Persistent Swelling

[Sofa King]

Hey Guys,


Thought I'd start a new thread, and see if anyone else has this.

I had a LTHR 3 weeks ago tomorrow. The entire left leg was swollen for about the first 10 days, but finally subsided. I still have a persistent area about 12 inches by 8 inches that surrounds the posterior incision site, and it's mildly tender, and feels like a piece of memory foam about 3/4 inch thick is right beneath the skin. Also, my left ankle has some edema too, it's maybe 1/4 inch thicker on each side, but the knee and thigh is normal. Finally, when I stand up and put some downward pressure on the leg, it sort of feels like the femoral head is trying to push out of the incision site, but doesn't hurt worse if I touch the incision, and there's no visible distention. Does this sound normal for anyone else, 3 weeks post op?

~Dalton

 

[JudyS]

Hi Dalton,
I am pretty much at the same point as you. When I saw my doc , my right foot was still pretty swollen. He told me to put more weight on it and the swelling would go down. My pt had also told me to put more weight on it. So I did and in a few days my right foot looks normal.
I had a posterior incision and it is still pretty tender in that whole area. I'm not sure it feels like memory foam , but parts of the incision area feel like there is something lumpy under them.

As far as putting all my weight on my leg. I do get pain close to the groin area, also on the side of my leg and the quadriceps area.
Actually yesterday with pain meds I could walk on it for a few steps with no pain. So I was just mostly holding a cane around the house.
Of course last night was when I was in a lot of pain after my walk around the block. Could have been putting full weight on it too.

Judy

 

[Sofa King]

Thanks Judy,

Sounds like we're pretty much in the same boat. I saw the partner of the OS today, (the OS is on vacation, but the Dr. I saw is also an Orthopaedist in the same Office), and he said all looks good. He gave me one more week of Hydrocodone, to taper off with, put me on Outpatient Therapy starting Wednesday, and scheduled me to return on 7-28, 4 weeks from now. We both felt certain I'd be healed enough by then to allow me to return to light duty at work, (in Dispatch, in a seated position, answering incoming 911 calls, and talking on the Police radio, before I go back to the 'hands on' stuff). I feel good.

~Dalton

 

[westexas]

Dalton -Judy,
Had the same thing as in the swelling for a good month..It was definetly normal for my posterior surgery... Bottom line, it will get better but until then I called myself.....The Good Year Blimp....lol...

 

[Sofa King]

Hey Patty,

Yeah, my left buttock is still quite swollen, and as I've said before, Jess calls it "the Bedonk-a-donk! LOL

 

[JudyS]

I took a picture of my blimpie feet. I wish I had someone take a picture of my legs when I could not even find my knees in them!!!!
I sure didn't think it would go away, but it did.

My pt told me to stay in bed laying down, that helped a lot. Then my pt and OS told me to put more weight on the surgical leg and that took care of the rest. The butt area, we just won't go there.

Judy

 

[Sofa King]

Well Judy and Patty,


I've been on my feet longer in the last two days than I've been in the last 3 weeks, and my left (surgical) ankle is just about as swollen as the day I came home from the hospital. Sometimes when I stand on it with the cane or walker after sitting for several hours, the ball, toes, and heel starts to tingle, kinda like it's been asleep, but the OS assures me it's normal. I sure would like to see my ankle bone again though!

~D.

 

[JudyS]

I think most of my swelling went down by laying flat in bed with pillows supporting my leg. I spent 3 days mostly in bed as my pt advised. I can see bones in my foot again!!!
My pt said there is still swelling in the surgical area, not so obvious to me as my feet and leg though.

Dalton, I am glad you will be going to pt soon. After my home pt stops this week, I will have 2 weeks of doing exercises at home. Then my doc will decide it I need more. I am hoping at the 6 week visit I will be allowed to go to a gym again. I have one near me that is basically a pt gym. Even if I am not having pt there, they are all around and will answer any questions and help as well as the gym employees. The gym employees take the patients from the pt's to monitor the exercises.

Glad you got the shower thing worked out now that you will be out in public!!!

Judy

 

[chaloo]

Dalton

Dont worry too much. Most of my swelling went down within three weeks of the operation. I still have some left on my foot. I think it is bcos I am now using gym etc. It gets better after some rest.

Jaz