THR Right THR but only 6 weeks and losing faith"
- Thread starter Laura1979
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Krista
post-grad
Laura, "normal" takes quite a bit of time. You will know when you get there! Can't force it.
I wasn't ready to drive until I was 6 weeks out, fully off opioids, and with enough strength and flexibility in my surgical leg (right) to handle the accelerator and brakes, which are all controlled with the right leg. If you have any doubt in your mind, your surgeon's office would always be the place to go with such a question.
I wasn't ready to drive until I was 6 weeks out, fully off opioids, and with enough strength and flexibility in my surgical leg (right) to handle the accelerator and brakes, which are all controlled with the right leg. If you have any doubt in your mind, your surgeon's office would always be the place to go with such a question.
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Laura1979
junior member
@Josephine and/or @Jaycey or anyone else who can help!
Just wondering if this pain that rides up my 'back side' when I sit could be my sciatica? In which case is there anything that can be done? My OS had said that if he was going to try and give me some of the length back he would have to check how tight it would make my sciatica before he could see about the length and if everything would work. He said after the surgery everything was fine and that it didn't feel too tight, but what if he was wrong? How would he check something like that? Is there anything he could do to fix it without some kind of major surgery? I would appreciate any input or help! Thanks!
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Just wondering if this pain that rides up my 'back side' when I sit could be my sciatica? In which case is there anything that can be done? My OS had said that if he was going to try and give me some of the length back he would have to check how tight it would make my sciatica before he could see about the length and if everything would work. He said after the surgery everything was fine and that it didn't feel too tight, but what if he was wrong? How would he check something like that? Is there anything he could do to fix it without some kind of major surgery? I would appreciate any input or help! Thanks!
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canoewoman
junior member
I understand your frustration and you have some people around you so perhaps both you and your husband could sit down with your kids and simply tell them that they have to pitch in. Even if they each have 1-2 specific small jobs around the house that should help.
I live alone and feel completely desperate about all this and want my life back too so I understand how you feel. I just want the recovery to be over and I am just starting week 6. I have no confidence I will ever walk normally again and I had a THR on May 12 and my days are long and boring and pointless. I can walk the sidewalk or hallways of my building but other than that longer excursions require a cab and a driver who will fold down my walker and help me in and out of the car. I feel useless and so I do suggest in your case to sort of read the riot act to your kids and do it calmly and show they why they have to help you. Their reaction may in part be fear and worry because they do not understand what you had to have done or went on and you might also call the hospital and see if a case worker would come out and talk to you and maybe have your kids there too to listen.
I can only say this is right up there with some of my worst life times including losing my mother in a car accident, my divorce and moving 2000 miles so late in life to be near my son and family (who are a help but have their hands full with 2 very young children and full time demanding jobs). I hate to ask them to do anything.
I live alone and feel completely desperate about all this and want my life back too so I understand how you feel. I just want the recovery to be over and I am just starting week 6. I have no confidence I will ever walk normally again and I had a THR on May 12 and my days are long and boring and pointless. I can walk the sidewalk or hallways of my building but other than that longer excursions require a cab and a driver who will fold down my walker and help me in and out of the car. I feel useless and so I do suggest in your case to sort of read the riot act to your kids and do it calmly and show they why they have to help you. Their reaction may in part be fear and worry because they do not understand what you had to have done or went on and you might also call the hospital and see if a case worker would come out and talk to you and maybe have your kids there too to listen.
I can only say this is right up there with some of my worst life times including losing my mother in a car accident, my divorce and moving 2000 miles so late in life to be near my son and family (who are a help but have their hands full with 2 very young children and full time demanding jobs). I hate to ask them to do anything.
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Laura1979
junior member
@Krista Your words are very true! Normal may take a lot longer then I had hoped, but I know it will be worth it! I am hoping he may clear me in a week or two. I see him Monday and hope he can address my pain when I sit. That may also make it impossible to drive right now! Thanks again for the support!!
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Josephine
NURSE DIRECTOR EMERITA
Was this the question you pm'd me about, Laura?
