Revision THR Triple Hippy- Revision smoothly over<

[Layla]

Hi @sansabosa
Have you tried Magnesium for sleep? You may want to read up on it and consider it.

Magnesium supports the following:
Bone health
Healthy blood sugar
Cardiovascular health
Muscle relaxation and nerves
Promotes healthy sleep (falling asleep and staying asleep)

An article on Magnesium -
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/magnesium-is-a-star.20301/

As a natural alternative, it may be worth a try.
Hope this helps and wishing you some restorative rest this evening!

 

[Mojo333]

I actually just meant recovery "fun" in general.
All temporary..was my dedicated mantra to get through the frustration.
Certainly you need to keep those TEDS until not required..they are certainly aggravating though.

Oh my stars...I wish I could tell you I had something for the interrupted sleep.
Won't depress you with the length of time it took for me to get a full night's sleep.
I took something similar to what you are taking for a few months but still was a night wanderer (limping wanderer) and chronic napper!
Still early days after this big surgery.
I hope today is a better day!

 

[sansabosa]

Thanks to you both @Layla and @Mojo333
I’ll check Magnesium for sleep

 

[Jaycey]

Still very early days for you @sansabosa . Sleep is an issue during this recovery. Nap when you need to during the day. Yes, changing the timing of your pain medication may also help. This will soon ease.

 

[sansabosa]

I should have listened to you @Jaycey
I resisted to take a nap during the day so that I could sleep at night but its 3 am and I am still awake
Nothing changed

 

[sansabosa]

@Mojo333 @Layla
Has anyone encountered oedema on the inner side of the upper leg, the operated one of course
I can’t even massage it, it hurts so much
Should I be worried about it?
I started to apply two packs of ice, one for the hip and one for the inside part of the hip

 

[Mojo333]

Is this noticeably new, sansabosa?
I will tag @Josephine so that she can address the concern.
I can understand with your revision and prior heart issue that you should be anxious about this.

partial weight bearing for the next 6 weeks as there has been some bone greft applied to the acetabular component.

I have a stent in my coronary artery,

This will be useful for Josephine.

Are you up moving about much during the day?
Or at least moving your leg about as much as possible?

I would Consider contacting Doctor if it seems excessive...I had some "traveling minor swelling" the first month...even a bit in my ankles...but lessened as I got more mobile.
Let's see what Jo thinks.

 

[sansabosa]

Thank you @Mojo333
At first the TED socks kind of squeezed and strangulated the high end part of my legs because my upper legs are wider compared to my ankles
Since a couple of days, I am now using Sigvaris CCL-1 compression (varicosis) socks that are up to my knees which are actually tighter in the ankles compared to the white TED socks given at the hospital. I am taking them off during the night at bed

I do walk within the house every two hours or so for about 10 minutes in our hallway across the mirror.
When sitting I am elevating and doing ankle pumps whenever it pops into my mind

There is no temperature difference between the two legs when you palpate and there is no colour difference as well. However the operated leg looks more swollen not on the hip side but in the upper inside part of the leg.
When I massage I do feel a kind of knot or tangle in the soft tissue of about walnut size which is painful but i feel the same knot on the other leg as well without pain. It is probably lot of fat which comes to my hand!

 

[Mojo333]

Lots of time to examine / wonder / worry.
It may be a bit before Jo weighs in but my thought is that it is not a serious issue.
Just me, but I might would even create a tiny slit in the ankle of that compression stocking if it seemed like it was binding my ankle unnecessarily.

I know the restrictions are necessary but it has to be stressful and anxiety producing.
I do so hope you have a good weekend, friend.
This recovery business can certainly feel daunting at times.
Keep the faith..all temporary!

 

[Josephine]

I just had the acetabular component and the ball replaced (delta ceramic, the pink one) and a sleeve (thats what he mentioned) inserted which is adaptor part to the taper/cone between the stem and the ball. Thus, only the stem part is left unchanged

Those are familiar to me, sansabosa, and quite standard.

partial weight bearing for the next 6 weeks as there has been some bone graft applied to the acetabular component.

Bone graft being used in this procedure is also quite standard. And they use donated bone so there is no impact on you. Since I didn't see your hip beforehand, I've no way of commenting on the need for NWB.

Physiotherapist showed a couple of modest exercises to do by myself. We will not start with the physiotherapy immediately.

I suggest you decline to do any exercises. That's what we recommend here. See the Guidelines in the second post of this thread.

Has anyone encountered oedema on the inner side of the upper leg, the operated one of course. I can’t even massage it, it hurts so much. Should I be worried about it?
I started to apply two packs of ice, one for the hip and one for the inside part of the hip

Icing is good but swelling is to be expected. So don't worry about it.

