THR New hip at 37! How it went, how it's going!

[KittensMom]

Wondering if the heartburn is from your prescribed meds.

It may very well have been. Thankfully it didn't come back so far.

Best thing is to just rest and see what happens,

Absolutely. I have never gone through a surgery before (aside from a dental one), and so I will experience many unfamiliar feelings over the next few weeks, I am sure.

 

[KittensMom]

My day 4 milestones were washing my hair, and changing the sheets. Looking at how full the laundry basket is getting, it was probably not the most pragmatic decision to put on new sheets, but boy, did it feel good to sleep in a fresh bed last night!

I don't have a washing machine at the apartment, in Stockholm we have communal laundry rooms (mine is 2 doors down from the building entrance). I will definitely need to ask my friends for help with laundry soon.

Today, day 5, is going alright My gut problems have passed, which was the one thing that was really affecting my mood. I get excited for meals again, and may even treat myself and get some take out tonight.

My brain also feels a bit less foggy, so I am able to read for a bit, focus on a knitting pattern, etc.

Pain-wise I am a bit more sore today. I reduced my medication yesterday to help out my stomach a bit, but I am trying to compensate with icing and elevation. I have very little swelling and pain level is still very low, so I think it was a good trade off.

I am doing all of my exercises, I can also walk with one crutch when I need to (especially when carrying things), but my gait is not very good, so I try to stick to the two crutches for now to keep a better form. I am thinking of putting on sport shoes when doing walking around the apartment, just to have better support.

I hope it stops snowing in a few days, so that when I am ready to go on walks outside, it won't be slippery

 

[Bambi28]

Sounds like you're doing well @ChickensMom. Can totally relate to your progress - I will be following as I had my surgery not long before you did. It's nice to know there is someone out there in a similar boat! Keep up the good work

 

[Caison113]

Hi @ChickensMom - sounds like you are having a pretty “normal” recovery. The first week is the worst in the sense that you don’t really know what to expect and the pain management is hard to nail down. It’s definitely an uncomfortable 7 days or so. But after that, you should start to see some marked improvements (but it’s never as fast as you want!). Definitely take it easy on snowy ground. I almost wiped out on icy ground after my first surgery and it was a good lesson, haha.

 

[Eman85]

One thing to be aware of is new hips don't like carrying weight. It's the muscles, not the hip, that will strain and hurt from trying to carry weight. Another thing is shoe choice post-op. New shoes are recommended so you're not walking with an old pattern from previously bad hip. Also good to have sturdy slip on shoes so all it takes is a long shoe horn to get them on. I used elastic laces in good sneakers that worked well.

 

[KittensMom]

Oh I am trying not to worry, but the pain is kicking my butt today. Nothing too drastic, but it feels like bone pain, different to the mostly incision pain I felt in the first few days.

I know that I can't necessarily expect a linear improvement, and that I am taking pain relief on the low low end of the range prescribed to me, but I can't help spiralling a bit tonight.

I am going to take more meds now before going to bed and hope it will settle. I really didn't want to take the "take as you need" oxycodone anymore, but I feel like I may not be able to fall I sleep if I don't. I get shots of pain in the middle of my thigh, in my groin, sometime calf. It seems to be hopping from place to place. The pain doesn't increase when putting weight on the leg and I don't have any extra swelling.

I also don't have fever and feel fine otherwise. When I was leaving the hospital I asked the nurse when I should be expecting the worst pain, as in which day. She said that I should just keep improving from now. This is why I am a bit worried, I don't want to miss any warning signs.

I'm sorry if I sound panicky, but I am using this thread to process how I am feeling Any words of encouragement are as always appreciated.

 

[Eman85]

Welcome to week 1, don't panic we've been there. You don't have bone pain, that bone is buried. The soft tissue pain as it heals and gets strained is what you feel. Do you have sudden zings and zaps like electric shocks? Those are fun too. Are you icing? That's the best thing and works as good as pain pills with no side effects. You have to ice for long periods of time to get the benefit of it.
Because of the large size and quantity of muscles that pass through the hip are that are manipulated we feel pains all around our legs and both front and back.

