THR Now POST-op

[cannygirl]

Oh it is such a relief to hear that someone else has a similar experience

My husband was not helpful, either, not because he didn't want to-- he tried really hard-- but he just couldn't anticipate my needs and was quite clueless I had to tell him exactly what I needed.

My husband goes from doing everything - to suddenly not noticing what is obvious and I find it difficult to point out the obvious without exasperation!

thank you so much for your reassurance and all the best with your next surgery

 

[cannygirl]

I am a bit demoralised today. It is still taking so long (nearly 2 hours today) to get showered and dressed, a cup of tea and a couple of domestic chores that my husband doesn’t ‘see’. Then I feel dizzy and exhausted, with no energy to do proper exercise.
I am still on 2 sticks, feeling confident with them but concerned that I should be cutting down on the use of sticks. I can’t see any advice on how to know when to reduce dependence on sticks. I was walking so lopsided before my surgery, protecting my damaged hip and I really want to relearn walking straight.
In Scotland we do not routinely have outpatient physiotherapy and certainly no contact with the surgeon until the 6-8 week review. Is there guidance out there?

 

[Jaycey]

I can’t see any advice on how to know when to reduce dependence on sticks.

No formal guidance as this is different for everyone. When you start leaving your sticks (or a stick) behind it's a sign you are weaning off them. Until then, just keep using them. You don't want to develop a limp again. Keep working on building your confidence and stamina. It can take awhile!

 

[Layla]

Hello and Happy Monday @cannygirl
You’re only 13 days post op. Doing chores, depending upon what they are, may be too much for you in these early days. Fatigue is common as your body is using all of its energy to heal the “controlled” trauma you recently experienced, not leaving much energy for anything else. If you’re not sleeping well overnight, or you’re tired during the day, consider napping. Our body does its best healing while we’re sleeping. So indulge if you’re able.

If you’ve read through the Recovery Guidelines left in your thread earlier, reflect on THE BIG TIP a once again -

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.

Also, read The Activity Progression for THR. I found it very helpful as a guide to stay active without overdoing it. Tap on the article title below and the link will unfurl.

Activity progression for THRs

For THRs. Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) are assessed in hospital as a means of assessing your fitness to be discharged home. Your domestic circumstances will be taken into account as in if you are living alone, etc. ADLs include: ~ Personal hygiene and grooming ~ Dressing and undressing ~...

bonesmart.org

I hope you have a good day and great week!

 

[cannygirl]

Snap @cannygirl! My appointment is also on 27th at a private hospital in Scotland. I'll look out for you!

Hello and Happy Monday @cannygirl
You’re only 13 days post op. Doing chores, depending upon what they are, may be too much for you in these early days. Fatigue is common as your body is using all of its energy to heal the “controlled” trauma you recently experienced, not leaving much energy for anything else. If you’re not sleeping well overnight, or you’re tired during the day, consider napping. Our body does its best healing while we’re sleeping. So indulge if you’re able.

If you’ve read through the Recovery Guidelines left in your thread earlier, reflect on THE BIG TIP a once again -

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.

Also, read The Activity Progression for THR. I found it very helpful as a guide to stay active without overdoing it. Tap on the article title below and the link will unfurl.

Activity progression for THRs

For THRs. Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) are assessed in hospital as a means of assessing your fitness to be discharged home. Your domestic circumstances will be taken into account as in if you are living alone, etc. ADLs include: ~ Personal hygiene and grooming ~ Dressing and undressing ~...

bonesmart.org

I hope you have a good day and great week!

 

[cannygirl]

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.

Also, read The Activity Progression for THR. I found it very helpful as a guide to stay active without overdoing it. Tap on the article title below and the link will unfurl.

I read the BIG TIP and other information. It is a relief BUT I find it difficult to gauge what is too much walking ** and when is pain too much
**I did very little walking in the months before surgery but found I could tolerate cycling on my electric bicycle so walking as an exercise is quite strange for me.

‘Walking round the house for 10-20 minutes is so boring so I’ve just been outside and walked up the road 20 minutes or so. It makes me sorer but is that bad for me. Fresh air and no walls makes a difference to my sense of well-being. I also find that my energy comes in waves so I don’t want to move for a few hours and then I find I can get the motivation but don’t want to do just 10 minutes!
I suppose I’m asking
1) is walking outside more problematic?
2) is it important to make a regular schedule for my exercise?

thank you
Elizabeth

 

[Layla]

I don’t see walking outdoors as more problematic if you’re walking on flat terrain for now.
Start out slow while walking outdoors and let your body be your guide as to what is too much, causing you pain or fatigue. At this point, if comfortable for you, you can walk for about 15-20 minutes once a day, maybe twice a day if it doesn't cause your hip to be painful. Walk for 7-10 minutes one way, if you fell you can handle it, then turn around and walk back. If that’s too much, try less and slowly build.

