THR Shiney Happy Hip

rainmaker

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So I got my new hip yesterday around 5pm. The pre-op forum has my first post after the procedure, which went really well.

They got me up and about this morning, which introduced me to some proper tenderness in the backside, but comparatively shortlived. I think I won the Zimmer race with the lady in the next room

All in all - touch wood - this is working out better than I could have hoped. The leg hasn't really got swollen yet and once I'm comfortable on the bed pain levels are easily bearable.

But main thing I wanted to share was the positive psychological impact. I've felt quite liberated and optimistic, after 3 years of a lousy relationship with my damaged ex-hip. I feel lighter and happier than I have for a long time. We really should have filed for divorce a couple of years ago! Obviously, just getting through the procedure without misshap is a milestone in itself, but I actually feel energy from my new situation.

Believe it or, wide awake and clear-headed at 3am, I put my hat in the ring for a new job, via email!! The person I wrote to probably thinks I'm nuts doing this in the middle of the night. But there you go...

Hope my fellow May Marvels are feeling as good.
 
@rainmaker Welcome to the other side! There is definitely a "high" once the surgery is done. All that waiting and worry is gone. Now you can focus on getting your life back.

I'll leave your recovery articles here for reference.

Hip Recovery: The Guidelines

1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:
rest
elevate
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)​
3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​
4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these
5. At week 4 and after you should follow this

Pain management and the pain chart
Healing: how long does it take?
Chart representation of THR recovery
Dislocation risk and 90 degree rule
Energy drain for THRs
Pain and swelling control: elevation is the key
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?
BIG TIP: Hips actually don't need any exercise to get better. They do a pretty good job of it all on their own if given half a chance. Trouble is, people don't give them a chance and end up with all sorts of aches and pains and sore spots. All they need is the best therapy which is walking and even then not to excess.

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery. While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.
 
:hi:Oops...thought you were still posting on pre-op side so I was high fiving you over there:happydance:

So happy you are on the healing side.
Hope everyone is taking good care of you.
 
Great report - welcome to the good side! I recall feeling similar relief and positive emotions that the op was behind me and I could just get on with the business of recovering and getting back to life. I hope you get the new position!!
 
Good for you! You sound ready and able to get on with the recovery part of this process!

Hats off to applying for a new job! Just by know it might be awhile before you feel up to starting one.
Some folks are back to jobs in two weeks or less and then some others are slower and the "process" is a bit more tedious. Hope you are one of the quicker ones, but give yourself time to heal.
Best wishes to you going forward!
 
Just posted on your other thread but best of luck with your recovery. Did you have anterior or posterior?
 
I had posterior - and boy, does my posterior remind me when I sit on anything hard

Thanks for your good wishes. Are you having or have you had anterior? Much less muscle cutting as I understand it..
 
There is no muscle cutting with either approach. Muscles are moved aside to access the joint. And these days restrictions are not always imposed - even when posterior approach is used.
 
Having races already aye? :heehee: Winning too! :yay:
Love your humor and can relate to that "high" of having surgery behind you and realizing
that horrid pain is gone. It may be replaced by the pain of healing but it's only temporary.
You're doing great! I hope today is a good day :)
@rainmaker
 
Take all the time you can...gain nothing by rushing it up.
Sorry for the pain in the posterior!
Necessary to get that hip Happy!

Ice it up and hope you have a restful evening:ice:
 
I waited for a while to wear jeans and I always carried my wallet in my LR pocket. I can't stand my wallet back there even after 3 mos. The first 2 weeks some chairs and the car seat was very irritating.
 
Rainmaker...I had posterior approach all three times and surgeons never cut any muscles. My sergeons use special tools to hold the muscles aside . So it’s a stretching of muscles... OUCH!


Eman85...My pet peve...the chairs in the THR surgeons waiting room way to low, even for a non-hippies.
Finally after years, my last check up with my surgeon finally placed two higher chairs with arms in the waiting room. Miracles never cease!
 
Update 40 Hours from Op
Last night, quite a lot of pain until 3am, then drifted off for 3 hours much needed sleep. Didn't ask for more painkillers, for which roundly told off by the Gestapo (they're lovely really, and of course they are absolutely right. What is it with us men?) Had meds about 7am and then at 8:30 did my walking with sticks. To my surprise it was much easier than yesterday. Did a couple of tours of the corridor and was able to put my right foot down NORMALLY (but gently). Note: Right foot has pointed 20 degrees off centre for over 2 years because the hip would not rotate inwards. This is a breakthrough. Plus just realised: no back pain!! Honestly, I find it difficult to believe how resilient and clever the human body is.

Then I had my first shower, and feel human once more.

Going really well so far and hope very much everyone else in my position is making good progress.

Think one of biggest risks could be rushing it as it starts to feel better. I've already been for one sneaky little walk on my own, without the physio....
 
:yahoo:It is amazing how quickly we realize that hip pain is gone.
All the recovery stuff is temporary...hopefully the Hip is forever!
Think one of biggest risks could be rushing it as it starts to feel better.
Can be...but one sneaky little walk is just a victory walk!:good-bad:
Be careful.
No falling down, and Yay for doing so well
 
Wonderful update!
I too had that external rotation as you described. Annoying :gaah:
But hey....we're all fixed up now. It's so great!
Be careful of the hallway police on those sneaky walks. They're lurking.
Hope you have a good weekend as you continue healing.
@rainmaker
 
Thanks Layla, your positive words are really appreciated. It's so good to talk to someone who experienced the same bad times ('cos we always think we're the only ones going through it) and who has also come out the other side.
 
Sounds good! My back pain was gone and I felt great after surgery. Now that I'm a lot more active my back is complaining again, just part of getting older. Don't fight the painkillers, take them as needed and enjoy the lack of pain. You should be able to tell when you won't need them.
 
Rainmaker... Your doing great so soon after surgery. Take baby steps and your right about not rushing it. It takes times for healing , patience, slow going. My brain couldn't wrap around all the aides needed, changes in movement, till almost a week after surgery.

Be sure that your bed is high and risers on all seats. Sometimes there are chairs and beds around and the loo all can be too low and cause issues. Hope your getting the hang of using all the THR aides.

Are you recouping in convalescence or hospital? Always take pain meds on time especially before any PT walking or exercising. While in convalence I kept a journal for every pain med I needed, helped me keep track .

Most Important... Everyone heals at their own pace. Don't judge yourself by anyone else's progress. This is between you, your PT and your doc.

Many healing blessings sent your way?
 

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