THR Rutabaga is recovering!

[Hip Hip Hooray!]

That's great that you are already sleeping for such long stretches of time. Your body needs its energy to heal. I'm sorry about the oral thrush. I'll have to google that; I don't know what it is.

It sounds to me like you are doing plenty. The rest is so critical. It's normal to get exhausted very quickly at this stage. I remember my dad asking me if I wanted to go out to lunch or dinner, and I just didn't have the energy. You will regain it, in time.

 

[Rutabaga]

Well I don't recommend googling thrush; you'll see see some pretty gross photos of advanced stages! It's basically a fungus that grows on your tongue. It's normally kept in check by bacteria in your mouth, but when all that good bacteria is killed off with antibiotics the fungus gets out of control. I caught it really early, just some white patches on the back of my tongue that wouldn't go away. It can make your mouth sore and when you swallow it just feels like there is something stuck on the back of your tongue.

I slept for about twelve hours last night! Not sure if this is normal.... this is after napping most of the day too. I think I'm sleeping more than my cats!

 

[Cynthia777]

Except for the little nausea blip, you sound like you're doing very well. I applaud you on getting those TEDS on by yourself! I'm not sure I could have put them on by myself those first few days post-op. Good for you!

 

[Krista]

Rutabaga, congrats on making it through your THR and doing so well. These early weeks involve much healing in our hip/thigh, and rest is incredibly important. I envy you your ability to sleep so easily. I didn't get much more than 5 or 6 hours a day for the first 6 weeks (until I was allowed to sleep on my side), and even that was broken in 4 or 5 segments. Just couldn't sleep well at all. So enjoy all of that lovely sleep and rest as much as you can. The healing cannot be rushed.

Too bad about the thrush. It's not fun at all, I know. Hope it passes quickly!

 

[Arlene56]

@Rutabaga You are doing great for being in say 4 minus the nausea. I have the reacher as well for my recovery. Did you practice using it before your surgery? Looking forward to reading more of your recovery

 

[Rutabaga]

@Arlene56 no I didn't practice using it before surgery. I actually find I don't really need the reacher. Since I have one good leg I can use that to lift my underwear or pants up high enough to where I can reach it with my hand.

Day 6
Last night I decided to take off the TED hose for sleeping. Within a few hours my feet became so cold that I was worried about poor circulation so I put them back on. Then I had my husband put some thick warm socks on me. That is one thing I definitely cannot do! Put on socks! I can manage the TED hose myself because they are so long and I can kind of throw them down by my foot and catch them with my toes and then just slowly pull them up.

I've started to reduce my pain meds. I am now taking 1 Norco every 6 hours instead of 2 Norco every 5 hours. However I have also started taking Naproxen sodium at the same time. Hoping to wean off the hard stuff by next week. It is going good so far, not too much difference in pain level, so I will continue this plan for the week. I'm tired of not being able to poop! LOL!

I am starting to see some bruising high up on the side of my hip. Up until now I had no bruising at all. Not sure if that's due to lots of icing or if it just takes that much time for deep bruises to develop.

I am still sleeping well, thankfully. Sorry if I'm making anyone jealous on that front!

 

[Rutabaga]

Day 7
I jumped the gun on reducing the pain meds. By dinnertime yesterday I was in a lot of pain. It got up to about a 7 on the pain scale. I am now back to the full dose of Norco. Bit of a setback, but I'm trying not to let it discourage me. I have plenty of time left and can take my time recovering. I barely moved yesterday besides getting up to pee and go to the kitchen. I'm not sure if I should be trying to walk through the pain or if I need to let myself heal more before moving more frequently.

I'm pretty much done with the walker, I now only use it as a stabilizer when using the toilet. When walking around the house I'm using just my walking stick and sometimes not even that. Occasionally my leg will give out from under me and not support my weight, so it's safest to have the walking stick with me always. I still look like a zombie, walking very stiffly, but I'm semi-stable. It doesn't feel great though. @Cynthia777 When does that feeling of having a brick stuffed into your thigh go away?

