THR 2nd November

[lorraine]

Hello,

I've been reading some of the threads and feel reassured to see others with the same questions I have.

I am now approaching week 3 post op. My physio put me onto one crutch rather than two last week so I am finding it easier to get around the house. I haven't been outside yet, mainly because of wet leaves everywhere. Yesterday, I took to walking up and down the hallway several times to make up for not going outside. I am not sure if I overdid it or not. How can you make the distinction from pushing yourself a little bit more each day to overdoing it? Last night I had pain in my operated side from foot to hip and today it is the same, as if I have a trapped nerve. Is this anything to worry about?

I've been told to sleep on my back for three months. I think this is the thing I hate the most. I sleep for around 2 hours at a time. I've tried different configurations of pillows but I still worry about getting bedsores.

I apologise for whinging, I'm grateful to have had the operation, but three months of not bending etc etc seems to stretch ahead forever.

I know everyone heals at different rates but I would be really interested in hearing others' experiences.

P.S. I'm almost out of painkillers and the discharge note from the hospital has said the doctor is not to continue with any of the tablets except the iron ones. So will paracetomol really be enough?

 

[JudyS]

Lorraine welcome. Congrats on the new hip , you will love it when things improve. Call your doc, they can not be serious to cut you off f rom pain killers sso soon. Get them from your primary if the surgeon is that cruel. Some really are.

WEll maybe you did overdo it . Your body sure tells you. I did at about 4 weeks and boy was i told not gently at all by my hip and muscles. it was very painful!!

i tried sleeping on my side, i think at about 8 weeks it was ok. Of course you must listen to your surgeon. At about 6 weeks my doc let me bend enough to tie shoes. i told him no one in my house would do that for me. He was making fun of my flip flops!!!
EAch week you will feel better and be able to do more things. At 3 months , i was still on some painkillers, but could do everything except run.
judy

 

[teejay]

Welcome on board, Lorraine.
This is the place to ask questions. Nothing is considered whining. They are very good at that and will arrive shortly.

I'm sorry to hear that you're running out of pain meds. 3 weeks already! I wish I was there already. Good luck.

 

[Jamie]

Welcome to BoneSmart, Lorraine! So glad you found us and have been reading some of the older threads. There is a wealth of information there, so keep reading!!!

You sound like you are doing just fine. I wouldn't worry about the pain you are experiencing at this early stage. You just had MAJOR surgery, my dear, and pain is part of the package. It will get better. Be sure you are icing and elevating your operated leg.

You do need to continue pain medication. Since you are in Great Britain (it's a little different for those of us in the USA), your primary doctor should be able to help you with proper pain management. This is critical because you MUST stay ahead of the pain as you're recovering. I would call him/her immediately and arrange for additional medication for yourself.

Please post any time. We will be here for you!! And....we LOVE to hear those great little successes....like switching from two crutches to one!!! A biggie!!!! There will be more milestones to come.

 

[SheriALS]

Lorraine,
I am about 3 1/2 weeks post op and still feel the way you described after most exercise. If I go for a small walk then I usually come in the house and have to lay on the bed for a bit to let my muscles relax. They tend to cramp up. If you read through old posts you will find that alot of times people need to use the pain meds specifically for times when they are exercising or having PT so it is not uncommon. We haven't been using a lot of those muscles for a while and they tend to protest a bit when called back to work. As the PT said use pain as your guide...and rest. It will get better every day. I am amazed at how far I have come in these weeks and so look forward to the next 6-12 months of recovery when I will have my active life back.

As far as your nerve pain goes you may be having some sciatica. If your back got stressed or your pelvis got twisted prior to surgery due to a bad gait then you may have to deal with that for a while as your body readjusts. I am experiencing that but it gets less every day and I find I can usually adjust my position to bring some relief (and of course the vicodin helps!) There are also some muscles in your butt that could be so tight that they are pressing on the nerves going into your leg. This also will take time as your range of motion and flexibility improve. If you go to PT I would make sure and let them know as they may need to modify exercises or have specific exercises that can help you with that.

