THR Patrikya’s THR recovery journey

[pkuznets]

Hi friends, my surgery was performed at 7 this morning. I've been safe and cozy in my hospital room since about 11:00 and just ate the most delicious lunch of grilled fish, rice with black bean doused in a scrumptious cilantro sauce! So far, pain is being well-managed, hot WOW is my skin ever itchy! Is that from pain meds? What can I take to alleviate the itchiness? Since my first THR was performed posterior approach in 2009, I'm eager to observe the differences in recovery.
Thanks all for your well-wishes.
Patrikya

 

[MammaT]

Glad you are doing so well and are in a hospital that has such good food! Itching could be from meds. I would discuss with nurse so they can stay on top of it.

 

[Gretel]

Good they are looking after you well I hope they get the itching sorted. That sounds very annoying!

 

[Susan209]

Welcome to this side @pkuznets .
I got itchy from the Fentanol/Fentanyl (?). I still have no idea how to spell this one... The itching was annoying, but I could put up with it, so didn't get anything for it. Once I went off the Fentanol, the itching got less and less.

 

[danabanana]

Welcome to the the Fun side!!!! Yay!!!! That lunch sounds amazing, much more gourmet than anything we are served in our hospitals. Pretty sure prison food is better than our hospital slop! Haha Anyhow, I'd guess the itches are a med reaction. IV morphine gives me crazy itchiness. A dose of antihistamine will help.

 

[Pumpkin]

Pkuznets,
Welcome to the other side!!

Glad you are doing well, and the hospital has good food.

Here are the recovery guidelines for you, the articles are short and will not take long to read.

Hip Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:

rest
elevate
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)​

3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.
4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these

BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy​

5. At week 4 and after you should follow this

Pain management and the pain chart
Healing: how long does it take?
Chart representation of THR recovery

Dislocation risk and 90 degree rule
Energy drain for THRs
Pain and swelling control: elevation is the key

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

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.

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery. While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.

 

[Layla]

Hi there @pkuznets Congrats on the latest new hip!
That's some lunch they served you. Doesn't sound like hospital food to me.
It's great to hear you're doing well.
You mentioned you had posterior with your last hip and you're curious to compare
recoveries. May I ask what approach was used this time? Mine was posterior.
Wishing you a peaceful night and some quality rest!

 

[SaraK]

Welcome to this side fellow SuperNova! May each day be better than the one before!

 

[smstok]

Patrikya
My anesthesiologist prepared me for the itchy skin and said it was due to the morphine I️ would be given. He actually said “better an itchy thn an owie” [emoji854][emoji4][emoji848]. He advised me to push through it if it wasn’t too bad but stated I️ could take Benadryl if it persisted. Maybe you can inquire about that. Luckily the itching hasn’t been all too bad for me Hope you are still doing good and that they followed up with an even better dinner for you. [emoji38][emoji6]

Staci (smstok)




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[MammaT]

Have a good first full day of recovery. Hope food remains good and itching and pain are under control.

 

[pkuznets]

For some reason, there is no icing of my hip or leg going on in the hospital. I know my OS's TKR patients are hooked up with regular icing regimines but not his THR peeps. I am eager to go home on post-op day 2 so that I can become an Ice queen and control some of this sweling. Is this hip and lack of ice issue governed by the doctor's protocol or the hospital?

 

[Mojo333]

Yay for new hip.
They didn't offer me ice at hospital either? I was too drugged up and traumatized to think to ask.
All I worried about was how I was going to get the four steps to bathroom.
Yes, do become the ice queen. You will be glad you did.
Glad you are on your way to getting well.

 

[SaraK]

I had my first at hospital and asked for ice. Nurse had to make sure ok under OS protocol. Sounded like some were concerned about possibility of incision getting wet. Was ok with my doc. 2nd at surgery center where they put on cooling contraption before you left OR. The contraption I haven't used since because it didn't stay cool long or work as well as my old fashioned ice bags.

 

[lucinda007]

Hi,

Just checking in and to tell you that I was thinking about you yesterday. Sounds like you did great. My surgery was 14 days ago and all is well. Do you have on the compression machine things on your legs? You get used to them but a pain in bed getting wrapped up in the tubing. I did have ice in the hospital. I’d tell them you want it. Period. Have they taken you for a walk around the hallway yet? I wish you well. Bon appetite! I loved my hospital food, too. Jane

 

[Layla]

I'd ask for ice too. Natural pain reliever and swelling reducer in addition to your pain meds
Ring that buzzer!!!
@pkuznets

 

[Susan209]

I also asked for ice.


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[MammaT]

I didn’t know too, might have had some. Notice new protocol for upcoming features ice.

 

[pkuznets]

Last night was a bit "rough" just trying to find the sweet spot cocktail of pain meds to get thru that time where the epidural had worn off and reality had come barrelling in! Lots of really good caregivers at this hospital have made my stay super pleasant. Got my new walker this afternoon and was given the "all clear" by PT. Ironically, now I'm just waiting for my OS to make his rounds and sign me out so I can go home! I have zero complaints---just ready for privacy and coziness of my little California home

 

[smstok]

@pkuznets
Yaaaaay!! You’re going home soon [emoji33][emoji1303][emoji322][emoji323][emoji324][emoji932][emoji931][emoji1336]Sounds like you’re doing pretty darn good over there. I’m so excited for you.
From everything I️ have read it seems ice is a 50/50 thing. Some do and some don’t. Seems so strange to me since the ice and meds together is what makes this as tolerable as can be. I️ wasn’t asked while in the hospital. The nurse automatically gave me an ice bag. Glad to hear you had great staff[emoji1409]‍[emoji1352]‍[emoji1409]‍[emoji1408]‍[emoji1465]‍ I️ adored and enjoyed all the nurses and staff I️ came into contact with. What a fabulous group. I️ feel so fortunate. Safe travels going home. Hopefully your drive is a short one.




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[Mojo333]

Yay for new hip and Yay for home.
Healing hugs coming your way