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THR Two years of building the courage, finally on the other side!

Ice was easy at 80 F. I like the idea of the woodstove!

I'm not sure why some PTs are more focused on training than on healing.

My doc's written instructions were minimalist. Only walking and simple exercises but even then not to excess.

How did things go w the robot?
 
Abbylayla said:
But all in all I knew being sedentary for two years this would be a difficult rehab & it will be.
Click to expand...
I used the Activity progression for THR. Following those guidelines in the early weeks will keep you active enough, without overdoing it. You don't want to be too sedentary in recovery. Check it out if you haven't already -
Activity progression for THRs
A peaceful evening to you!
 
@Abbylayla Good for you being a smart cookie and refusing to overdo the PT. We’re all guilty of that as we strive to help our body heal but it seldom helps. Ice, constantly, plenty of water, rest, elevate. Those should be your goals with a little walking and such in small doses. Give your body a chance to sort it all out. It wants to heal. Needs no help from us. Just time.

Congrats on your new hip and may it serve you well, pain free. Mine is my new BFF!
Blessings.
:loveshwr:
 
You are doing well, so glad to read that you can already tell how strong and solid your new hip is.
As others have said, there are up days then down days, keep as positive as you can muster and you will begin seeing more up days than down.

Congrats @Abbylayla
 
@CricketHip yes I can definitely feel the strength in the new hip. I think it may be an odd blessing that my legs are so weak from inactivity because if they weren't I could envision myself doing too much. I am also beginning to recognize it is easier to get up from a sitting position then it had been. I've only been using one chair right now and there are others that were more difficult to get out of but I'm going to resist attempts at others for a bit.
I've been forcing myself to use the walker, which I hate, but I know it's probably in my best interests. I just used it to go to & from the bathroom & actually put one foot in front of the other in a normal walking motion for the 1st time in two years. It's not a huge big deal for most but for me? Definitely.
@Layla oh yes. I definitely follow the Bonesmart activity progression as I did for my knee. Right now I'm limiting my walking mostly to bathroom trips which is only about a 15 foot walk but takes me forever. In between I have a series of none weight bearing exercises I do....heel slides, leg lifts, foot pumps, butt clenches..those kinds of things. There are a few exercises they want me to do that I skip. I am in a recliner. It does not recline perfectly flat & some of the exercise they want me to do requires a ball or to be perfectly flat like on a solid exercise table. Not at all comfortable doing them with a recliner & have no desire for setback with a pulled muscle or such attempting to do something I felt I shouldn't be doing in the 1st place. I'm looking at this as a marathon not a sprint.
 
@HollyNY that Robotic surgery is really pretty amazing. The woman who did my CT scan raved about how excited they were when they got the program and were able to offer it to their patients.
 
I am glad to see state of the art care expanding beyond the huge cities

I think these robots are game changers

Yes the walker is universally despised but does give extra stability. I am glad that I have one now.
 
@Abbylayla good to see you on the healing side and back home. Definitely like your surgeon's attitude about not sweating the PT or letting them intimidate you. Listen to your body, ice, elevate and walk but not to excess.

While the walker may be hated it is helpful in keeping you stable and safe, especially since you weren't very mobile prior to surgery. Congratulations on being able to put one foot in front of the other, that is a big thing! Take it slow and easy, concentrate on walking upright and looking straight ahead. I was on my walker for almost 3 months as the PT I was seeing for my gait wanted me to be more stable before I moved to a cane. So you can see everyone has a different recovery.
 
So 1st surgeon follow up yesterday, knocked me out. Doesn't take much. In & out of car multiple times, on the xray table, walking around the office etc. Just doesn't take much. Canceled PT session today. I'm sure they love me. Surgeon happy with everything. Staples come out next week. There is one exercise PT told me not to do. Hip abduction-supine. Where you move your legs apart from the hip. Confused me but I was careful not to do that movement. Yesterday while surgeon was showing me things to do, that hip/leg movement was one he suggested! Told him what PT said & he laughed. Told me again not to let them scare me. Showed me one movement he didn't want me to do, every. And I would need to be a contortionist to even try. But that was really the only thing he said to absolutely avoid. Everything else was in moderation, listen to your body, let it heal.
Fatigue continues to be the biggest challenge. My knee is starting to quiet down finally but still screams at me sometimes. I'm transitioning off the crutches as quickly as possible. I'm definitely learning to walk again. The normal stride feels so good to do even though I walk so, so slowly. Good thing I have plenty of smoke detectors, put it that way.
My legs are terribly weak. I'm really going to have to push myself to be patient with rebuilding those muscles. Patience not being my strongest trait. So today I will follow the Bonesmart progression. Walk a few minutes every couple of hours and do some light exercise.
I'm probably one of the very few who feel this way (always going against the grain) but I would have to say, early on in this surgery/rehab of only 9 days out, I think my knee replacement was easier than the hip. That might change though. One day at a time I guess.
Hope everyone is having a great healing day!
 