Like the others said before me push for the pain meds. They will make you comfortable enough to be able to get to the work of getting well.

Bless you,
Sheri

 

[Josephine]

I am now approaching week 3 post op. My physio put me onto one crutch rather than two last week so I am finding it easier to get around the house. I haven't been outside yet, mainly because of wet leaves everywhere. Yesterday, I took to walking up and down the hallway several times to make up for not going outside.

I am not sure if I overdid it or not. How can you make the distinction from pushing yourself a little bit more each day to overdoing it? Last night I had pain in my operated side from foot to hip and today it is the same, as if I have a trapped nerve. Is this anything to worry about?

You're doing everything right, don't worry. You still need to keep up with the ankle pumps and clenching calf and thigh muscles to fend off the dreaded DVT.

That pain is operative pain and you need to take your pain pills. What are you taking at present, how much and how often?

I've been told to sleep on my back for three months. I think this is the thing I hate the most. I sleep for around 2 hours at a time. I've tried different configurations of pillows but I still worry about getting bedsores.

There is a saying "this too shall pass" and it will! You will not get bedsores unless you're laying in bed all day and are weak and frail. And I doubt you're any of that, eh? :evil:

I'm almost out of painkillers and the discharge note from the hospital has said the doctor is not to continue with any of the tablets except the iron ones. So will paracetamol really be enough?

I am astounded! What hospital was this? And exactly which tablets were they referring to?

You should see your GP or phone him, and get him to prescribe you something like Tramadol or co-codamol. You can't be without pain relief so early. Of course, if the worst comes to the worst, over the counter stuff will be okay. You can get co-codamol otc as well as paracetamol. And you can take either with a decent dose of ibuprofen as well to punch it up a bit.

 

[lorraine]

Thank you all so much for your replies. You have no idea how much happier you have made me feel. I have some easy exercises to do at home and I have an appointment at the hospital for physio in 4 weeks.

Josephine, with regard to painkillers, I was given Tramadol and Dicolofenac (now all gone). I will contact the surgery tomorrow morning and request another prescription. I thought I had to be brave and bite the bullet and do without but I'm not strong enough for that yet.

Sherials, yes my back was stressed prior to surgery. I was walking with a cane for some months. I had to stop meds one week prior to surgery and I went downhill in that week. I had to stop going to work because I could hardly walk. Which proves the point that painkillers will be needed for a while yet then.

 

[Texas]

Hi there and welcome and please dont worry about the whining i did it as well...........im glad your on your way to recovery.......i didnt like laying on my back either..it will get better....post anytime...........)

 

[Josephine]

I had Tramadol but I also took paracetamol with it. Was an excellent combo!

 

[lorraine]

Good Morning Everyone,

I get my clips out today so I think that will help as the area feels a bit tight. I am being more sensible regarding exercises. I must still have been feeling the effects of the morphine when I originally posted, I thought I was coming up to week 3 when in fact it is week 2 today so a bit early to think I could start cavorting round the block!

Josephine, yes, that's the combination I am now taking - Tramadol and Paracetamol and it works well.

Hope you all have a good day.

Best wishes

 

[Josephine]

(psst - don't forget the stool softeners!)

 

[lorraine]

Good morning to everyone,

I am now coming up to week 5 post op and am feeling much stronger. I started walking outside, a bit further each day, and can now get around the local shopping centre with one crutch. It's also good to be sleeping better. I'm still looking forward to the day when I can go back to lying on my side though.

I am trying to do everything correctly but yesterday - without thinking - I sat on my toilet (which is quite low) without the aid. I am now scared I may have caused a problem. Is it likely? The front of my thigh and lower back hurt this morning even after painkillers and they don't normally. Please tell me I haven't put my new hip out of alignment.