I am still icing during the day and wearing TED hose pretty much 24/7.

 

[Krista]

Rutabaga, I wouldn't think that being on your full dose of Norco is a setback for day 7 or the weeks after! I was on it for 4 weeks, during which time it controlled my pain very well, then I tapered down. There is an enormous amount of healing going on in your hip and thigh, in bone, muscle, tendon and skin, and extra activity doesn't help that. For your bodily safety I am glad to hear that you are using walking aids. From what I have observed on this forum and others, many people can't really walk unaided well and without a limp until much later, 6 - 10 weeks, or even later. It really isn't possible to rush recovery, but you can slow it down by not resting enough. From my experience, pushing through pain after surgery just doesn't work - it prevents the hurt tissues from healing and doesn't make them stronger. Best wishes in your recovery!

 

[Cynthia777]

@Rutabaga
If I remember correctly it slowly waned and by the end of the second week it felt more like a washcloth inside. Now at five weeks it's completely gone. I definitely would NOT push through the pain. I've read too many recoveries where members did, only to cause a chronic pain issue. Slow and steady has worked great for me. Take it easy girl.

 

[Hip Hip Hooray!]

It sounds to me like you were undermedicated. Usually if the pain dosage is correct, you can walk without pain. I needed a few days after surgery to get to this stage. The rest, ice, and correct dosage of pain meds make a huge difference. If you're walking stiffly, it might help to continue to use the walker. (especially if your leg is giving out on you.) Many people want to get rid of it, , but I found it made it easier for me to walk smoothly. I liked being able to put some weight on it. You have plenty of time. There's no rush.

 

[Rutabaga]

I'm having a pretty horrible day today. I was awake for hours in the middle of the night with terrible heartburn. The pain was like a seven. I didn't know what to do. I'd had some heartburn the night before too but it wasn't as bad and didn't last as long. So as a result of that I stayed in bed until about noon trying to get comfortable and sleep. As a result of THAT, I didn't get the nutrition I needed this morning and so when I took my meds I was nauseous. Of course, then I REALLY didn't want to eat anything. I just feel like I've been going downhill all day.

My doctor only gave me an 8 day prescription for pain meds so I'm going to run out soon. I tried calling to get a refill and wasn't able to talk directly to anyone. The recording at the Dr office said I have to call the pharmacy, and the recording at the pharmacy said I have to call the doctor. Ugh. I know I could get it sorted out if I tried harder but I'm just really emotional today and everything is making me cry. Just want today to be over but am dreading the night and facing more heartburn. I guess the good thing is that I've barely thought about my hip today!

 

[Readysetgo]

@Rutabaga - I hope your heartburn has gone away. That can be very painful!

But it certainly sounds like your hip is making a great recovery! So congrats to you for that!

All the meds, antibiotics and anesthesia can really do a number on our tummies with this surgery. Are you taking probiotics or eating yogurt or kefir to replace the good bacteria in your system that the antibiotics may have destroyed? Kefir is especially good to take before meds. Easy to digest, restores your immune system and coats the stomach to prevent further upset from the meds.

Anyway, I do hope you're feeling better so you can continue with your otherwise successful recovery.

 

[keepmovin]

Hi @Rutabaga! So sorry to hear about your horrible day. Not to worry so much about these down days, we all get them! You just need to get a few of these issues cleared up and you'll be smooth sailing once again! First, you are still early in your recovery so no need to rush. I think the hardest thing we all learn is how to accept a little patience into our schedules! Second, you should still be on a regular schedule with your pain meds - 8 days is not enough. The problem with the pain meds is the pharmacy cannot automatically renew them. Your Dr. must call them in. Keep on trying to get a hold of the office so you don't run out over the weekend. The nausea is probably due to taking the pain meds on an empty stomach. I know, I learned that the hard way!

Third, what are you eating in the evening? Your medication may be giving you the heartburn at night. Can you make sure you have nothing to eat or drink about an hour before going to bed? You will want your stomach slightly empty so you don't get the acid reflux. Are you lying flat in bed when you're sleeping? It may be helpful to keep your head elevated when sleeping. Since sleeping on our side is not an option right now, staying elevated should help this.

