THR Not Again?

[sunnyphoenix]

Good morning,
On March 31 of last year I had a TKR and thought my troubles were over. I detested PT but went religiously and worked while there, but not so much on my own at home. After two months I stopped as we were leaving for a long-planned vacation. I found this forum soon after the knee surgery and read it voraciously, receiving support and understanding that each person's recovery was different and learning that I wasn't experiencing anything unusual post-surgery. Wow! I was walking with a cane in public and without around the house and I was doing so without pain. During the summer I began experiencing pain but not in my knee, rather from my hip almost to my ankle. To keep me aware and keep life interesting, it came and went, hitting different parts of my leg, and occasionally disappeared for a few hours. Mind you, this pain existed only when I walked or rolled over in bed; the rest of the time I remained pain-free.
Skip ahead to this past fall. Because the leg pain increased and showed the same symptoms I had experienced in 2009 before hip arthritis was diagnosed (and I "cured" it through nutrition, losing all pain from 2009 until recently) I was pretty sure I was feeling a resurgence of this arthritis. X-rays in January of this year confirmed that the pain had returned and it was "bone-on-bone." An image-guided cortisone injection (interesting and pain-free process) six weeks ago provided only three weeks of relief. Last week I scheduled hip replacement surgery on my left hip, the same leg that underwent TKR a year ago. Surgery is scheduled for April 27th. It could have been done a bit sooner as I am very anxious to lose the pain again and have total assurance that surgery will make it happen. But we're going on vacation again from mid-March to mid-April, planned last August, and it cannot be postponed. Therefore, I will be creeping around the cruise ship in pain while the excitement and joy of being on a cruise will help me maintain happiness.
Enough about my life. Thank-you for this forum! It helped me in 2022 and I know it will do the same now as I lead up to surgery and then recover from it.

 

[Layla]

Hello and Welcome to BoneSmart! I'd like to clarify something please, when you mentioned you received support here after your TKR last year, you weren't a member, but only gained support through reading here?
Thanks for joining us! I am sorry its because you're in need of another joint replacement, but you're in good company here in that regard. I will leave some pre-op reading with best wishes for your cruise. I hope you're able to enjoy the trip in comfort. Please let us know how it goes.

HIP PRE-OP ARTICLES

If you are at the stage where you have joint pain but don't know for sure if you are ready to have surgery, these links may help:

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Score Chart: How bad is my arthritic hip?​

Choosing a surgeon and a prosthesis​

BMI Calculator - What to do if your surgeon says you're too heavy for joint replacement surgery​

Longevity of implants and revisions: How long will my new joint last?​

If you are at the stage where you are planning to have surgery but are looking for information so you can be better prepared for what is to come, take a look at these links:

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Recovery Aids: A comprehensive list for hospital and home​

Recliner Chairs: Things you need to know if buying one for your recovery​

Pre-Op Interviews: What's involved?​

And if you want to picture what your life might be like with a replaced hip, take a look at stories of amazing hip recoveries

 

[sunnyphoenix]

Hello, to answer your question about last year, yes I read these posts many times but didn't join until today. I decided that this time around I might gain even more support by being able to post, and thought I might even be able to help support others via stories of my own journey filed with struggles and successes.

 

[Mojo333]

Glad to have you @sunnyphoenix
The forum has so many good folks and our shared experiences and support made Bonesmart an important part of my recovery.
I'm ever so grateful for my new hips and getting the scoop from "Those who have Limped the Limp " is priceless!

We will be rooting for you.
Any questions.... ask away.
Lots of great advice here!

 

[sunnyphoenix]

Well, I just logged onto the medical site where I can read future appointments and details of past ones and found that my surgery date has been posted. On February 22nd during my last surgeon visit I chose April 27th but it didn't show up on the site until recently. Seeing it listed today under appointments kind of made the whole event more real to me. After undergoing a tkr almost a year ago I vowed I would never go through another surgery. As time went by I forgot the downsides, sort of like forgetting the pain of childbirth and having a second child. I haven't been as apprehensive this time around because I did it once and know I can do it again even though I harbor some anger about my body betraying me. I expect to return home the same day as I did before, and I know that I don't want a nerve block. Last year the anesthesiologist ticked me off when he came around before surgery and when I asked why he couldn't do the procedure after I was asleep, he answered, "I need you awake so I'll know the needle's in the right place when you yell." I sent him away and never regretted it as my pain was minimal after surgery and I didn't need a prescribed pain pill until day four before starting physical therapy. Bottom line, this time I'm more educated via trial and error and more sure of what I want and don't want. In other words, I feel more confident about taking charge of my own recovery.

