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THR The Widger has a new hip

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Ps just looked at my hospital notes and it says to lie down four times during the day for half an hour to help prevent swelling, if that helps?


Bettifloss - RTHR 5 January 2016. Posterior approach with ceramic on ceramic prosthesis.

Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart Forum
 
Hi @Widge422 All of this new territory is so scary- always best to air on the side of caution- if not sure of condition or comfort, give the doctor / assistant a call, I am sure your concerns are more common than naught. It also seems from these threads that the initial going is very up and down in the first week or two~ remember, Baby Steps!
Keep the faith!
 
@Widge422 hope you have settled into to a restful routine with your r meds.....and getting elevated...I'm sending positive hopes your way. ,I go in tomorrow morning for my surgery and my how we all can learn from one another!

@CatLady1, @bettifloss , sound like you're are both doing so well since both your surgeries too.
I'm wondering if anyone has some tips for whether we need one of the bedside commodes that the hospital try's to send home with the patients?
Are u both able the get to the bathroom with walkers the first few days and nights? Thanks? Hope to See you all on the other side once I I'm out of the "fog"!
 
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@Widge422, I hope your pain and swelling are better. Likely the problem is that you weren't elevating enough throughout the day. How about icing? Those two things are really key in keeping the pain and swelling down.
Even if you can just lay down and elevate it for about half an hour every couple of hours (you can prop your upper body up on pillows to make it a bit more comfortable and still get a good elevation going on your legs). I know for me, sitting for extended periods would definitely bring on pain and swelling.
As far as not being able to do as many exercises, please don't worry. Josephine, the site administrator, would be the first one to tell you that hips generally don't need a ton of exercise beyond walking (unless there is a condition that specifically calls for certain exercises). Even the walking should be limited in these early days. Generally, just getting up and seeing to bathroom/hygiene stuff and going into the kitchen to get a drink and a little bit of walking around inside your house is plenty. You might have overdone it a bit. It's fairly easy to get those pains going in the beginning.
As far as infection goes, are you running a significant temperature? If not, I really wouldn't worry.
If anything does concern you too much, a call to your doctor is not an unreasonable thing.
Take care and I hope you're feeling better. :)
 
Thanks for all your info and tips, I think you are all right, didn't elevate at all yesterday, don't have a recliner which I am gutted about now, wish I'd stuck to my guns to get one! Going to send a bit more time in bed today and not worry too much about the exercises! Thanks again x


Becki - 6 days post RTHR
 
Have a good day today Widger, be kind to yourself. Bonesmart mantra is never sit when you can lie, and I think it's a good one.

@geneva - in my case bedside commode was only used first night in hospital, after that I could get to toilet with walker. At home, I guess it would depend on how close you are to toilet from your bed? I moved to spare bedroom in order to have bathroom right next door.


Bettifloss - RTHR 5 January 2016. Posterior approach with ceramic on ceramic prosthesis.

Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart Forum
 
@Widge422 Very normal to see swelling at this point and much of that post op pain is due to swelling. I am not sure why the hospital told you that you could not elevate. Many new hippies on restrictions (me included) elevate and ice throughout the day. You are missing some major pain management if you aren't doing this. Here's an article I posted earlier on elevation .
 
How are we all???
I am a week post surgery and I am led in bed thinking about how bored I am! I have cabin fever and want to get out!
Has anyone got any advice on popping out!?
I live near a flat, well paved marina and the weather although cold is forecast for sun tomorrow, is it safe to go for a 5 minute stroll, then into waitrose for a coffee?? X


Becki - RTHR - 6th Jan 2016
 
Advice on popping out when you are one week post surgery.....for a five minute stroll and then get coffee.
What's the longest distance you've covered in a stroll so far? As I scan through your thread, I see that you've been reporting perfectly normal pain and swelling, and I assume that's without any 5 minute strolls. Also....does that mean when you're done with your coffee you have to do another 5 minute stroll to get back home? And is that 5 minutes of strolling under normal walking conditions...which might mean 10 minutes (or more) now because you are slowed down by surgery and an assistive walking device of some sort? What is your plan if you get to 4.5 minutes of strolling and you realize it might be a mistake?

All I'm saying is at this VERY early stage of recovery, it's far better to err on the side of caution. Hippies are often astonished at how quickly fatigue overtakes them...and that's still true at 3 or 4 months down the line. From my own experiences, you would be better served by taking a series of ONE minute strolls over the course of a day. If that goes well, then try TWO minutes strolls the following day. And so on. Give your body lots of chances to tell you you've it pushed too far, but without pushing it TOO far all at once. Walking is perfect therapy for us...but it has to be calibrated to match your real rate of recovery. That means trial and error of course...but hopefully more trial and less error.

