THR Rutabaga is recovering!

[Rutabaga]

I wonder why some people have so much swelling while others have little or none

I wonder also why some people get lots of bruising and others do not get any. I was sure I was going to bruise heavily, I have a genetic tendency to bruise with the slightest bump, especially on my legs. However I have only a very small bruise from the THR and it's not even close to my incision, it's like on the side of my hip up high. Does icing prevent bruising?

I did not have much swelling either. The last couple of days I've noticed a little bit of swelling right above my knee though, it kind of hurts. I have been slacking on the icing lately though, maybe that is why.

 

[Rutabaga]

Day 12
Had a rough night with a lot of pain last night. The pain wasn't really in my hip, it was radiating all the way down my leg to the ankle and foot. Just a horrible ache all night long. I think that is the worst kind of pain. I finally took some Norco around 4am and it made it a little better. Then I took two more Norco at 9:30 and it made it so much better. I began to rethink my hastiness in getting off the narcotics. It was such a relief! I was able to finally get comfy and slept a couple hours without the pain. When I finally got up I called the ortho clinic and asked for a prescription refill for the Norco. I think it's too early to get off the narcotics, and I only have like 7 pills left. I will try taking two at night before bed so I can sleep a little better. So I guess I have more constipation to look forward to .. .. yay. But better pain relief so that's a real (non-sarcastic) yay.

Yesterday while making dinner I started feeling kinda woozy so I turned off the stove and went and lay on the sofa chair with my eyes closed for a minute. Apparently my (slighty overweight) cat took this as an invitation to cuddle and she jumped right onto my thigh onto my incision! I kind of yelled out in pain loudly and my husband came running to see what happened. After a few minutes I calmed down I closed my eyes again and guess what happened?! The cat jumped on the same spot again! This time I really yelled and started crying. My husband kind of reprimanded me for not protecting my hip. It's not my fault! Silly kitty just wanted to cuddle and didn't know what she was doing. I made sure to cuddle with her later and she fell asleep on me for a long time.

 

[Krista]

@Rutabaga, I was on Norco for 4 weeks, and then tapered for a week. I did not have any constipation during that time. At the hospital they had me take one dose of Miralax per day and 2 stool softener pills. They urged me to keep using both as long as I was on the Norco. I did, and had no problems ever.

I think it is wise to stay on the strong pain reliever for the first few weeks. We can't really go anywhere or do anything, and we are supposed to rest and heal. So we might as well be as comfortable as possible, right?

 

[Cynthia777]

@Rutabaga
I'm not sure if the ice helps with the bruising, but I have a sneaky suspicion it does because I had no bruising nor swelling and I used ice 24/7 from day one.

 

[Rutabaga]

Day 14 update - two weeks out!

Late last night I took my Aquacel bandage off. It was kind of grossing me out. I don't get my staples out until Monday. (They scheduled my "two week follow-up" for 19 days post-op. .. go figure). I cleaned the wound with isopropyl 70%. The inside of the bandage looked sooooo disgusting, lol. Crustiness and gooeyness all at once! EW! I have all these little bumps on the skin where the bandage was, looks like some kind of skin reaction or irritation. I bet it will clear up.

I am starting to have a lot less of the pressure feeling in my thigh, you know the feeling of having a towel or brick inside your skin. I hope it will be gone in a few days! yay!

I am able to walk pretty well without any aids, just a slight limp. The limp is a lot less now that I am taking a little bit more of the pain meds. That is probably a good thing.

I haven't left the house in over a week. And its supposed to snow tomorrow so that probably won't be changing anytime soon!

My sleeping schedule is pretty messed up right now, I have been going to bed later and later every night, last night I didn't get in bed until 1:30 am, didn't fall asleep until about 3am and then had to wake up to take meds at 4am. Stayed in bed until 1pm today! Yikes! I guess I need to make myself get up earlier but it just seems like what's the point, lol, there's nothing really urgent I need to do.

My pain in the thigh is well under control right now, most of the pain is in my knee area, right above the knee of the op leg is swelled up a bit and I have this feeling when I put weight on it that it is twisted or something. A weird sensation. I am resting a lot.

 

[Rutabaga]

Incision at 2 weeks post-op. Anterior method (this is the front/side of my right thigh). No bruising!

 

[Simplieme]

@Rutabaga looks nice and healthy. My staples were much thinner and twice as many ( that's was also twice as many to have to take out ) I was very surprised I didn't have any bruising, as I bruise very easily. The only marks I had were from the iv and blood work.


RTHR February 22, 2016

 

[Cynthia777]

I ended up with a pretty bad rash under the liquid dressing. It kept getting worse and eventually I had to apply a prescription cream containing cortisone and an anti-fungal. My OS said I had a reaction to the liquid bandage. I wish I knew the name of it, but I can't remember. If yours starts spreading, make a call to your OS. Once I applied the medication, the rash disappeared.

