THR Noxus recovery thread

[Noxus]

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!

Yes... Patience has never been my strong suit, but this could be a growing opportunity for me

 

[Noxus]

doing

Yes, I definitely prefer to lift heavy when I lift but I'll be having a discussion with my surgeon office about maybe starting something up in a few weeks.... They were pretty explicit yesterday about not pushing anything and letting tissue heal so I'm just gonna suck it up and follow instructions. If it means I have more work to do once I'm cleared so be it.

 

[Noxus]

I had posterior approach and it seems if I had anterior I'd be faster along and maybe this wouldn't be so frustrating.

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.

Yeah, rushing cannot be done, sometimes just try to find a reason for something and ways I could be doing better.

 

[Noxus]

Question for everyone. I track my heart rate and right after surgery it was quite high but no symptoms. Since coming home it is consistently 20 bpm higher than normal. Resting is 80-90 and when crutching around it easily hits 120. No real symptoms and they didn't seem to be too concerned at my 2 week Appt, but I'm just curious if this is common or anyone know what's up. Could just be healing and if it's still up at my 6 week I'll bring it to the surgeon.

 

[mendogal]

It's not uncommon.
There's a number of possible factors contributing:
- temporary anemia (due to blood loss and the body not yet catching up)
- ramped up stress hormones and altered metabolism due to the trauma of surgery
- with the body on a cellular level putting most available energy into healing, it has fewer resources to summon up for activity
- this last one also leads to lack of functional capacity, aka stamina, that can slow us down for months.

 

[Noxus]

That all makes perfect sense and more or less what I figured. Just wanted to ask the pros as I've never had any kind of surgery much less the major surgery of a joint replacement!

 

[myglasshalffull]

My BP is usually normal or low, after surgery it was very low which is quite normal. Probably yours is rising when you get up & begin to move about after being in a resting position. Remember it takes a lot of energy for us to even get up after this surgery so it would seem normal for BP to rise somewhat cause we are exerting ourselves more to get moving than prior to surgery.
I have no medical training, it's just a thought.
I donate blood every 8 weeks, sometimes 10 weeks depending on my schedule & after my surgery my iron was very low & I was actually deferred one time when I went.

 

[Noxus]

3 weeks post op and not a lot to say. I feel more or less the same as 2 weeks, maybe moving the leg a bit more freely? Still having swelling around the hip joint and incision that goes down with icing and comes back after. Range of motion is improved since before surgery which is pretty neat. Getting a decent amount of incision site pain at times, usually when walking, probably scar tissue building up maybe. Still using two crutches as instructed, but to be honest I don't think I'd be able to walk with no aids yet anyway. Mood varies, sometimes optimistic, sometimes kind of down. Not much I can do right now anyway, just keep waiting.

 

[raylo]

Interesting to read your progress before my April 10 R THR. Everyone says that hips are easier than knees but I was walking with a cane in my house the day after my TKR, although I used a walker late at night or to refill my ice machine for a couple of weeks. I don't like hearing that hip folks are still using aids several weeks post-op but if that's the way it also is for me, so be it.

I have a 4 wheel rolling walker for my recovery space, a cane, and I have an old pair of wooden crutches that I have had since my original knee injuries back in the 1970s. So, between all those I guess I'll be covered one way or another.

I just pulled out the crutches and did a trial run... after using them many times back in the day after tearing my ACL, a bunch of sprains and 2 knee surgeries back then my muscle memory is solidly locked in to protecting the left leg not the right. So I probably need to practice a bit more with them. LOL.

Still using two crutches as instructed, but to be honest I don't think I'd be able to walk with no aids yet anyway. Mood varies, sometimes optimistic, sometimes kind of down. Not much I can do right now anyway, just keep waiting.

 

[Noxus]

I don't like hearing that hip folks are still using aids several weeks post-op but if that's the way it also is for me, so be it.

