Bilateral THR What a Rollercoaster

[Chef]

I (46f) just got home from my bil THR. Was smooth as butter. When PT got me up to ambulate an hour post op and I didn't feel like I had rusty old egg beaters in my hips, I don't mind admitting I got a little emotional. They're swelling up and bruising now, but it's so different knowing that it will get better, not worse after this week.
I'm in the United States so, of course, my insurance tried to deny my claim, but my surgeon actually went to bat for me and tore them a new one. Wasn't expecting that.
There could still be complications, of course, but as of now I am firmly in the, "I wish I hadn't waited so long" camp.
Also thanks to everyone here who chimed in on spinal vs. full anesthesia. I went with spinal and remember nothing from a few moments after the block until snapping awake in recovery.

 

[djklaugh]

@Chef Congratulations on your two new hips and on joining the recovery crew! And Bravo to your surgeon for working things out with the insurance company!!! It is a marvelous feeling to realize the bone-on-bone pain is gone, isn't it?! I remember that first time on my feet after getting my new hips. A very fond memory that one!

For now rest, elevate those legs, apply ice packs and take medication as directed. And when you feel up to it here are our recovery guide lines for hip recovery.

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
BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy
5. At week 4 and after you should follow this
Activity progression for THRs
6. Access these pages on the website
Oral And Intravenous Pain Medications
Wound Care In Hospital

The Recovery articles:
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.

 

[Ocean]

Congratulations on your new hips x

 

[Mojo333]

Congrats, yes. New hips rock!

There will likely be some bumps in the road back to healthy and active, but they are doable and all temporary....
Healing hugs

 

[Peshay]

Well done chef, hope your recovery is just as smooth/successful as surgery.

 

[myglasshalffull]

Congrats on two new hips. Keep reading and posting here and let us know how you are doing.
Happy recovery!

 

[HollyNY]

Hip hip hooray!

Enjoy the 2 new beauties

 

[Mooney]

Happy for you, hope rest of your recovery is smooth. I know the feeling when you realize the hip pain is gone after surgery. I am over six weeks post surgery, had few set backs, but no regrets on having surgery. Off to my PT now, good luck.

 

[Chef]

Hip hip hooray!

Enjoy the 2 new beauties

One of my coworkers made that same comment and admitted she has been sitting on it for months. Absolutely brilliant!

 

[CricketHip]

Yay, you! I love your analogy of egg beater hips. I called it the broken glass feeling. ugh. I sure don't miss those days.
Slow and easy will get you through your recovery, can't wait to watch your thread and cheer you on. You did it!!

 

[Caison113]

You are braver than me. I waited a little over a year between the two operations (naively hoping I could go even longer), but either way, not having those stupid pains and aches and catches is such a relief! Wishing you well in your recovery.

 

[KittensMom]

Congratulations @Chef ! Wishing you a speedy recovery

 

[FCBayern]

Take recovery slowly and listen to your body. In less time than you think you'll be moving pain free!

 

[tejubeha]

@Chef, Congratulations! It is truly amazing how much better it feels. I have had bilateral THR and so has my wife. Our only regret is that we did not have it done earlier (although we are both still young). Take it slow and listen to your body.

 

[Newhip_Pol]

Hi @Chef,
Congratulations on your two new hips. Good to hear that spinal and sedation worked to ensure you were oblivious throughout the surgical experience! Take care.

 

[Chef]

Went out to see a show last night @ 4 days post-op. The venue kindly reserved a table for me... up a flight of stairs. I fully expected to be a wreck today, but am quite pleased to be just a little more swollen and stiff and the concert was a great boost mentally. I will be taking an extra hit of immune booster today, just because the world is a dirty, dirty place and rock and roll clubs are sooo much worse. Hahaha

 

[Chef]

Now I'm two weeks past surgery, no news is good news. I've been getting stronger and even PT is slow and steady. I have found my first hiccup, however. Admittedly it's a small one, but, of course, I didn't notice it until the surgeon's office closed for the weekend. Ha! The steristrips are finally coming off, but it looks like the end of one incision has a "button hole". It's not dehiscence and looks to be healing quite well, but the edges aren't perfectly approximated, so there's an overlap just at one end and it makes a tiny "pocket", if that makes sense. It's prominent enough I can just envision myself catching that with finger nail and wrecking my whole day. If it were a shirt I was sewing, I would use a tiny tack stitch on the edge that sticks up. I'm also a little concerned about funk being able to get in there, so I put a bandage back over that area until I can ask if they'll need to start all over making this pillow case, or we can hot glue a ruffle on there to hide it.

 

[djklaugh]

@Chef Yes best to wait to see what your surgeon says. It does happen occasionally like you describe and those areas usually heal up very well. Very good thought to put a bandage over the area!

 

[Layla]

Happy One Month Anniversary!
How is your incision looking? Hopefully the small area you were questioning has healed.
Best wishes as you continue healing and a great Spring 2023 to you!
@Chef

 

[Chef]

Happy One Month Anniversary!
How is your incision looking? Hopefully the small area you were questioning has healed.
Best wishes as you continue healing and a great Spring 2023 to you!
@Chef

Thank you so much, Layla!
I am doing so well, I am almost afraid to jinx myself by continuing to talk about how smoothly everything has gone. I also have a bit of, I dunno, maybe kind of like survivor guilt, but successful surgery guilt? I feel terrible for folks who have set backs or their whole surgery adventure has not gone well because I want everyone to have this same sense of relief and hopefulness for a better quality of life.
The incisions are looking better every day. The right hip has closed beautifully and, I think, will be just a faint white line in a couple months with liberal Bio Oil application. The left one is a bit behind. Once the rest of the steristrips came off, I could see a slight tear in the skin running along side the incision (from the retractor?), so the "button hole" really is more of a pleat. Haha The surgeon dabbed a bit more skin glue on to close the open bit, but was unworried and apologized that the left won't be quite as pretty as the right. Bless his heart.
I have a follow up next week that I expect will be confirming my release from restrictions. Hey! I put my socks on yesterday without any aids for the first time in probably six months. The sky is the limit!
Hope you are enjoying a lovely springtime!