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THR Pain in hip after nine years.

@AndisMom Pam, thank you so much for the encouraging words. It helps me because sometimes I get frustrated with my progress. I look at some of the other recoveries on here and feel like I'm behind (even though we aren't supposed to compare, but how do you keep from doing that? LOL) I do know I am making progress. I noticed today my swelling seemed a little better for awhile, but it's back tonight. I am still taking some pain meds and feel like I should be past them by now, but I am still dealing with a lot of swelling, stiffness and soreness, especially when I first wake up and again before bed and Tylenol just doesn't cut it. So, anyway, I think the bottom line is that we just have to take it day by day and our recovery is our own! As long as we are making progress, that's what counts. You are doing fantastic, too! Keep up the good work.
 
@Dmcfad2 , Debbie my swelling is always worse in the evening. I think it's just a by-product of being up and around during the day. And I am still taking pain meds and my surgery was two days before yours. :friends: Did you ever get your followup?
 
@glmrphy No follow-up yet with my surgeon. I was looking back over my paperwork and it says that they will contact me for an appointment anywhere from 4-6 weeks. So, I'm just biding my time. Maybe I will hear from them next week. :shrug: I'm not going to worry about it. I have PT there on Monday, so I will go to the desk and ask about my appointment again then.
My milestone of the day.....I put a pillow between my legs and rolled over onto my non-operated side last night and slept that way for a good hour. It felt soooooo good to get off my back for awhile. I only woke up 3 times last night and didn't feel so restless. Still woke up a lot earlier than I used to before surgery, but did make it all the way to 6 am. :mcoffee:
Yikes! I was just sitting here in bed typing and one of those daddy long legs landed on my keyboard. I think he came down from the ceiling. Scared the bejeezus out of me! :yikes: That' got my blood pumping!
 
Oh wow Debbie! Glad to know you got some sleep, but when that creature landed on your keyboard I'm guessing you felt like bolting out of there in a hurry!

Isn't it great to be able to sleep on your side? I have been able to do that too using 2 pillows stacked in front of me to support the operated leg. Still trying but can't get comfortable on my operated side yet...everything is just too sensitive still.

Have a good day!
 
Being able to sleep on my side has made a huge difference in the quality of my sleep. I slept in until 7:30am this morning! There is definitely something to be said for sleep quality in relation to my emotions! I feel optimistic and happy. It's like old times. :egypdance: And I find myself not needing ice on my hip all night like I have for the past month. I woke up this morning and my incision was barely sore. Happy Easter. He is risen!
 
@Dmcfad2 I am so happy for you!!! I completely understand how sleeping makes such a huge difference!! I am still on meds too, without them, I just can't walk without the limp. I have been overdoing stuff lately and it lets me know. I still have some swelling too and the incision is sore....same as you. You keep up the good work....you ARE doing a great job!!!
 
Hi Debbie.:wave:.Happy Easter to you. When I read your post I giggle.:heehee:..you sound so much like me. Remember I am 10 days ahead of you and though it may not sound like a lot...it is. I wonder whats with the swelling? That is one thing I never had...only right after surgery and then it just went away. I am now 5 weeks out. Wow I can't believe it. In the beginning I thought this is it for life. I drove my husband crazy!!! Even now though I can pretty much do it all I am sore and stiff. My range of motion is way better. I can reach my foot..kinda hard still putting on a sock but you find ways right??? I am so striving for resting my foot on the opposite knee. When I get there then I know I made it. I start my real pt on Monday. I had no more pain medication and thought maybe I should call and see if they would refill a script for me because I know this will be tough. I was hesitant but called and I actually spoke to the doctor. My goodness he said of course you may have a script. You are only 5 weeks out. So as you see we are baby steps into the healing process. I did pt before my surgery and I felt wonderful and I am hoping for the same result. Patience my dear is the key....oh listen to me the biggest complainer ever:snork::SUNsmile:.. Take care and have an awesome week..:SUNsmile:.
 
Great news @Dmcfad2.... So glad you are feeling optimistic and happy now. It's one weird roller coaster ride..up/ down but so glad you are now on the up....sleeping makes such a difference....hope you've had a good Easter...I spent yesterday creosoting 15 fence panels!! Big it was so good to be able to do it and not suffer afterwards! Take care...Chrissie xxx


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So happy to hear you have found the magic bullet for sleeping well! Sleeping on your side must have done the trick! It makes all the difference in the world to get a good night's sleep. I feel lucky these days when it happens but I think it is just one more side effect of this whole process for me.

This is a time for new beginnings with the new season and Easter. This is OUR new beginning! We are going to have a great summer! :cool:

Happy Easter to you and yours!
Pam
 
Dmcfad2 said:
@glmrphy I have PT there on Monday, so I will go to the desk and ask about my appointment again then.
My milestone of the day.....I put a pillow between my legs and rolled over onto my non-operated side last night and slept that way for a good hour. It felt soooooo good to get off my back for awhile. I only woke up 3 times last night and didn't feel so restless. Still woke up a lot earlier than I used to before surgery, but did make it all the way to 6 am. :mcoffee:
Yikes! I was just sitting here in bed typing and one of those daddy long legs landed on my keyboard. I think he came down from the ceiling. Scared the bejeezus out of me! :yikes: That' got my blood pumping!
Click to expand...