Perhaps you can tell me the exact site of your pain using this chart?
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Laura1979
junior member
C- R4B and D- R4B
I do have pain around the front too but I know that is because my muscles are so tight since they lengthened my leg. I did see my doctor today and he seems to think its the same reason in the back, since those muscles were right as well from me walking on my toe for 30 sole years, but it's still frustrating. He did prescribe me some nerve blockers but he seemed hesitant because he said those nerves need to reconnect and heal and I need to get the sensations back. It was a little bit of a frustrating appointment but I am styling positive. He said he hopes I will get stronger every week and get closer to feeling better. It's hard to not be able to sit comfortably. Thanks for any advice you have. Oh and what over the counter pain reliever do you think works best?
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I do have pain around the front too but I know that is because my muscles are so tight since they lengthened my leg. I did see my doctor today and he seems to think its the same reason in the back, since those muscles were right as well from me walking on my toe for 30 sole years, but it's still frustrating. He did prescribe me some nerve blockers but he seemed hesitant because he said those nerves need to reconnect and heal and I need to get the sensations back. It was a little bit of a frustrating appointment but I am styling positive. He said he hopes I will get stronger every week and get closer to feeling better. It's hard to not be able to sit comfortably. Thanks for any advice you have. Oh and what over the counter pain reliever do you think works best?
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Laura1979
junior member
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Laura1979
junior member
What does everyone think about Gabapentin? The doc put me back on it and I've been reading a lot of the side effects and it's worrying me. I am home alone with my 4 kids all day and don't want to be 'out of it' I am on 100 mg 3x a day. Any advice would be helpful! Thanks!
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Josephine
NURSE DIRECTOR EMERITA
So your pain is here?
![[Bonesmart.org] Right THR but only 6 weeks and losing faith"](https://bonesmart.org/forum/attachments/laura-jpg.51579/ "[Bonesmart.org] Right THR but only 6 weeks and losing faith\"")
1. simple post-operative pain
2. Piriformis syndrome though it's not in quite the right spot!
3. SI pain
What has he prescribed you?
One curious thing about surgeons - they really don't seem to be able to think outside the box! Or sometimes even inside the box! In my opinion, what you're described above is one of three things:
1. simple post-operative pain
2. Piriformis syndrome though it's not in quite the right spot!
3. SI pain
Well that's an odd notion! I never knew 'nerve blockers' to impede healing!
What has he prescribed you?
Gabapentin is a very commonly used drug but it's side effects are usually more irritating than problematic and temporary as well. On the plus side, gabapentin is a very effective and successful medication. 100mg three times a day is quite a mild dose. I was on 300mg three times a day for about 3 months and then titrated myself off them using the schedule in here Gabapentin - using and coming off
Zelda
graduate
I can relate to that. I need my OS's say so before I can drive and he will want a report from the physio who will want me to show I'm confident moving my operated leg and that I can stamp my foot down hard (and I mean hard!) without any hesitation. I live in the countryside so there's no way I can walk far enough to get anywhere and without driving I do feel trapped sometimes.
Zelda
graduate
My dad was on that for a while. He said it was effective (very enthusiastic or I wouldn't have remembered the name of it) and I didn't notice him being "out of it" or anything.
kwarendorf
member
I tend to be pretty tolerant of meds. I took 1200mg 3x/day for MS related nerve pain. I took it for about 18 months. It was very effective and I had no side effects.
Submitted FYI
Kyle
Submitted FYI
Kyle
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Laura1979
junior member
@Josephine That is pretty close to where it is, but it's a little more over to the right sometimes, farther away from... Well I can't think of a better way to put it... The middle of my rear end. The doctor seems to think it's just normal pain from the soft tissues healing and the muscles and tissues stretching. I sure hope so...
Thank you for the information in the Gabapentin. I felt a little tired last night when I took it, but it did actually seem to help a little bit, so I am going to give it a try today and see how I feel. I will definitely read how to wean off of it, thank you for that!