 

[lanstan]

Take any of the pain meds that are prescribes. There is no rush to get off of them. If you need an OXY at night that is normal. You are only 6 days post op. You will know when to stop taking them. Lots of people have had to take them for a few weeks after. You will know when to stop. They do have side effects but you wont be on them for long. Constipation is the worst so keep that in mind.

 

[thepuckhead]

Hi, @ChickensMom -

Do you have a number for either a nurse or someone else from your surgery center or hospital that you can call with any questions? They generally do want to hear from you and would rather answer your question than have you sit and worry. That was really reassuring to me whenever I had pain that was concerning. Even though I *knew* that the primary concern was preventing infection and keeping up with pain control and reporting any pain that went above a "6" and stayed there - I worried at any pain that wasn't familiar from soft tissue recovery. Especially anything that "felt" like bone, which, I think, is not entirely painless as it heals (thigh pain as the bone recovers from its newly aquired spike is very normal).

Like others have said - no rush on cutting back on the pain meds. Your priority is getting rest and as much sleep as possible while your body figures things out, which it will do, but not without a bit of, um, "commentary."

Rest easy - it will get better - including the panic.

 

[RedbirdFL]

Thanks for your updates, @ChickensMom . I'm 5 days behind you in my surgery, which was yesterday, so it's great for me to be able to look at your journey and see what mine might be like. Hoping your pain is better tonight and that you'll get a good night's sleep. Take care of YOU!

 

[KittensMom]

Day 7! What a difference a week can make

Thank you so much for all of your replies, especially in the last two days when I was having some worries

I still get this gnawing "bone healing pain" (I decided this is what we are calling it) from time to time, but the frequency + intensity peak was definitely on day 5 in the evening. I was thinking about calling the hospital, but decided to give it time and not try to come up with worst case scenarios.

Here's where I am one week in:
- I had very minimal swelling after surgery, and this has also since gone down even further. No bruising (yet at least).
- I can lift my leg up onto a bed with full strength which I didn't expect would be possible at all in the first weeks
- I can walk without a limp with one crutch now, but still choose to walk with two crutches a lot of the time, because my left palm gets sore otherwise.
- The hip has stiffness but I keep seeing little improvements each day (without attempting any stretching exercises). A good measure of the improvements for me is how comfortable I am sitting on a toilet ;)
- Sitting in general is not my favourite at the moment. My incision site gets a bit "spicy" after I stay in a sitting position for a longer time, so I have been opting for a more reclined position in my bed.
- I keep my legs slightly elevated most of the day and at night, and I am using an ice pack 6-7 times a day.
- I was not looking forward to sleeping on my back - surprisingly, not an issue at all
- Also unexpectedly I am able to sleep through the night and squeeze in an afternoon nap most days as well.
- Pain is alright today, I get those zips and zaps that everyone is talking about, and thigh, and knee, and ankle pain... but there is no constant pain anywhere, it all comes more like little ping notifications ;)
- My non-operated leg knee swell but doesn't hurt. It has been prone to Baker's cyst since forever, it shows up when I overwork it, which has definitely been the case in the last week. I am trying to be more concious with twists and bends, I wish I had a little stabilising bandage at home to give it even more TLC.

The unforeseen obstacle has been the weather. It has snowed last weekend, and it seems it will stay for at least another week, which makes me housebound :( I would otherwise feel ready to do little walks outside.

My OS recommends focusing on healing in the first 2,5-3 weeks, and asked to book physio only after the stitches come off, which for me will be April 12th. I spoke to my physiotherapist today, and we will see each other on the 13th. It seems far away, but time has been going by very fast. I think it's because everything takes 3x more time for me to do right now ;)

I hope you are all having a good day!

