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THR Opposite side!

The BoneSmart guide is very useful- it is realistic in expectations. I also love the daily tasks part. Hope everyone enjoys their walks this weekend!
 
Tomorrow will be 4 weeks since my surgery, and things feel very up and down. I know it's early days, and this is to be expected. I'm still impatient with myself, though, and easily frustrated.
I'm finding it difficult to pace myself, and to manage expectations - my own and others' - of what I can and can't do.
A lot of my activities involve sitting at a computer - eg: I volunteer for a local community organisation and edit their weekly newsletter. I'm part of a Comms team, so it's not all down to me, but I do a big part of the work every week. This time of year is exceptionally busy for us, and though I took the first 2 weeks off post-op, I waded back in last week. "It's just sitting at my desk," I thought. "I'll be fine."
I wasn't fine. After wading through a sea of articles and notices that needed lots of work last week, I was shattered, and had to tell my colleagues I was done for the week and the rest was up to them. They were very understanding, but I felt like a wimp - "it's just sitting at the computer!!" the voice in my head was shouting.
I'm also a member of two other online groups - a weekly watercolour painting session, and a poetry writing group/class that meets fortnightly for 2+ hours. Both of these are important sources of creative inspiration and connection for me, and also require attention and concentration. I was really looking forward to rejoining both this week, and enjoyed them hugely - but also felt pretty wrung out afterwards.
How to get the balance right?! How to tread the fine line between moving forward and doing too much?!
And then there are the fluctuating pain levels - but I'll leave that for another post! :loll:
 
I am a week ahead of you and couldn’t contemplate any online work - remember the energy drain is not just physically what you do, mentally you will be drained much quicker than usual. And if you are like me there is still an element of brain fog from the drugs.

I posted yesterday about feeling frustrated and not any further on - appears to be commonly known as the ‘one month slump’ which sounds just like what you are entering!

Fluctuating pain levels - I hear you. I am still taking 15 mg codeine alongside paracetamol 3 times a day. Yesterday I pottered a bit too much on top of a walk and trip to return a parcel and woke in the night pretty uncomfortable and had to take more codeine and paracetamol. Plus Thai am it’s not quite resolved so I know yesterday was too much. Today I scale back- then start again tomorrow!

Give it another 2 weeks and you may find the online classes feel more manageable.
 
Clairebella, thank you for that! If it has a name (the one-month slump) it must be a thing - and that alone is reassuring. I remember when I had my first knee replacement, 14 years ago, and hit a downturn at around the same point. As if she knew (I'm sure she did, because it must happen to so many of us - and back then she would have been less overworked than NHS staff are now), my surgeon's secretary rang out of the blue, "just to see how you're doing." When I told her, she said everything I was experiencing - the pain, the low mood, etc., was normal for where I was in recovery. When I told her I wanted to get off the painkillers, she said, "Don't even think about it for the first three months!" I guess the same is true now - though this time around I haven't had any opioids apart from co-codamol for the first couple of weeks. I have diverticular disease, and the opioids have side effects that can lead to a flare-up, which could be dangerous - especially while I'm still on those blood-thinning injections. (Thankfully only two more to go! Yay!) Some days I'm fine; others less so - but icing helps, so I will keep doing that.
I'm so grateful for this forum - you all are so understanding and supportive. Thank you for being here! :loveshwr:
 
All you are experiencing is quite normal and right now think about yourself and don't try to make others happy. Sitting for long periods of time one month after surgery is not comfortable. I always said my favorite position was standing or laying down, sitting was very uncomfortable for awhile.
And the mental part of this journey is as important as the physical part.
So take it easy on yourself, all the activities you enjoy will once again return, give it some time.
I wish you the best.
 
I am a week ahead I think, but can relate so well. Just because it is volunteer work does not cancel the fact that it is still indeed work. I have just progressed from magazines to beach reads for a chapter. I know that this period of time of quality rest and healing won’t last forever.
 
I know there's probably no definitive answer to this - but is it normal to still have considerable pain 4 weeks post surgery? I'm worried I could have done something in my sleep, or breaking the 90-degree rule (which I have done a few times). I feel as if I should be further along, or even as if I might be going backwards.
 
Hello CherryRed,
This is not a test, but only a rough gauge. How do you feel you're measuring up when referencing weekly progress highlighted here?
Activity progression for THRs

It is very early days for you at not quite once month post op, but if the meds prescribed aren't keeping you comfortably mobile, or you have increased pain, you may want to touch base with your surgeons office for reassurance. After all, there is nothing like peace of mind.
Bets wishes. Please stay in touch.
@CherryRed
 
Thanks so much. I'm pretty much on track with the activity, though the walking has mostly been around the house - so, pretty short walks. At my request, I wasn't prescribed any strong painkillers (I can't risk the constipation they cause, especially while I'm on blood thinners), so Ive been relying mainly on paracetamol. I had been taking the occasional co-codamol, which i recently stopped - I've gone back on them now, alternating with the paracetamol, and it's helping.
 
Sorry to hear you're struggling with the pain, it must be especially difficult as you're trying to avoid strong painkillers. I so understand your worry about inadvertently causing yourself an injury, I was asking myself (again!) the same question Thursday morning, I always seem to think it must be my fault if I'm hurting, but after some wise words from @Mojo333 I realise that I have to accept that sometimes I will be in pain for no obvious reason apart from the healing process. I do hope things improve for you pain wise soon.
 
Hi CherryRed,
Such a heartfelt message above from you and so kind. Hopefully you're doing well on this special day.
Happy One Month Anniversary! Wishing you a wonderful week!
@CherryRed
 
CherryRed said:
I know there's probably no definitive answer to this - but is it normal to still have considerable pain 4 weeks post surgery? I'm worried I could have done something in my sleep, or breaking the 90-degree rule (which I have done a few times). I feel as if I should be further along, or even as if I might be going backwards.
Click to expand...
You mention the 90* rule, The restriction is there to avoid dislocation. It is real easy to go backwards with increased movements and going past the 90* just because the muscles are still healing. It doesn't take much to cause them to hurt.
 
Thanks everyone for your reassuring responses!
Today's question - I still have a hard swelling under the incision - it's not painful, but it doesn't seem to be getting much smaller, even with regular icing. Otherwise, the incision is healing nicely, with no issues other than the expected itching. Will the lump eventually go away on its own?
 
How far along are you?

I was advised to start massaging my incision once it was fully healed. So many approx 3/4 weeks. This made a massive difference with lumps and bumps.

You also will still have swelling likely, I was told to expect swelling up to 6 weeks.
 
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