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Revision THR Trkkoa is on the other side

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I don't know much about tramadol. Is it a narcotic? I really want to get off all the narcotics. NSAIDs have blood thinning properties just as aspirin does. So you don't want to add those on top of blood thinners like xarelto or lovenox or coumadin.

I had a better day today. Not quite as painful. I think I just did too much and paid the price. I got a good night sleep and that helps. Spent about 45 minutes in the pool this morning but took it easy. Really enjoyed just paddling around for a while with my floaty noodle after doing some walking and stretching. Walked to the end of our driveway this afternoon and back with the walker. I want to try to do that every day. It sure made the dog happy. She's more my dog but she has been doing fine with my husband walking her. This evening when I was out walking she stuck close to me almost like a protector. It was sweet.

Got a letter in the mail today that the insurance only approved 8 PT visits instead of the 12 the OS ordered. I will have to ask about that at PT tomorrow. I was certain he said the insurance had approved everything.

Thanks for the encouragement. I'm trying not to be too emotional, but I think my hormones are adding to the mood swings. Hot flashes are back with a vengeance.

G'night hippies,
Nancy
 
Tramadol is not a narcotic. Tramadol is a centrally acting analgesic. It produces similar effects to narcotics but with fewer side effects. ​
It can be habit-forming. ​

Sharon​
 
Thanks, Sharon. I will have to ask about the tramadol. That might be a good alternative.

After those couple of days of pain, I got a decent night of sleep and had a couple days of feeling pretty good. PT guy is going to find out from the insurance if we can hold off for a couple weeks before resuming sessions. He says I am doing well, but need to just have more time to heal before doing some of the next things he wants to do. He printed out a few more exercises for me to do in the pool.

Big news is I am now using a cane! I'm amazed at how free I feel over the walker. I can even walk and carry something at the same time. Still keeping the walker close by for when I am tired. PT doesn't want me to form any bad habits (rocking side to side or hunching forward).

Not in pain but awake in the middle of the night with hot flashes. I should put the iPad down and try to go back to sleep.
Nancy
 
Man. Trying to work is hard. We have a coffee club and this month's middle-of-the-month orders necessitated four hours of roasting after three hours of preparation. My husband is not comfortable doing the roasting so he did the labor parts and I did the recording and decision making. I was able to sit at the roaster and do four batches myself, but needed his help with the other six. I am grateful that he was able to do all the packaging and boxing. Started around 8 in the morning and finished at 9 pm with breaks for lunch and dinner. A nice big stack of boxes is waiting for the FedEx pick up this morning.

After seven solid hours of working, although I was sitting for most of it, I was so tired I was near to tears. I took a hot shower and let my husband finish which made me feel guilty and I was bummed I didn't have time to get in the pool to exercise. So I was quite the grumpy one.

Last surgery in 1994 I was employed and had a full six weeks of paid disability so I didn't have this guilt or frustration about not being able to pull my weight. I hate having to ask my husband to do my work for me. He has a full time job already as well as helping with the farm.

So of course, I overdid and am paying for it. Still achy this morning. Managed to get a decent bit of sleep, but I still find myself grumpy. I need to rest up today so I don't have a repeat of last week's PT appointment where I was too sore to accomplish anything.

Thanks for letting me whine.
Nancy
 
Does weather bother your new hip? I was doing really well the last few days. We have a front moving through right now with heavy rain and I currently have a deep ache in the joint. Can't get comfortable to go to sleep even after taking my meds about an hour ago.

Need me some sleep but it is elusive tonight.

Nancy
 
Weather fronts for sure disturb many of us. I have ongoing issues with cold and damp. Hot and muggy doesn't bother me (I did amazingly well in Costa Rica), and cold and dry is fine. But mix just the right amount of chill with the right amount of moisture and deep aching is going to occur.

Perhaps ice will help. Or maybe even heat. Are you able to bathe in a tub yet...when I think about that ache, it makes me want to take a hot bath.

It will pass. Then....it'll be something else. :)
Sharon
 
I am doing okay, mostly good at my six week anniversary.

