slapstep
member
Great news. Every day is a new adventure in recovery. Thrilled you are doing better.
Pete
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Pete
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THR Rubadub rocky recovery
- Thread starter Rubadub
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Rubadub
junior member
2week checkup with OS - removed most staples - left a couple up top. I am still having some drainage there. X-ray looked good - everything still in place at femur fracture site. I have some seriously aggravated skin from bandages being changed! We will lightly covered during the day and leave open at night. Only other issue - I had to have 2 units of blood after my surgery - so I have to add iron supplement and have new blood work next week. Still only toe touch weight bearing for another 4 weeks due to fracture. Slowly progressing!
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Rubadub
junior member
4 weeks for me tomorrow! I'm still only toe touch weight bearing - due to femur cracked during surgery. My incision is healing and all feels pretty good - my biggest complaint - my good hip is getting tired of being my only walking leg! I'm trying to stay off of it, sure don't want to injure it! This surgery has really tested my patience! Hope I'm not being too grouchy!
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A real test in patience for sure. You are not being grouchy - feel free to rant all you want. Hope the next 2 weeks fly by for you!
HipSurprise
junior member
You've had some challenges with your surgery, so do take it easy. I also had/have problems with low blood pressure and high heart rate. My docs advised me to stay well hydrated and to put electrolytes such as Powerade in my water. Apparently, when we're dehydrated, our blood pressure certainly can go down - to try and make up for it, our bodies then call on the heart to do more work to keep the blood flowing as needed. It can end up being a viscous circle and can lead to falling or going into v fib.
I also feel grumpy about my challenges with having my new hip and having to follow restrictions. It's a normal reaction, especially if you were used to being independent and just "getting up and going" whenever you pleased. big change to be "handicapped" and you have the added pain of the femur fracture. Be gentle on yourself, on your body, there's a long road of healing ahead of you. Just know that we're all cheering for you and will listen to your rants and understand your feelings.
I also feel grumpy about my challenges with having my new hip and having to follow restrictions. It's a normal reaction, especially if you were used to being independent and just "getting up and going" whenever you pleased. big change to be "handicapped" and you have the added pain of the femur fracture. Be gentle on yourself, on your body, there's a long road of healing ahead of you. Just know that we're all cheering for you and will listen to your rants and understand your feelings.
Rubadub
junior member
@Jaycey - thanks! I'm counting down the days! I fractured my left femur neck in April 2014 - stayed on a walker for 8 weeks, crutches 4 weeks, and a cane until May 2015. I then had 3 screws removed. 2 months later I was diagnosed with AVN in femur head. Decided to go ahead and do LTHR before it collapsed. So I am really trying to be good! I want this to heal correctly! Hopefully for the last time!
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Poppet
Nutritional Advisor
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Australia
Did you know how the body goes about the process of healing following surgery (or an injury)?
Here is an article which explains this process....
Healing Phases & Nutrition
This second link is to other nutritional articles which you may find interesting, including one relating to bone health.
Nutritional advice for pre op and recovery
This third link refers to my ongoing research..
nutritional-snippets-did-you-know
Here is an article which explains this process....
Healing Phases & Nutrition
This second link is to other nutritional articles which you may find interesting, including one relating to bone health.
Nutritional advice for pre op and recovery
This third link refers to my ongoing research..
nutritional-snippets-did-you-know
Laceylake
member
Today is my week 11 and I'm still grouchy. My steps here are deep like basement stairs and I have been trying to use them normally, there's only 10 but my knee started hurting then I've been having IBS and Gerd flare their heads so taking my motrin I've had to put off and tylenol does nothing. You are having worse problems so you can be grouchy......
lalo
member
Just saw your post on my thread. Sounds like you too had the pinning after a break and a year later the THR.
I'm curious about the details of your pinning.
I was taken in an ambulance to the emergency room and then admitted to the hospital and told I was scheduled for emergency surgery.
The Dr that had dine a total knee replacement had retired and I did not have an Orthopaedic Dr.
They would not let me leave the emergency room until I picked from 2 Drs on call.
I picked the one with most experience.
I was in the hospital for almost 48 hrs before they took me into surgery. Got nothing but excuses and at one time the head floor nurse came to apologize.
Four hrs before surgery the surgeons assistant came and told me that instead of a hip replace they were going with the screws. I didn't like the last minute switch but whet could I do.
Anyway a friends brother had a similar accident 1 week before mine with same break and his fix included screws plus a plate. Did yours have just screws ?
And if you don't mind how much time before the accident and the surgery?
The Dr that did the pinning told me that the replacement came with risks because the bone now has 3 holes where the screws went in. I wonder if that's where your bone broke during surgery?
When I look at a pic of the X-rays of my hip replacement the walk thickness on one side looks real thin, it's scary!
I say to myself one fall and I'm in deep you know what.
I'm real glad you told me about your situation. You are the 1st person that is going thru the same thing as I have.
I had to be tie touching for 8 weeks after both surgeries. I ended up buying forearm crutches from Amazon and found them real easy to use and get around .
I better stop and save done for another post.
I'm curious about the details of your pinning.
I was taken in an ambulance to the emergency room and then admitted to the hospital and told I was scheduled for emergency surgery.
The Dr that had dine a total knee replacement had retired and I did not have an Orthopaedic Dr.
They would not let me leave the emergency room until I picked from 2 Drs on call.
I picked the one with most experience.