Regards
Lorraine

 

[nannyshoo]

Lorraine - I remember feeling like you at that stage and I whinged a lot on this forum. I cut my painkillers from choice and just took occasional paracetamol, I was send out of hospital with a very good selection of painkillers, but felt I could manage without. Restrospectively that was not a good idea.
I am nine weeks post op now. I can't believe how awful I felt for the first 4-6 weeks. Part of it was the restriction of not being able to drive.
I am interested to see you are from the UK but have physio involvement. I was told none was necessary - consequently all I have done is the four exercises I was given on discharge.
To make you feel a little better, I had a visit from a work colleague today who told me she has never before seen me walk without a limp!
Like they say on this forum, it all gets better with time.
Think positive (I didn't)

 

[Josephine]

Bless you. Lorraine - you won't have done anything bad. You'll be fine

 

[teejay]

I've found myself climbing stairs and sitting on toilet without an aid a few times, and it's a scary feeling ... initially, the you feel the rush as if you'd won the marathon. We're (I'm at 4 weeks) approaching the mark of lessening fear of dislocation, but it still takes time to be comfortable with the new hip. The pain and hurt is God telling you you're doing fine. We're almost there. Congratulations for the 5 week marker. All the best.

 

[lorraine]

Dear Nannyshoo, Josephine and Teejay

I don't know how I would manage without this forum. Thank you all again for taking the time to answer me and to be so reassuring.

Mostly I am trying to be positive. I can feel such improvement from the first two weeks. I am doing the four exercises given by the physios and actually go to the hospital for further physio beginning next week. However, I still can't imagine going without a crutch or a stick. I'm trying at home to get around by just holding onto walls, furniture etc to balance. I think it's because I've been so long using a stick that it's hard to believe I will eventually move around like I used to.

So Nannyshoo, you're at the 9 week mark now - not walking with a limp - does that mean you have been able to give up a walking aid? When were you able to do that?

Best wishes to you all

 

[teejay]

Lorraine

I think the best policy here is not to compare your recovery process to other people’s individual mending. You need to stay on your own path and it definitely is unique.

You’re doing just fine, no need to hurry and be concerned. Take your time. Use those walls and furniture as an aid, sooner than you realize, you are off all aids and back walking like normal people.

Take your meds and continue your exercises, that is all anyone can do or expect. It sucks to be on uncharted waters, but trust us that you will eventually find the harbor.

I found that posting here ( a lot) assisted tremendously in my mending. The less you think about your recuperation, and the more you let your body and mind to heal, the better. Post more, post often, and post long stories.

 

[nannyshoo]

Lorraine I have been off walking aids altogether for about two weeks. I found I turned the corner when I started to drive again because it gave me such a boost. The first time I went out without my stick I was really anxious, although I had been managing round the house. I still have a folding stick in the car but haven't needed it.
This forum has been such help to me as at the beginning I just got really frustrated with things I couldn't do.
Just take your time, keep up with the forum and you will be walking without an aid sooner than you think

 

[lorraine]

Dear Teejay,

You are right. I should not be comparing my recovery with others. One of the district nurses told me that. She said that each person will recovery differently and that when I go to physio there will be some on two crutches, one crutch, none etc. It is useful however as a guideline to hear how someone else is doing but it is really hard not to think well I should be able to do that now as well.

I also agree that this forum helps tremendously. Thank you for your comments.

Dear Nannyshoo,

Thank you too for your comments. I don't drive but I have yet to be a passenger, I'm still scared about sitting in too low a seat. I missed a concert last week because I couldn't get a wheelchair and the disabled section was already fully booked. I'm not moaning about that though, I want to do everything possible not to hinder recovery.

I forgot to say in my last post that you deserve congratulations for managing without walking aids now - well done!

Have a good day everyone.

Regards

 

[teejay]

Lorraine

Exactly, we all need a guideline - we are humans after all. But it’s apples and oranges. It would not matter, except one might lose the vital spirit to push forward if the news are ‘bad’ when comparing to other recovery stories. Life is not always fair. The only thing that matters is mending in whatever speed. That is our goal – yours and mine.

I’m not sure whether your surgery was the anterior or posterior approach? The anterior approach appears to facilitate faster overall mending.

You’re doing fine, Lorraine. We all have ups and downs. You need to stay on that track and ignore anything that communicates different. Keep up the good work and share you thoughts here for the benefit of other Smarters. Enjoy you day.