THR New hip new life recovery thread

clara4fun

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Leaving for the hospital in 30 minutes. Feeling nervous but focusng on better days on the other side of this.
Thank you in advance for your support and well-wishes!
Let's do this. :) :-) (:
 
Looking forward to your updates. I'll leave your recovery articles here to refer to when needed.

Hip Recovery: The Guidelines

1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:
rest
elevate
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)​
3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​
4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of this BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy
5. Here is a week-by-week guide for Activity progression for THRs

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

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it

Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

BIG TIP: 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.

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery. While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.
 
The first few days can be really disorienting as you adjust to your meds, and learn what you are able to do with your new hip. By getting on this Forum so quickly you are going to have many people to support you and some excellent resources available to you as you start this journey! :welome:
 
:hi:Hope you are doing well, and maybe home?
Healing hugs coming your way!:roseshwr:
 
Happy Wednesday!
Hopefully you're resting comfortably and your pain is well managed.
Leave an update when you're feeling up to it. We'd love to follow your progress.
Wishing you comfort as you begin healing.
@clara4fun
 
I came home yesterday and I guess the best word to describe it is "surprising".
The pain has been more than I expected. Up until surgery I was relying on the details of a dear friend's recovery to help me set my expectations. She is not as fit as I am, but didn't use a walker and stopped pain meds after a couple of days! That is incredible to me. This has not been my experience.
I know that everyone's experience is different for a multitude of reasons, but I guess I was counting on my overall condition positively impacting my recovery.
The physical therapist did say, however, that more muscular patients can have more pain due to the cutting/manipulating muscles that is necessaryin the OR. So maybe that makes me a badass haha
By the way, I woke up during the surgery and heard the sounds of the tools (think hammer), which was not good for me. But I was quickly sent back to sleep, thankfully.
My husband is taking good care of me, and I am hopeful tomorrow will bring me more improvements.
 
Hi :hi:
Great to hear from you. Thanks for updating.
It's so tempting to look at others recoveries and compare, but now you have an idea of why we shouldn't.

Woke up during surgery? :yikes: I can't even imagine. Sounds scary.
Take your meds on schedule, rest / sleep when you're able and don't forget :ice:ice. It will help reduce swelling and its a great pain reliever.

Best wishes to you....you're on your way!
@clara4fun
 
Clara, Layla writes the truth. Just look at your own schedule/recovery. I'm just trying to let it all fall out. Not challenging myself per se, but not being idle, just doing the best I can and a little more.

Re your muscularity; I think I probably developed a bit of atrophy from being so inactive (I mean not completely, I was still moving around, but nearly nothing like before my real pain started to hit) over a good six months before surgery. A colleague of mine, a former LSU football player, said you need to be in very good physical shape BEFORE surgery; okay, I have trouble just getting around, like I can really work out, and before surgery! Gotta say, I can't say my possible atrophy (from inactivity) aided in my surgery and recovery! I think part of my "luck" is skeletally where I have wide hips compared to my ribcage and maybe aided in my anterior approach; my OS and I did kind of have that discussion.

Each day will bring a new stage of recovery, mostly good...could be worse than the day before if you tax yourself. Baby steps!
 
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Don't worry it will get better! Don't try and compare recoveries or people's memories of their recoveries. You can read many posts where people that were young or in shape anticipate a quick recovery. Many time followed by the depression of the reality that this surgery isn't easy on anyone. The mental part of this recovery is just as tough as the physical sometimes. You'll have great improvements followed by plateaus or setbacks, and it will happen a few times at least. Settle in for the long haul, accept that it will get better and focus on recovery and what your body needs.
 
Great post @Eman85 !!!

Please do take your meds faithfully as pain is uncontrolled pain is bad for you...mentally and physically.
These first days, all you need is the necessary walking (bathroom, kitchen, etc) and meds and lots of ice:ice:
Healing hugs coming your way!:console2:
 
Waking during surgery is probably my biggest fear. Certainly a topic for discussion at my pre-op appointments!

Sounds like you are doing well and happy to be home! :flwrysmile:
 
I agree, who'd want to wake to hammering or sawing :yikes:
I'll bet you wouldn't have the reaction you think though. It would have to feel dream like and surreal, wouldn't you think? Talk to the anesthesiologist before surgery and express your concerns. I'm sure they'll be able to reassure that once it's lights out, you'll be in lala land.
I hope you have a nice weekend!
@Carriemay60
 
I woke during my first hip surgery. It was only momentary though. It sounded as if there were workmen repairing something in a garage (lots of bashing and banging) but I didn't feel anything or open my eyes and the noise didn't seem to relate to me.
I had the same anaesthetist for the 2nd hip and I mentioned it to him when he was giving me my spinal. He said he would make sure it would not happen again and it didn't.
It wasn't a problem, just a tale to tell people :)
 
Day 4 post op for me today. My range of motion is improving in terms of getting in and out of bed and with things like heel slides. Still taking hydrocodone for pain and using ice. I am also taking Celebrex.
Yesterday I used an outdoor (waterproof) chair in the shower and it felt fantastic. Washed my hair, too! Sitting there having nice warm water wash over me was a treat. It was also a treat to have a break from compression stockings.
I will also note that I already knew that my husband is a wonderful person, but he is taking very good care of me. He knows I hate the feeling of unshaven legs, so he took care of that for me after my shower. Then helped immensely with the stockings. That is no easy task.
I am doing my heel pumps, etc., and taking my laps around the house, noticing that my pace is a wee bit faster.
It hurts quite a bit still during transitions, but the way it feels going from sitting to standing, etc., is a reminder to me that I am only day 4.
Feeling hopeful.
 
Clara, you sound in great spirits and doing very well!

The 1st shower is just glorious ~ no other word really does it justice :loveshwr: Not sure I would trust my hubby to shave my legs in case he slipped with the razor and slit my throat but he did help with the Nair cream last time around.

I had a "twilight" anesthetic once to have a rather cyst removed from my face and woke up to the feeling of the doctor tugging at it. Quite surreal. @Layla @Bionic :flabber:
 
The first shower was great. I have a walk in shower and I had put a handle on the wall. I luckily didn't have compression stockings but I did see a video on Youtube that showed using a bread bag cut open on your foot to slide the stockings on. I didn't shave my legs either.
 
Yay for shower and smooth legs!:dancy:
Still really days and lots of improvement to come!
You are doing just great.
Hope your weekend is sweet!:flwrysmile:
 

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