THR swimmer77 Recovery

swimmer77

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I'm new here. So is my right hip. LOL I feel very, very fortunate because "things" are going smoothly, I think. Surgery was the 20th and in and out the same day. I've moved on to crutches and using one crutch at times makes me feel less useless. I don't know what else to say except I wish maybe I would have found this forum sooner.

My only complaints are that I have some knee pain and that I can't sleep. The knee pain was there before surgery at times and I just attributed it to the added stress I was putting on my leg. Seems a little better each day. My best sleep seems to be from 4:00 and 6:00 AM. I tried to wear myself out today but I don't think that is a good solution either.

Anyway, to everyone else recovering - may you each have the best possible outcome.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Just happened to be on here and saw your post. The forum advisors will officially welcome you and offer you some tips and suggestions of reading materials shortly, I'm sure.

I just wanted to make a quick comment about your knee pain. I too had knee pain prior to surgery....originally thought my knee might be the issue, but after X-rays it was confirmed to be a hip problem, with referred pain to the knee, as well as the limping/gait throwing everything off from back to foot.

After surgery I was so worried when my knee started hurting---I had this vision of going right back in for knee surgery and it freaked me out. Very quickly, the folks here on the forum reassured me that knee pain is very common following hip replacement, due to the many things they do to your hip, knee, and leg during the surgery. Once you understand what trauma your poor leg went through, it is clear that the knee pain is not unusual. So don't worry about that knee pain at this time....just ice it and keep taking your pain meds on schedule. And keep up your great sense of humor:heehee:, and your positive outlook.:loveshwr:
 
Hello @swimmer77 - and :welome:

Unfortunately, sleep disturbance is very common after this surgery. Your sleep patterns will get back to normal, but that may take some time. Until then,make up for lost sleep by taking daytime naps.

Here is the recovery reading we give to everyone with a new hip:
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
6. Access these pages on the website

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.
 
:wave: and :welome:
Early days my new hippy pal and as you say, lots of similar experiences shared here.
Knowing that others have been through it, gotten through it, and back to happy lives without the hip pain is what made this forum invaluable to me during my recovery.
I had to become a "get it when you can" sleeper as a full nights sleep was also a no-go for me for quite a while postop.
All temporary...
Ice all you can and keep the faith.
:ice:
 
I had worse knee pain than hip pain post RTHR. They grab your knee pretty aggressively during the procedure. Ice and elevate - it does help.
I tried to wear myself out today but I don't think that is a good solution either.
Not a good idea. Your body is using a lot of energy to heal. Over activity can actually cause sleep issues. Sleep during the day if you can. This will all ease with just a bit of time.
 
Thanks all. I think at least an attempt at napping today is on the agenda instead of one of my walks. I do find sleeping gets a bit better each night but nowhere near where I want to be. Will try reading a book tonight too instead of surfing the internet.

Swimming is my mainstay and I can't wait to get back in the water.
 
Hi @swimmer77 So glad you've joined us! I haven't anything extra to add. You've received some great advice already and it sounds like you are doing rather well.
Several of our members found that walking/swimming in the pool helped them quite a bit. But of course that's not until the incision is fully healed and the surgeon okays it. I was in the pool at around 8 weeks with my Dr's blessing and boy, it really helped to loosen up the inner thigh muscles..
Take care and enjoy your reading material from Celle!!
 
Welcome and sounds like you are doing quite well in spite of knee pain. I had knee pain and it was worse than the hip pain too. However I remembered when I had knee pain prior to surgery and realized it was my shoes. I had changed them and because of my gait it threw me off. I changed back to my old shoes and voilà I was ok. In addition to what was done maybe the shoes are now causing you pain in the knee since there is also a change in gait. When my hubby had sore knees as he was walking on concrete all day he got better shoes and the pain went away. Just a thought.
 
Welcome to the forum and congratulations on your surgery and new hip. I agree with all the comments so far above and hope they help you. Yes take naps when you can. I found when I was lying down and icing and elevating I often fell asleep for a bit. I had started sleeping on my back a month before my surgery to get used to it and because it caused less pain for me so hopefully that part is ok for you. Sleep will start coming more and more to you as the days go one and its so important for your healing. I think it was awhile before I got a solid night time sleep so that naps really were important for my healing.
I too am a swimmer. I was told after 6 weeks I could go back in the pool but I didn't do it until the 7th week.
It was heaven. I started very slowly and and it felt amazing.
Best of luck with the healing process and remember if you look back by the week you will see improvement rather than day by day. That worked for me.
I did unfortunately develop knee pain in my 'good' knee after 2 months hip surgery from all the compensating which still remains but my hip is fantastic. I am 6 months out and rarely even feel it anymore.
Take good care!
 
