Become an Insider

THR Right THR but only 6 weeks and losing faith"

Status
Not open for further replies.
@Cynthia777 thank you for the info!

@Josephine I called Thursday but they didn't get back to me. I called again yesterday but I am thinking with the holiday weekend that they left early. Hope to hear from them Tuesday and get through the weekend in the meantime with not too much pain!


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
Oh my....I'm sorry you didn't get a prompt reply for your questions about pain medication. I see that Jo advised you to talk with your doctor about upping the Gabapentin dose and that sounds like a good idea to me too. My husband has used it with some success for nerve pain and restless legs at doses up to 3600mg a day at times, so you may be prescribed quite a higher dose than what you have been one.

In the meantime, do try the Tylenol on a schedule of 1000mg every 6 hours for a total of no more than 4000mg in any 24 hour period. Be sure and count any acetaminophen in other products such as cold or sinus medication or other prescription pain med in that 4000mg total.
 
Hi Laura,

I feel pretty pitiful and it's just me! I'm at three weeks and thank goodness my girls are older. I understand 12. It can be a frustrating age and all children are different. My older daughter was so easy compared to my younger one. You would have thought I raised them totally different.

I think the chart is a great idea even if you didn't have surgery. You can even let the children help choose which "opening" they might like to apply for. Kind of think like the home as a business and there are positions open that need to be filled. I tried to spin away from the typical words like chore.

I hope things get easier there.
 
@Blossom has a great idea about letting them choose their chores. I've also read if you let them know how important the job is, it makes them feel good about doing it. As an example...taking out the trash is important because if no one did it the house would soon be filled with trash and we would have all sorts of bugs running around (this works especially well with young children). You also explain that it's your job to remind them (that you don't expect them to remember), but it's their job to do it. This way it sets it up better to avoid them feeling like your nagging. Worth a try. :-)
 
@Cynthia777 @Josephine

Well the doctor finally got back to me and they said I could up the Gabapoentin to 200 three times and day and see how that is and then I have to check back and they could up it to 300 three times a day. I just started today so we will see if there is a difference. I have to say though, I feel SO much better after PT when she stretches out all my stiff muscles that have been stiff since I was little. I am going to see how much I can start stretching on my own in between sessions and see if that helps. Oh and I drove to PT today, which was such an empowering feeling! I have been using the cane for most of the day and even took a walk to the corner with my cane and my daughter's hand! So today was a good day! I am going to take them to the pool tomorrow and if it doesn't go well then I will just pack them up and head home! I will definitely fill everyone in tomorrow! Keep good thoughts for me!


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
I've read other member posts who have said the same thing about the stretching. I know when I'm in bed and I stretch my legs, it feels so good. Enjoy the pool and I'm happy you're feeling better! :-)
 
@Cynthia777

We all made it! The kids were a big help and I didn't really need to do much. I even got in the water and it felt amazing! I was able to 'walk' for the first time in 2 months without a walker or cane! I wish I could live in water! Lol I was definitely exhausted when I got home, but I took about a 45 minute rest and felt pretty good! I have another question though. I have been using the cane more and more around the house but my back is killing me!!! Do you think this means I'm not ready for the cane?? My PT said I look good on the cane but I didn't tell her about the horrible back pain... And even up into my shoulders. I'm just scared that since my body was used to have a much shorter right leg, that now that it's longer it's actually causing a lot of issues in my back and neck and shoulders. Not sure if I need to get back to the doctor or what. The lower back pain is pretty awful and it's like an 8 or 9. I'm sitting here right now in agony! Ugh!! Any help would be appreciated! Thank you!


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
Laura1979,
I would not surprise me if your new leg length difference is contributing to your back pain. Your PT should be able to help you with an appropriate lift on the shorter side to help you get used to your new walk. Be sure the OS and PT know about your back pain, only way they can advise you properly.
Glad you had a good time at the pool.
 
@pumpkin thank you for the advice! You are definitely right! I am going to speak to my PT next week about it. I had told my OS about it, but he said I needed to wait a 'while' for my hip and pelvis and what not to settle before he would give me a lift, but I ended up emailing my OS that I have had since I was 10 and he told me to get a 3/8 of an inch inset and see how that helps. So now I can't tell if the back pain is from using that insert or from using my cane more or both, or neither! Ha! I may have to try the cane tomorrow with no insert and see how much my back hurts and then I may have an answer to my own question! Thanks for the support!