 

[KittensMom]

Thanks for your updates, @ChickensMom . I'm 5 days behind you in my surgery, which was yesterday, so it's great for me to be able to look at your journey and see what mine might be like. Hoping your pain is better tonight and that you'll get a good night's sleep. Take care of YOU!

Congratulations on your new hip @RedbirdFL I wish you a good recovery!

 

[myglasshalffull]

You will find sitting for long periods to be a challenge these early days. I still don't like to sit for long periods of time, for me it's up and moving or lying flat!
It's most important to walk w/o limping so if using two crutches helps you to walk with no limp that is better than one crutch and limp. Try to concentrate on "heel/toe" walking as well.
New shoes has already been suggested, get something with good support.
You are on your way! Keep us posted.

 

[KittensMom]

Day 8, not much walking is getting done today. My left knee (non-operated leg) is even more swollen today and feels unstable. I am sure the fact that I am 2,5 weeks without arthritis meds is contributing, not to mention that the knee has been working extra hard since the surgery.

I have officially called a rest day from any walking and assigned exercises. I get up every hour or so to get to the kitchen / bathroom, do my heel pumps, but I am walking very badly because of the knee. I need to get the swelling down so that I can continue with my recovery. So today icing has been switched from the hip to the poor knee A friend is coming with Voltaren gel and a knee stabilising band tomorrow.

Otherwise feeling well, maybe a bit more stiffness in the hip since I am moving less. On the flip side, sitting feels a lot better today!

Funny thing about friends during this time... I feel like I have bonded so much with people who have been there for me after the surgery, some of them were not necessarily close friends before.

But there have been a few surprises from people who I considered very close friends, where it is pretty clear I am not on their mind at all. I don't mean it in a salty way, but have been reflecting all morning that the friends who before surgery kept reassuring me that they will check on me every day and that I shouldn't worry about anything, are not at all the friends who I have been able to rely on.

I have a hard time asking for help, and so my gratitude towards the folks who check in on me, even via text, is immense. I am already thinking of ways I can thank them. As soon as this snow melts and I am able to step out the door :D

 

[djklaugh]

@ChickensMom If you were taking specific medication for arthritis before your surgery and had to stop it, do check with either your surgeon or the doctor who originally prescribed that medication to see if you can safely restart it now. It's a shame your knee is playing up now and interfering with your walking! Oh and you can ice hip and opposite knee at the same time if you have enough ice packs/gel packs or even frozen bags of peas

Yes I know what you mean about friends and how well (or not) they follow through with promises to check in. I had some very dear friends who were wonderful at checking in and helping .... and some others who just faded into the never there. I am so glad you have some lovely folks near you who do follow through and stay in touch! It does make the recuperation period much nicer.

 

[KittensMom]

My poor left knee is twice its size today Nothing seems to settle it. I went back on my arthritis meds today, with he permission of the OS, but I don't think I can hope for them to work very quickly. I am wondering if steroid injections are safe in the first 3 months after THR? I think that could be the best option if I can get a hold of my rheumatologist next week.

 

[Merrimay]

Hi @ChickensMom. My OS wouldn't do any injections until week 12. In my case, a guided imagery SI injection. Good pain relief for about 2 weeks. It's worth a try. Hope it will work for you. Hang in there.

 

[cold_brew]

I am not a doctor but if I remember right it was explained to me that steroids can suppress your immune response and would theoretically increase the risk of infection, so…I’m guessing the dr might say that’s not an option.

I think the same reasoning was behind having to wait for the surgery for some amount of time after first trying injections to sort out the hip.

 

[ladyj]

I am at nine weeks now, so I am OK reading, but for the first couple of weeks I couldn’t understand or concentrate on a book or even a long newspaper article.
Some of that was probably a reaction to the operation, some probably the Oromoph!

 

[Merrimay]

Brain fog made it impossible for me to read or even follow conversations for about a month. Of course, I assumed the worst -- that surgery had triggered dementia. Don't even go there. It passes