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THR zauberflöte's Magic New Hip!

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zauberflöte it's perked me up no end reading your thread! The visits from glynis (my fellow plonker) and ByGosh add to the lunacy. All this dancing! Not ready for that yet now my knee is being silly (feeling neglected 'cos the hip got all the attention!). Been doing some gentle yoga at home when hubbie is at work, he will keep saying "should you be doing that?" when I am following the physiotherapists advice to STOP IMMEDIATELY if anything hurts!
Well I'm off to cut up some lovely rhubarb - let's not start on that again!
Anne
 
Nannyannie thanks for stopping by again :) We aim to please in the lunacy department!! All the very best talent, right here on your screen!
Poppet said:
A little information regarding pineapple... 'Pineapples contain a specific enzyme called bromelain that can help dissolve blood clots and fade bruising'
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octopus they're all dancing the same steps-- are these choreographed dances? Looks like lots of fun!! :)
Yeah, Poppet , I didn't buy his answer (but I did buy the pineapple). I asked him was it the, um, papain? (Seems I remembered that as a meat tenderizer that you can use on jellyfish stings). He said no, that's not it, we think it's the biotin. WHAT? I asked him about arnica and he drew a blank but permitted it. Bromelain. papain, similar I'll bet. Pineapple is pretty good in the de-bunging department, and it's delicious, and I'm using arnica for the bruises and tightness!:heehee: Maybe he said "bromelain" and I heard "biotin". Um? :rotfl:

ZF Faces Her First Mental Challenge And Hopes For Strength And Agility Of The Brain
So, you may remember that Wed I saw the PA and he laid on me a restriction, which his boss had told me there were none of. Restriction: no extreme rotation of hip. No rotation of hip. Both were mentioned.
I spent all day Wed and Thur observing my motions. Well, every time I turn around (haha) I break that restriction. Every time I sit down, lie down, elevate, turn a corner, use the toilet, you name it, I break it. So I put in a call to OS office.
Nurse calls back, I ask for clarification and details. "We don't want any extreme rotation, we don't want you to make fast movements, it might pop out" (SIC). I asked, should I prop my leg so that knee is always facing up? YES. Should I make every turn I make very slow and inching around? YES. Should I make sure that the knee is always facing directly forward? YES.
I forgot to ask, may I walk in a straight line with no worries? :umm:
So, I understand dislocation risk. I'm not sure how naturally I can move when I'm looking down at my feet every 5 steps. There's only one straight shot walk in my house, so I will be looking down at my feet and keeping my right hip and leg rigid a whole lot, particularly in the kitchen.
Then I told nurse I'd been cleared to swim, but how could that be because when you're in the water your leg just naturally dangles as it wishes. That paused her, and she said to not go swimming, but that they would have to look into that. (forgot to mention driving, also cleared for trying that, but it would violate NO rotation)
I'm disappointed to have my motion restricted in every plane at every moment. I can get over that , with a fair amount of massage for the tense right side. What irks me most is the lack of communication within this professional Orthopedic practise. OS says one thing. I obey for 2 weeks. PA says a couple of contradictory things. Nurse clarifies, including in her clarification the implicit definition of "extreme rotation" as "even one degree of rotation". I asked her to look into conflicting orders given at different times by people we are accustomed to "obeying". She seemed in a mood to do that-- I think the swimming question pointed the whole thing up for her.
:gaah: :hairpulling: :hissy: :headbang: :skep: :martini:and I'm not a drinker.....

So...... anybody else given this particular restriction? "move slowly till 8 weeks and NO rotation whatsoever"?
 
zauberflöte I am gobsmacked reading all that. I thought you didnt have restrictions now they are laying all these on you. It is bad enough when you are told from the outset all these restrictions in my case 3 months. But to suddenly spring it on you no rotation whatsoever no wonder you are :gaah: :hairpulling: :hissy: :headbang: :skep: :martini:
 
Wow, zauberflöte....and I thought there were less precautions generally with the anterior approach....?

Actually.... let's see. The hospital joint center where I had my surgery sent me a list of anterior precautions in addition to all the papers they actually were supposed to give me (mine was lateral/posterior or whatever). These instructions include not crossing legs, not turning the foot out to the side when lying, sitting, walking, not to "twist your body away from your operated hip," (I think that's the thing driving you nuts above) and in bold "Avoid any extreme motions at the hip." The bottom line on this handout says: "Remember you are not restricted in how much you can bend or flex your surgical hip. Just move carefully!"

I ran into an acquaintance who has 2 replaced hips, and he said his Dr.'s word is: "Listen to the hip, let the hip tell you what to do and what not to do." I kinda like that....
But I would like to add these precautions: Do not walk away from your hip. Do not leave your hip in the hallway when entering a room. In bed do not place your hip next to your head on the pillow.

I have just come in from a visit with my mom at the rehab. During this visit I was trying to find answers to why she is presently on TWO blood pressure medications when the highest her B/p has been in a month is 97/56; why she has been put back on a diurectic when she is tending to become dehydrated (to the point she spent last weekend on IV fluids), and why the Doc had put her on meds which nauseate her when she just wants to feel well enough to be able to eat so she can be strong enough to go home. Between medical establishments (hospital, Dr., rehab, one nurse vs another) or, as in your case, between folks in one office, there are lots of mixed messages..........I feel your frustration!!
 
