THR Two New Hips in Six Weeks

[Layla]

Hi @EL11 Happy Sunday to you!
Do we have the dates wrong in your signature?
Just curious because you mentioned tomorrow is three months since your RTHR. If so please let us know so a mod can address that.

I'm sorry you're struggling with the pain at night. Depending upon the approach your OS used, there are gel packs out there with Velcro straps attached, possibly you are aware. I have a few and they've come in handy if I want to move around, keeping the ice in place.

Also, have you ever tried Magnesium? Supposed to aid in falling asleep and staying asleep among other benefits -

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/

Hope you have a great day and week!

 

[EL11]

@Layla, Happy Sunday to you!

Sorry about the date, my mistake. My RTHR was 7/30 so 3 months would be 10/30. I will edit my post.

The supplement I got includes magnesium, valerian, chamomile, melatonin. It really does do a nice job of making me drowsy with no side effects the next day.

What the hospital used was cold water packs with velcro. I have to admit I was so zonked out post-op I forget how it worked exactly, but they must have been attached to something.

I am more inclined to get a machine than to get another kind of ice pack, still mulling it over ... in any case, thanks as always!

 

[lovesstars]

OSSUR Cold rush. and I bought the hip pad as well. I still use it. (And you have to use the white velcro straps to secure it around your leg to ensure cold contact!)

 

[1stSurgery]

Woohoo @EL11! Did you see that Nunez homer in the 7th?! (Somehow it ties into hips but that escapes me at the moment). I'm in the heretical position of rooting for the red Stockings ...vs the home team! 8-4 right now Red Stockings.

 

[EL11]

I had to turn in early. Now trying to get back to sleep and just took another Luna ... must watch highlights tomorrow or maybe there’s a replay somewhere. Go Sawx!

Thanks @1stSurgery

 

[1stSurgery]

Yes, watch highlights! It was lovely! Busy with mountains of work now so won't be around much but I hope you're doing well and turning good corners in your recovery. Sleep is KEY to healing speed I believe so whatever gets you to solid REM is a benefic! I attribute much of my sped up healing post-steroid meds to sleep / rest. I could almost hear the bone construction crew shouting "thank you!" every time I slept well.

Will be watching Series games as much as I can but I'm sure I'll miss a lot. Take good care and go red stawkings!

 

[Alitm]

Hi @EL11 How is your recovery going? I have been meaning to stop by with that specific question and have been thinking about you for some time. My hubby's development and working on getting horse care has had me a bit distracted...as second surgery approaches!

Thinking of you

 

[EL11]

Hi @EL11 How is your recovery going? I have been meaning to stop by with that specific question and have been thinking about you for some time. My hubby's development and working on getting horse care has had me a bit distracted...as second surgery approaches!
Thinking of you

@Alitm, that's kind of you! I have your 11/16 date in my calendar to check in on you as well.

I'm walking mostly unaided.A bit sore during the way but very sore in the wee hours, short on sleep.
The nurse signed me out from home care this week and I am starting out-patient at St Vincent Friday.

I stopped taking Oxy last Friday. I felt it was affecting my mood adversely. I feel more normal now, but sleeping is hard, as I said. I have been on Tylenol and also Advil, per my OS's recommendation, but stopped the latter because the visiting nurse clocked my BP as being much higher than it had been all this time. Naturally I searched for personal stories of people whose blood pressure had gone up due to NSAIDs and found two that said their systolic # had gone from 120 to over 170 and came back down when they stopped (mine was not nearly that high).

I know it's nervous-making to await surgery. As I said, I think 8 weeks apart as you're doing it is pretty much ideal. The short-term healing on Hip #1 is likely to be wrapped up, or almost, at that point. Good luck with the horsies ... I will look at your thread!

 

[1stSurgery]

Hi @EL11 How is your recovery going? I have been meaning to stop by with that specific question and have been thinking about you for some time. My hubby's development and working on getting horse care has had me a bit distracted...as second surgery approaches!

Thinking of you

So sorry I haven't been able to stop by @Alitm and check on your hubby's surgery dates and your angels needed for horse, house and hip care in the interim but I really hope things have started to coalesce along lines of solutions for all your plates in the air. I have been working crazy hours and energy doesn't hold up as well as I was hoping but can't complain since pain has gone and walking is at least getting me where I need to go for now. Big hugs and healing to you and I would bet money that you find all the help you will need before the first surgery in the household takes place.