Stopping the OxyContin completely has been a little challenging. I spent four days last week taking only one at bedtime and then stopped altogether last Friday. I have also completed the blood thinners as of last week. So I am now alternating just Advil and Tylenol.

Two days after stopping the narcotics, I stopped having constipation and instead have had diarrhea for three days. I am also having trouble sleeping now. I am still sleeping in the recliner. I am finding it hard to get comfortable. Mostly just sick of being on my backside and also experiencing some mild to moderate ache deep in the hip. I'm not yet allowed to lie on either side. I take my meds at bedtime but I wake up uncomfortable about 4-5 hours later and can't get back to sleep.

I was so annoyed with my sister yesterday. She is a pharmacist and she lectured me on tylenol. I am staying under the recommended daily dosage. She doesn't understand why I am having pain this far out from surgery. I kind of snapped at her and asked her when she has ever had someone use power tools on her bones and drill screws into her.

PT is going well. Yesterday we worked on balance boards and stepping up and over things. He is trying to get me to trust that leg and retrain my brain to catch myself when on uneven terrain. Since i am a farmer, he wants me to be safe when i get back out on the orchard. It was cool/interesting but not easy. My next appointment tomorrow, he said we will assess my status and figure out how many more sessions he will request on my insurance. I'm still tottering to the side a bit if I walk without the cane.

I really do need to spend more time in the pool. The water today is 84F. I started doing a no impact aerobic workout I have on my iPod a couple weeks ago and other than a couple moves that I modify for precautions, it makes me feel very good and I am getting back some stamina. Then I float round on a noodle for a while. The best part is in the pool I can relax every muscle in my body. I am hoping that will help me get a better/longer sleep tonight.

Planning on getting back to weight watchers next week. I joined a CSA for a weekly basket of local organic produce. I need to protect this newly revised hip by dropping some weight.

Aloha hippies, and thanks for listening.
Nancy
 
Hi there Nancy,
Happy 6 week anniversary!
I was reading your post and you seem to be doing a lot for so early on! Oh, please don;t feel guilty about your husband doign extra work. Guilt is one of the useless emotions that doesn;t make anyone feel good, including your husband. You will get stronger and be able to do more. Let your husband enjoy doing the man-thing of helping you out. More opportunities for warm hugs of gratitude!
That is so wonderful that you are a farmer and have good produce at your fingertips! You mentioned an orchard, too-wow! (And mmmmm...roasting coffee?!!)
The remark from your sister would make me upset, too. Everyone has different pains and differnt pain levels. You know your body and what you need. Yes, I do think that people who have not been through this do not understand the gravity of the situation in general and expect us to be bouncing around so soon!
Hope your belly balances out. All those drugs really are not kind to the belly.
I am sorry you have to sleep on your back. When is that supposed to be lifted?
Sending you SLEEP VIBES!
Warm regards,
Elle
 
Had a really good day today. Roasted and packaged coffee. My husband took me out to lunch. Seared ahi poke over stir fry veggies and soba noodles, yum. Prepped for more roasting tomorrow.

While I was In the pool doing my aqua aerobics, the OS's office returned my call. Yay. I have permission to lie on either side. Yahoo. I tried a little bit over the weekend (without permission) with pillows between my legs but I was nervous about it so I didn't relax much. It did feel good to lie on my non operated side for a while. There was a bit of a pulling that didn't feel all that great after about 20 minutes. I wonder what it will feel like to lie on the operated side?

I am so sick of sleeping on my back. Aleve twice a day and Tylenol three times a day is keeping me pretty comfortable. Advil just doesn't last long enough. I kept waking after about 5 hours of sleep each night having quite a bit of pain/discomfort. I still wake in the night at least once, but I can usually get back to sleep if I move around a little bit.

I have been walking around the house a little bit without the cane. I don't have my usual Tuesday PT tomorrow due to insurance weirdness. They had approved 8 visits for July and they won't approve more until August. Odd. I'm not sure why the calendar month factors into it.