 

[Simplieme]

@Cynthia777 mine was a kind if rubber band aid called an Aquacell
It stuck on really well and did a good job, but it itched a lot.


RTHR February, 22, 2016
Posterior approach

 

[Rutabaga]

@Simplieme yep the Aquacel is what I had and removed last night. It did work really well. @Cynthia777 the bumps are going down already so I think I'm good! Sounds like you have really sensitive skin!

I am surprised I didn't have bruising, I normally bruise really easily, especially on my legs. I did have a huge bruise on my left hand from an IV attempt that failed. The hand with the successful IV did not bruise much.

 

[Cynthia777]

Oh good @Rutabaga! I'm glad you don't have to go through the rash...it wasn't fun!

 

[Rutabaga]

Thinking ahead a little bit for when I get my staples out next week and beyond:
Does anyone have tips for how to make your incision heal up quickly? And any tips for minimizing scarring? I know I can google it but I'd rather have first-hand advice.
I am really starting to miss my bubble baths! Reading in the tub is the best! But I know I'm not allowed to submerge my leg until the wound is completely closed. How long does that take?

 

[Jaycey]

Does anyone have tips for how to make your incision heal up quickly? And any tips for minimizing scarring?

There is no way to speed up incision healing. Everyone is different. But I can tell you that the scar will fade into a very thin line.

But I know I'm not allowed to submerge my leg until the wound is completely closed. How long does that take?

Again, everyone is different. Ask about this when you get your staples out. They can assess your wound then and give you a guideline.

 

[Rutabaga]

Day 17 update:
Healing seems to be happening pretty quickly now. I have been walking around house without aids for the last 4 days or so. I have a slight limp but it's decreasing every day. I can shower without the needing the bench, and can now reach my foot and put on socks! Not too easily yet but I can do it! Narcotics are not needed during the day now. I am just taking two Norco pills before I go to sleep and then one more 5-6 hours later. I still need them in order to sleep without leg aches waking me up. I take one naproxen every 12 hours as well. I know I'm not ready to be off Norco because last night I woke up with leg aches about 2.5 hours after taking the narcotics! They should have been doing their magic at that time! Boo. I was awake for 2-3 hours trying to get comfy and ignore the pain. I wonder why I only have pain at nighttime. I am fine during the day with just OTC naproxen. The pain during the day is very minimal. Some in my ankle and knee but none really in the hip. The pressure in my hip and thigh has been decreasing a lot, which is great. Staples come out on Monday! I hope to venture out of the house a lot more next week.

 

[Cynthia777]

What a great update @Rutabaga (with the exception of the night issue)! Maybe you experience those aches as a result of the day's activities and they disappear by morning because you have rested your hip during your sleeping hours? Another thought is the possibility that you may be feeling some withdrawal symptoms? I noticed I got kind of achy and a down feeling when I started forgetting to take my pain meds. I've cut down to twice a day from three times a day and will cut 1/2 pill this week. I want to be completely off of them a couple of weeks before my next surgery. You are doing so well for day 17! I'm so happy for you!

 

[Jaycey]

This is post op pain @Rutabaga ! At only days out of surgery you still need to be staying ahead of the pain. Not taking your meds as prescribed means that by night time you are well behind the curve. Don't be in a rush - there is no fast track to this recovery.

 

[Rutabaga]

@Jaycey I am taking pain relievers throughout the day. As far as taking meds as prescribed, I am already taking more than prescribed because my original prescription was Norco for only 10 days and then OTC pain relievers after that.

To be honest, yes I am in a rush to recover.
If I was retired, I would have the luxury of not worrying about it, but I would like to go back to work in two or three weeks. I have already been out for 2.5 weeks. Now, this doesn't mean I'm pushing myself, it means I am taking everything really easy, trying to give my body the best chance to heal itself, sleeping and resting as much as possible, etc. I don't know if I will succeed but I'm keeping a positive outlook.

 

[Zelda]

I am already taking more than prescribed because my original prescription was Norco for only 10 days

I only had 7 days worth of pain meds from the hospital. I was told to see my GP for more when I had my dressing off.
I've also been told to wait 3 months before going back to work and even then on a phased return. I suspect I will feel able to work a little bit before that but I'm going to take as long as I can. I suppose it depends what you do and your financial situation but the thought of full time work after just six weeks scares me! I just know I wouldn't cope!

 

[Rutabaga]

@Zelda I know there are probably highs and lows of recovery. I must be on a high period because right now I feel like I could go back to work tomorrow! (Stay tuned for my posting in a few days of how terrible I feel, lol. )

My surgeon estimated 6 weeks before returning to work but said it could be more or less depending on my healing progression.

 

[Zelda]

I think when I am resting I feel I could do a lot more but then whenever I do something more active I want to go and have nap afterwards!
I don't mean to be negative - I'm sure your positive attitude will do wonders and you have youth on your side!