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THR Noxus recovery thread

Not that this helps, but it's totally normal. I felt the same way for a week or two after mine. I think the relief for having gotten through the surgery alive lol was enough to keep me feeling pretty great. Then that wore off and it was all about the log leg which was such a drag. And yes, all the medication was not a lot of fun either. But like everyone on here has said even though to the surgeons they can do this in their sleep, to us this is huge major surgery and a lot of trauma. No matter how innocuous the scar may appear.
so it's gonna take time and some days you're gonna feel great and some great days you're going to feel like **** and then you'll start to realize there's more better days and less bad days.
and don't be bothered by everyone's different stories of progress and success. We all do everything at our own rates. I stayed on walker till after I saw PA at 3 weeks and then switched to cane. Besides when you have a cane everybody is nicer to you lol.
 
We can all relate to those awful feelings of depression and despair that flood over us in the early days of recovery. I thought they would never end too and that I would be using walking aids for the rest of my life because everything hurt so much. I needed a walker for the first two months and came down with pneumonia within a week of being home. Prior to surgery I was very healthy, working out at the gym and running 3-4 miles almost daily. After surgery I felt like and invalid and could not believe what had just happened to my body.

Now, here I am 8 months later mostly pain free and able to do almost everything I did before. My running and skiing days are over but that is a price worth paying to have that horrible bone on bone hip pain gone. Recovery is a very slow process that just can't be rushed. One thing that kept my mind distracted from the pain as I was laid up in bed was to go back into the Hip Surgery Recovery Area, Forums/Hip Area on the bonesmart.org site. There are 359 pages going all the way back to 2006 of postings by others who had their hips replaced and their stories of recovery. One of main lessons I learned was that "If it hurts, don't do it". I skipped the PT the doctor recommended slowly graduated from a walker to 2 walking sticks, then 1 walking stick and now none. I also got up the nerve to watch at 50 minute you tube video of an actual hip replacement surgery. My doctor said the surgery was "barbaric" and he was right. The sawing off of the top of the femur and the hammering in of the prosthetic is pretty unbelievable.
 
@Roseanne thanks for these encouraging words! This is not my thread but you said what I needed to hear and I’m hoping it’s ok I jump on here. I’m at nearly 10 weeks and am still limited due to pain. 69 years old. So thank you for your words I needed them today! And I do just what you suggested to @Noxus, go back and read past posts.
 
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Those are nice words of encouragement. I think as the day has gone on I've discovered there are actually some improvements in the way I can move that I couldn't earlier in the week. Things are just subtle and maybe I need to just appreciate the process a bit more.

One thing that has me kind of stressed that maybe you all can help with. I was chatting with a former colleague of mine who had his done last year, ended up with a revision at 7 weeks due to infection and he told me his was due to a hematoma causing wound draining on his leg. So I guess I'm a bit worried as of now about what is "normal" swelling vs a hematoma. I have some swelling still near my hip, slightly anterior, its almost like a pitting edema, I can push into it but it doesn't hurt. Not sure if this is good or bad or normal. Also, if my wound was draining due to an incision that wouldn't close, would the waterproof bandage they put on be getting soaked through? It still looks brand new. Thanks, not normally an anxious guy but the thought of restarting this process has me a bit more on edge
 
@Noxus It is normal for your leg to feel swollen for a week or more after hip replacement - aka having a "log leg". Around the incision some swelling is also normal - there is usually swelling around any injury or trauma as the body's "fight the problem" resources rush to the site to bring healing. Since your bandage is "still looks brand new" there doesn't appear to be any drainage and that is as it should be. Signs of an infection would be quite obvious - redness around the incision, area feels warm to the touch, yourself being feverish, drainage from the incision, etc. Anything like that you should call your surgeon ASAP. For now, from what you have written here, it seems to me that you are healing well. Hematomas can be either very obvious if they are close to the skin surface or hard to detect if they are further under the skin.
 