Almost seven weeks out and this has been a two steps forward kind of day.
Nancy
 
Nancy, just catching up with your thread. Sounds like you are doing well. Just remember it's still early days. Allow rest days after very active days. The stamina bit is sometimes the hardest to get over. Well done on your recovery!
 
Nancy

"Two step forward kind of day"....the best kind of day, eh? :) I am so glad to see you are doing well after your revision. Be well and take care

Suki
 
One step back, sort of. I slept in my own bed on my non-operated side using pillows between my legs. I slept very soundly, only waking a couple times. Today I am sore all over. Not so much the hip, but shoulders, back, arms, neck, legs. I think I just didn't move much all night and was so over tired from not sleeping well the last few days, I crashed hard.

Thanks, Suki and Jaycey, for the kind words and advice. I know I need to rest more, but it is hard when I am finally accomplishing some things.

I finished work for today so I plan the rest this afternoon and maybe float around I the pool, to stretch out my sore muscles.

Aloha,
Nancy
 
Just been catching up with your thread Nancy. My experiences seem similar to yours I had very low BP and constant nasea in hospital. Still have uneasy tummy now and wake at night each night with discomfort under my ribs. cant wait to finish the last of the meds (Xarelto ...blood thiiner) then I hope things will settle.
Great you are able to use a pool. I am not a water baby but I should make an effort to go to a class for rehab. It would make all the difference I suppose.
Hope your sleep continues to improve! the hospital said I could sleep on my non operated side (with pillows between my knees) from straight away post op. havent mamaged teh operated side yet ...I'm doing that by degrees and lying on my tummy but I agree its purgatory lying constantly on your back!
Hope your good progress continues
take care
 
Nancy, just caught up with your recovery thread. It is amazing how we are tested with this surgery! Discomfort at night remains a problem with me. Unlike you, though, I am continuing on the prescription pain meds (oxycodone at night occasionally, if I've had a rough day, and tramadol otherwise). So sorry about your hot flashes! I suffer from them only at night, but gah!!! I can sleep on both sides for a while - the problem is, I have arthritis in my non-replaced hip, too, just not as bad as my now-replaced hip was. But still: annoying! It is hard to accept that after 6 and 7 weeks we are still in the early-ish phases of recovery! I had hoped to be further along now, but cannot walk without a cane yet. Good luck to you, it sounds like you are doing fine, still healing, and figuring it all out as you go along!
 
I feel like such a lazy person. I skipped the pool yesterday and today due to rain. Still very achy all over. I've walked a bit but haven't done much else. Hard to believe that Hawaii can be damp and dreary and too cool to get in the pool, but it happens.

I can't lie on my operated side at all. Feels like I'm lying on a huge lump. This is weird to me since I had my original THR 18 years ago, I wasn't expecting this to feel so different. I'm thinking it will be quite some time before I can can lie on that side.

Slept in my own bed several nights in a row. My husband says I am sleeping like a rock and not moving which is why I think I'm so stiff in the mornings. I'm trying to get better at alternating right side and back so my right arm doesn't go to sleep. In spite of the aches, I am feeling more rested. Sleep is so good for healing that I can put up with the stiffness.

Does anyone else have arm or wrist pain due to the cane? When I go for walks, I find that my arm and wrist hurt after a little while.

No PT this week due to the insurance. They have yet to approve my other four sessions. I have a (tentative) appointment on Tuesday and will ask about these achy issues then. I don't see the OS again until August 23.

Hey, I forgot to mention that I drove for the first time on Thursday. Didn't feel odd at all except for sitting a bit more upright than I do in the passenger seat. Visited my PCP. Love that guy. Lost 5 lbs since before surgery. BP is 117/66.

Scheduled a pedicure for tomorrow. I will be careful not to let her trim cuticles. My husband has been so great but I can't see asking him to trim my toenails.

Have a great weekend!
Nancy
 
Hi Nancy,

Stiff and sore--I can relate.

Congratulations on the weight loss and to great blood pressure! I bet your PCP was happy too.

