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Re: what can I do after hip replacement

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nannyshoo

member
Joined
Nov 4, 2009
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103
Age
79
Location
England
Had left hip replacement 4 weeks ago. Feel a bit abandoned, sent out of hospital after 7 days with four exercises to do and an appt. for consultant in 12 weeks.
I have loads of questions which may sound a little silly.
I want to go back to work but this will involve standing for fairly long periods as I am nurse/midwife.
Also, will I ever be able to reach my feet, will I be able to paint my toenails, shave my legs, wear highheels, put socks on?
When can I sleep on my side?
When can I get in the bath.
Will I ever be able to sit on a normal chair/sofa.
When can I get rid of my raised toilet seat.
I know this is a lot but all these little things are worrying me, probably quite out of proportion.
Will continue to search the forum.
 
Welcome Nanny! Sounds like you just need to make an appt with your OS and ask HIM!! We all heal at different rates! Usually in answer to your questions...6 to 8 weeks....or when YOU feel comfortable!!! Good luck and post often!!! ((:0)
 
I had anterior approach THR done 2 weeks ago so I don't have the same restrictions that you do and so I can't answer your questions but I have called the OS office a few times & spoken to one of the Physician's Assistants. They have been able to answer all my questions so far. I also went armed with a load of questions written out when I did go see my OS (shaving my legs was high on my list of WHEN
If your OS has Physician's Assistants that may be worth a try.

Best wishes,
Sheri

Oh and your worries/questions are not out of proportion. I asked many of the same ones of my OS. :)
 
Thank you for your support. Really pleased I found this site. I will just have to be patient. I have discovered there is a long handled shaving aid available so I will get one of them for now. Luckily it is winter so hairy legs will keep me warm.
Unfortunately my husband draws the line at painting my toenail.s
 
Hi Nanny, welcome to this great site - it really helped me through the difficult times with so many wonderful people giving support to each other.

Your life will return to normal again, but it is always good to ask your surgeon about anything you are worried about.

These are just my experiences in reply to some of your questions:

Also, will I ever be able to reach my feet, will I be able to paint my toenails, shave my legs, wear highheels, put socks on?
Yes - to all these things! It just takes time, don't push it to much. I have worn heels a few times just recently and all is still OK (apart from achey feet, lol). Everything else is possible with a bit of maneuvering.

When can I sleep on my side?
I was allowed to sleep on my operated side at 6 weeks, but it was a bit uncomfy - it is fine now though at 5 months post op.

When can I get in the bath.
This I found a bit more scary and had a "dry run" a month or so ago. I actually braved it and had my first proper bath this week - it was bliss!

Will I ever be able to sit on a normal chair/sofa.
Definately! I was told that when standing up to keep my knees apart (external rotation) - slightly unladylike but what will be will be!

When can I get rid of my raised toilet seat.
When you feel able to sit comfortably on the loo, I got rid of mine at about 10 weeks - feels very odd at first but no problems now.

The op is the best thing ever and just gives you back your quality of life, and even though I will spend the rest of my life bending with my operated leg behind me and getting up from low chairs with my knees apart, this is a very small price to pay for a pain free and mobile existence.

Keep those all important exercises up and every day will see some improvement, just remember we all heal at different rates so there is no bench mark. Take care and good luck with it all.
 
Hello, Nannyshoo! Not only another Brit but another nurse too! I'm thinking of having a special forum for BoneSmart nurses!

Where do you work? Hospital/dept? And where did you have your hip done?

What Steph said is all true. The objective of these ops is to give you back your life not take bits of it away. So once the healing bit is over (anything from 3-6 months) you'll gradually start being normal again and in a while, you'll wake up one morning, get up, have a shower, dress and get ready for work and then, half way there you'll suddenly remember "Oh - I had a hip replacement!". Then you'll know - you can get on with life and forget you've had this done!! You really think people spend the rest of their lives thinking "I must do it this way" or "I mustn't do ..... "?

No they don't! Of course they don't. They just live their lives.
 
Hi, Nanny.....these guys have given you such great information, I can't think of anything to add except my own welcome to BoneSmart! Post any time you have a question or concern. That's what we're here for!!
 
Thank you to you all, have just read these replies and they really help. I am actually a midwife and work (worked?) on a very busy Labour Ward and desperate to return.
 
WOW, I too have been wondering the same questions, THANK YOU for asking them. I also am a nurse, and I work in longterm care, mainly the rehab unit. I love what I do and have a new respect for what my patients have gone through. Now I am the patient, and it is very difficult. I am 47 years old and 8 weeks post-op from a RTH. Being a "young" person to have this surgery is wonderful for the healing process, but soooo hard for the mental part. I feel good enough, and pain free enough, that I want to do all sorts of things while I am off. Like ride the ridding mower to get all the leaves, wash the ceilings, wash curtains etc. But I have to be real, I can not do these things, yet. 3 days before my surgery I worked 14 hours, I don't have to mention the amount of pain for the last year or so. Now, to be pain free, except for my knee right now, is wonderful. My surgeon has me off work til Jan 3rd, I have to focus on healing. I can just see myself going back to work too soon and doing something I should not do. I still use my cane when I go outside, more for security and to help with balance, inside I try to walk as normal as possible. I know I will get through this, it will take time. I have come so far, I don't want to cause any set backs.
 
hello, tlearst. Another nurse! Oh my - methinks this indicates nursing as being very bad for one's health! :hehe:

Jan 3rd is a pretty good time to be considering return to work. It's not so much what you 'might do' in the terms of damaging the knee or the surgery, but rather what you can cope with.

Have you negotiated a phased return to work as it will be much too much to expect to go right back into to those heavy shifts right off.

What I always had my staff do after major surgery of sickness was something like this

week 1: Tues, Thurs 10-3
week 2: Mon, Wed, Fri 10-3
week 3: Tues, Thurs full day
week 4: Mon, Wed, Fri full day
week 5: normal duties

I suggest you start talking to your boss now rather than leave it nearer the time. If nothing else, it will give him/her a chance to get accustomed to the idea!
 
Thank you Josephine, you must have been an awesome boss. I will be speaking with my D.O.N very soon about this. I have not been in my workplace but only 2 times as they have a full house of the flu. (something I don't need or want) There is so much that I want to do, but I have to slow down. I was up and walking the night of my surgery., also I chose to have an epidural so that I was awake during the surgery. I did not want to be groggy for a week and I also thought, what a better understanding I have of what my patients have gone through. I love rehab, just not when it is me..:)
 
My manager will be quite happy for me to do phased return. I normally work 2 or 3 days a week only, shorter shifts will be a good idea for a few weeks. A lot of my work is supervisory as we are a teaching hospital and I will be able to rest every couple of hours. I was hoping to go back before Christmas but realistically it will probably be in the new year.
 
My manager will be quite happy for me to do phased return. I normally work 2 or 3 days a week only, shorter shifts will be a good idea for a few weeks. A lot of my work is supervisory as we are a teaching hospital and I will be able to rest every couple of hours. I was hoping to go back before Christmas but realistically it will probably be in the new year.

That is wonderful! I am so pleased for you.


Sorry- 1 more question. How long after a THR until it is safe to assume there will be no dvt's?

Around 6-10 weeks at a guess. It works on a kind of sliding scale. The first two weeks are highest risk, then the next two and so on. After about 10 weeks, you can pretty much forget about it altogether although the last few weeks before that is very low.
 
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