Yeah, that two week visit was a bear as I recall. Just the car trip was bad enough. But isn't it good to hear that the surgeon was pleased? I think you are doing amazingly well given where you started out. We just need to remember to rest, ice, elevate, and do what our bodies tell us is okay. Funny, my PT gave me that exercise you were describing today. He nearly got a foot where the sun don't shine!
 
That car ride to the Dr was zero fun. Seemed like every little crack in the road found it's way to my hip. And now the incision is starting to itch. Gotta love it
That exercise of spreading the hips/legs is by far my favorite. My right hip is still frozen of course bit the left hip moves out so fluidly. Zero pain. Zero grinding. It's a real treat that only fellow hipsters would understand.
 
Feeling a little knocked down today.

The hospital called for their periodic check in on how I'm doing. Conversation went well as usual until she asked about PT. She asked if I'd started outpatient PT this week as my in home ended Friday. I said I hadn't but I spoke to the owner & planned on starting next week/twice per week since I & my spouse already had a rather full schedule this week. That went nowhere. Her tone changed & I got lectured on how I should call them back to schedule for this week instead citing all the potential problems of waiting too long. (Too long? A week?) Cartilage issues, freezing joints & all this.

She asked me if I'm still doing my stretching exercises and I said yes but not as religiously as I had, my main form of exercise was walking with my walker. Got another lecture that I was still using my walker rather than a cane & I was not "progressing sufficiently" which devastated me. I tried to make her understand my new left hip was only half the problem. My right hip per xray is by far the worst & I wasn't sure I would be walking completely unaided until the right one was also replaced & my in home PT agreed with that assessment. Went nowhere!

Then my favorite topic! Pain management. Said my hip was fine but my arms, which everyone knows are an enormous problem especially when using a walker are screaming & I use Oxy to take the edge off. That was a huge lecture of the dangers of addiction & how I should only be using Tylenol by now. At this point I started losing my patience and I told her, look, I'm well aware of the opioid crisis, I'm also well aware the CDC revised the 2016 guidelines because they were forcing people with legitimate pain to purchase pain medication off the street, many committed suicide and Doctors & patients were pushing back. I explained that I cannot even lift my right arm to shake someone's hand and since using the walker I've been getting u predictable spasms in each arm that cause tremendous pain. She asked pain level & I told her it was absolutely a 10 during a spasm and in general hovers between a 5 and 8 anytime I'm using a walker or soon afterwards. She again brought up Tylenol and also icing & heat. And again I told her Tylenol was completely useless, I use way below the maximum 6 Oxy/day maximum and of course I use ice & heat. She said something about making a note that I'm still using Oxy which aggravated me so I told her I was not happy with the implication that I will become a statistic substance abuser, only a very small percentage of drug abuse is related to those who are actually treated for legitimate pain & I made it very clear if pain relief was withheld from me that would very effectively prevent my ability to rehabilitate and and attend PT sessions which was one of the top two reasons I delayed this replacement for two years.

Sorry for the rant everyone. But after being totally dependent on crutches for two years and now finding myself able to get around a little better I thought I was doing pretty well. Was proud of myself. And this really knocked me off my feet. And oh, by the way, I didn't even have PT for my knee replacement & have no issues with it & I don't believe I need PT for my hip. The only reason I'm going is because my legs are so very weak & I need to rebuild muscle. In PT I will have access to exercise & weight building equipment I need but do not have at home. Also TENS machine which will be a great benefit.
That's the only reason I'm going!!
So disgusted!
 