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
I experienced the back pain once I went to a cane, but it didn't last that long. I just made sure I was concentrating on my posture. I thought I had a LLD, but now I'm not so sure. The longer I've walked without the cane, the less I've limped. For I concentrate on my gait I have no limp. When I'm really tired I find I start mildly limping again. I think it takes several months to really know for sure (especially if the LLD is very small).
 
Hi @Laura1979
I'm just wondering if your cane has ever been adjusted for your height. When I was going to rehab, my PT noticed my cane was not at the proper height for me. Once she adjusted it properly, it felt so much better.
 
@Cynthia777 I am really hoping things will settle a little, but he definitely knows that there is a LLD because mine was so extreme before that he couldn't give me all the length back when he replaced the hip. I am just really hoping I can figure this all out. My knee has also been killing me, but my knee turns in really bad and I'm afraid that now that they tried to fix my hip they didn't take my knee I to consideration and I may not be able to walk without a cane or they may need to give me a brace or something to try and support my knee so I can walk and not be in pain. Thanks again for your support!


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
@Nana757 Thank you for the advice! I had the PT adjust it a few weeks ago, so I know it's at the right height. My back is just already out of whack from walking on my toe for 30 some years. Just hoping it doesn't get worse!


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
Since your posture has been off for so many years, I would imagine you're using many of those muscles in a different way and it would take awhile to strengthen them out. Hang in there Laura and remember that recovery is a marathon rather than a sprint. :-)
 
Just looking for some advice. So I am 8 weeks out now and I have been having some pretty bad pain when I sit or move in certain ways. Of course I'm panicking and afraid that something moved or slipped, but I am hoping that maybe I just have been doing a little too much around the house and am feeling the pain from that? Ugh. I will see how I feel tomorrow I guess and then if I have to I will call the doctor. I had been doing pretty good there for about a week, feeling better then I have since I had the surgery, but now I'm kinda worried. Hoping it's nothing major. Hope everyone is doing well!


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
I'm 5 months post-op with my first THR and a week shy of 3 months for hip two. Other than slight stiffness the first step or two I take after sitting, I've really felt pretty close to normal (no pain, no limp). HOWEVER, the other day my cat almost tripped me and I twisted my body in an odd way. I did feel mild pain in both groin areas (but it disappeared immediately), so it served as a reminder that I'm not fully healed (like BS says, it takes a year). I would imagine if you are overdoing it, it wouldn't be abnormal that you would feel the repercussions so soon after surgery. Hopefully you are using plenty of ice on the painful areas. Best wishes Laura! :console2:
 
Hi @Laura1979

There are some very sensible posts on here and I agree with them all. I am 18 weeks post a R THR

There is not much I can say on the parental front - mine are adults now, but my grand daughter Emily (6) monitored my progress very carefully!

Two things:

There is no such thing as where you should or should not be. Everybody recovers differently, so don't beat yourself up. Turn it round and into a positive - ie just think of all the progress you have made so far and will continue to make

Secondly, you can't actually show people a hip replacement and a modest ish scar does not necessarily reflect that it is major surgery - a reminder to your loved ones from time to time does not go amiss!

Best wishes
Peter
 
@PS46

Thank you for the words of encouragement! I stopped last night and really thought back to where I was when I started and it helped me to see how far I really have come. I guess I am just still worried that I may not be able to walk without a cane for a while and I have to go back to 20 6 year olds in about 6 weeks. I know 6 weeks is a long time, so I need to stay positive. I am also still really worried about the leg length and how I've always walked in my toe on my right leg and now I am closer in length, but still not even, so I'm not sure how I'm going to walk. I am still limping a lot and with my right knee turned so far in, it just looks so odd when I walk. It looks like I will never walk without a cane again! But like you said, I need more positivity!!! Thanks again for reading and responding!


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
Laura, I think that walking with the right knee turned far in is an issue for you to bring up soon with your surgeon. That doesn't sound right to me. Limping "a lot" at 9 weeks might not be ok either. Best to talk to surgeon about these things. I understand why you are concerned about that return-to-work date, having to work with all those young kids! It is probable that you will be in much better shape in 6 weeks, but if you still have to use a walking aid at that time, then so be it, you might just need it.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel

Staff online

  • benne68
    benne68
    Staff member since February 4, 2022

Members online

Total: 766 (members: 4, guests: 762)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom