THR Setback at 8 weeks out- and the come back?

[Vida]

Hey Dave, you sound so much better, that's wonderful and very encouraging for those of us limping along behind you. I'm beginning to think that cats are useless pets: having a dog is obviously key to successful rehabilitation. We should be able to borrow them, maybe its a potential business, PT dogs. I am loving my $188 Walmart stationary bike that measures just about everything, except urine output. (Just kidding, but if the Chinese manufacturers could incorporate it, they probably would.) I'm still on no resistance but doing 20 minutes a day. I got so sick of my fat pants this morning that I went shopping for something nice and left my stick in the change room. Got out to the car and remembered there was a reason I parked in the disability spot. Its a good sign. Lets try not to get carried away on our good days...

 

[Davefd]

Isn't it a great feeling when you forget that damn cane some days?!

And I am so with you on the 'fat pants' - I went to the store to get some jeans and grabbed my usual 38" waist ones- but decided to try them on and were almost impossible to get in! I was so frustrated as I had just gotten to the point where the 38's were getting loose pre-op. I was 'Oh noooooo - not 40's again!!!!!!!!' I feel like jabba the frea-kin' hutt- I'm sure wight loss will come after I get back on the bike and I can pull all my 36's out of storage! My weight has fluctuated all my life- grew up fat and lost it all by my 20's, and the last 15 years it creeps up, then goes back down- repeat. By my mid 30's I figured it was better to keep a box of 'fat clothes' and a box of 'skinny clothes' as I used to chuck the stuff I didn't fit in- Man, I lost a LOT of cool clothes I wish I still had!

 

[Vida]

Ha. You guys can get away with it... a nice shirt, untucked and a sweater over, no-one would know about your recovery tum, because that's all it is. As soon as you get back up to speed, you will svelte down again. There is way too much stuff to freak out about after THR but as a former chubette, who cannot and will not give up cheese, wine and dark chocolate, I do understand the psychology at play here. By the way, I'm back in my skinny jeans but they are quite snug (and that's being kind) around the waist. Couldn't be bothered to take my pants on and off to get new ones so bought a couple of flashy tops to draw they eye away from the ugly fat pants. Only on this site could we have a co-ed discussion on post-surgical muffin tops. Consider yourself in training for a new lease on life......

 

[Davefd]

Oh yes- I have adopted the loose fitting shirt philosophy, but can't hide the butt! When I get out of the shower tho, I look in the mirror and keep thinking 'if I ever meet a girl, I am gonna scare (and blind) her if I take off my shirt!'

 

[Vida]

Dave... trust me, you will blind her with your wit.

 

[Davefd]

Dave... trust me, you will blind her with your wit.

That, and I gots me some mad cooking skillzz!!

 

[luluohio]

I'm sure glad this blog exists, I read through your history and I'm grateful to hear your experiences. I would think I would overdo my first signs of freedom. I'm getting so bored and this is just the beginning of my 3rd week post op. I really have the blues today. I'm so tired of this couch. It sounds like you are coming around though. It sure seemed to take some time for you to get back on track. I hope your improvement continues.

 

[Davefd]

I'm sure glad this blog exists, I read through your history and I'm grateful to hear your experiences. I would think I would overdo my first signs of freedom. I'm getting so bored and this is just the beginning of my 3rd week post op. I really have the blues today. I'm so tired of this couch. It sounds like you are coming around though. It sure seemed to take some time for you to get back on track. I hope your improvement continues.

Yeah, this website is a lifesaver I think- You are lucky you found it early before you stumble across it in a google search for 'what did I just mess up'

 

[Vida]

Just spat out my coffee with that one Dave....

 

[bellaroma]

Well Dave, glad to see you are in a chipper mood, girls love a guy who can cook, but they will totally fall for you if you clean up after you cook. My husband can cook and I married him, but a bit blinded by love, because he makes one heck of a mess in the kitchen. You will go back to the wieght you want to be at, as long as you do not tackle hills to quick again on your bike and end up laid up

 

[Davefd]

Figure it's time for an update, as I just passed my 3 month anniversary! it's been a up & down week- I think I mostly suffer from a complete lack of motivation and focus these days- even getting motivated to do PT can be a struggle, but I always manage to get that done. The weekend was a complete emotional rollercoaster - overemotional period, apathy period, angry frustrated period, repeat. I think a combo of post-op and seasonal blaah's amplifies everything. :rolleyes:

Spent some decent stretches time on the indoor bike trainer this weekend as I got that up and running. I was watching part of a movie so wasn't paying much attention the spin and posture and after ~20 min, I 'thought this doesn't feel right- ouch', and later started to get downright sore in the hip, so it was a few days of sitting on ice. Later I decided to check my fit-up, and the seat was a little to low, and my narrow saddle really only seemed to catch the edge of my sit-bones, especially since I was actually sitting more 'upright' in the saddle than I would on a ride. I think it was the lack of support now needed that got me, and but good- all I could think of was 'ohhh noooo, not again....' it was a rough couple days, and I'm still mildly sore, but it doesn't seem like it's gone to the 'bad place' and hasn't stopped me from being able to do some spinning after a day or 2 off.

Found several bike forums that recco'd both setting your seatpost a little higher and using a wider saddle, or even going to a women's saddle, post-THR to provide the extra needed support we apparently now need. So bought a couple models of saddles and have been swapping them and trying them out (luckily I have an extra seat post, so it makes it easy). I'm gonna miss my skinny saddle- the wider one makes me feel 'old'

So, if anybody has any tips/recco's on saddles and cycling post-THR, I'm all ears. FWIW, I ride a Kona MTB that has been converted for 'urban assault' - meaning I gave up serious off-road MTB action years ago. Around '03 I realized if I took one decent fall, I was going to take out at least one of my by-then faulty joints! I already swapped my clipless pedals out temporarily- but do plan to reinstate them eventually.

