THR New pain 14 days out from anterior left hip replacement<

[ddj]

I am continuing to work through the pain issues. MD office declined to refill the narcotic, so I am alternating the Tylenol extended release with regular strength. Also am still on the high dose ASA, would think it would be some. Icing a lot too. As I am now 4 weeks out, I think this pain stuff should settle down soon.

PT was pleased with me using the cane only and walking without it as much as I can inside, which isn't much. My gait still has so much limp to it that my right hip is beginning to hurt, sometimes almost as much as the left which is the surgical one!
I have been looking to see if this is common thing too. But have not found a lot of references.
He agreed that I could work on strengthening at my own pace, which is good because that is my plan.

Newest turn of events is that my supervisor at work is wanting me to come back to work. I told her it would likely take a week or more to get all the paper work signed and turned in. I am not sure I can be on my feet 10-12 hours a day.
Like some of the other posts I have read, am in a place where I wish I had not agreed to the surgery. Although truthfully I am in less pain than before, walking all day on an arthritic hip with no cartilage left!
I am thankful for the posts of others on this forum...helps keep things in perspective for me


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[Jaycey]

Newest turn of events is that my supervisor at work is wanting me to come back to work.

At less than a month out of major surgery you certainly are not ready to return to work. If you are still hurting and can not get proper pain management medication there is no way you will be able to be on your feet for so long. Does your work require an assessment before your return? I would strongly urge you to see your primary care doctor for a review of your pain medication and a return to work assessment. You might want to share this article with your supervisor Phased return to work .

 

[lillibet123]

I agree. .you are not ready to return to work. You may need a few more months. . You do not want to make things worse and never be able to again. Ive taken myself out of the work force for now. Because i need a new knee too. And we don't know how long our bodies need to repair. Im also 4 weeks post op on left hip. I still have some pain while walking. .using cane intermittently without it around the house.

 

[ddj]

Thank you for the the great return to work information. Yes to the assessment before return. Release is signed by the Surgeon and the employee health nurse does the actual assessment. So it will actually be up to the nurse.

In my job I do not do a lot of lifting (newborn babies don't usually weigh much !). Combination of a constant walking-standing and sitting. I have a standing desk for charting so I sit only when I need to get down and close to a mom or baby.
Hospital's usual requirement is that you come back to your full schedule, however I may be able to use vacation days to start with less days/week. If it is a work injury you can gradually come back, so I would not qualify.

Still trying to find a new family doctor ( previous one closed her practice this month without warning). Unfortunately there are few practices that are open to new patients in this area. Hopefully will find one soon as I will need a refill on my diabetic supplies soon.
This morning another interesting finding. Now that the swelling in my left leg is going down (only the knee feels tight still). I can run my hand up and down the femur and it feels now like the bone itself is achy/painful. I have minimal "padding" in my hips and legs, if I sit on a firm chair feels like I am sitting on the implant!
Generally feels like someone twisted and rearranged my body parts...oh wait that is what happened...!


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[lillibet123]

That's good that The nurse has the final say. I can sit at the table. No pain in my chair. yes my thigh hurts to touch it. But i massage coconut oil into mine many times a day. Mine has healed excellent.

 

[Hip Hip Hooray!]

I know what you mean about feeling like you are sitting on the implant. I felt that way when I would lay on my side. It felt like a weight. In time you won't feel the hip anymore.

I hope you are able to get more time off before returning to work. Being a nurse is a very demanding job. Hopefully it will all work out, so that you can continue to rest and heal.

 

[Josephine]

MD office declined to refill the narcotic, so I am alternating the Tylenol extended release with regular strength.

Yes, do get a new GP. It's essential you have adequate pain meds

My gait still has so much limp to it that my right hip is beginning to hurt, sometimes almost as much as the left which is the surgical one!. I have been looking to see if this is common thing too. But have not found a lot of references.

Oh it is common and will be worse if you don't have adequate pain meds!

Newest turn of events is that my supervisor at work is wanting me to come back to work. I told her it would likely take a week or more to get all the paper work signed and turned in. I am not sure I can be on my feet 10-12 hours a day.

the employee health nurse does the actual assessment. So it will actually be up to the nurse.

I would definitely say not. I do assessments for return to work and the UK definition is about 8-10 weeks. No way I would allow a THR back at only 4 or 6 weeks!

