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THR Recovery greetings from an Aussie - my journey

I know I haven’t dislocated, but I am still scared that I will. It was drilled into me to be hyper-aware of doing anything that could bring it on because of my hypermobility. When do you stop worrying of that possibility? It doesn’t help that my father did it twice. I didn’t exactly have a great role model on looking after yourself properly post op. Looks like we both had bad experiences in that regard, @myglasshalffull.

I’m planning on a pretty chill day after yesterday. I’m fairly sore but not as bad as I was expecting. Back to two crutches, though. Playing it safe.
 
Welcome to the club of those that have misjudges and over done. It's a small club of only people that have had a THR. Just about everyone of us does it, many like myself do it multiple times. The only cure is ice and rest followed by more ice and rest. Your implant has no feelings and I'd say neither do much of the bone, if it did I don't think we'd be able to do what we do so soon after the THR.
Did you do the google thing and figure out which muscle you made mad? Being aware of dislocation is a good thing, being scared isn't warranted if you're aware of what you should watch.
 
Thank you, @Eman85. I did do the google thing. I didn’t realise there were about 4 or 5 muscles in the groin alone. I think I’ve managed to work out that nearly all of them are mad!
 
@Mintae One month after a major surgery with an implant it is totally normal to have odd aches and pains. Your body has been through a traumatic event and is getting use to this new state of being. Yes, eventually you will forget you have a metal and ceramic hip! I rarely think of my 2 "new-ish" hips ... until I log in here!

Yes dislocations do happen sometimes ... but that is actually quite rare. And even natural hips can dislocate with enough force and torque Here's a chart showing when risk of dislocation is highest.

[Bonesmart.org] Recovery greetings from an Aussie - my journey
 
Hello Mintae,
You're one month post op to date. Happy One Month Anniversary!
With each passing month your stamina will increase and you will grow steadier on your feet. Take it slow, relax and you will get there. Best Wishes on the journey! :walking:
 
Thank you, @Layla. I’ve been a good girl and pretty much stayed in bed today. I’m not going to lie, I’m disappointed that I’m not one of those “ superhumans” (as I call them), who are back to normal after just a few weeks - I wanted to be one of them. Obviously, that just isn’t me.

@djklaugh, thank you so much for that info. Every bit of new info I get helps calm me down. :flwrysmile:
 
Mintae said:
Thank you, @Layla. I’ve been a good girl and pretty much stayed in bed today. I’m not going to lie, I’m disappointed that I’m not one of those “ superhumans” (as I call them), who are back to normal after just a few weeks - I wanted to be one of them. Obviously, that just isn’t me.

@djklaugh, thank you so much for that info. Every bit of new info I get helps calm me down. :flwrysmile:
Click to expand...
I’m on the same timeline as you- surgery was December 6 so look me up to ask specific questions if you like. I did Anterior approach too. Each week has been different! This week, gluteus medius pain, so random! - Allie
 
You ask when did I stop worrying about dislocation? I haven't even though I know I'm way past time it's in back of my mind, not everyday, but some days like I said only because I know someone who dislocated well after the initial timeline.
I had asked here awhile back when do you wake up one day and not think about having implant in hip/femur. At almost 11 months post op I'm still aware of it. I'm doing all my normal stuff but I'm not past the point where I don't think about the hip.
But I'm pretty sure this will pass only cause I broke my ankle a little over 3 years ago, missed last two steps in my house and it broke in 3 places on both sides. Surgery, rods, screws, cast for a month then boot, partial weight bearing and at about 3 months started PT which was totally useless after about 3 visits cause all repetitive stuff I could do at home. My point is I thought I'd never stop thinking about the ankle but I did. Totally don't think about it anymore, it's 100% normal, had some of the hardware removed about 6 months after initial surgery. Went back to working in very busy restaurant with no ill effects.
I did have it checked back in June cause it felt sore and concerned maybe some of the hardware had shifted due to way I was walking after the hip but it's totally all fine and ortho said probably change in gait from hip surgery.
So I'm waiting for day I hop out of bed and never think about my hip replacement, and I'm sure that will happen just like the ankle!
 
Well I have to go back to work at 12 weeks and have to bend over all day. The chart made me nervous. Will passing 90 make you dislocate At that point.
 
I haven't stop thinking about the possibility of dislocating. I'm not obsessed with it or worried about it. What I do is think more about certain movements that might put me in a position to dislocate. Obvious things would be bungee jumping or forcing certain stretches or Yoga moves. I didn't feel any feelings like dislocation passing the 90* point after 6 or more weeks in but that early I wasn't forcing anything either. Again it all goes back to knowing how they dislocated us and what muscles were strained. Putting pressure in that direction is what could increase the chances of dislocation. There have been some dislocate from something as simple as moving on the couch so it's hard to say exactly what would cause it for each person which is why the basic restrictions are there. Time is the big factor and allowing our bodies to heal seems like the best prevention.
 