 

[Davefd]

Well Dave, glad to see you are in a chipper mood, girls love a guy who can cook, but they will totally fall for you if you clean up after you cook.

I hate to tell you this, but I actually am cleaner and more orderly than any woman I've ever been with!

Oh, and Vicki- glad to be of service with the coffee-nasal rinse. That's very popular in Berkeley these days....

 

[bellaroma]

Well Dave, you have my vote for great potential male. Just read your other post, must have been typing at the same time and sorry that you are still on the blue hill roller coaster. I am pretty sick of that my ride on it myself.

oldyellr, may be able to offer you some saddle tips

 

[Davefd]

I am pretty sick of that my ride on it myself.

You and me both, sister. Pretty sure once things sort out and become more or less 'normal' it shall pass.

Funny how we dealt with years of suffering, and here only a few months get all 'freaky'. It's that promise of the good life that is ....just ....out ....of ......reach

 

[luluohio]

Why don't you try something other than that bike? I'm just concerned you may set yourself back again. Try swimming or other activity that doesn't hurt so much. I think bike seats are the most uncomfortable things on earth even without throwing in the THR. That's just my opinion but I think you need to be easy on yourself. Ofcourse look at me talking and I haven't even been out of the house yet. I guess you love that bike riding or else you wouldn't be trying so hard to get back on one.

 

[Davefd]

Why don't you try something other than that bike? I'm just concerned you may set yourself back again. Try swimming or other activity that doesn't hurt so much. I think bike seats are the most uncomfortable things on earth even without throwing in the THR. That's just my opinion but I think you need to be easy on yourself. Ofcourse look at me talking and I haven't even been out of the house yet. I guess you love that bike riding or else you wouldn't be trying so hard to get back on one.

Riding a bike again was one of my primary motivations for a THR, well that and dousing PAIN! I've swam in the past, and do very well understand the therapeutic/recovery ideas behind it- never really been a fan, and would certainly give it a go (not to replace cycling, but to aid recovery) but now with 2 bum shoulders- not too keen on the idea as you can guess

Was talking about the same to a friend the other day- and you are correct -I LOVE bicycling- cycling was the only thing athletic/sport-wise I ever enjoyed, or could do decently, and I have logged many miles in many countries. However, anything involving 2 feet moving independent objects is only a total disaster for me- I could never roller skate, ice skate or ski downhill or even cross-country or otherwise, even a 'nordic trac' machine is met with disaster- which I am sure is met with great disappointment to my scandinavian ancestors

 

[oldyellr]

oldyellr, may be able to offer you some saddle tips

Davefd , I just saw your post in the patient forum, but I don't have an answer. Maybe you should ask in the cycling club forum. I'm about 3 weeks ahead of you, but in The Great White North, so I won't be venturing out on my bikes for at least another couple of months. The only saddle I've been on lately is the one on my exercise bike, which is quite soft and wide at the back and the from the 10 minutes I spend on, I can't really say. My bikes have a San Marco Concor, Brooks B-17, Brooks Swallow and an Avocet Touring II. I also have an Avocet W1 women's saddle I can try, but the Concor and Swallow are what I had been riding the most. To my way of thinking, once all the tissues have healed and the muscles rebuilt, the fact that the joint is a prosthesis should not matter, so I presume you're looking for a softer, wider saddle to ease you through the transition until you're 100% again. I have a friend who's a keen road cyclist that had a THR 2 or 3 years ago. I'll email him and ask and report back. sissy46 the kayaker also does quite a bit of trail riding, so she may have some input.

 

[oldyellr]

Okay, I just got a reply from my friend. I believe he's 79 years old, puts on a lot of miles and started racing when he was a teenager in the UK in the early 1950s. He said he went back to riding on an early 50s Brooks Swallow and a Selle Italia Flite SLR with no problems. He had an anterior THR and was back on the bike after 4 weeks, logging 6K miles the first year.

Dave, just re-reading your earlier post, you said you got sore riding your trainer for about 20 minutes. I take it this is your road bike on a stand, no? You also say it's a more upright position than you'd ride on the road. I only ride 10 minutes at about 75 rpm with low resistance, at which point my heart rate exceeds the ideal zone. I'll increase the time once my heart rate stays down. Also, if you're sitting more upright on a road saddle, you're probably putting more weight on your sitz bones. As well, saddle height is important. If it's too low you'll have too much ROM in your hip joints. If you can just pedal with your heels without rocking from side to side on the saddle, it should be about right.

 

[sharonslp]

I know nothing technical about cycling, but I'm just wondering if a recumbent seat will work for you? It's the only kind of seat I can sit in comfortably.

Sharon

 

[Davefd]

I take it this is your road bike on a stand, no?

Nah, I ride a Huffy 'krewser'.

Just kidding there- I've retired (read: sold) my former road bikes and have (for oh say 8 years) been slowly building my raw LeMond Ti frame up. I might actually be inspired to complete it now post-THR. I actually have my Kona MTB on the trainer, I've tricked it out for 'urban assault' and smoother trail riding. Been done with aggro off-road for a while. Current saddle is actually a 'nashbar/trek' generic model that just fits (or fitted) awesome, came across is randomly - narrow, open mid, cushion in the right areas and perfect for slipping back off it on a descent.

Picked up a Performance Bike 'softail' based on reviews to try out (2 actually, a mens and a womens- been swapping them out) and seems to do well, especially if i put the bike shorts on. I think the 'upright sitting' was also an issue.