About the wrist pain with cane -- yes. I have what I believe is mild to moderate carpal tunnel in both hands. I wear wrist splints at night and that usually keeps the carpal tunnel under control. But, I've had more symptoms since the hip replacements started and I was using a walker and then a cane. It took about a month for things to get back to my baseline after I stopped needing the cane after the first hip. I'm hoping it will be the same with this one.

You may want to try wearing wrist splints at night to keep your wrists in alignment while you sleep. That can help make up for some of the pressure on them during the day when you are up and active with the cane. I use the Futura brand and bought them at a chain drug store like CVS. Mine were about $25. They aren't that attractive, but they do help a lot.

You are in Hawaii??? I guess I didn't realize that. Except for the occasional cloudy, cool day, your weather must be practically perfect year round!!!! Lucky you!

Dorothy
 
Hi Nancy, haven't caught up with you for a while :)

Sleeping on the operated side often takes a bit of time, short spells on it, then move. I found the first night I actually slept on my operated side I woke up in a bit of discomfort.. so I put a pillow alongside that leg, straightened it out and laid my unoperated leg on the pillow... It helped to ease me onto that side.

You are working long days, pleased you can get in your pool though that must help - take care :)
 
Aloha all you hippies. I finally got back to PT this week. Turns out the insurance had approved more sessions, but neglected to let the PT folks know. They approved 8 more but the therapist thinks I might not need them all. We worked on walking up and down stairs foot over foot instead of the "down with the bad...," etc. as well as walking up and down slopes, and stepping over things. The interesting part was when he had me do them all again, but this time holding a ball with both hands. This felt odd as it was hard for me to keep myself from tottering to the side and i wasn't able to use my arm positions for balance.

I had a really good day today. There was a coffee tasting event that we volunteer at that takes place outdoors at a local resort. I haven't been using my cane much at home but took it along in case I got tired. I handled the increased walking and uneven terrain just fine. While working at ballot counting (my volunteer job for today) we stacked two ballroom chairs for better height. I still have my 80 degree bending restriction. After the event was over, my hubby and I stayed and had a nice meal at the beachfront restaurant. I got to see quite a few people I hadn't seen since before surgery so I was nice to catch up.

One thing this whole experience has opened my eyes is the plight of the truly handicapped. Due to my bending restriction, I have been using the handicapped stall in public restrooms. Boy, is there a wide variety of what is done to accommodate. Even at a high end resort, the handicapped stall had a low toilet. Grab bars and a wide door, yes. Elevated toilet, no. I even ran into that at a doctor's office. Don't get me started on people who park in the handicapped parking spaces without a tag.

I am truly lucky hat I am recovering well and can look forward to not needing accommodation at all very soon.

I see my OS on August 23. I am hoping for a lifting of my bending precaution then.

Have a great rest of your weekend,
Nancy
 
What a great update Nancy, so nice to hear from you.

Yes, I can so relate to the low toilets in the disabled bathrooms... they only cater for someone in a wheel chair me thinks!

And boy oh boy... I will definitely not go to the topic of disabled parking.. See it every day!

So pleased to hear you are having some fun, dinner and catching up with friends and that quality life is slowly returning to normal.

Good luck with the extra PT :)
 
Not a good day today. I guess I over did it the last couple days . I have been uncomfortable all day and limping more. I tried to have a lazy day, but it didn't end up that way. I am hoping for a quiet Sunday for some rest. I have a new book I just started on my Kindle and think I should just kick back a bit and become one with the recliner. That's hard for me when there is always something that needs to be done.

I have to stop telling myself I should be "normal" by now. 9 1/2 weeks out. I don't have my original replacement 18 years ago to compare since I had a DVT that kept me on crutches for three months back then. I was also 18 years younger. I keep thinking this should be easier since they only messed with the socket and not the femur, but I have pain both places.

I've been emotional today. Frustrated, I guess. I didn't want to spend my summer this way and it blind sided me that I needed surgery right quick. I wasn't in any pain before surgery.

Well, time to channel my inner Scarlett. Tomorrow is another day.....

Nancy
 
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