As far as a regular schedule, if you mean at the same time each day, I don’t think it matters. Do it when you’re feeling most energized. As far as pain goes, don’t walk to the point of feeling pain. Pain is too much when it’s constant and interfering with your ability to function normally in daily life. With that said, you’re recovering from major surgery so you’re not able to do the things you could do before your hip deteriorated. If you feel the pain you’re experiencing isn’t well managed, I’d advise you have a conversation with your surgeon or a member of his care team.

 

[Pumpkin]

@cannygirl

It makes me sorer but is that bad for me.

Anything beyond discomfort is a signal you did too much, just cut your walking distance or time in half next time you walk outside.

1) is walking outside more problematic?

Depends on the surface you are walking on, a nice smooth surface vs a potholed walkway.
If you feel safe walking outside, is the important question.

Fresh air and no walls makes a difference to my sense of well-being.

This is an important component of your recovery, as long as you feel safe go for it.

2) is it important to make a regular schedule for my exercise?

Yes and No, walking is usually enough, if you want to schedule regular exercise that is OK too. Just keep in mind you do not want to cause anything more than discomfort.

 

[Pumpkin]

You'll notice that I have merged your newest posts from your pre op thread with your original recovery thread. For several reasons, we prefer that you only have one recovery thread:

• That way, we have all your information in one place. This makes it easier to go back and review your history before providing advice.
• If you keep posting in pre op when you are post op, you may miss the posts and advice others have left for you in the old threads, and some information may be unnecessarily repeated
• Having only one thread will act as a diary of your progress that you can look back on.

So please post any updates, questions or concerns about your recovery here. If you prefer a different thread title, just post what you want and we'll get it changed for you.
If you need an urgent response to a question, just tag a member of staff.

Many members bookmark their thread in their computer browser, so they can find it when they log on.
How can I find my threads and posts?

 

[cannygirl]

I’d advise you have a conversation with your surgeon or a member of his care team.

unfortunately here in the UK, we can’t just go back to the surgeon and do not have a care team. I would have to see what the GP might say and he might have little expertise in joints!
Thank you for your advice about walking. I’ll use your guidelines about how long to go on and balance the pain levels

 

[Celle]

I would have to see what the GP might say and he might have little expertise in joints!

He might know more than you think, if the system works the way you describe.
You probably won't be the first person he's seen with a brand new hip.

 

[FCBayern]

When I first started walking outside @cannygirl I would walk up the street and go one house further everyday before turning back. When that distance became halfway around the block, I knew I could go all the way around without causing pain. A slow steady recovery (although it's never a straight line!) is your best way to a complete recovery, with as little pain as possible

 

[Spex10]

The weather we're having isn't exactly conducive to walking outside for long! Don't overdo things @cannygirl. How are you sleeping?

 

[Schaargi]

Hi @cannygirl !

Just to pipe in...

• Dressing in the morning is exhausting at that point. Schedule in some time to collapse and rest.
• It won't hurt anything if you back off of your exercise some days. Concentrate on walking correctly with your stick and don't be mad at yourself if you can't manage it.
• It WILL set you back if you do too much and injure yourself. Be kind to yourself! If it hurts while walking or hurts the next day, you did too much.

 

[Celle]

I'm going to go back to a few things you said on Monday, @cannygirl .

It is still taking so long (nearly 2 hours today) to get showered and dressed, a cup of tea and a couple of domestic chores that my husband doesn’t ‘see’. Then I feel dizzy and exhausted, with no energy to do proper exercise.

All those things are exercise for your new hip. Your Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) count as exercise just as much as the "proper" exercises you feel you should be doing.
And they take a lot of your energy in the early days of recovery. Of course you're tired after doing them, so take a rest. Now's your chance to elevate and ice, while you recover from what you've just done.


Try to ignore the domestic chores that your husband missed - it's too soon to be doing them and they're less important than your safe recovery. Also, if your husband sees you doing them, he could feel demotivated and less inclined to help another time.

Dust bunnies are your friend - they show that you're resting properly.