Well to be honest I also thought I'd be walking free within a week or two after what I had read about other recoveries. Truthfully I could use a cane after about a week but didn't try any further as I was instructed they wanted me on TWO crutches fulltime for the full 6 weeks. So I'll wait until 6 weeks and hopefully get off walking aids as quick as is possible for me anyway without risking anything. The recovery physically has been pretty easy, the cumbersome nature of using crutches to do anything in the house has truthfully be the hardest part

 

[Noxus]

Oh and best of luck @raylo with the upcoming surgery. Hopefully yours goes well and you have a quick recovery

 

[raylo]

Yeah, with crutches you don't have even one free hand to carry stuff. I find even using a cane is a pain in that regard when you have only one free hand. I am seeing nothing in my instructions requiring crutches, but I have them handy nevertheless.

The recovery physically has been pretty easy, the cumbersome nature of using crutches to do anything in the house has truthfully be the hardest part

 

[benne68]

Still using two crutches as instructed, but to be honest I don't think I'd be able to walk with no aids yet anyway.

I used a walker for a month post-op -- except in my kitchen where I could hold on to the countertops as I move around. It is wise to use walking aids for as long as you need them. Better to have the support than to risk a fall!

 

[Noxus]

I know I did my 3 week update yesterday, but I just feel I have to post as I think I've had my "turning the corner moment".

So first off, I I think I determined the flexeril 10mg was causing some of my unwell feeling during the day, I stopped taking it two nights ago and I feel significantly better. Last night I got 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep for the first time since surgery, and get this! I literally took nothing before bed. I'm completely off my pain meds at this point and feeling good. I woke up this morning with the first noticeable reduction in swelling around the hip and its hard to describe but the hip feels 'looser' in a sense. The pelvis and hip joint internally feel free and no longer 'thick' with swelling. Might not make much sense but that's the best way I can describe it.

My front leg bend is almost at 90 degrees which is absolutely incredible as pre surgery I only had 40 degrees of bend before it binded up and caused pain. Weight bearing feels easier (still with my crutches) but I'm feeling the urge to walk small distances without them, though I'm going to stick to the program and fight it. I think the natural urge is a way of my body feeling more confident in the hip.

Overall today is my best day since surgery and I feel very optimistic about where this hip will take me, barring any unforeseen complications that I know are still a possibility.

Thoughts to anyone struggling as I know reading this might feel like a kick in the pants but you may just turn a corner unexpectedly too.

 

[raylo]

Sounds like progress. Remind my why they are asking you to use 2 crutches? Do they not want you bearing full weight?

 

[Noxus]

Sounds like progress. Remind my why they are asking you to use 2 crutches? Do they not want you bearing full weight?

My surgeon just wants 6 weeks of tissue healing before walking unaided or breaking restrictions/increasing workload. Seems like overkill to me, but he does work on a lot of athletes and younger patients and has a great track record so as much as I'd like to say I know better, I'm just going to do what I'm told.

 

[myglasshalffull]

Sounds like all is coming along & keep using those crutches, seems like overkill but in the end you will benefit from it. Happy to hear you are feeling better overall.
I was on a walker for 6-8 weeks, I cannot use crutches, I'm just too clumsy with them. When I fractured my ankle & was in cast for 8 weeks after surgery I used my rolling office chair to get around my house. I could stand on my right leg at kitchen counters, bathroom sink, even make my bed. Necessity is the mother of invention.
Of course if I had to go out I needed the crutches.
And for the record I'd rather have my hip replaced again than ankle surgery. Not being able to walk for close to 3 months was very depressing. At least with hip you are up & walking.

 

[ajhines19]

@Noxus we’re about the same date of surgery I get the pain in the incision site to no more swelling tho and I’m walking without the cane I think if I got the anterior approach I might be running all ready lol but I’m having a hard time with my other health issues

 

[Nini]

@Noxus what a positive post! Glad you are doing so well!!

 

[Shea]

@Noxus if you’re still in need of a walker, I found that buying a tray to fit between the walker handles allowed me to put all kinds of stuff on it and wheel around easily. It’s also a good way to avoid carry anything heavy.