 

[ddj]

Coconut oil ...I am familiar with its use and actually use it a lot in my work with the new moms. Will get some today! Thanks

 

[Josephine]

A surgical scar is much different to stretch marks. Massage post THR

 

[ddj]

I use the coconut oil for the anti fungal/ antibacterial properties. In this area of the west coast, tend to use a lot of the herbal medicines ( MD's and other healthcare people)

 

[CatLady1]

@ddj - When I was in the hospital (finally moved to the ortho floor from surgery) the nurse who was on duty mentioned that she had also had hip replacement with my OS. We had several chats about getting on with life, going back to work, etc and I asked her how she had managed going back to work full time (knowing that ortho patients seem to have more physical demands). She said she had been out of work 8 weeks, then decided to go to rehab for 4 additional weeks before returning to work; in addition, the rehab was to make sure she was doing everything the right way. She really didn't elaborate more (and I could have read it as she was a stubborn patient who set her own rules, then decided to follow them) -- but thought it was an interesting approach to attempt recovery on your own, then go to orthopedic rehab at the end. I do know our OS does not prescribe PT - states that hips will heal themselves if you get up and walk, etc.
It could be the hospital also recommended that approach for her return to work.

 

[Josephine]

See? 12 weeks off - just what we suggest on BoneSmart! She's a wise woman!

 

[ddj]

It will be interesting to see what happens at the go back to work assessment. The surgery center is so big they have a whole department that handles the short term disability and return to work papers...MD doesn't even fill them out or sign them...at least that is what I was told. It may be another 4 weeks just getting done!

Odd thing happened this weekend. I was trying to pack away all the Christmas boxes back in the space under our stairs. With the lifting, turning and pushing them in, I felt a sort of pop..like something slipped a bit. Hurt for a while but more deep in the femur, since then I actually have been more comfortable. Thinking the new parts settled in or ?



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[Josephine]

More likely a ligament or muscle being asked to do something it had got used to not doing!

 

[Josephine]

More likely a ligament or muscle being asked to do something it had got used to not doing!

 

[ddj]

Very true! Thank you for answer.


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[ddj]

So I guess returning to work process is much smoother than I thought. Paper work from MD office is done, (only took 2 days...helps if the MD isn't involved!) No longer need an assessment by the health nurse at work as I thought, I called and essentially I can do what ever I want. Just have to fax a form to the HR office which is actually in another state.

Stopped all medications today, should have an idea of my tolerance for being on my feet all day by the weekend. The nurse part of me is still wondering about letting the patient direct and decide recovery is complete without an in person assessment or even a post op appointment. When my dog had surgery the vet called every other day for a week!!
Plan is to print from the return to work advice and use it as a resource.


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[ddj]

Can't sleep.....so I read my post from earlier. Worded part of it backwards. The employee health nurse meant she had no authority to judge my readiness to return to work. Not that she did not want to. I am going to drag out submitting paper work. ..Monday is a holiday so I makes sense that I can't fax paperwork (do not have a home fax) should be able to delay at least another week. Surprised that things are fairly achy without Tylenol...did not think it was doing much but it must have keeping discomfort down some. I am becoming a big fan of ice...it does help a lot.



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[Josephine]

The nurse part of me is still wondering about letting the patient direct and decide recovery is complete without an in person assessment or even a post op appointment. When my dog had surgery the vet called every other day for a week!!

But a dog in not able to judge his recovery or decide what's good and what's not! Besides which YOU are the best person to make decisions like this now you've passed the six week divide, it's your call. Just be guided by what you read on here and you'll do fine!

 

[HipSurprise]

I have a real life experience about the nonsense of getting "addicted" to the narcotics. Note the date of my surgery. A few weeks ago, I had told my primary care doc that I was still having trouble with pain and that Tylenol just wasn't enough. She then wrote me a prescription for 90 more pills(Oxycodone) of 5mg. each. I have been taking them at night, and sometimes during the day, when my pain has been really strong. I certainly have not become addicted to the opiates, and I'm not feeling any "fear" for when my current meds run out.

THR involves so many muscles, ligaments, and other tissues that get roughed up during surgery; in addition, having a new hip means a change in one's gait, and other muscles and joints in the leg and lower back can develop pain. I know that just Tylenol does NOT relieve that pain and, if a person just takes Tylenol during the day, they're gonna have more pain at night and will need more pain meds.

Ice and elevation do the job during the day, and that's fine. It seems that your pain needs are not being met, you're doing way more activity than you should be doing, and you're expected to go back to work too soon. I didn't do any of the real "exercising" that my PT expected me to do, but I went at my own pace. Nowadays, I'm doing great, considering what I went through with the THR surgery.

Remember, it takes a good 6 months to a year, maybe more, for tissues to fully heal from the surgery; you had yours just last month, knowing what you do, now, would you pressure a good friend who had surgery last month to be a superwoman or superman??? You are still in the beginning stage of healing, and you need to be gentle with yourself. Healing hugs to you.