I would also mention that I did get out to a coffee shop finally at 3 weeks for my first THR, and only 2 weeks for the second, but I drove there, not walked. Whenever you go....take a pillow with you to sit on.

Patience is the hardest task for all of us, isn't it. :)

Sharon
 
Hi Sharon, thanks for all the great advice. I have actually only just got up (it's 10am) I've been up at 7 am every other morning! Think I needed to catch up on some much required sleep!
I generally walk from my chair in the living room to the kitchen to do my exercises about 6-7 times a day, this generally takes me 1 minute each way, but I rest in between!?
I think I'll give it till the weekend I think! X


Becki - RTHR - 6th Jan 2016
 
Hi Widger, sounds like you are feeling much better overall if you are wanting to get out! So glad for you. As someone who ventured out quite early myself and felt much better for it I would be more encouraging about a properly planned outing, provided you .... Take someone with you if you possibly can, remember to take your grabber stick in case you drop something, take a cushion as the chairs in Waitrose probably wont be quite high enough, and suss out the disabled loo just in case the excitement gets to your bladder! Whatever you decide, have a good day.


Bettifloss - RTHR 5 January 2016. Posterior approach with ceramic on ceramic prosthesis.

Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart Forum
 
What a wonderful lot you are! :hi: Am stringing along with the rest of you. Pre-surgery anxiety :yikes: is clearly incredibly common so I feel less alone knowing you are all out there with helpful tips, encouragement and updates. Am just waiting for an Op date now, and keeping in touch with this wonderful site is a daily ritual now. Sending my thanks and fondest love to everyone :thankyou:
 
Hi Miss Muffet, welcome! It's great to have you with us on this long arduous but very much worth it journey!
Make sure you keep us updated on your progress!?
The info, advice and good wishes you will receive on here are invaluable and as you have already admitted, bone smart becomes part of your daily life, which is a great thing!!!
Take care and sending good vibes your way ❤️ x


Becki - RTHR - 6th Jan 2016
 
Hi Miss Muffet, hope you get an op date soon. In my experience the wait goes rather slowly and then speeds up nearer the time! At least us January hippie had the Christmas and New Year holidays to take our mind off it! X


Bettifloss - RTHR 5 January 2016. Posterior approach with ceramic on ceramic prosthesis.

Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart Forum
 
Does anyone know, if I raise my leg when in bed so my knee is in the air if this is breaking the 90 degree rule!? I am a bit thick when it comes to things like this!!?
It's just I'm finding that if my leg stays flat for too long it really aches and raising my knee/lower leg really helps!? X


Becki - RTHR - 6th Jan 2016
 
The ninety degree is between your thigh and you upper body, so an angle between your calf and your thigh is OK if you don't bend the leg so far as to break this rule. I don't find it comfortable to lie in bed with my operated leg completely straight, and when Ibwas in hospital nurse kindly put a rolled up towel under my knee, which worked a treat. Right now I'm lying in bed with a small pillow under my knee, which is great.


Bettifloss - RTHR 5 January 2016. Posterior approach with ceramic on ceramic prosthesis.

Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart Forum
 
Ok, so reading advice on here, I'm feeling I should elevate a little bit more, I haven't iced once as I have a fear of things really cold and worry it will make me worse but having said that I don't feel any swelling anywhere.
Today my youngest started a novice class in gymnastics and really wanted to see him there, it was a 2 hour session, it's freezing in there and you have to stand to see! I lasted half hour, then went home, warmed up and managed to go back for the final hour! He did really well and they seem to have high hopes for him!?
However once home o didn't really rest, I had things I just wanted to get done. At 4pm everyone left the house and I resigned myself to bed! I am aching terribly, and exhausted. I'm hardly sleeping still but did read someone who sleeps on the non operated side with a pillow between her legs for elevation. I might try that tonight!
I really feel like I have done far too much today and haven't listened to my body at all! Having a total day of rest tomorrow!! Hope everyone else is good and progressing well!!? ❤️❤️ x


Becki - RTHR - 6th Jan 2016
 
@geneva - I just saw your question about the bedside commode. I resisted getting a toilet seat riser until I was in the hospital sitting on one, and found how helpful it was to have handles nearby and a raised seat to sit on. I'm still using it, it really does help with getting up and down and not worrying about the 90 degree restriction so much. As for getting the walker in the bathroom - our bathroom door is extra narrow, so I have to take the walker in going sideways. I did that 2-3 days, then left the walker outside, and navigated inside without it. I'm sure you're home now and have figured all this out by now.
 
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