Revision THR Newbie tkr recovery thread<

[ACIM]

Hello all-
Had my L THR revision done on Monday. But dislocated the hip Monday evening after the surgery- ouch! It wasn't until Tuesday morning that the medical staff decided to get x-rays...of course, the x-rays confirmed the dislocation.
My OS showed up about 30 minutes after the x-rays we're taken. He was adamant that we try to manually put the hip back into it's socket before starting prep for another surgery to correct the problem.
After manually trying 3 times to "pull" the hip back into its' correct position, he was successful
However, because of the complication/dislocation of the hip after the surgery, my recovery time has to be about 3-4 weeks longer than I was expecting...am beginning to "travel" the road of the post-op recovery stages. Yesterday was incredibly happy, today I'm the proverbial complain
Enough now; I'm exhausted just from texting this out to y'all!
Diana

 

[59billy]

That's got to be frustrating! Just when you thought you were done!

But you're going to have that new hip for decades. This will pass.

But complain if ya need to. I sure do.

 

[SarahBee]

@Newbie tkr , sorry you had to go through this. Hope things will progress more positively now. Take your rest. You've earned it. Have blessed and peaceful.weekend

 

[SE Florida]

Sounds very painful @Newbie tkr but now you're on the right road where things get better everyday. I still have days that are great that blend in with the not so great but it's to be expected. You're in good company here and have a lot of support from all of us hipsters. Get your rest, ice and elevate. Tomorrow will hopefully be a much better day for you!

 

[Layla]

Hi Diana,
Welcome to Recovery. Thanks for joining us here.
I'm sorry you experienced such a rough start. I've heard dislocations are extremely painful. Wondering how it happened?

I'm also a little confused...you mentioned you dislocated your Left Hip on the eve of your Left Hip Revision. What was the date of your original LTHR? Your signature only reflects a Left Hip Revision? Just want to get your signature right so when others stop by to comment they are viewing a full history.

Please read the Recovery Guidelines below. I believe you'll find the info beneficial.
Stop back often with updates. We'd love to follow your progress and offer support as you're healing.

A peaceful weekend to you!

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 discomfo

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 these

BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy​

5. At week 4 and after you should follow this

Activity progression for THRs​

6. Access to these pages on the website

Oral And Intravenous Pain Medications
Wound Closure​

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 the at each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice. @Newbie tkr

 

[Eman85]

I'm sorry to hear of your complications. Just for the record how did you dislocate? What was the reason for the revision? I hope yours works out from here with no further complications.

 

[Debru4]

I didn't know they could even DO that manually! Sounds pretty gruesome ----also curious how your dislocation happened? Sure hope you are now on the road to recovery!

 

[Carriemay60]

Oh ouch! I feel horrible for you I hope they are controlling your pain and you are resting comfortably now.

 

[ACIM]

Hi all-
I think they let me leave the hospital too early. Date of REVISION of old hip replacement was 4/1/19.
The day after surgery My hip got dislocated- my OS was manually able to get it corrected. They sent me home the day after that.
I'm on prescribed Oxycontin, 10mg., 1 every 6 hours. Instead I am taking 2 every 12 hours. One pill alone doesn't help the pain.
Also, since all of my pain is in my left buttocks and down the back side of my left leg, I can't ever get comfortable...
Can only do the barest minimum of tasks, like using the bathroom, feeding my cats and myself. That's it. Indeed, because of miscommunication with my doctor's office (no blame here, stuff happens) I had no pain meds on Saturday or Sunday- had to go to ER to get just ONE dose of pain medication (that's all the P.A. would give me) to hold me over until Monday.
My home is horribly dirty (and I'm generally an excellent housleeper).
I am getting my first bath today, compliments of Home Health Care...That's about where I am right now; already fed up!

 

[Jaycey]

@Newbie tkr you will notice that I have merged your two threads together as we prefer that members in recovery only have one thread.

This is for three reasons:
1. if you keep starting new threads, you miss the posts others have left you in the old threads
2. it often ends up that information is unnecessarily repeated
3. it's best if we can keep all your recovery story in one place so it's easily accessed if we need to advise you.

Please keep all your questions and updates on this thread. If you would like a new thread title just give a shout.

I suggest contacting your family doctor to address your pain medication. You might need an alternative med if this one isn't working for you.

Can only do the barest minimum of tasks, like using the bathroom, feeding my cats and myself. That's it.