I was in the hospital for almost 48 hrs before they took me into surgery. Got nothing but excuses and at one time the head floor nurse came to apologize.
Four hrs before surgery the surgeons assistant came and told me that instead of a hip replace they were going with the screws. I didn't like the last minute switch but whet could I do.
Anyway a friends brother had a similar accident 1 week before mine with same break and his fix included screws plus a plate. Did yours have just screws ?
And if you don't mind how much time before the accident and the surgery?
The Dr that did the pinning told me that the replacement came with risks because the bone now has 3 holes where the screws went in. I wonder if that's where your bone broke during surgery?
When I look at a pic of the X-rays of my hip replacement the walk thickness on one side looks real thin, it's scary!
I say to myself one fall and I'm in deep you know what.
I'm real glad you told me about your situation. You are the 1st person that is going thru the same thing as I have.
I had to be tie touching for 8 weeks after both surgeries. I ended up buying forearm crutches from Amazon and found them real easy to use and get around .
I better stop and save done for another post.
Rubadub
junior member
@lalo - I thought I had pulled a muscle - went to chiropractor- got an adjustment- 2 days later I was moving hay bales in the barn - turned left- could not move. Went to hospital- they X-rayed - said I had tendinitis, sent me home. This was on Thursday- day before Good Friday. Did not improve over weekend, made appt to see OS - she sent me for MRI. By that time I had displaced femur neck fracture. They sent me straight to hospital for surgery. I had no idea what she was going to do. She put pins due to age/physical condition. Told me there was possibility of AVN. I spent 2 months on walker, 1 month on crutches and remainder of year on a cane. I had terrible groin pain and butt pain the whole time. We removed screws May 2015. I thought I was done with this. I spent 8weeks after screws on walker/crutches. Finally off them end of July. I was walking 2 miles a day - noticed that my thigh was seizing up, groin pain & butt pain had come back. Had MRI - diagnosed with AVN. The reason for the fracture - my femur is tighter at the top, so when inserting stem it cracked. They end up using a thinner stem.
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lalo
member
Wow, I sure am glad that my pinning went bad quick. Your recovery has been going for over a year.
Don't know about you but when the femoral head started going bad and the screws were backing out the pain was terrible, I think a lot worse than the total replacement.
I know what you mean about the butt pain, I'm still dealing with it. After reading on this forum I found out its called piriformis syndrome and usually comes with sciatic nerve pain. My pain goes from the butt and runs to my knee on the inside of the thigh. Maybe since you don't have a replaced knee the sciatic wont be a problem for you.
With all the time I spent on crutches all the muscles have really atrophied and recovery has been slow in coming. I hope yours won't take so long.
Don't know about you but when the femoral head started going bad and the screws were backing out the pain was terrible, I think a lot worse than the total replacement.
I know what you mean about the butt pain, I'm still dealing with it. After reading on this forum I found out its called piriformis syndrome and usually comes with sciatic nerve pain. My pain goes from the butt and runs to my knee on the inside of the thigh. Maybe since you don't have a replaced knee the sciatic wont be a problem for you.
With all the time I spent on crutches all the muscles have really atrophied and recovery has been slow in coming. I hope yours won't take so long.
Rubadub
junior member
@lalo - if I have learned anything this past year - it has been patience! I've always been a busy person - this has taught me to relax and take more time! I learned that a little is good, a lot is not always better(PT). The harder I worked at PT the more ROM I got, but I also got some really irritated muscles and tendons! I also learned that I can't sit in a straight back chair very long! I really tighten up. I use heat every evening for it.
Like you before my surgery I was going to water classes. They were very helpful and I can't wait to get back to them!!
Good luck on your recovery!
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Like you before my surgery I was going to water classes. They were very helpful and I can't wait to get back to them!!
Good luck on your recovery!
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Rubadub
junior member
I have a couple questions I would like to ask...
1). Is it normal to have any bone pain 8 weeks out? I'm asking because I was toe touch only for 5 weeks due to fracture during surgery. So should I assume that my recovery is behind a normal heal?
The last couple days I've noticed puffiness around my incision. Not warm, not hard, not red- just puffy.
2). Is this normal or should I worry?
I've put in a call to OS office just to be safe! PT was concerned! That scared me!
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1). Is it normal to have any bone pain 8 weeks out? I'm asking because I was toe touch only for 5 weeks due to fracture during surgery. So should I assume that my recovery is behind a normal heal?
The last couple days I've noticed puffiness around my incision. Not warm, not hard, not red- just puffy.
2). Is this normal or should I worry?
I've put in a call to OS office just to be safe! PT was concerned! That scared me!
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Well is you were only toe touch for 5 weeks due to a fracture I would say yes, what you are feeling is expected. Are you taking any medication for the pain?
What type of PT have you been doing? If you ice and elevate does this swelling decrease?
Rubadub
junior member
@Jaycey - only ibuprofen 1 am & 1 pm. Pain is intermittent. From 0-10 about 3 at worst. PT (standing) knee raises, side leg lift, back leg lift 2 sets of 10. (Seated) leg extension 2 sets of 10. (Laying) heel slide w knee lift to 90 degrees, slide leg to side 2 sets of 10, (using knee roll) leg lift. We have really tried to be cautious due to fracture. Maybe I'm over doing the walking!
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If it were me I would stop all the PT and see if things calm down. Hips really only need walking. Start with short distances and increase only when you are confident and comfortable. Slow and steady is the best road in this recovery.
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