That said, don't get me started about the therapy. Yes, I'm willing to give it a try but will not continue if it doesn't meet my needs. And by "my needs," I mean I want to be involved in the development of my treatment plan. As a former counselor I would never have dreamed of writing a plan without the client's input so why does this field tell ME what MY goals are going to be?

I hope everyone is having a good evening. Being in Arizona, we didn't have to mess with our clocks last night, but we do have to remember that we're on "California" time for the next six months rather than with New Mexico.

 

[djklaugh]

@sunnyphoenix Since the hip is a much simpler joint than the knee you may find that you do not need PT following hip replacement. Many folks find that walking is the best exercise for new hips and the muscles around it. But if you do need PT then I applaud your plan! When I had my hips replaced (both at the same time) I went in for PT visits every 2 weeks and did exercises at home between visits. Back then the PT was for strengthening muscles and improving range of motion as I had limped for about 3 years before getting the surgery. And all those muscles were seriously out of shape. Just as an example it took me about 4 months to get left foot onto right knee, and almost 8 months to get right foot onto left knee. But walking and climbing stairs were doable before I left the hospital .... though I was slow and very careful for about a month.

Best of every thing to you!

 

[InkedMarie]

@sunnyphoenix hello! I did no PT with my first THR which is going on nine years, which seems crazy! I had my second hip done four years after that. I had a couple PT sessions but only because I was having my first knee done eight weeks later. I wanted to make sure the physical therapist I chose had the same mindset I did. He does and was with me for both of my knees!

I have no idea if a nerve block was done for my hips. No one said & I didn’t ask. With my first knee, I recall the anesthesiologist coming in, pulling the curtain but I remember nothing after that. My husband said I called the anesthesiologist an person so I guess it hurt lol. Good drugs beforehand and I don’t remember anything. Knee #2….I remember nothing about the nerve block.

Hips are easier than knees….ice packs will be your friend. I used Chattanoga ColPacs that I got on Amazon. They have many sizes.

Marie

 

[benne68]

@sunnyphoenix I also found recovery from the THR easier than recovery from the TKR. My surgeon didn't even order PT. He said that the best was to recover from hip replacement is to walk. So that's exactly what I did and my hip is great!
We're here for you!

 

[sunnyphoenix]

Thanks for your replies and words of encouragement. I would rather not even begin PT but my partner (who wants to be known as my "love god") believes in it and once when I said that if I were ever to have another body part replaced, I would not do PT, he wasn't happy. So, this time around I promised to give it a try but if it becomes repetitive as the tkr PT was, I will stop. The therapists wouldn't let me stop using my walker because my leg wasn't straight enough so after eight weeks I was still on it. However, I took a certain amount of control by leaving it in the car and using it only for PT twice a week while walking around the house unaided or with my cane at times. When I saw my surgeon, I asked him to not snitch on me and he said I was doing fine with the cane. I was also mildly "reminded" several times that if I didn't do the work to make my knee bend enough, I would have to undergo that manipulation surgery. This was said by the therapists while my surgeon was satisfied with my progress and also lack of it. So, all in all, I don't expect a happy PT outcome and probably won't last long but I requested a different site and am trying to be positive.

I've heard (and read) that hips are easier than knees so thank-you to everyone who reminded me of that. At this point I'll do almost anything to lose the pain even though it's been with me for only six-eight months. As my knee got better, my hip started to fall apart.

I hope everyone is having a good day.

 

[Caison113]

@sunnyphoenix - with all due respect to your “love god” (!), PT is not a proven commodity in the hip replacement community. You will rarely hear of a patient expressing how quickly they progressed due to PT, but plenty who felt they regressed through being too aggressive. Honestly, what is there to rehab? The joint is good to go from day 1, but it’s the soft tissue that needs to heal. You can’t really rush that through exercise. Unlike a knee, which has to learn how to bend and be stable, the hip does not.

There are certain small exercises to do that help prevent clotting, and regular short walks are very useful to get the blood flowing. Beyond that however, all you end up doing is aggravating the muscles which are trying to mend. Anyway, just my $0.02 - from someone with two hip replacements and whose surgeon told him that he could recover just as well on a desert island as someone in a room full of gym equipment. Good luck either way!

 

[sunnyphoenix]

Caison, I agree with you totally about the PT. I think it was a waste of time and money after my tkr and am sure this time it will be even more useless. I know for a fact that I will quit after a couple of weeks but my man will be happy that I tried, and I will be happy that I stopped trying. He underwent PT a few years ago after injuring his back and it really did help him, so I see where he's coming from. I'll keep people informed as to how it's going, both surgery-wise and how I deal with it after.

 

[Eman85]

An injury is a lot different than a joint replacement. Might want to find a nice park or coffee shop to spend time at and call it PT and everyone is happy.

 

[sunnyphoenix]

Eman, love your idea. Thanks for the suggestion!!