Oh, one more thing. In a previous conversation I mentioned I made a post op appointment with my primary physician. This hospital woman said she'd prefer I didn't. And I said but she wants to see me, she followed my progress every day from my surgery to release & I think very highly of her. She again said she prefers I don't. They don't like patients seeing any other doctor until they are released by the surgeon. This was not the case when I got my knee replacement. It's new to me. Anyone else?
 
Grrrr. What an arrogant so-and-so! Please, @Abbylayla, don't let her throw a wet blanket on your recovery. How is she supposed to know, OVER THE PHONE, how your recovery is proceeding?? That's just outrageous. You aren't progressing sufficiently?? That's a lot of bull. You are progressing at your own pace which may not be HER pace or MY pace but dammit, it's YOUR pace. This just makes me furious. Plus, I can't imagine a week or two is going to make all that much difference in terms of when you start outpatient PT. I wish for you a caring, gentle therapist who will help with your arms and your other hip and tell you to use that walker as long as you need to use it! I do not think Id be taking any more of that woman's calls if I were in your shoes.
 
@Abbylayla Was this caller a nurse? If so I am appalled at her attitude and IMO unprofessional statements. If caller is just a clerk or some other less trained individual then tsk tsk on the hospital for having someone like that make such calls. And what the heck with the "don't see your primary doctor"???? That is so bogus! You have every right to see your personal physician!! Bet the caller is afraid your doctor will also call "bogus stuff" on what she said to you.

Have you had any assessment done on your shoulders re the pain and lack of range of motion.? Either by PT or by any doctor or surgeon? Having been there, done that myself I'd say you at at least ought to ask your physician to order x-rays (if those have not yet been done) of the shoulder(s) to see what is actually going on with them.
 
@Woodstockhip that's exactly what I said to my spouse. "I'm not sure I'm going to answer the phone next time she calls".

@djklaugh yes I believe she told me the 1st time she called she was a nurse. Pur calls were much different the 1st few times. Today really threw me for a loop. And there is a very good possibility I may not be able to walk until my right hip is done. Even if I can it's going to take some serious work to strengthen my legs. I was struggling to walk two years ago which is why I picked up crutches in the first place. I am not your "typical" arthritis patient. I've let myself go way too far. I'm not going to bounce back anytime soon.
My surgeon has looked at my arms but not xsprayed. I'd need to make a specific appointment for that. But from examining them he thinks it's arthritis. A pain management Dr I saw briefly also felt it was arthritis. But the pain is not in the shoulder, although I can sometimes feel them "click". The pain is mainly in the bicep area. It feels like something strained. Like if I try to reach for something forget it. Like someone stuck a knife in my arm. Raise them above my head? Forget about it! For years people have been telling me ditche the crutches for a walker but I resisted saying it was too much for my arms. Now that I really need to use the walker my arms are even going into spasms, something I've never had before.
I don't understand the whole thing about not seeing my primary. But I'm going to ask my surgeon about it. My primary's office no longer does rounds. But she was going to come to me. Called me the day she was supposed to come to check up on me & was shocked I was still in the hospital. They told her I was getting released that day. But she was fully versed on what was going on with me as she was following my progress & tests on My Chart. I think that's a pretty good Dr.
I had an appointment with her for last Friday but had to cancel for a PT make-up. But tomorrow I'm going to reschedule for this week I think this is ridiculous and I'm quite sure my surgeon would have zero problem with me seeing her.
 
@Abbylayla
I'm sorry that the phone call tamped down your optimism about your recovery. Good for you that you stuck up for yourself!
Your description of your arm and shoulder pain was familiar to me. I had similar a few years ago and thought I'd overworked or strained something. At one of my routine semiannual appointments with my primary, I mentioned it to him and he did a quite quick and easy exam and diagnosed Frozen Shoulder. It's a problem within the joint capsule resulting in immobility and pain. The pain can hit the upper arm. From my experience, I can see how using a walker or cane can aggravate it.
Some people are more susceptible to FS than others e.g. diabetics and hypothyroids. I'm a thyroid patient and have had both shoulders affected.
So maybe ask your primary or the OS about Frozen Shoulder. My doctor told me it would take a long time to resolve, and it did, but he sent me to PT for some help, and it did, too.
 
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