There are a lot of medical professionals on this forum who can answer some of those questions regarding swelling and wound healing. I had pain for 6 months after surgery and thought for sure something had gone wrong. Doc said nope, everything looks good at my follow up appointments and that I just needed more time to heal. He was right. It was just all the soft tissues and nerves regenerating after all the trauma of the surgery. Best wishes to @Noxus and @Nini for full recovery and a new lease on life down the road.
 
It’s only been about a week, it’s early times still! Hopefully the slow and steady gains start piling up.
In another couple weeks you’ll look back and wonder how you got through the first week at all (but there will still be a long road ahead too!)
 
The first few weeks are definitely the worst but it does all get better. Use the crutches abd concentrate on heel to toe walking and keeping the back straight. Your body will tell you quickly if you are doing too much. Icing and common sense are your best friends atm..

Did I mention icing?!!
 
Had an interesting sensation this morning when waking up. My memory is hazy as I was JUST waking up, but I felt a clunk in my new hip and a zap of pain down my quad. By the time I reacted to it the pain was gone, completely gone. I was on my back as usual, not in a weird position. I've gone about my day as per usual and no lingering effects, or has it happened again. Just wondering if anyone has any experience with this... If it even happened haha, my brain is questioning the whole experience.
 
How are you doing? I hope you are out of the dumps and going easy on yourself. I’m not a fan of those stories of folks dancing after one month, either. I’m at 3 months and still need a cane outside of the house but my story is complicated. You are young and fit and when you are done healing you will bounce back! Speaking from experience here.
 
Definitely out of the dumps. A guy can only feel sorry for himself for a few days before it turns into determination haha. A little perspective is always needed too, I'm more or less pain free, making progress so it can't be that bad. Might not be one of the super healers out there but overall I'm coming along I'd say.
 
Noxus said:
Had an interesting sensation this morning when waking up. My memory is hazy as I was JUST waking up, but I felt a clunk in my new hip and a zap of pain down my quad. By the time I reacted to it the pain was gone, completely gone. I was on my back as usual, not in a weird position. I've gone about my day as per usual and no lingering effects, or has it happened again. Just wondering if anyone has any experience with this... If it even happened haha, my brain is questioning the whole experience.
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Hey Noxus,
Just saw your thread for the first time this morning and we share a kinship in the fact that I was a shipboard firefighter on an aircraft carrier both at sea and during a two year drydock overhaul .
We ran a fire drill every duty day , running on steel decks, up and down steep ladders wearing heavy equipment and carrying just as much.
I have no doubt all of that activity in my twenties caught up to me in my 50's with a R knee replacement in 2019 & a LTH last Friday.
I'm 62.
Doing good with hip right now on day 6 having some pain & some swelling, just walking short distances around the house , resting , icing , elevating , very mild sit down exercises , foot pumps. glute squeezes, etc,etc.
One thing I learned with the knee replacement that is taking some stress out of it for me now is that any replacement you get is going to be larger than the original equipment,& all of your natural components tendons, ligaments. muscles, are going to have to adjust themselves to the new larger equipment confined to the same space that was there before.
You are going to hear, feel, clunks. creaks, pops, "ZIps" many times while making new movements as you heal and your other body parts adjust.
Happened several times with me with some sensation of momentary pain but no lasting effect at all.
Most times it happened with no sensation of pain at all, just stressing me out .
Any sound or sensation that does cause any kind of pain lasting more than a few seconds, or is something that is repeating itself I would definitely let my Dr. know about right away, otherwise I would not stress about it.
One thing that made this effect of things adjusting to me very real was the first time I experienced weightlessness by getting in a swimming pool after the first 4 months of bearing weight on my knee replacement .
Once I started moving my leg in the water it was like every snap , crackle, & pop, "ZIp" I had felt over the last 4 months were all happing at once in a minutes time.
I panicked more than just a little at first, but then just decided whatever was happening was going to happen & went with it, swimming very gently and slowly taking a couple of laps .
Every sound and sensation disappeared one by one as I swam , got out of the pool almost afraid to put my leg down & to my amazement when I did my replacement felt better than I could remember it feeling so far in the last 4 months.
We were on vacation and the next day I could not wait to get into the hotel pool again to see what surprise was waiting for me the next day.
Would I hear the same chorus of snap. crackle & pop again after I got in the pool ?
Got in the pool and my knee never made a sound or a sensation the second day or for the rest of our vacation. and I swam everyday.
And the knee felt great.
Felt great despite the panic I felt the moment it started making all the noise and sensations when I first got in the pool.
All my fears were for nothing.
The weightlessness of the pool was a brand new experience for my brand new knee and it was just talking to me about it was the lesson I took away from it and I later confirmed my deduction with my orthopedic.
Take it slow and easy, don't get discouraged , I wish you well in your recovery.