I'm not thrilled with my doctors post-operative care so far, but I am finding this forum to be very helpful and I will continue to speak up and ask for more answers from my doctor. I don't see him again for 6 more weeks, which is August 1st. Thank you again!
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Thank you for the information in the Gabapentin. I felt a little tired last night when I took it, but it did actually seem to help a little bit, so I am going to give it a try today and see how I feel. I will definitely read how to wean off of it, thank you for that!
I'm not thrilled with my doctors post-operative care so far, but I am finding this forum to be very helpful and I will continue to speak up and ask for more answers from my doctor. I don't see him again for 6 more weeks, which is August 1st. Thank you again!
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Laura1979
junior member
@Zelda
I think I am pretty much in the same boat! I have to really be able to place weight in that leg before they will let me drive and I just have to be able to move around better. I am still so stiff and afraid to bend things, so I know driving would just be dangerous for everyone involved at this point. I am really working on my patience this week! It's hard to keep asking for help, but as people have said on here before, most people are glad to help and it's OK to ask them!
I am going to try the Gabapentin and see how it goes! Today I am home all day alone with the kids so I'm a little hesitant, but my older daughter is 12 and she should be able to handle the kids if I do feel out of it or anything! It really seemed to help with the pain last night and I didn't get the restless leg feeling which is the real reason I wanted it! Thank you again for your response!
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I think I am pretty much in the same boat! I have to really be able to place weight in that leg before they will let me drive and I just have to be able to move around better. I am still so stiff and afraid to bend things, so I know driving would just be dangerous for everyone involved at this point. I am really working on my patience this week! It's hard to keep asking for help, but as people have said on here before, most people are glad to help and it's OK to ask them!
I am going to try the Gabapentin and see how it goes! Today I am home all day alone with the kids so I'm a little hesitant, but my older daughter is 12 and she should be able to handle the kids if I do feel out of it or anything! It really seemed to help with the pain last night and I didn't get the restless leg feeling which is the real reason I wanted it! Thank you again for your response!
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Laura1979
junior member
@kwarendorf Thank you for letting me know about your experience with the Gabapentin. I am going to give it a try during the day. I guess I need to find out if it's ok for me to just take it at night. That's really the only time I feel the restless leg syndrome symptoms and I can deal with the other pain during the day if I have to... I'll have to check on that! Thanks again!
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Cynthia777
big-cheese
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I also had that buttocks pain, but it has finally disappeared. The only med I took (other than Percocet 2x a day) was Duexis (anti inflammatory) and I only had to take it for a few days. The Percocet didn't touch the pain, so I'm assuming it was the Duexis that helped (or maybe it just took time for the pain to resolve).
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Laura1979
junior member
Well I have been using the Gabapentin only at night and it seems to have taken away the restless leg sensation. I feel like I'm going to jinx it by even saying it! Ha! I had PT today and that went ok. There was a different PT there tonight covering for the other PT who is on vacation and I didn't like him as much. I am still hoping to drive by the end of next week, but we shall see! I know I can't rush my healing! Just still hoping this pain that I have every time I sit will start feeling better. It's hard to heal when you are in pain!
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Laura1979
junior member
@Cynthia777 How far out were you when the pain stopped? I will ask my OS about the Duexis. I am guessing he could have to call it in? It's just hard when you can't sit comfortably, as I am sure you know! Thanks for the input!
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Cynthia777
big-cheese
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Pain wise each THR was different. Keep in mind each THR is unique, so each hip heals at different rates. My buttocks pain took about 5 weeks and the pain just more or less disappeared (once I started the Duexis) all of a sudden rather than gradually. Now, you need to find out if your OS works with a special pharmacy in order to get the Duexis for $10. Walgreens doesn't even carry it and I read online that it usually runs hundreds of dollars for a thirty day supply. The pharmacy that my OS had me use mailed me the Duexis and I received it in three days. If your OS isn't familiar with the special pricing, private message me and I'll give you the name and phone number of the pharmacy. The Duexis relieved my pain far better than the Percocet!
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