Questions About Post Surgery

[MGBJEN]

Hi there,

What a wonderful website, I have learned so many things. I have a few quesitons if anyone could help me out would be great. My boyfriend has just had hip replacement surgery, he is 29 years old, he has the surgery last Thursday (one week ago). He is experiencing a few things that are concerning him but to me seem to be part of the healing process.

1) He says his hip feels like he is sitting on a wallet at times. Has anyone experienced this?

2) He is barely sleeping at all, but was not given any sleeping pills, he has some Adavan and is wondering if it would be ok to take that?

3) He does have muscle spazms in his leg, but I read a few threads on this and it seems to be quite normal, is it somehting he should be concerned about?

4) The hospital sent him home with only 10 days of shots for blood clotting, every information session we went to they said 30 days, did anyone else get sent home with only 10 days worth?

That is all I have for today...I am sure there will be more and I thank anyone in advance for any tips and answers you can provide me.

Jennifer

 

[Josephine]

Hi there,

What a wonderful website, I have learned so many things. I have a few quesitons if anyone could help me out would be great. My boyfriend has just had hip replacement surgery, he is 29 years old, he has the surgery last Thursday (one week ago). He is experiencing a few things that are concerning him but to me seem to be part of the healing process.

Great to know that it's been so useful. We aim to please!

1) He says his hip feels like he is sitting on a wallet at times. Has anyone experienced this?

That will just be swelling. Perfectly natural and nothing to worry about.

I remember when I had my very first riding lesson. When I got home, I had a nice soothing bath to relax all my aches - could have SWORN I was sitting on the bath sponge. But no - it was just pads of very swollen fat and skin where I had been bumping up and down on the saddle! Same kind of thing!

2) He is barely sleeping at all, but was not given any sleeping pills, he has some Adavan and is wondering if it would be ok to take that?

In theory should be okay but I'd check with his doctor to make sure they don't clash with something else he's taking, especially the pain killers.

3) He does have muscle spazms in his leg, but I read a few threads on this and it seems to be quite normal, is it somehting he should be concerned about?

No.

4) The hospital sent him home with only 10 days of shots for blood clotting, every information session we went to they said 30 days, did anyone else get sent home with only 10 days worth?

Should be 30 days. Check with the OS office.

That is all I have for today...I am sure there will be more and I thank anyone in advance for any tips and answers you can provide me.

Jennifer

Hope this has helped. We're always 'on duty' here!

My regards to your BF. Tell I said "Get well soon"!

 

[Joyce M]

Jennifer,

My surgeon also prescribed only 10 days of blood thinning shots. After that he told me to take one aspirin a day for about a month.

I also experience a weird sensation, as if I am sitting on something hard when I sit down sometimes. It goes away and then it comes back periodically. I forgot to ask the surgeon about this when I saw him. It has been 10 weeks since my surgery.

Joyce M

 

[jaz]

Hi Jennifer

1) He says his hip feels like he is sitting on a wallet at times. Has anyone experienced this?

Yes, probably the swelling as mine gets worse as the day wears on.

2) He is barely sleeping at all, but was not given any sleeping pills, he has some Adavan and is wondering if it would be ok to take that?

I only took what was prescribed by my Doctor but found I needed sedatives for about 10 days after I got home. I was just so uncomfortable. Most of the problem was getting used to sleeping on my back all night long, plus the discomfort. Some well placed pillows eased the later.

3) He does have muscle spazms in his leg, but I read a few threads on this and it seems to be quite normal, is it somehting he should be concerned about?

I get a burning sensation when I go to bed, not sure if this is the same thing but muscle spasms seem to be common.

4) The hospital sent him home with only 10 days of shots for blood clotting, every information session we went to they said 30 days, did anyone else get sent home with only 10 days worth?

I took half an asprin a day in hospital and was told to continue this for six weeks. I've never had an alternative blood thinning tablet. My mother took these only because she was allergic to asprin.

Hope this helps.

 

[Annette]

Hi,
For both my hip surgeries, RTHR in March 07 and LTHR in January 08 I was prescribed 10 days of blood thinning shots on returning home. I got the shots for 4 days at the hospital and 7 days at rehab before coming home. I was never on asperin or any other blood thinner. Everything went well.
I also recall for some feeling like I had a tennis ball in my back pocket but that soon went away.
i had no sleeping medication so I did for a couple weeks take 1/2 mg of ativan with no ill effects.

Hope this helps. I guess we all a little different but in ways the same. I'm 74. I recently read this quote which went something like "Inside of every older person is a young person wondering "what happened"?

Annette

 

[Sofa King]

Hi there,

What a wonderful website, I have learned so many things. I have a few quesitons if anyone could help me out would be great. My boyfriend has just had hip replacement surgery, he is 29 years old, he has the surgery last Thursday (one week ago). He is experiencing a few things that are concerning him but to me seem to be part of the healing process.

1) He says his hip feels like he is sitting on a wallet at times. Has anyone experienced this?

2) He is barely sleeping at all, but was not given any sleeping pills, he has some Adavan and is wondering if it would be ok to take that?

3) He does have muscle spazms in his leg, but I read a few threads on this and it seems to be quite normal, is it somehting he should be concerned about?

4) The hospital sent him home with only 10 days of shots for blood clotting, every information session we went to they said 30 days, did anyone else get sent home with only 10 days worth?

That is all I have for today...I am sure there will be more and I thank anyone in advance for any tips and answers you can provide me.

Jennifer

Hi Jennifer,

In reference to some of your questions above: (I'm a 38 y/o Male, 76 days post op from a LTHR).

1. Yes, I had the exact same feeling; the first 2 weeks after surgery, it actually felt like the top of my femur was dislocated, and trying to push "out" of the side of my buttock. (Of course it wasn't...) After awhile, this subsided slowly, but at almost 11 weeks post op, I still have the "wallet" sensation, especially after sitting upright for any length of time. Completely normal.

2. I would check with his OS (operating Surgeon) before resuming the atavan; it may be contraindicated if he's taking narcotic pain meds. (I assume he still is, only 1 week post op). I would also suggest asking the Doc for a perscription of Phenergan. It's a mild antihistamine, like benadryl, and will ease his nausea from the painkillers, and it will also make him very sleepy. You could also ask for some Ambien. My Doc gave me a couple weeks worth after surgery. If he's not sleeping well, it's very important he does, because the majority of his healing will occur while sleeping. Good sleep right now is very theraputic.

3. Yep, the muscle spasms are normal too, (they were for me, for about 3 weeks after surgery). Again, my OS gave me some Flexeril (a common muscle relaxer), but again, this too will make him very sleepy, and groggy for several hours after taking a dose. All it really boils down to is him being as comfortable as possible.

4. As far as the blood clotting meds he's taking, (you mentioned 'shots'?), I don't know what that could be, and doubt 10 days is enough, but that's totally up to his Doc. My OS told me to take 325mg of coated aspirin twice a day for 6 weeks. I would check with the Physician before adding or changing any meds like aspirin.

Hope that helped,

~Dalton

 

[Tommy Utah]

Sitting on a wallet is exactly how I described it. That feeling goes away, for me it took 2-3 weeks.

Muscle spasms...one of my PT's (a friend) does and proscribes deep massages. these helped me immensely, the spasms quickly abated after a few sessions. Note - for the untrained or amateur masseuse (like my wife) we used one of those wooden massagers that sort of look like a bug with little knobs for feet.

 

[JudyS]

Hi
I was prescribed lovenox injections for 10 days . That was it for the blood thinning. I am 11 weeks out of a right hip replacement.

judy