Hope the day improves! Enjoy your weekend!

 

[Rutabaga]

Thank you @keepmovin and @Readysetgo for your advice and support. I am doing better today.

I do not know what kefir is, but I will look into that. Anything to protect my stomach! I have eaten some yogurt the past few days, or should I say choked it down because I hate yogurt! The heartburn started when I began taking naproxen sodium again. I started taking it again so that I could reduce the narcotic pain meds which are making me constipated and nauseous. So I'm not sure if it's the naproxen that is making me have heartburn. But I was taking it several times a week for months for my arthritis pain and it never gave me trouble before. I know that NSAIDS can be bad for your stomach if taken a lot though.

I decided not to get a prescription refill for the Norco; I think I will be okay until next week. I reduced my dose to 4 pills a day instead of 10 (plus 2 naproxen daily). This will last until Wednesday or so and I'll re-evaluate then and see if I want to get a refill.

I did try elevating my head/chest with pillows last night and it helped a little. I also had my husband get me some Pepcid but I don't think it made much of a difference. I was still awake for several hours last night but the pain was not nearly as bad as the night before so that was a relief. I also had a purring kitten to keep me company and that helped. Also @keepmovin I have been sleeping on my side sometimes, is that a no-no? I just put a pillow between my legs and knees and lay on the non-op side.

 

[Rutabaga]

Day 9
A much better day today! I got up earlier and got some food in me and that made a difference. No nausea, yay! I'm still not walking very much, mostly resting in the house. It was nice out today so I grilled some salmon! I was also able to do some laundry (kind of dragged the basket down the stairs, lol) and washed some dishes. Nice to feel not so useless around the house. I feel bad for my wonderful husband!

It's been over 24 hours since I reduced my dose of Norco and I think it is okay. I am not getting the pain radiating down to my calves anymore, which I think was the most unbearable type of pain. Now it is really just a soreness and intense pressure (I guess that is the swelling?) in the thigh. When I'm at rest on the couch I can't feel much at all, which is great! When I stand it is definitely sore but not terrible. I have a lot more energy today. Maybe because of the reduced narcotics.

 

[Cynthia777]

How great that you're seeing such an improvement since a few days ago! I'll tell you, those emotions the first couple of weeks are something else, aren't they? I think I had only cried twice since being a child and I was sure I wouldn't experience those "post-op blues" that others have so often spoken about...WRONG! I got all teary eyed the second week about something so silly that I ended up laughing because it was so out of character for me. Just happy you're feeling better!

 

[hippy52]

Hi hon. I just read your thread and it sounds like you are recovering pretty well much like my first hip. I would have a string of good days and then maybe 2 bad ones up and down for 6 weeks and then all for the most part was well. I'm sorry that I haven't been on until today I was kept in the hospital until this past Friday due to blood clots. I'm doing much better and am at home resting and letting my hip heal. I make sure to get up every 60-90 minutes for about 15 minutes but other wise I'm in the bed that we moved into the family room.

I hope that you are feeling well tonight and know that I've been thinking about ya. Happy healing!!!

 

[Arlene56]

@Rutabaga so sorry you are having a few issues. Guess there will be ups and downs. I was hoping more ups though to be honest. I am at Day 6. Today was a hard day. I woke up to "leg of Lamb" as the size of my thigh looks like it doubled in size. I haven been icing 23/7. Hope it starts getting better soon.

Looking forward to your thread.
Have a good evening

 

[Cynthia777]

I wonder why some people have so much swelling while others have little or none (I had no swelling for some reason)? I wonder if it has to do with the surgeon being either too rough or very gentle (if there is such a thing as gentle when they're sawing your hip out)?

 

[Rutabaga]

@hippy52 So happy to hear from you! I was thinking about you the last couple of weeks and wondering if anything was wrong. I hope you start a recovery thread so that we can hear about your surgery experience.
Hope your healing goes great!