I am still on 2 sticks, feeling confident with them but concerned that I should be cutting down on the use of sticks.

I can’t see any advice on how to know when to reduce dependence on sticks. I was walking so lopsided before my surgery, protecting my damaged hip and I really want to relearn walking straight.

It's still very early days in this year-long recovery. There's no need to rush. Full recovery is going to take a long time and you can't speed that up, but you might slow it down if you do too much, too soon.

Sticks are just a tool, so use them while you need them, especially if you limp without them. Some people use them as long as 4 months.
It's much better to use sticks than it is to have a fall, and they are also useful for warding off rushing people and dogs.

When you feel ready, try cutting down from two sticks to just one. The time to cut out the last stick is when you find you're getting up and walking and leaving the stick behind. That's when you walk around the house without a stick, but still use it when you go outside.

Even when I felt confident walking outside without a stick, I still kept it in my car, for use on rainy days, in crowds, and when the ground might be slippery underfoot.

 

[Spex10]

After my TKR I found that using my stick was a powerful non verbal message to others to give me a bit of leeway and generally be careful especially in more crowded places. I loved my sticks long after I gave up using them or even just one.
Don't overdo it @cannygirl. It's very early days yet.
Who was your surgeon btw? If you can answer that. Just wondering if it was the same as the one who's doing my hip replacement.

 

[Kiwihipster]

@cannygirl I can see that you’re struggling with the recovery process following this major surgery. It is slower than you want it to be and you are feeling frustrated. Perhaps, like me, you are the kind of person that places high demands and expectations on yourself. I just had to learn to let my expectations go. Whether they be that I should be doing more exercise, or that I should be doing more around the house, or that other people will keep the house looking the way you like it.

I just had to let it all go and, for the first time in my life, let my body be the boss, not my mind. You have had MAJOR surgery, you need to be kind to your body. And that means doing less than you would like, and also lowering your standards (in pretty much every aspect of your life). Don’t worry, it’s not forever and once you are fully recovered you will easily manage to accomplish everything you plan or want to do.

Obviously we need to keep moving each day to get our hip strength back but only do what your body (not your mind) is telling you it can handle.

Like you, being outdoors is important for my mental health but remember that you don’t have to restrict yourself to only being outside for walking - after a short walk you can always find a wall or fence to lean against (park benches are probably too low at the moment) and just enjoy the fresh air and maybe even some sunshine. Wishing you all the best as you continue to heal and get stronger.

 

[cannygirl]

I am improving, walking a little longer everyday: up the road on the paved areas but I tried a few steps on the path to the woods. The ground was uneven and I needed to revert to using my sticks like a zimmer. I guess I’ll need to leave this for longer...but I would love to get in to see the bluebells! I am still finding sleeping a problem. I have managed quite well in a recliner for the last couple of weeks but last night was bad. I’m thinking of trying to go back to bed but I am anxious that this might mean that not only I am disturbed but so will my husband be. I have been trying to cut out most pain relief except paracetamol, using cold packs whenever possible, but at night it is more difficult. I know that nights are difficult at this stage of recovery but I feel that I need to try another option than the chair.

 

[cannygirl]

@cannygirl I can see that you’re struggling with the recovery process following this major surgery. It is slower than you want it to be and you are feeling frustrated. Perhaps, like me, you are the kind of person that places high demands and expectations on yourself. I just had to learn to let my expectations go. Whether they be that I should be doing more exercise, or that I should be doing more around the house, or that other people will keep the house looking the way you like it.....

Like you, being outdoors is important for my mental health but remember that you don’t have to restrict yourself to only being outside for walking - after a short walk you can always find a wall or fence to lean against (park benches are probably too low at the moment) and just enjoy the fresh air and maybe even some sunshine. Wishing you all the best as you continue to heal and get stronger.

thank you for this encouragement.
I has an unexpected visit from my younger sister who is a bundle of energy and had a THR 10 years ago. Her visit was well meaning (but given that no one has been able to come into the house for more than a year, and that she lives 100 Mike’s away, it was a shock). she brought some meals, whisked in to check my aids (she is a former OT), pronounced that she was sorry that I wasn’t doing so well ... and left!
I don’t want to be told I’m looking really well, I don’t want to be told that I’m not doing well....I just want to be allowed to be as I am moment to moment, day by day... I am probably being unreasonable here but I need to be just me.

 

[cannygirl]

The weather we're having isn't exactly conducive to walking outside for long! Don't overdo things @cannygirl. How are you sleeping?

Not well just now.