THR Sean5033 joins the club

[calikat]

Hi Sean. I can completely understand that you are going crazy. :( I had uncemented components, but I had no weight or movement restrictions. On the third day I was using just one crutch, but by the end of the day I was pretty sore so I switched back to the walker for a few days. I would always use the walker at night though. I would wake up through the night and have to walk around a bit because of pain while sleeping. I used the walker because there was no way I wanted to risk falling. I gave up the walker completely around day 8 and went to one crutch. I gave up the crutch completely at day 15. I was sore, but it did not feel like my leg could not take the weight. Maybe when your surgeon sees how well you are doing he will lift some of the restrictions? I do know there are some members here whose Dr.'s required the weight restrictions for the full 5 - 6 weeks if they had the uncemented components.

 

[sean5033]

calikat I'm hoping he'll remove all the restrictions on Wednesday. If he doesn't, well... I might "forget" that I need to enforce most of them. I'm not going to go out and train for a marathon, but I need to get around the house at least.

I might ask him for clearance to get back to work part time too. I'm getting tired of watching TV and playing video games all day. I thought for sure I'd last until mid-December.

 

[calikat]

I hear you! I thought I was going to get all this reading done etc. NOT!

 

[Poppet]

Hi sean5033, just in case you are getting bored, here are some other articles you might find interesting

The following is a link to an article which provides some approximate timeframes around the healing phases and processes (and relevant nutritional information) for you to read.

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

 

[PDH63]

sean5033
Congrats on everything , sounds like your doing well after the initial setbacks .

I got the shots for blood clotting in the hospital and like calikat went onto xarelto for 33 days , I'm still on them for another 10 days , I still have a bruise from the injections , like you I'm ok with needles .

I was given all the normal restrictions after the surgery , which I'd expected , all the normal ones and was told by my OS that I'd be on two crutches for 6 weeks , I'm on one since yesterday , I was doing a hundred yards on one every now and again when out for walks but I had the two crutches .

I think it's a precautionary thing and it sounds as if you're like me and want to do more but I took all the advice I was given here and 99% of the time adhered to it and now I'm glad I did . The fact that I was given restrictions and to stay on the two crutches gave me a huge boost when my Physiotherapist told me Saturday that I was ok to go on one crutch , I felt great that I didn't have to wait for six weeks and now I feel I can do so much more , again though I'm sticking to what I've been told to do because I know it works that way . I'm seeing my OS on the 19th , five weeks after the op , and I hope to be allowed off the crutch and start driving and cycling on the turbo trainer .

For me finishing restrictions before I thought I'd be able to is better for my recovery than been told I'm doing well and don't need to be on all of them .

Good luck with everything at the OS .

 

[sean5033]

I'm coming up on 3 weeks post op, and I feel like I'm already getting around better than I was pre-op. I put my walker down last Wednesday and haven't touched it since. My wife and I went to Home Depot the other day and I used one of the electric scooters for only half the trip. We went out to a movie later that day. I'm no longer screaming for painkillers when I wake up in the morning. In fact, it's often a half an hour or so before I remember I should probably take one.

I surprise myself every day with how well I'm getting around. I haven't tried driving yet. I might try lunch with some co-workers later this week. The only lingering signs I've even had the surgery is that the incision site is still sore, and I can't lift my foot close enough to put a sock/shoe on.

 

[calikat]

Hooray!!! I take it your doctor lifted the restrictions last week? Or did you forget? LOL! It sounds like your are doing great!

 

[sean5033]

Hooray!!! I take it your doctor lifted the restrictions last week? Or did you forget? LOL! It sounds like your are doing great!

The Dr left all restrictions in place, but he added "I know you're going to cheat, that's part of my equation. What I don't want you to do is hear me say 'No Restrictions' and go play a round of golf tomorrow. You can't do that. You can do things as they feel natural to you. If you feel you can walk, do it, but proceed with caution and don't do things before you're ready."

I'm basically ignoring the 50% weight restriction. I'm following the 90 degree and leg crossing rules. But it still hurts when I do that. Pain is a great reminder to follow rules.

 

[calikat]

Pain is a great reminder to follow rules.

Truer words were never spoken!

Your surgeon sounds like a wise man. Hopefully you got to lose those sexy white hose. I got to give mine up at the two week mark.