 

[sunnyphoenix]

Good morning,

I just wanted to let everyone know that I'll be out of touch for the next month. We booked a cruise from L.A. to Hawaii, American Samoa, and Tahiti back in August when I was doing well with knee recovery and before my hip became insistent, so we decided to keep it. The next sailing for this route isn't until November and we were in cruise withdrawal. I'll have very limited Internet service, a package given to us by our travel agent but probably good for only a couple hours. At any rate, I'll check back here whenever possible until our return home on April 14h. After that, things will be popping with pre-op appointments and then surgery on the 27th. (Could have chosen a later date but who wants unnecessary pain?)

I haven't used my cane since summer but brought it along on this trip for added stability. Hopefully I'll leave it in our cabin most of the time simply because I hate it. After wearing a brace on my leg until I was 13 due to polio, I'm not embarrassed or bothered by whatever is needed to be mobile, but it's a pain to take into places because it falls down a lot - better it than me, right? On the other hand, if it alleviates pain, it might become my constant companion. Then hopefully on our next vacation I'll be free of walking aids. Before tkr I cruised with an upright walker and last June had my cane on a quick trip after the surgery.

I want to thank everyone who has offered support and I'll definitely be back on the 14h. I hear my honey's alarm ringing so I have to close now and ask him where he packed my toothbrush. All I have to do when we travel is make a pile of clothes and stuff, and he packs it all. We drove to San Pedro yesterday and I can see the waterway from our hotel window. Getting excited!!!

 

[benne68]

Have a wonderful time, @sunnyphoenix!

 

[sunnyphoenix]

Hello,

I found I can write from this cruise via the Internet package so decided to pose a question. Before my tkr a year ago, my knee hurt when I walked. Now while waiting for a thr my entire leg hurts from hip to ankles. It's kind of interesting because my hip chooses a new target daily. Something hurts when I walk, when I move, when lying down. Is this normal? Once in awhile even my hip hurts. Lol

 

[Hip4life]

@sunnyphoenix Yep! Perfectly normal. Sounds like your scheduled surgery is none too soon. Hips can deteriorate rapidly and painfully. In the six weeks before my surgery, I had gone from limping to a cane and then wanting to use a walker. If it had been much longer, I'm not sure where my mobility would have been. Also, you might be doing things a bit differently while on your cruise which can cause all sorts of nuances in where and how the pain shows up. Most of us don't want to miss too much while on a long anticipated vacation. We tend to push things a bit. Just enjoy the rest of your trip as best you can and be glad that your surgery is not far off. You can apply a few tricks pre-op like taking any NSAIDS, Tylenol, etc. that help and rest when you can. You can ice or use heat (whichever works best for you, you might have to alternate and experiment) to any place that is hurting you. That might help you enjoy more of your cruise and get you to surgery. In the meantime, we'll be here sending you positive vibes.

 

[CricketHip]

I agree with @Hip4life .
I recall some days where I would have sworn that I somehow had fractured my foot! Then it felt like my back was flaring. More signs that you need that THR. I hope your cruise is going well, just baby yourself when you can and ice, ice, ice! That helped me more than anything.

 

[sunnyphoenix]

Thank-you for your replies - they alleviated my concerns. I also have pain all over my new knee but since there was little to no pain following tkr a year ago I'm sure it's being caused by this hip. I laugh now to have written before boarding the ship that I was taking my cane just in case but didn't think I'd have to use it. Lol I look at the passengers who have wheelchairs or scooters and want to hijack one for myself. Even a walker with a seat looks good and I regret having left mine at home. I'm absolutely taking it easy, spending time playing cards or reading without much walking or activity. Had I known this hip would be so uncooperative we would have rescheduled the cruise until November, the next time it takes this route.

Anyway, I hope everyone is having a good day and thank-you for this forum!!!

 

[sunnyphoenix]

Well, I've been home for over a week now and all of the pre-op work has been completed and I've heard from the hospital via email and phone call. It appears that they are expecting me as scheduled on Thursday the 27th. I was informed that I won't be told the time to arrive until the day before, but I expect it will be super early as I should have one of the earliest surgery time slots, having requested "fast track," meaning no overnight stay.

I'm not very apprehensive, maybe because I went through this a year ago, maybe because the pain is so miserable that I'm willing to try almost anything to alleviate it. Perhaps a combination of both. I keep telling myself, "Two weeks from now it will all be over," "One week from now it will be over," and now I'm down to, "In four days it will be over." It's going on 5:00 PM as I write this on Sunday, and there's a good chance I'll be home by this time on Thursday, sitting in my recliner and playing on my laptop. My man is more worried than I am about this whole procedure so I'm glad it's almost over, mainly for HIS sake.

How's everybody doing today?