THR right hip

[mark1]

just been for another walk down the road 2 days in a row now.
gone down to using 1 crutch and only taking paracetamol as the tablets the doc gave me to take after coming off the tramadol was making me dizzy and really light headed.
having trouble sleeping again tried on my side it's not sore but very uncomfortable left a red circle and very warm so i don't think i'm ready yet which is a shame as laying on my back is what is stopping me from sleeping as i'm taking sleeping pills and not working even though i'm so so tired.

 

[MaxBuck]

mark1, I understand what you're saying about difficulty sleeping on your back; I had lots of trouble sleeping on mine, also.

I didn't take much pain medicine post-op, but for a few nights I did take a hydrocodone-acetaminophen combo (e.g., Vicodin and Lortab) that helped me sleep on the back - apparently any slight pain kept me awake in that unaccustomed position. You might want to talk to your doctor to see whether a somewhat-stronger pain med might help you sleep. Just a thought; good luck!

 

[mark1]

Happy new year to all,
i do a bit of research on my surgeon and found out that is main specilty is cementless hip replacement and is 6 to 8 weeks for weight bearing so gone back to 2 crutches so i don't cause any damage, maxbuck was right about the pain stopping him sleep as the paracetamol wasn't doing the job so i had some tablets left from before the operation so i'm using them and sleeping again, will see gp when open again.
got my appointment with surgeon next monday will be nice to know excatly what was put inside and the method used and of course see how things are healing.
walking futher with crutches now going for a walk every day even though i got soaked from the rain but i enjoyed it any way.
my daughter back at school next tuesday so trying to be ready for that it's just over a mile there but i have to make it back aswell i've got faith i know i can do it.

 

[mark1]

I had a good night laying on my operated side but supported with 2 pillows in front and my left leg bent on top taking the weight be nice to get to the stage when don't need pillows but good enough so far.
just been for a 2 mile walk still with sticks but a walk is still exercise have been doing a 20 minute walk every day now makes me feel good getting out and moving about.
Seeing my surgeon Monday will be nice to get some answers, seen my gp yesterday to get a lower strength tablet he checked my scar and said looking really good nice and tidy job.
Hoping he will say when leg will get weight bearing on it's own with out sticks, and use my spin bike at home.

 

[sissy46]

Isn't it wonderful to be able to walk two miles? Sounds like you are doing great.
Write down your questions for the surgeon, or if you're like me, you'll forget half of them till you're back home:rolleyes:

 

[Pugfugly]

Our doctors over here hate to tell you too much information, don't know why.

He'll probably say you can ditch the crutches when you feel able. I found that walking without a stick made me walk like a orang-utan and made me very sore. Wait until you can do lots of side leg lifts when lying on your non operated side, that's the muscles apparently make you walk properly.

Good luck with your appointment!

 

[mark1]

Well you're right pugfugly. I saw the surgeon yesterday and he said I could go down to one stick and ditch when ready. Walked my little girl to school today with one stick and yes, I was aching when I got back - 2 miles on one stick is a bummer. He said need to see physio as muscles not strong enough yet and I do walk like a orang-utan as well!

I will try doing the side leg lifts. The only time I have seen a physio was when in hospital so only been doing the ones shown waiting for them to give me an appointment.

On the plus side I now know that it is a cementless hip replacement which all says takes longer to heal and it has a ceramic head which will last longer I'm told and I can use my spin bike for 10 mins a day

Can't have a bath untill physio show me how to get in and out of bath & no swimming for 3 months what a bummer.

My daughter saw my x-ray with me as I asked if all was ok. She was happy and I thought that was what is was like.

To me it still feels like I do really have a new part in side. Takes time to get use to it, I know.

 

[Spid]

Yeah the side lifts really are crucial to helping to walk properly. I was limping heavily for two years prior to the op and doing these lifts has helped even though I've only done them a short amount of time.

Keep at them though because they seem impossible at first, it's shocking. Kind of like the side slides were I guess.

