THR Surgery 8/4/21 & 9/15/21

[Lizzie84]

Hi-nice to meet you all. I'm so glad I found this site. I had THR on 8/4 (direct anterior approach). I'm feeling pretty good, but to be honest, not as well as I thought I would at this point. I think people who have had Hip replacements either have a bad memory, or are fibbers! LOL! It's like a REVERSE birth story. Instead of telling you how long everything took and how bad it was, everyone was telling me how "easy peasy" it was. (e.g. "I was on the golf course 4 days after my surgery."). REALLY? I'm now walking without any aids but I'm still pretty sore. Yesterday was a bad day, today was great. Hope that is normal. Oh, and on 9/15 I'm having my other hip replaced! Thanks for listening.
Lizzie

 

[chopper72]

A month and walking without a cane is pretty good. You sound like you are in the fat part of the "bell curve" to me. I am at week three tomorrow and still very cane dependent.

 

[Eman85]

Not many here that will tell you it's easy peasy, we will tell you it's a long trip but worth it. The info on here about recovery guidelines and timelines is pretty spot on. Most of us break it down into the timeline of 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 mos and 1 year, that's when we saw the improvements that were milestones along the journey.

 

[Jaceyduck]

Hi Lizzie, I had my THR also in 4th August and I am still waiting to feel better about it all. only yesterday I broke down in tears again about the very slow recovery I am having compared to other people. I am honestly in some pain all the time when on my feet not so much when I’m sitting down but as soon as I weight bear the pain is there, I’m still on Tramadol and paracetamol twice a day, am walking in the house without a cane but still take one when walking outside. I had my first physios session last week and was told this was all normal and I see the consultant in another two weeks at which point I am hoping if I still feel the same way that he will do an X-ray etc to see if everything is ok. I really hope that in time I can look back and think this was all worth it.

 

[Spex10]

@Jaceyduck it really is still early days. Try not to panic or despair. I bet that quite suddenly you'll feel much better. The enforced immobility and sleep problems give us so much time to dwell on how it all feels. I find that when my mind is occupied with something eg a visitor who chats away and makes me laugh I feel much better. Having to look after a visitor, making coffee, remembering things to tell them etc was a great stimulus.
This too shall pass!

 

[Jaceyduck]

Thanks spex10, yes hopefully this will all become easier and life gets back to normal again.

 

[Mojo333]

Hi @Lizzie84 and to the forum.
Which hip did you have replaced - lefty or righty?

Bonesmart was a lifeline for me in early days of recovery....which, yes...you are still in early days.

I think people who have had Hip replacements either have a bad memory, or are fibbers!

There are a very few miraculous recovery stories I might believe....but I feel like the first months had me questioning whether my recovery was slower than most. Thankfully, staff and members here reassured me and I have seen many members who claim all's well early out often get back to some activities too soon and suffer setbacks.
All Temporary became my mantra and Slow and Steady was definitely the way to go.

I will leave you the Recovery Guidelines below.

 

[Mojo333]

Each article is short but very informative.

Keep in mind all people are different, as are the approaches to this recovery and rehab. The key is, “Find what works for you.“ Your doctors, PTs and BoneSmart are available to help, but you are the final judge as to the recovery approach you choose.

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​

BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy​

5. At week 4 and after you should follow this ​

Activity progression for THRs​

6. Access to these pages on the website​

Oral And Intravenous Pain Medications​

Wound Closure​

​

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.

 

[Mojo333]

Just go down to next spot @Lizzie84 and start typing.

 

[Lizzie84]

Thanks for your replies. It is so helpful to find a group of people going through the same thing.

 

[Lizzie84]

Left hip on 8/4/21. Right hip scheduled for 9/15/21! Oops--I changed the first one to the correct date.

 

[58hippain]

I had left done on August 16th. My doctor has not scheduled my right yet but said to expect at least three months in between so I am expecting it in early November. That is pretty aggressive schedule good luck hope all goes well. I had same experience with people telling me they were back in the gym or golfing a month later. I think they are either exaggerating or forgot details of their recovery.

 

[Lizzie84]

@58hippain Yes, I guess it's pretty aggressive. I'm a nurse and we made this decision so that I when I went back to work I'd be DONE!! I don't have to go back for a few weeks and then be off again. Thank you for the good wishes.

 

[Lizzie84]

Starting tomorrow I have to be off the ibuprofen until surgery. I remember how bad I hurt for that week prior to my last one so not looking forward to it. I do have some narcotics left over so I may turn to those at night to get me through the week.

 

[Lizzie84]

@Jaceyduck I JUST stopped using my cane a few days ago. It was a pretty abrupt difference from one day to the other so just know that one day soon you will be walking outside without the cane. I know this is a journey, but I feel your frustration. Sending you good thoughts for the days ahead.

 

[Lizzie84]

@chopper72 I was very cane dependent at 3 weeks too. It was just after I hit 4 weeks that all of a sudden, I could walk without it. Best wishes for a healthy recovery!

 

[Mojo333]

Hi @Lizzie84
I can imagine how anxions you are about how your recovery is going as you near #2, but you really are still early days and all sounds normal.

When I tell folks about my Bilateral hip replacement, I often get comments about how brave I was to have "Both at Once"
Honestly, my surgeon does this in many cases and thought I was a good candidate so I just went on with it as I was so tired of the endless hip pain and ever decreasing range of motion.

We have had several members who have staged replacements...several months apart, some even weeks apart and one even One Week between,
I think you are the brave ones as you still are fresh into recovery.
The good news is that once these recoveries are done, you will get your life back!

While you are having to take it slow and steady, you can get both recoveries on track.

I would concentrate on eating well and doing some upper body exercises too....as you know, this is very helpful for post-op.
I will be cheering for you, soon to be double hippy friend.

 

[Jaceyduck]

Hi Lizzie good news that you are walking without aids now. I know you had you THR the same day as me just wondered if you can weight bear on you operated leg without pain in your hip. I’m just concerned that I still have Pain on weight bearing. I see surgeon again in 2 weeks time so will ask him about it then if I’ve still got it. I can walk without crutch inside and for a short period outside but I still get pain in my hip,

 

[Lizzie84]

@Jaceyduck when I walk I do have soreness. Not sure it is pain exactly, but it's definitely noticeable. For me though, things are all jumbled up because of the pain in my right hip. Once that is fixed, I guess I'll finally be able to tell the difference between pain and soreness. I'm still icing after walks.

 

[Jaceyduck]

Oh not long until your right hip, hope all goes well for you I’ll be looking out for your posts.