 

[sansabosa]

Thank you @Josephine

 

[sansabosa]

Today, its 3 weeks after the surgery.

Life seems to get better. Though a bit slow, healing seems to be on track. Compared to my R-THR in 2013, this operation heals slower. Major difference is full weight bearing limitation until week 6 this time.

I will start to lower the dose of the narcotic analgesics after today and see how it goes. I hope I will not fall asleep during the day time as much as I did up until today.

I have less frequent mood swings yet energy drain is still there...I don’t feel the energy to get out of the house yet and the weather is not good either.

I started home physio today, it was way too softer compared to the one with my R-THR. It is the same physiotherapist lady who works with my OS and she is much more experienced now. I do have some muscle ache in quadriceps etc after the physio but is tolerable and not related to joint pain at all.

Staying at home is difficult, 3 more weeks to go to feel safer with my revision and to my next visit to the OS.

So far, all is on track yet at a snail’s pace.

 

[prairienut]

$Sansabosa, looks like our recoveries will necessarily be different. Your revision removed only the acetabular implant; mine only the femoral implant. Plus you have weight bearing restrictions to protect the bone graft. But before you know it, you will be past the 6 weeks and free of that restriction. I have no WB restrictions, but am afraid to put too much weight too soon on the revision side. Each day, I find myself using it a little more than the day before. I'm not in a big hurry. Did your OS take an xray at the 2-week visit?

 

[sansabosa]

Hi @prairienut
How are you progressing? Its just a week for you, no?
I hope all is on track
My OS did not ask for an Xray at the 2-wk visit, just asked how I feel, repeated the precautions, looked at my walking and took off the aquacell dressing. I assume he will ask for an Xray at the 6-wk visit?
When is your first visit to your OS?
Take care

 

[prairienut]

Hi @sansabosa, My first OS appointment is at 2-1/2 weeks. It's a 2-hour drive. He wants an x-ray. I am just at the 1-week mark and doing better than I expected. This recovery has been more comfortable than the one 10 years ago -- less swelling in the leg and better pain management. I was able to sleep in the bed right away and can sleep nearly through the night. Last time I had to sleep in the recliner the first week (because of log leg) and watch mindless TV in the wee hours to distract myself. I'm sure it makes a difference that he had to swap only one component and not both -- half the surgery! The hip feels pretty solid, so much more stable than that femoral stem wobbling around unpredictably. I hope this one sets in well for many, many years so I don't have to go through this again!

 

[sansabosa]

@prairienut
Hope we don’t go through this again, definetely!
Technology gets better, so does the medications
I’m glad that you feel much better everyday and the progress seems better than you’d expected
As for me, my progress is as I had expected, slower compared to primary hip replacements. However, I have congenital dysplasia in the background, and gone through 2-3 osteotomies during childhood before the THRs on each hip...so this recent operation is the 4th one as far as I recall on this side and the awkward part is the incision scars are like a highway: the first incision at the age of 6 is anterior and looks bad, the second one at 14 is lateral, the THR at 35 is posterolateral and is hardly seen and this last one, now I’m 56 is posterior and the good part is it is a fine short line which looks it will soon disappear from sight
Today, I decreased the dose of my pain 2 pain killers as advised by the doctors and so far it seems all is under control in terms of pain and I did not feel sleepy and dizzy during the day due to codeine! Yay!
But I still fell asleep in the afternoon

 

[sansabosa]

4 wks post op report: It is definetely a milestone!

I feel much better, both physically and mentally- clearer since I tapered down the analgesics!
I was able to get back into business from home, slowly but surely, 2-3 hours on line with some phone calls to make. 2-3 hours was enough until I realized the energy drain
Sleep at night is still an issue but I assume it will resolve as soon as I will be able to turn on my side freely in bed unconciously
I have 2 more weeks until my next appointment with OS and hopefully I anticipate he will be allow me to full weight and release one of the crutches

 

[Layla]

Great update! Thanks for sharing.
I sense a happiness in your post. I'm glad things are progressing and going well for you.
I hope your sleep returns to normal soon.
Stay in touch and let us know how your appt with the OS goes in two weeks.
A great rest of the week to you!
@sansabosa

 

[prairienut]

Good report @sansabosa. Sounds like an uneventful recovery so far, and that is a good thing. I really hope your weight restrictions are lifted in 2 weeks. That will free you up to do so much more. I am just starting to do a few things with one crutch but I'm still very tentative. My first visit with the OS is Jan. 21. I'm eager to hear what he has to say. Please let us know how your visit goes in 2 weeks.

 

[Mojo333]

glad some of the tough stuff is easing.
I think good uninterrupted comfortable sleep was my LAST milestone unfortunately.
I tried not to nap...but that didn't help so take it when you can get it, for sure.
Keep hanging in there, friend.
All temporary!!