 

[Alitm]

Yikes about the NSAIDs and the blood pressure @EL11! Has your blood pressure now come down?

Well done on the walking unaided most of the time. It must feel amazing! I'll be interested to hear how your outpatient PT goes. Do you feel the gliding in your new hips, vs. the crunching/catching nastiness prior to surgery? Were you off walking aids with your first hip, prior to 2nd surgery?

I am going to see my RMT next week for gentle massage, as well as my physio to see where I am at...I need that emotionally! He won't push anything, so not worried there.

I think you will be happy with the dropping the Oxy. I really hated the Dilaudid and Tramacet in every way regarding what it did to my cognitive function. I found I didn't have much patience for foolish comments. I find I am a bit overly sensitive still to comments. The D & T did help the pain however! Once off the narcotics, I started a strict schedule of four doses of Tylenol (1,000 mgs per dose, 2 extra strength tablets) per day, for several weeks, although I have found this week I am forgetting to take a dose on time, or am taking half a dose....there is a shift of sorts going on. I am quite achy without it, so not stopping any time soon! I hope that you find the regular Tylenol dosing gives you relief. I also use the icing for pain relief...it is amazing for that. I am sorry you are still sore during the day, and very sore during the wee hours. Hoping you are figuring out the Tylenol dosing for comfort.

I have added chamomile tea at bedtime to my regular magnesium routine. I take 3 mgs of melatonin when I am desperate, but feel a bit foggy in the AM from that. For me it is also timing of getting to bed. Our youngest son gets home from his day at school and work around ten PM, and I want to see him and hear about his day....but my body wants to be in bed at 9:30. It is his last year at home before uni....so I push it and then can't sleep! I might try adding the valerian to my bedtime routine! Thanks for posting about that sleep aid...really helpful!

For second surgery, with the date change to 11/16, I am actually going to be exactly nine weeks post op first hip, so think that will really help. Were both your hips anterior or posterior? I can't remember, and I'm sure I've asked you before, somewhere along the line!

Very helpful to chat with you, so thank you for that!

So hope you can get the Tylenol to work for you! Thinking of you on that....

 

[Alitm]

I know you have been off and running with work commitments @1stSurgery and it is a wonderful sign that you are getting back to your life . Hoping you are finding the balance and aren't toooo tired!. No ODIC OK?!
Always good to hear from you

Hubs had his ultrasound yesterday, and seems happier about that. GP appointment is tomorrow and referral will be made to surgeon. We will get an idea of how urgent the surgery is tomorrow. Unless surgery is urgent, or Hubby can have the surgery on Friday (not going to happen!), he will wait until I can drive post-op second surgery (my left hip). As long as hubby doesn't lift or strain, he says he is OK. I hope I'll be cleared for driving on Monday so I can drive myself to my own appointments etc. We are starting to get more help. Interviewing someone on Friday who lives nearby, is very experienced in horses and other livestock, apparently reliable and hopefully less expensive!

I'll know more about when I can muck out and put up hay from OS at six week check on Monday. In the meantime we are getting help, paid and unpaid. Our neighbour has been amazing. Horse friends come to visit and take a shift too...so that relieves neighbour. I know once the weather turns (this week), the work becomes more arduous and I worry that the mucking will become more that the neighbour can handle. It is coming together in a haphazard way! Like hips, the situation can't be rushed!

 

[1stSurgery]

I just had a feeling the help would materialize @Alitm and will continue to but I hear you about the weather challenges. Left leg as you know I'm sure can drive sooner than right. I've still not driven! But I keep finding rides to get me where I need to be. It's my car, I'm good getting into higher cars, no problem but my car sits very low and I want to wait till righty is more supple. It's good your hub says he can hold off awhile as long as he doesn't do lifting. And that's all dependent upon you guys finding all the helpers who are available. You're getting close now to second surgery (my newly morphed name!) If my left right theory is correct.... And if you're right handed, your left one should be the easier one! Hope so. In either case, it takes a few minutes and some steel patience but we all know eventually we end up with walking working hips again and no OA pain. I'm doing far better than I'd expected but seems I was expecting too little. I think last week's work actually strengthened the legs and hips. A wee bit of a push but not nearly enough to send me to the OFIC TGIF party. Heh.

Take good care now and I'll see you when I pop in here!