 

[Jaycey]

Sean if you just keep listening to that hip you won't go wrong. It will tell you when it is time to stretch a bit more or to ease off. It can take months to get to the stage where lifting that leg to tie your shoes is easy. But just keep trying. I was amazed when the impossible was suddenly a breeze!

 

[sean5033]

[quote="calikat, post: 532743, member: 12369"Hopefully you got to lose those sexy white hose. I got to give mine up at the two week mark.[/quote]

Technically I still have to wear the house on my surgical leg during the day. But my wife is back at work, she leaves while I'm still asleep. darn, I can't reach my foot!

Jaycey I question if I should do more to protect it at this point. Today is officially 3 weeks and I haven't touched my walker or cane in the past 7 days.

 

[PDH63]

The only lingering signs I've even had the surgery is that the incision site is still sore, and I can't lift my foot close enough to put a sock/shoe on.

I know what your mean Sean , it's amazing how quickly some recoveries can be , I'm glad your doing so well , I'm five weeks post op and sometimes I laugh hysterically out loud and have a big grin when I realise what I can do now .
I am so grateful for my hip replacement and what it gives me .

 

[Jaycey]

Jaycey I question if I should do more to protect it at this point. Today is officially 3 weeks and I haven't touched my walker or cane in the past 7 days.

If you don't have any discomfort when walking without any aides then go for it. I would still recommend using at least a cane or one crutch anytime you are away from your home. Or if you are tired and find you start to limp, use the cane for a bit. You just don't want to get into the habit of limping again. Sounds like you are doing great sean5033!

 

[sean5033]

PDH63 - I'm already at that smile and grin point! The mods warn about Post-Surgery Depression, I look back at 4 weeks ago and realize how depressed I was pre-op. This recovery has been so much easier than I expected it to be. There have been a few times when I question if I had the THR too early on in life. The thought of going through it all again in ~20 years is a little daunting. But once this last bit of surgical pain goes away, I'll be in a much better place than I was 4 weeks ago.

 

[Butterfly]

But I'll bet the thought of going through that pre-op pain for 20 years is probably more daunting than the thought of maybe having to have another surgery, no? I'd do just about anything not to have that pain I was in before the surgeries!

 

[PDH63]

Butterfly I was only talking about that fact yesterday , I have dyspasia on the other hip , I've never had any problem with it , and arthritis in the R knee , some irritation but that could be more the hip problem that's now gone . If any of these problems get worse I'd certainly be lepping up on the operating table , I'd run down to the surgery room and just tell them get on with . Even in five weeks the lack of the OA pain is amazing and the fact I can get out and walk a miracle , surgery fears ?????????
I'm Cured

 

[Jaycey]

There have been a few times when I question if I had the THR too early on in life. The thought of going through it all again in ~20 years is a little daunting.

You didn't sean5033! Why limp around in pain for any amount of time! Life is too short! And as for having another THR - that's not necessarily going to happen. More and more surgeons are talking about the forever hip. Technology has move on - enjoy!

 

[sean5033]

that's not necessarily going to happen. More and more surgeons are talking about the forever hip. Technology has move on - enjoy!

I'm trying to focus on that. I figure the Real Life hips that are failing now, were installed 20-25 years ago. The Real Life hips they're *installing* now, we'll have to see how long they're lasting! Even if I DO need to go through it again in 20-30 years. Who knows what the procedure will be like. Maybe I'll have to swallow a couple of pills, then I'll grow a whole new leg and they can just take the bad one off.

 

[calikat]

Wouldn't that be something? Or perhaps they will figure out how to control the stem cells and target them to regrow the worn out cartilage in our hip sockets!

 

[sean5033]

I was joking around with the idea of growing a new leg, but yeah the possibilities 20 years from now are pretty limitless. 3d printing is all the rage. How cool would a custom printed joint be?

I'm doing soo amazingly well. I've been getting up out of my chair, walking over to the kitchen and coming back without even thinking of my hip! Not even 4 weeks ago I was nervously awaiting surgery. Sadly, I think the only thing left for me to do is go back to work. I've been ready to go back for a while now, but I don't remember the last time I was able to take more than one consecutive week off of work. I've been living it upon the recliner this month with Netflix and video games! I told my boss I'll be back after Thanksgiving break. And that'll be the end of my recovery break.