THR new hip newbie!

[special lady]

Sounds like your doing very well, just remember a lot of work was done, so although your feeling better with each day, you don't want set back by doing too much, too soon.

 

[Texas Girl]

Sounds like you are right on track. I started driving between 3 and 4 weeks but short trips Each week gets easier. Be patient though, you surely don't want to set yourself back by doing too much. Glad all is going well!

 

[chisels1]

Ha...yes, Crossfit Its my stress relief and personal challenge! I miss it terribly. Thanks to everyone for their input! I am 3 weeks post-op and am amazed at my progress over the past week. My swelling has gone down dramatically, my mobility is so much better! My incision is healing nicely and today I took my last oxycoton! I'm hopeful that I've been ahead of the pain and won't need anything stronger than alleve...we will see! Still walking with a cane, but my PT says I'm on track to ditch it soon! I see my surgeon for follow up on Tuesday, looking forward to what he has to say. It's amazing how one week you feel like you will never get better and the next you are making strides! I'm still taking it all day to day as I don't want setbacks...so far so good!

Good for you aligirl8, that pain medicine is great when you need it but when you can handle any pain with just a tylenol or non at all you know you are getting back to normal.

 

[aligirl8]

Yes, I agree...I'm not overdoing it at all. Feeling good, so don't want any setbacks. Going day to day, still resting, elevating and icing! So far the Alleve is all I need..hopefully it stays that way. It will be nice to drive just to get groceries and a chance of scenery locally, but I'll do whatever the surgeon says on Tuesday. Hope you are all doing well!

 

[Poppet]

Great update Ali, and yes, we do see changes week by week, month by month.. It is very encouraging.

Great that your swelling is coming down, that allows more mobility and thrilled for you that your PT indicates that you are on track, but most of all, I like the fact that you have the positive attitude of taking it day by day to avoid those setbacks..

You are listening to your body - smart woman

 

[bottomshollow]

Babiya, I have merged your multiple recovery threads. We prefer that you keep everything about your recovery in one thread as we have all your information in one area. This makes it much easier to answer questions or discuss concerns about your situation. Thank you so much for your cooperation.​

​

Please do not be upset by this request. We have to make it often as we allow multiple thread in the pre op forum. But here we need all your info in one place in recovery.​

​

Congrats on driving today---it's a big step toward feeling more independent and normal. But take care and do not get too carried away. You are doing exceptionally well---but that can be misleading. There is still a lot of healing going on internally---don't make the mistake of overdoing and then having to pay for it.​

​

Take care and keep us posted. We care. ​

 

[onlinebubba]

aligirl8 I hope that you are given a good report on Tuesday. I feel so blessed to have gone back to work and resumed driving after only 2 weeks. While I had youth and good health in my favor going into surgery, I really believe the skill of my surgeon gave me an optimal early outcome; that's why I chose him and travelled out of state for my thr. Although I've not had to use ice or any pain meds since my discharge 2 days postop, I have suffered the sporadic fatigue mentioned above. It hits suddenly and responds only to rest/sleep. When ignored it leads to headaches and low level nausea; I also get grumpy. I have learned to listen to my body better through my recovery so far.

My guidelines for driving were 2 conditions: no narcotics on board and good control of my right leg; since I met both, I drove at 2 weeks. After 4 weeks, I get to lose my crutches Tuesday and start weight-bearing with a cane! So you see, we're all different...yet we're all the same!

 

[aligirl8]

4 weeks post-op and today I had my first follow up visit with my surgeon. He's really happy with my progress! I am able to start trying the bike and/or elliptical machine in PT, can start doing ab exercises (I need some of my routine ), and I got the green light to start driving locally! Scar is healing well and he watched me walk without my cane and feels I should be near the end of that relationship as well! It feels good to know I am on track and can start moving forward with more normal routines. My parents drove me to the appointment...when we returned home, I drove them to dinner in town...felt really good to be independent again. I will keep the driving local so far, still on my icing and elevating routine but feeling more upbeat! I hope my fellow hippies are doing as well!

 

[aligirl8]

I can't believe I am 5 weeks post-op...where does the time go?! I started doing the bike in PT and am up to 12 minutes....love it! Additional exercises have me sore, but we are strengthening that leg. I'm limping less but still need the cane a bit. Driving locally and taking my first longer drive (45 minutes) on Sunday to see my Mom....hoping for the best!

 

[Josephine]

Additional exercises have me sore, but we are strengthening that leg

It's a great misnomer to think that because a leg won't/can't do certain things the muscles must be weak. Nothing of the kind! You muscles are not weak they are injured and need rest and TLC to recover. 5 weeks out is far too soon to be trying to bully them into 'strength'. You risk ending up with tendinitis and such conditions which are all mostly due to over doing it.

 

[aligirl8]

Josephine, appreciate your response, but I am not bullying my hip or leg into "strength"...I am not a medical professional so what I consider strength may have been the wrong word/diagnosis. I am doing PT prescribed by a top surgeon...doing a bike with no resistance is an essential movement to get my hip back to health. I think your response assumes I am doing things I should not be which is not at all the case. I am only interested in moving forward, not backward! Just wanted to clarify for others who read the threads so they don't get confused

 

[special lady]

It's great to read how well you and many others are doing after your recent THR's.

 

[aligirl8]

I cannot believe it, today marks 6 weeks post op! Time is truly flying by! I am driving well...went 45 minutes to see Mom on Mother's Day and was good. Rested in between the return with no issues. I'm close to walking with no cane. I still have a pronounced limp, so keeping the cane so I don't create a "bad habit" of limping and not walking properly. PT is going well...up to 15 minutes on the bike (no resistance) with many new exercises to keep me on the road back to "normal". I'm so happy with the progress thus far. Able to sleep on my side, still need more rest than I'm used to...but I'm listening to my body. Still icing although less than a few weeks ago and only using Alleve after long PT sessions that make me sore. I hope my fellow "hippies" are having as much success!

 

[aligirl8]

I am so excited....it's been one week that I am walking without a cane! So excited. Have a little bit of a limp, but it seems to get better every day. Excited to see how I continue to progress. I am seeing my surgeon for a follow up next week! So far so great!

 

[Jaycey]

Congrats on that major milestone aligirl8! You have really made great progress in a short period of time. Well done!

 

[aligirl8]

Thanks Jaycey! Heading to the surgeon tomorrow for follow-up...excited to hear what he has to say!

 

[Jaycey]

Can't wait for your update!

 

[aligirl8]

Had my follow-up with the surgeon today. Wow, feeling great. Don't have to see him again until next year unless, of course, I am not feeling good! PT for only another 3 weeks or so max. He is thrilled with my progress. We discussed all of my exercise and how I can progress now. As of July 1 I can start trying pretty much anything (except running) and gauge how I am feeling in terms of taking it slower or not. He said he expects in the next 3 weeks I will have my next "turning the corner" moment of feeling "more normal". I can travel (of course telling TSA about my titanium hip) and will be back to many of my normal routines in just a few short weeks. I'm thrilled with how this has all gone...of course, while hoping the next few weeks stay smooth! Wishing all my other hipsters the same good luck!!

 

[Jaycey]

Well done aligirl8! Sounds like your OS is very realistic. You still have healing to do so taking it slow and steady is key. Life on the other side isn't so bad, eh?

 

[Kylesh]

aligirl8 -- Great news from your follow-up. I know you are looking forward to 1 Jul -- it is going to be a wonderful independence day this year for a lot of us

Hope all went well with your interview.