 

[Layla]

LMAO at those photos on ladylorn's thread. That would have freaked me out though as a young child. I'd have nightmares, I just know it
That creepy old baby buggy, or whatever you call it. And what's with the bride? Was she in a house fire?
My goodness, they sure went all out, lol.
@EL11

 

[EL11]

Yikes about the NSAIDs and the blood pressure @EL11! Has your blood pressure now come down?

Well done on the walking unaided most of the time. It must feel amazing! I'll be interested to hear how your outpatient PT goes. Do you feel the gliding in your new hips, vs. the crunching/catching nastiness prior to surgery? Were you off walking aids with your first hip, prior to 2nd surgery?

I don't know about my blood pressure yet but I have an OS appointment week after next. It might have been a combination of factors, pain, little sleep, NSAID, I'll see. I'm on Tylenol only now. Last night I woke up at one point with pain on both sides, got up at 5:15 and then back to sleep until 9. I don't feel sleep-deprived now, which is awesome.

I am not walking "normally" yet and feel more stable with the cane. Yeah, first hip, at 6 weeks I could walk half a mile to the market. I am close to the 6-week park with the LTHR and don't feel up to that yet. Every healing is different, blah blah blah but so true! Re the crunching and catching nastiness, though, all that is GONE, likewise the nasty burning feeling that reminded me on a daily or hourly basis that my hips were degrading, which is psychologically unpleasant too. My pain during the day is minimal and all of it is for a good and exciting purpose. The new hips feel natural. I have my rescheduled PT tomorrow at 10 and so looking forward to that, plus @lovesstars you know I'll be reporting back as to whether the Dunkin' Donuts at St V. is now called "Dunkin,'"

For second surgery, with the date change to 11/16, I am actually going to be exactly nine weeks post op first hip, so think that will really help. Were both your hips anterior or posterior? I can't remember, and I'm sure I've asked you before, somewhere along the line!

Anterior. Yours?? I agree about the nine weeks. From my own experience I'd say that's pretty well ideal.

You have such a busy life, and you're getting all in order to be living it with a vengeance in 2019

 

[EL11]

I went to my first out-patient PT session today, much of it an evaluation by the therapist who had pressed me to see an OS at the beginning of the year. She was amazed at how much better I was walking already, did a few simple tests of my strength and range of motion and gave me some gentle stretches. Next time I am going to bring in the bands I used to use (assuming I can find them) and she'll help me figure out which resistance would be best.

I made my next couple of appointments for later in the day, as I want to allow for the possibility that my sleep will still be broken up. Last night I had less pain, but still woke up too much.

Tonight: Sox!!!

 

[lovesstars]

Hurray!!! And dunkin donuts????

 

[Jaycey]

Next time I am going to bring in the bands I used to use (assuming I can find them) and she'll help me figure out which resistance would be best.

Please, please, please - no bands. You have not even started with any exercises for strengthening. Using any resistance will only result in major aches and pains. If you feel you must do PT - please ease into the activity. Bands are for training - you are not training for anything.

 

[Alitm]

Hey @EL11 Posterior for me.

The stretching at the out patient PT, the one who suggested seeing an OS, sound good. Be careful going to the bands before doing preliminary strengthening exercises without them first. Maybe she'll see what bands you have and say they aren't appropriate yet. No matter what, go slow!

Have a great weekend

@1stSurgery Hope you are not over doing it toooo much and all is well Wishing you a hopefully relaxing and fun weekend!

 

[Mojo333]

I was doing very well until I began using the resistance bands.
Too early, in my opinion.
You are doing so well...more reps if you feel so inclined - with no resistance is my advice.
We want the best for our hippy friend
Hope your weekend is wonderful!

 

[EL11]

The stretching at the out patient PT, the one who suggested seeing an OS, sound good. Be careful going to the bands before doing preliminary strengthening exercises without them first. Maybe she'll see what bands you have and say they aren't appropriate yet

Absolutely. She saw the bands last year. I had told her that over time I'd like to get in the best shape I reasonably could. She's never pressed me to do anything that hurt, nor did anyone else in the hospital rehab facility ... I took dance for decades, had a Pilates Reformer at home for years. Those days are gone, but I told her I missed stretching. What she gave me was gentle; I had a better sleep last night and almost forgot my Tylenol this a.m.

Thanks for your comments and concern, everyone. Have a great weekend!