 

[Pugfugly]

mark1 We have the same kind of hip, ceramic, non-cemented. The reason my surgeon said to take it slowly was so that the bone can grow into the ceramic and become a tighter fit. I've started back at keep fit and ache like mad, my bum cheeks especially the operated side aches like mad. Its these muscles that we have to build up for us to be able to walk properly as Spid said in his post.
I did the side leg lifts that the physio gave me in hospital, but they were when standing. When I moved on to the ones lying on my non-operated side and tried to lift the operated leg I thought it was going to be impossible, but keep at it and it gets easier. Its the smallest movements you have to concentrate on, slow and easy does it and you will get there.
Well done you, don't forget to keep your pain at bay. I am still taking paracetemol to help with my pain when I've done more exercise than usual. We went to High Holborn in London and we walked back to Trafalgar Square and I paid for the extra walking with muscle pain later, but it was worth it. No pain no gain I guess.

Keep up the good work!

 

[sissy46]

I had uncemented and was weight bearing from day one, being told that weight bearing would stimulate new bone growth. Others are told that restricting weight bearing gives the bone a chance to grow into the implant. Is this simply a difference in opinion (although it seems like the question would be definitively resolved by now) or does the recommendation to bear weight or not depend upon other factors---previous pathology, condition of bone, whatever? Josephine what do you think?

 

[Pugfugly]

When I spoke to th physio he said to treat it as you would a broken leg. To allow the bone to knit together, if you break your leg, you are given crutches and told not to weight bear. Plus as the shaft of the implant goes into the femur it allows the fit to remain tight.
It seems there are different opinions but this may be due to other considerations. I checked out the advice I was given on the Swiss manufacturers website where mine was made which backed up the advice I was given. Mine was custom made and not 'off the peg' so I don't know if that makes a difference. It seems we are at the mercy of our individual surgeons.

 

[Josephine]

I had uncemented and was weight bearing from day one, being told that weight bearing would stimulate new bone growth. Others are told that restricting weight bearing gives the bone a chance to grow into the implant. Is this simply a difference in opinion (although it seems like the question would be definitively resolved by now) or does the recommendation to bear weight or not depend upon other factors---previous pathology, condition of bone, whatever? Josephine what do you think?

Nope, it's still hotly debated in conferences and medical journals. This is the reason why:

This is a diagram of bone growing into the porous coat of an implant - note the tiny tendrils going in between the beads

Group 1: in favour of non-weight bearing think that the microscopic tendrils of bone growing into the implant surface can be broken off or destroyed during early weight bearing
Group 2: in favour of immediate weight bearing argue that it is a known fact that loading via the pumping action created during weight bearing encourages the development of new bone and therefore cohesion occurs faster and more securely.

An argument destined to continue as the two factions appear to be resolute!

 

[sissy46]

Josephine Thanks, interesting. It does seem by now there would be enough non-cemented cases that one group or the other would have done better. Would it be wrong to surmise that both groups have done equally well? In which case, I'm glad I didn't have the restriction.

 

[Josephine]

You are correct to surmise that. Apart from the metal on metal debacle, it would seem that the only true parameter that influences outcomes is the surgeon's expertise in any given circumstance! There are other issues such as health issues and trauma sustained before, during and after the surgery, but basically that's the one.

 

[mark1]

Well what a snowy day! Lucky I had a early appointment at physio as when I finished they were ringing up afternoon people and cancelling due weather getting really bad. Looked on facebook after a slow drive home and 5 mins behind us there was a 3 car smash closing road for a while. Luckily only cars damaged.

First physio visit since operation, got some more exercises to do as large muscle still very weak. She said that is why I'm still having to use 1 crutch and can't weight bear. Hope these exercises work, it must be really weak as I struggled to do the positions required and was left aching after I finished, She said still lots of healing going on and it's normal.

Still looking forward 4 more weeks and I can have a soak in the bath! I didn't think I'd miss it so much but I do.

Walking 2 miles for 3 days a week now with 1 stick then the rest just a 20 min walk and 10 mins on spin bike every day.

Hope everyone is on the forward path. xx

 

[Josephine]

Eh, you're doing well, mate! Onward and upward, eh?