.

I hear you about that spring chicken business, but think about it.....you just had a major body part replaced, and within 2 months you are doing most of the daily activities you did before surgery.

 

[Layla]

Hi there, @Tesjohn
You sound really well. Much more optimistic and relaxed about your recovery.
It's refreshing. I'm happy for you!

It's wise to continue icing, especially if you've been really active during the day.
I'm sure your groin pain is part of the process. However, it sounds rather miserable through your description of sharp stabbing pain. Let us know what your OS thinks after your visit next Wednesday.

We hear of the night wandering often. Usually from bed to recliner as you've described. It's sometimes difficult to get comfortable in the early weeks, as you're realizing. Take it all in stride, it will gradually get better. You're doing great overall.
Thanks for sharing, stay in touch and enjoy the weekend!

 

[Tesjohn]

When I first came on this site I noticed everyone was saying, “Welcome to the other side”. Meaning, i’m Sure after surgery and on the recovery side. I would smile everytime because, you see, I own a bar and restaurant and it is called “The Other Side Bar & Grill”. I included a picture from our website. I just wanted to share!

 

[Layla]

So...you were already on the other side, before you were on the other side.
Thanks for sharing!
May your business bring you pleasure and be prosperous for years to come.
@Tesjohn