:giggle: The daddy long legs would have made me jump up and do a screeching dance! :rotfl: So awesome about the side sleeping, too. And yes, please ask them at your PT about your follow-up. If anything, I think it would be good for you to see your surgeon for your own piece of mind. Let us know how the PT goes. Don't be surprised if you are not more tired on those days, too. But you will get there! I am going back to work tomorrow, will continue to check in and- watch out for the creepy crawlies! :friends:
 
@glmrphy Gail, have a wonderful time back at work. I know you miss your job and I'm sure it will be good to get back. Just take it as easy as you can. I have been retired for many years, but loved my job and missed it for a while after I left. Of course, now I love being retired. We travel a lot and I love not having a set schedule. The spider did scare me. :spider:If I could have jumped up and run, I would have! Instead, I just let out a screech and swung at it. I still don't know where it landed! Happy Easter.
 
@chaseyboy Thanks for checking in with me. I think about you and how you're doing! I am starting my outpatient PT tomorrow, too, so I hope I'm not too sore tomorrow night! I'm looking forward to trying some new stuff. My tightness in my thigh seems to be getting just a wee bit better because I believe my swelling is going down. Things are progressing nicely.
@Hoppy Nanny @AndisMom Thanks for always offering up encouragement. It means so much to me!
 
Debbie, when you put the pillow between your legs was it vertically or sideways, then you turn onto the side?
I failed at this in the morning just today.... thanks
 
@MajorHeidi Claire, I used a standard size pillow and I put it vertically between my legs, then rolled my body as one unit onto my un-operated side. I could then reposition to get the most comfortable. Just FYI, when I tried this last week, I failed at it, too. It just didn't feel right. Keep trying. You'll get it!
 
Hi Debbie @Dmcfad2 ......I remember the joy I felt when I could sleep on my side....I really thought I was I proving when I could do that....well done.

It sounds like you are doing really well....hope you had a nice Easter
 
Let's see....what day is this? Counting on my fingers......okay, post op day 34, almost 5 weeks! have gotten to the point where I'm not counting every day off faithfully. Things are returning to a somewhat normal pace around here. I still have not had a follow-up with my OS, but they have given me an appointment with his assistant for April 30. I don't know if I'll ever see my OS again! He's an important guy. I feel a bit abandoned, but I think it is a common practice. I am hoping to have my restrictions lifted or at least modified so I can start doing stuff I want to do. I am taking it into my own hands this morning and driving to my Weight Watcher meeting :driver:. It will be my first time driving, but I am more than ready. Plus, I need to get back to those meetings! I'm eating like a pig! I don't know what my weight is, but doesn't this prothesis weigh at least 10 pounds?? LOL! (That's my story, anyway.)

So, my pain is greatly diminished. Just some soreness at my incision most of the time. I do get more soreness and I notice more aches in the thigh and joint at the end of the day after I've been active all day. I still get quite tired in the late afternoon. I had outpatient PT on Monday and he stretched me a lot, said I have a very tight IT band and quad, which has been my problem since before surgery, and he gave me exercises to do at home. I will see him only one more time and I'm set free. He said there wasn't much more he could do for me. I was a little disappointed. I was hoping he would work with me over the next few weeks to improve my range of motion. I was more sore after this meeting, I knew I would be from reading this forum, so yesterday I skipped my exercises to let things calm down.

I am now taking half a pain pill in the morning when I wake up, half in the late afternoon and 1 in the evening. I have done away with my bedtime dose and I am sleeping fine without it. I am still stiff first thing in the morning, but I loosen up. I am sleeping better now that I can sleep on my un-operated side. I thought about rolling over onto my stomach last night, but I chickened out. I am still using my cane most of the time. Otherwise, I walk like a penguin. I am concentrating on strengthening my operated leg/hip by doing one legged stands.

I am feeling good overall. I get little twinges and aches in my operated hip sometimes, but nothing major. My knee was bothering me a little after PT, but it seems to be calming down. My swelling is going down and I still ice when I am at rest most of the time. I have been massaging my scar with oil at night. It still looks pretty lumpy. Maybe I will post a picture in the badge of honor section. I am waiting for the day where I am unaware of my new hip, but I think that is a way off. I still think about it most of the time, no matter what I am doing. I am slowly making progress.:yes!: I look at the recovery timeline for hip replacement and I seem to be right where I am supposed to be!
 
Really nice post Debbie, I enjoyed reading it, sounds like you're recovery is progressing nicely.
 
Sounds like you are well on track Debbie.... Hoping the driving to WW goes well.....freedom! X


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@Dmcfad2 I did the pillow between legs roll over to unop side maneuver, and it worked!
First time I spent about ten minutes on my side. Thanks for the motivation on that.

What do you mean you walk like a penguin without your cane? Do you take tiny steps? Details please....

All in all , you sound great! :ok:
 
@MajorHeidi Claire, You know how penquins kind of waddle side to side? That is what I feel like I do when I don't have my cane. Because my left hip is still weak, I can't put my full weight on it when I am walking so I tend to kind of bend down into my hip and rush to get off of it instead of standing straight and pushing through. This makes me feel like I am waddling. I am really more like limping, I guess. I think it is called a Trendelenburg gait. Check it out on youtube. Mine is not very pronounced like some of the youtube videos, but I think that is what I am doing right now. Hoping it will improve as I gain strength.
 
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