And that is all you should be doing so early out from surgery. You will need to ignore the house cleaning for awhile. Once you are over the early days you will be able to do more and more. For now - rest, ice, elevate and take your medication as prescribed, around the clock.

Another big tip - don't fight this recovery. Just roll with it. All this is temporary. A short space of time for a lifetime of no hip pain.

 

[Layla]

Happy Tuesday to you
Sorry for all you're experiencing. I'm sure bathing will be a bright spot in your day.
If the state of your home is really troubling to you, when female family or friends visit and ask what they can do for you, don't be afraid to ask them if they could do a few dishes, wipe off the counter tops, straighten the bed etc. I feel most people are sincere when they ask what you need, or how can they assist you. Those who care about you want to help out and feel useful and it would help you also.
I hope you're able to relax after Home Health Care leaves and have a restful day.
@Newbie tkr

 

[ACIM]

Of course, I owe everything, every GOOD thing to BONESMART...just getting the feedback and support here keeps me going
Should I be starting PT yet?

 

[Layla]

BoneSmart is great, I can't imagine my recovery without it either.
It's because collectively, we understand.

All I'll say about PT is this - (from the Recovery Guidelines)

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.

Have a peaceful afternoon and evening!
@Newbie tkr

 

[Carriemay60]

You must be counting minutes waiting for a dose of painkiller! And to run out just sounds horrible so early on. Are you icing lots? You haven't mentioned anyone being there with you. My husband and I were saying how brave those are that go home alone. I would be up the creek without a paddle to be honest. Are you allowed to take Tylenol with Oxy? I hope your bathing wasn't too tiring but I know it feels worth it to get freshened up. Keep popping in for support

 

[Mojo333]

Glad you are home...so sorry for the rough start!

Should I be starting PT yet

No.

 

[ACIM]

Mojo: LOVED your answer in response to my question about PT..."No".
Yesterday, overdid it and paid the price- terrible pain at 2am and took pain meds and started praying and just talking to God; that's just my method of coping. I just kept talking to Him and, between that and the pain med, feel into a most delicious sleep.
This morning all I did was prepare my table (my go-to for anything I might need that day without having to get up from my couch).
By the time I was finished I was wiped out!
The hardest part of this recovery is trying to find a comfortable position to be in, for any length of time, without being in extreme discomfort...still working on it.
Ok, 8 days post-op now- when SHOULD I start PT?
A young gal, (dare I say, almost 25 years old?) came to see me on Monday. She is supposed to be my PT but I was so upset b/c I'd had no pain medication for 36 hours that i was extremely rude to her and made her leave...here's the thing; I'm 63 years of age and tend to have (given my years of ballet, stretch, 3 prior joint surgeries and overall body awareness) very little tolerance or need for medical professionals that are 1/3 my age...indeed, when I had my knee replacement I rehabbed according to the Bonesmart method and NOT what my OS wanted. So now, I'm wondering if I even want PT on this hip, especially from a sweet, young, wet-behind-the-ears 25 year old.

 

[SE Florida]

Ok, 8 days post-op now- when SHOULD I start PT?

You asked this question with different words before but it's still the same question....... @Mojo333 responded.

Mojo: LOVED your answer in response to my question about PT..."No".

@Newbie tkr Glad to hear you were finally able to relax and get a good sleep last night. Resting, ice, and meds will improve your pain, not PT. The ice is an amazing tool, use it often!

 

[ACIM]

My BONESMART family:
For anyone that asked about the how and the why of my hip dislocation the day after surgery, sorry I didn't address it earlier...
I have NO IDEA how, when or why the hip dislocated...I didn't even KNOW it was dislocated until hospital staff came to get me out of bed to start walking. I was in extreme pain, tried to stand up with two staff members assisting me, when my blood pressure suddenly plummeted down to 76/47, something like that- I think I fainted. Medical staff immediately, (after allowing me to recover from THAT), took me down to x-ray the hip where the dislocation was confirmed.
My OS, on his one day off a week, was at my bedside within 30 minutes, explaining how he was going to try to manually correct the dislocation without having to go back in surgically. I asked for a dose of dilaudid before he started so that when he began to manipulate my hip I wasn't feeling any pain, really...he got the hip back into place on the 3rd try.
X-rays confirmed hip was correctly in place.
Now, after creating this lengthy text, going down for a nap...hugs to you all...

 

[ACIM]

Sorry for asking same question more than once; good indication of my state of mind right now, lol.

 

[Layla]

No worries about asking twice. I'll answer twice
You don't need PT.

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.

Wishing you peace and healing.
@Newbie tkr