Thats some good progress! How are you feeling? You have a sense of humor do thats a good sign. :loveshwr:
 
Thats some good progress! How are you feeling? You have a sense of humor do thats a good sign. :loveshwr:

Hit a brick wall yesterday and learned my lesson, I hope. Need to rest more. My job allows me to work (computer) while convalescing and I couldn't muster a lot of energy yesterday to do much of anything. Today was better.
Rest. Ice. Elevate. Need to do more of this with basic exercises as prescribed and some walking instead of a lot of walking.
 
Oh yes. That's the dance of a THR recovery. Feeling better, overdoing it, back to rest, elevation and ice!
I'm impressed you can focus and actually work this early into your recovery. I had the hardest time focusing on things which lasted the first full month.
Just remember you don't even need to do the exercises if they hurt you. The most important thing is letting the new hip and soft tissues calm down and recover. :flwrysmile:
 
Just curious....what types of exercises are you doing? Sometimes that can tip the delicate balance that @CricketHip mentioned above.If you are increasing activity and doing additional exercises at a little over one week out, that might be risky.

Had to laugh at your high rise toilet seat comment----one of those surreal things I never envisioned myself using for a long, long time. But definitely helpful right after surgery:)
 
Just curious....what types of exercises are you doing? Sometimes that can tip the delicate balance that @CricketHip mentioned above.If you are increasing activity and doing additional exercises at a little over one week out, that might be risky.

Had to laugh at your high rise toilet seat comment----one of those surreal things I never envisioned myself using for a long, long time. But definitely helpful right after surgery:)

I was feeling good and that's when stupidity :hairpulling: set in. Decided more walking and doing steps was the prudent thing to do. Found it is not - so I am in the process of "unstupifying" myself and sticking to the very basic exercises I was initially given at PT while in the hospital. Still walking but not as much. Walking with crutches in front of a mirror to keep an eye on my gait.

Need tips on practicing my gait. I mean I just cannot wait to getting back to doing this in style.

:snow plough:
 
Good morning! Reminder, you are in the very early days, my friend. Loved your "unstupifying" comment.. that really sums things up!
As for tips for the gait.. try to stand tall and use a walking aide that suits you, cane, walker, crutch and walk, using a good heel toe gait. As you step out your heel should make contact with the ground and as you move forward, focus on rolling up on the ball of your foot and push off with the toes.
For me it also involved correcting the pigeon toed effect, I needed to focus on tightening my quadriceps muscles to help guide my foot. That also helps the knee not to buckle.
The walking aide helps to keep you well balanced until your muscles either get stronger or wiser..
 
Hello and Happy Thursday! Hope you're day is improving as it unfolds.
Remember to ice all areas of discomfort for 40-60 minutes, no less, each time you ice.
Target 4x daily....at least. Consider OTC pain relievers if you're off your meds to get you through your stint in the ODIC. (Over Did It Club)
Then after that....don't be a naughty girl anymore :no-fin: lol.
@swimmer77
 
What is the highest level of the ODIC Club? :headbang: Leg looked more swollen than usual so I made a bee line to my bed with ice packs in tow. Didn't take long for it to look better. Gee........I wonder if I will learn.:what: Tylenol is what I am taking for now as I discontinued oxy the second day out. That's controlling my pain (or honestly lack thereof) fine.

I swear the next three days I am going to do as little as possible as much as possible except there is going to be a lot of icing and elevating. :sleeep:

On a good note, I do believe the knee pain is better. Hoping someone will take me to my house to retrieve mail and do a check up tomorrow. I am really getting antsy.

Don't be naughty anymore? That seems to be tough for me. :gaah:
 
I am going to do as little as possible as much as possible except there is going to be a lot of icing and elevating. :sleeep:

Best idea you ever had! :heehee: Well maybe not that extreme, but it's a great idea! :yay:
Happy to read your knee pain is better and that you're managing pain well with Tylenol. Good, good!
Hopefully an outing to your home tomorrow to do a check and grab mail will be a cure for ants in the pants.
Have a peaceful holiday weekend!
@swimmer77
 

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