time and rest and it will heal itself. then try and build on that with gradual excercise.
I do think that is right. I would add, frequent ice, and maybe, later in your recovery, if still stiff and sore after 2 months say, an occasional heat pack and gentle massage.
I had my two hips done privately because of the wait for NHS. Two different surgeons and private hospital companies because I moved 200 miles in between. I got a bit more handholding than you have from the private system, for my £25,000 odd, but not much. Saw my first OS before, immediately after when I was too dopy to interact, and at 6 weeks. Saw my second OS before, a few days after, 10 weeks after and 6 months after. The 6 month follow up was a mere formality because I was so good by then.
First surgeon said my leg would feel longer but it wouldn’t actually be longer. First (left) leg did indeed feel about an inch longer post-op but the sensation gradually passed. Not much thigh pain as I recall. No log leg.
Second surgeon said my second (right) leg had been much shorter, and he had lengthened it. He showed me my pre and post hip X-rays and laid a ruler across the key points to demonstrate that there was a downward slope that he had corrected. I don’t think it had been shorter for much time, ie I don’t believe that the first OS had left me with a discrepancy. I suspect it happened in the the last few months, during which time that hip became too painful to walk on. If the discrepancy was there at my pre op consultation, which was several months before the op (my choice to wait, I had things I needed to do), he didn’t mention it, or any plans to lengthen the leg.
After the second hip, I had log leg for weeks and considerable pain in the front of my thigh. It was so bad in the hospital that I was literally chewing the bedclothes one night because the night nurse wouldn’t give me ice or more pain relief. Once I got home to a constant supply of ice and my own drug schedule, it was much better. I told the OS that I had much more pain than after the first hip, and he just shrugged and mumbled something along the lines of, it was to be expected. I don’t think bedside manner is a big part of the surgical training!
So I think that the difference between my two operations is that the second one involved lengthening, and that caused more thigh pain and swelling. The recovery was slower to start with. This seems to fit your description. The good news for you is that, after a tougher start, my second recovery was quicker than my first. In fact, my only major setback, caused by overdoing it, was strain to the left ( first) leg. Even better news is that both my hips are wonderful now.
I think you said that your other hip needs doing, and I hope you can get that done soon. In the meantime, please don’t overdo the walking or other exercises even when your post op leg feels great, or you may have a painful wait.
I think that you also said that the medics didn’t seem to care which hip you had done. I am sure that they could have explained this better, but it may be that both hips showed similar arthritic damage. And only you can say how much they are hurting, and therefore which one needs the most urgent attention.
My journey has been expensive and involved frustration and discomfort and lots of worry ( much relieved by finding this forum) and a short period of pain. But worth it a million* times over, to be pain free and mobile. I hope your story has a similar happy ending.
*well, maybe not a million times £25,000. That could be tricky to find down the back of the sofa. Though I believe Bill Gates is currently single …