Kind Regards, Dorsey
 
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Noxus said:
I was JUST waking up, but I felt a clunk in my new hip and a zap of pain down my quad. By the time I reacted to it the pain was gone, completely gone.
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This is common. Clicking, clunking, popping sounds can happen early on until the soft tissues and muscles firm up around the joint. With time it should ease. Glad you're out of the dumps!
Happy Thursday!
 
Dorsey said:
Noxus said:
Had an interesting sensation this morning when waking up. My memory is hazy as I was JUST waking up, but I felt a clunk in my new hip and a zap of pain down my quad. By the time I reacted to it the pain was gone, completely gone. I was on my back as usual, not in a weird position. I've gone about my day as per usual and no lingering effects, or has it happened again. Just wondering if anyone has any experience with this... If it even happened haha, my brain is questioning the whole experience.
Click to expand...
Hey Noxus,
Just saw your thread for the first time this morning and we share a kinship in the fact that I was a shipboard firefighter on an aircraft carrier both at sea and during a two year drydock overhaul .
We ran a fire drill every duty day , running on steel decks, up and down steep ladders wearing heavy equipment and carrying just as much.
I have no doubt all of that activity in my twenties caught up to me in my 50's with a R knee replacement in 2019 & a LTH last Friday.
I'm 62.
Doing good with hip right now on day 6 having some pain & some swelling, just walking short distances around the house , resting , icing , elevating , very mild sit down exercises , foot pumps. glute squeezes, etc,etc.
One thing I learned with the knee replacement that is taking some stress out of it for me now is that any replacement you get is going to be larger than the original equipment,& all of your natural components tendons, ligaments. muscles, are going to have to adjust themselves to the new larger equipment confined to the same space that was there before.
You are going to hear, feel, clunks. creaks, pops, "ZIps" many times while making new movements as you heal and your other body parts adjust.
Happened several times with me with some sensation of momentary pain but no lasting effect at all.
Most times it happened with no sensation of pain at all, just stressing me out .
Any sound or sensation that does cause any kind of pain lasting more than a few seconds, or is something that is repeating itself I would definitely let my Dr. know about right away, otherwise I would not stress about it.
One thing that made this effect of things adjusting to me very real was the first time I experienced weightlessness by getting in a swimming pool after the first 4 months of bearing weight on my knee replacement .
Once I started moving my leg in the water it was like every snap , crackle, & pop, "ZIp" I had felt over the last 4 months were all happing at once in a minutes time.
I panicked more than just a little at first, but then just decided whatever was happening was going to happen & went with it, swimming very gently and slowly taking a couple of laps .
Every sound and sensation disappeared one by one as I swam , got out of the pool almost afraid to put my leg down & to my amazement when I did my replacement felt better than I could remember it feeling so far in the last 4 months.
We were on vacation and the next day I could not wait to get into the hotel pool again to see what surprise was waiting for me the next day.
Would I hear the same chorus of snap. crackle & pop again after I got in the pool ?
Got in the pool and my knee never made a sound or a sensation the second day or for the rest of our vacation. and I swam everyday.
And the knee felt great.
Felt great despite the panic I felt the moment it started making all the noise and sensations when I first got in the pool.
All my fears were for nothing.
The weightlessness of the pool was a brand new experience for my brand new knee and it was just talking to me about it was the lesson I took away from it and I later confirmed my deduction with my orthopedic.
Take it slow and easy, don't get discouraged , I wish you well in your recovery.