For most people, following what your ortho doc has given you as far as restrictions/instructions will hold you in good stead. A dose of common sense on top of that and all should be well. Those of you on the newer end of hip replacement will be seeing your doc for post op follow up. Be sure to ask your docs about how long you need to follow your restrictions and any specific questions or concerns you have about your work activities or anything else for that matter. I wrote down these concerns as they popped into my head and took my list with me to my appointment. Any decent doc will listen and patiently answer these concerns just like mine did. Continued good healing to you all.
 
I see the OS’s NP on Monday. I think that will just be a general “how’re you doing”, plus incision site check to see when I can properly immerse it in water. I’m not actually sure when I see the OS again. I guess I’ll find out on Monday.

Is log hip a thing? I feel like I have a tight cuff all around my leg at the top where it bends when you sit. My knee is still stiff, too. I never had a problem with my knee before but now it pops whenever I do my exercises.
 
Hi Mintae,
The tight cuff feeling is likely swelling as is the stiff knee. The knee can be manipulated rather aggressively during the dislocation process. Hopefully you are icing any / all areas that feel tight or stiff several times daily. Along with elevation it should help. Best Wishes for your appointment on Monday. Let us know how it goes. :)
@Mintae
 
@Mintae "log hip" I like it! On my first hip I had a bad pain after a few weeks in that same configuration, and I drew a picture of it for my hip journal. It looks like big icicles hanging off a gutter, and some of them reached halfway down my thigh. Turned out to be under-medicating, but what do you want to bet it was the same as what you have? I also get a very sore knee on the op leg-- there were fingerprint bruises on my thigh for that leg too! A very kind member here said, essentially, "ice what hurts, dummy" only he was much more polite. It worked!

I never saw the OS again after he stopped by on op day to tell me it had gone well. I saw only the PA, which I actually preferred. They get to have personable bedside manner! Make a list of questions for your NP and write in the answers for sure.

I am an expert at sticking my head in the sand re dislocating! I never think about it with fear, and I'm not going to ski or surf so probably no risk. There's only one position I'm forbidden per OS-- a very deep lunge, torso upright, then rotate rear leg in. Not in my repertoire so no worries.

Congrats on your first successful chill-after-ODIC day!:snork:
 
@zauberflöte, I also had fingerprint sized bruises on the inside of my thigh near my groin. I’m guessing they must have been all but twirling my leg around to dislocate it. I’m quite sure you’re right about the under-medicating thing, too. I took same pain meds yesterday - and didn’t that feel like yet another failure/setback - and then I was getting around alright. But “log hip” seems to very real and painful.
 
@Merrimay, as bad as this sounds, I’m glad I’m not the only one who is going/gone through this type of pain. Makes me feel not so alone and crazy.

I’m just checking in with my daily moan/whinge. I had a dream last night I was walking normally but then I woke up to reality. I just have this terrible feeling that something is wrong and I’ll be walking with some type of aid for the rest of my life. Something I’ve fought against since I was 14 because of my back. I’m so tired of being like this - this state of mind combined with this state of physicality is draining. I’ve been using canes, crutches and wheelchairs on and off throughout the decades and successfully put them away to collect dust each time. I don’t think I can do it this time.
 
Oh, @Mintae , I've not struggled as much as you have over the years, but I've struggled enough in the past year to spend many a night in despair. You're not whining. You're human. And chronic pain is horrific. It taxes every part of our body, mind, and spirit. Anyone who judges the despair we can feel needs to back off. But I bet you're like me in another way: when we see or feel even a fraction of improvement, we grab onto hope and keep on. Last week I was certain that I'd never be able to progress, that something was so wrong that I'd become a burden to my family and society. Today I got a new piece to the puzzle, and some trigger point PT that did give me hope. So promise me you'll not beat yourself up for being down. But promise me, too, that you'll keep seeking answers because we never know what we might discover. You're in my heart. :tada::prayer:
 
@Mintae first, @Merrimay says it all, better than I'm about to! Very wise post.
You are here because you are among people who have had or are having the post-op issues you are. You have a lifetime of "fighting back" to let you know that at least I see you as a person of immense strength, who has already proven herself on the battleground of "living while fighting and exhausted to boot". I don't feel you have to prove one more thing to me by staying off pain meds or getting out there playing running frisbee golf with great-auntie's delivery boy's cousin. You are in the midst of a huge physical recovery, and it will just.take.time. One little setback may easily be hiding the fact that you've actually improved somewhere you haven't been paying attention to. I cannot tell you how many times I've seen on here "feels like one step forward and two steps back" (yes, I said that right), as well as the more usual "two forward one back" pattern. Everybody has either "too slow" recovery (ain't no such thing!) or "a bunch of really bad days in a row", which is truly awful, but it slacks off when you're not paying attention.

I am not a prophet or a dream interpreter or anything like those, but I am going to believe that your dream was prophetic.

Keep coming and whingeing. It's not considered poor taste here!!! There is always somebody here who has gone before you, and always somebody coming up behind you who you can go encourage and commiserate with.

Also.... many of the rest of us are in the middle of winter and long for those warm days you're having, when feet and hands aren't cold, noses don't run, and it only takes 45 seconds to get dressed in the morning! Summer is a good time to be recovering. :SUNsmile:

Edited to add missing words
 
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