THR THR 3 weeks out

smokey1

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Hi,
New to site. Found it last night while I was feeling sorry for myself and basically having a pity party! I have to say, it helped reading a lot of your post surgery stories. Went off the meds two days ago. Hydromorpone- didn’t help the pain much , so I decided to see how it would go. Third day in and pain isn’t any worse and my mood seems better. Having my rt knee replaced ( yes,same leg as hip) in 6 months. Not looking forward to that, now that I know what recovery is like
My husband is my caretaker and is doing a great
job, but I know he is getting tired of it all and then I feel bad . Just need to have a better attitude I know. I am walking with a cane only when I get tired and went out to lunch today with friends. I could only sit for an hour (and that was uncomfortable). Anybody else feeling crazed one min. and optimistic the next? PT and nurse say I am doing fine . Why can’t I believe it?
 
Hi, Welcome to BoneSmart and Recovery :welome: Thanks for joining us!
Please post your surgery date and which hip you had replaced below. The info will be applied as your signature.

Below are the Recovery Guidelines which you will find beneficial. Please read through the articles and pay attention to Post Op Blues....you may be struggling with that a bit.

Sitting for long periods of time can be miserable initially. Especially if the restaraunt seating was uncomfortable. That will ease with time.

Now that you've joined us, stop back often. We'd love to follow your recovery journey.
Wishing you comfort as you begin healing.


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. @smokey1
 
:wave:Hi! This recovery business can get old fast, right.
Please do take some time to peruse the articles Layla left for you especially the one on
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Hit the text in the above article and it will fly you right there!
One month post op is prime time for it...was for me.
May seem slow..but that IS how we will get there.
Life without that horrid hip pain is worth all the struggles.
You Will get there!:ice:
 
Last edited:
Hi @smokey1
I had a hip replacement in July and if I am anything to go by then your recovery is typical. You get a good day and feel very positive, the next day you get the blues. It doesn't even need to relate to a setback. I think all the meds they give us play a big part in that.
3 weeks is still very early but you sound as if you are doing great. Patience is a great virtue in this game. Just take plenty of time to rest and let your body heal. It will reap the rewards. My physio told me to look upon it as an investment in my future.
I am on the list to have my knee done too but mine is the opposite side to the hip. My op probably wont be until about April so maybe around the same time as you.
Best wishes with your recovery
 
TRHR on 10/10/2018
 
Total Right Hip Replacement on 10/10/2018
 
Hi, again
Thanks fir your responses so far . They have been reassuring and helpful. Quick question . I had staples on my wound And were taken out two weeks later. Out of the 15 staples, 7 were tightly wrapped around scar tissue. Needless to say it was very painful for me as the nurse took them out.
How many of you had staples versus glue or stitches? Having my knee done in 6 months and would like to look at differed options.
Thanks.
 
@smokey1 you will notice that I have merged your two threads together as we prefer that members in recovery only have one thread.

This is for three reasons:
1. if you keep starting new threads, you miss the posts others have left you in the old threads
2. it often ends up that information is unnecessarily repeated
3. it's best if we can keep all your recovery story in one place so it's easily accessed if we need to advise you.

Please keep all your questions and updates on this thread. If you would like a new thread title just give a shout.
How many of you had staples versus glue or stitches?
I had staples for LTHR and glue for RTHR. Glue is much more comfortable IMO.
 
Hi smokey1, I have had a knee done recently but had both my hips done it can be tiring and some days it's good to go and put your feet up and have a quick snooze in bed, rest is good and helps heal.
 
You are a rock star! I hope I have half of your positivism going forward. Quick question. I had General Anesthesia for my hip replacement and I was in a fog most of the day, but I am afraid of a spinal because I have Spina Bifada Occulta (tethered spinal cord. Any thoughts?
 
Hi @smokey1
Let's have @Josephine, the forum Nurse Director, weigh in on your concerns regarding a spinal.
With 50+ yrs experience I'm sure she can advise.
Wishing you the best going forward!
 
Thank you . I would really appreciate some input on this.
 
As you've noticed, I did tag, Josephine. However, she resides in the U.K. and there is a time difference, so please check back periodically beginning tomorrow in case she has questions for you.
A peaceful evening to you.
@smokey1
 
I had General Anesthesia for my hip replacement and I was in a fog most of the day
Me too...didn't necessarily think that was a bad thing.
Anaesthesia choice was surgeon's...thinking mainly because bilateral but I didn't like the idea of the spinal anyway.
 
Welcome. Your experience sounds typical, I know that doesn't make it better. What you will learn by reading posts on this forum is you're in for a long haul of this recovery deal. Find comfort in the progress you make and don't let the setbacks, and you will have them, get you down.
 
Eman85
Thanks for responding. I guess I was a little naive going into this. Everyone kept telling me the hip replacement was a “piece of cake. So I was shocked to see that in fact it wasn’t. Especially because I have an arthritic knee which is severely misaligned on the same leg. Thinking about going through this again in 6 months makes me want to rethink everything.
 
Piece of cake...sort of actually.
Lots of layers to recovery indeed.
No, not easy but it does get easier and better by the week if you can be patient.
That's the tough part.
Things will improve and you will be glad to get your life back.
Hope your Sunday is sweet!
 
Mojo33
I wish you a wonderful Sunday, also. Good day here for a walk outside. It will be my first. It has rained practically the whole month of October. ☂️
 
Yes, easy does it.
But vitamin D therapy with fresh air is simply the best.:SUNsmile:
Cabin fever is bound to hit at one month post op.:umm:
Ready to do something but not enough energy or strength to quite get to it.:unsure:
Hope you have a good walk and then assume the position:ice:
 
I am afraid of a spinal because I have Spina Bifada Occulta
That's entirely up to the anaesthetist's decision. If he feels it okay to do a spinal then you can rest easy on that. But I woudn't think he'd do it if he has any doubts.
 

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