Kind Regards, Dorsey
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It's definitely work that's hard on the body. Grueling work wearing 60lbs of equipment that doesn't breathe is pretty tiring! I was a garbage man for 3-4 years in my early 20s as well which was the hardest manual labor I've ever done in my life which I'm sure helped the hip deterioration along before I even knew it was happening.

Thats really good to hear, must be nice to have previous experience with joint replacement to rely on, for us newbies it can be a bit scary. Water exercise is definitely on my radar once my incision is fully healed and I get the ok for water.

May your recovery be smooth as well
 
I second the enthusiasm for getting back in the pool. I am 9 weeks out from LTHR, and having had four weeks of no fun at all sciatica was wary about going back in the water. Now I have been four times and am swimming almost as many laps as I was every other day right up to the operation. It feels SO GOOD! It’s like my whole body is coming alive again.
 
2 week update

Day to day it seems like nothing is happening, mood has definitely fluctuated a few times, currently feeling optimistic. The pros are that I'm more or less pain free all the time, I don't take any painkillers during the day anymore because I simply don't need them. I still take a muscle relaxant at bedtime but even that I bet I could stop soon too. When I look back to last week I definitely have more muscular control of the leg, getting around is easier too. I'm still using two crutches a majority of time, but definitely capable of using one, and only use a cane when navigating the bedroom. No pain when weight bearing but that hip swelling area still feels 'tight' when I'm walking around, some pulling sensation at times from the incision area.

I'm still having that persistent swelling directly around the hip joint that almost makes the hip bulge out to the side when looking at it straight on, it's not obscene or anything but the worry about a hematoma causing infection is still in my mind if I'm being honest. I go for my 2 week follow up on Monday where I assume I'll be having my sutures/staples removed and I think once that happens and I get word from the surgeon that everything looks good my mind will be at ease.

Overall I think I'm healing well, getting tired of using walking aids and dreaming of the day I can finally get around normally again. The weather is finally getting nice today and over the next few so I can start walking outside as doing laps in my house is getting very very old. See how that goes, but I've been very careful to try and do some movement and such without overdoing it, and I think I've succeeded on that goal.
 
Had my two week follow up today, bandage removed and incision looks good. Had my mind set at ease about the swelling. Got told to not do much more than I'm currently doing, which isn't a lot, till my 6 weeks of healing is up and I have my follow up with the surgeon. I had posterior approach and it seems if I had anterior I'd be faster along and maybe this wouldn't be so frustrating.

I think the hardest part is the patience, and I'm going to follow orders. But watching my upper body muscle shrivel away because I can't work out and my operated leg is about 60% of the size of my non op leg..... It's a struggle mentally each day to get through the waiting and healing.
 
Noxus said:
told to not do much more than I'm currently doing, which isn't a lot, till my 6 weeks of healing is up and I have my follow up with the surgeon.
...and I'm going to follow orders.
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Good! You will be better off in the long run if you follow the surgeon's instructions.

My surgeon told me that the vast majority of people who are unhappy with their THR outcomes pushed themselves hard during those first six weeks of recovery. On the other hand, patients who take things slowly and give themselves time to heal, are generally the most satisfied with their outcomes.

He also told me that the most important muscle to exercise in this recovery is the Patience Muscle! Like you, I found that one hard! :wink:
 
I’d think you could resume doing at least a little upper body strength work pretty soon? Ask your Dr and/or PT…
 
Noxus said:
I had posterior approach and it seems if I had anterior I'd be faster along and maybe this wouldn't be so frustrating.
Click to expand...
Popular myth, if you read posts on here no real difference in recovery, both are frustrating if you're in a rush. 2 weeks in you've only just begun the recovery journey.
 
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