Elosarabrab "gobsmacked" i think I have to agree. I've never felt gobsmacked before, now is a good time to start LOL
Songlady I knew I'd read those somewhere-- must have been on some website or other. I did like your friend's doctor's words-- which would translate to me, keep on as I have been. But nooooo..... so, your addendum made me laugh out loud!! One must never check one's hip at the door, must one...
This stuff with your mother is wildly aggravating. "Do No Harm", you wonder if doctors ever know how strange their actions can look to family. I bet you found out that Dr Q prescribed one, and Dr L another, and she got somebody else's diuretic b/c somewhere in her chart they thought it said heart failure, acute. But that was actually room 302, not 203. I really feel for the huge numbers of people who just don't have an advocate, and never will.
Prayers :)
PS if I could place my hip on the pillow next to my head.....here I come, Cirque du Soleil!!!!!!!!!
 
I agree with you zauberflöte and Songlady about the seeming confusion of the medical profession and the lack of communication and watering down of information. I got the same info that Songlady did (same joint center, I bet) and 'the sudden movement' is one my PT reinforced alot. The twisting is really a twisting motion - a quick, sudden moving of the upper torso to one side, while the op hip is facing forward or in the other direction, like it's getting yanked. So when you turn, just go slowly and try to not leave your hips behind. Or at the door, or next to your head on the pillow, or at the Cirque de Soleil rehearsal...You get the picture.

Songlady said:
Do not walk away from your hip. Do not leave your hip in the hallway when entering a room. In bed do not place your hip next to your head on the pillow.
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Songlady That was funny, I gotta hand it to you. :rotfl: Now Nannyannie can include your name to the credits for the lunacy over here @ zauberflote's.

zauberflöte You're doing fine. Just don't do something that feels like your straining, stretching wrong, or hurts. And of course, no sudden movements or twisting. Now I'm getting a bit gobsmacked, myself (love that one Elosarabrab )

@zauberflote My OS said I could swim at 4 weeks, when the incisions were completely healed. Well at exactly 4 weeks, they were healed, not a day sooner, and my PT didn't say anything to caution me, so I went 'swimming'. And it hurt. The left leg felt like it was "hanging". I didn't really have the strength to kick, but I kept trying and trying and trying, and after about a week and a half, I had this groin pain that we've all heard way too much about. I guess I'm saying this, so you won't hurt yourself, because as you said "you're leg just naturally dangles as it wishes" and mine did. I think that added to the insults my body was getting that same week by walking to so many MD appts. for no good reason.
 
Ah, zauberflöte, what a challenge! I hope you got it sorted in the end. Nothing worse than confusion over what movements you're allowed to do and what you're not.

There are lots of moves to learn in Ceroc. We usually just dance freestyle where the guy leads and puts whatever moves he wants together. The girl follows but has room to use her style of dancing. It is lots of fun and very energetic. For special events like competitions they sometimes put together choreographed dances.
 
octopus Thanks for the Ceroc link. I just watched it and it seems very much like the old bee-bop-rockin-roll dancing from the 50's and 60's. It's very fast dancing and looks like a ton of fun and lots of exercise. What type of music do they play? Is the music unique to Ceroc, or is it popular music? Did you pick your screen name from the octopus move? I like that one!:)
 
zauberflöte Yikes! What a change in instructions. I guess I missed this post. Would you consider contacting your OS directly for clarification, if the nurse does not get back to you soon? I wish there was a definitive list of what to do and not do-the differences between doctors, and countries is maddening. I agree with ByGosh about the swimming. I tried to do the crawl this week and while I could kick my leg it felt extremely odd, and I stopped.

Songlady I've read so many articles about overmedication of the elderly, which sounds like what's going on with your mom. Have you seen this article and the list on page 4?:
broken link removed: https://www.americangeriatrics.org/files/documents/beers/2012BeersCriteria_JAGS.pdf

I found it really interesting. It was in a NY Times piece by Jane Brody last year that I bookmarked.
https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/16/too-many-pills-for-aging-patients/
 
zauberflöte, I can't believe all you do in your day, and on top of that being so enterprising with your treadmill. And dealing with the asthma, felines, allergies/sensitivities. You really grapple with all impediments and quickly have a Plan B in the works. Me, I tend to let the dust settle and settle and settle sometimes.

Wow, I posted this dopey thing about Sam Spade and then dust and then saw Lenora's response to you about getting mixed sigals from your OS. It IS so exasperating all these conflicting things to do. I got my six-week checkup this past week and was told all restrictions are lifted except FOR SIX MONTHS I cannot reach down to my ankle on the op side with either leg and if I do reach down at all, as in to touch my toes (ha ha, like I could do that), I must have my legs wide apart, shoulder length. I asked the PA to send me photos or a video of this maneuver I can't do FOR SIX MONTHS and got an email telling me he has no photos. I hope you get some very specific answers for what you have been told!!
Why don't they post on their websites THESE gray-area restrictions instead of the usual ones showing some woman getting in and out of a bed. I think every OS has a responsibility to film his assistants demonstrating which moves and maneuvers should not be done ... and then post it to his website alongside the glowing testimonials from so-and-so who is bungee jumping one week after his THR and is praising the OS to the moon.
 
ByGosh said:
octopus Thanks for the Ceroc link. I just watched it and it seems very much like the old bee-bop-rockin-roll dancing from the 50's and 60's. It's very fast dancing and looks like a ton of fun and lots of exercise. What type of music do they play? Is the music unique to Ceroc, or is it popular music? Did you pick your screen name from the octopus move? I like that one!:)
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Hi ByGosh, we dance to popular music. No, my screen name comes from something else. :) I didn't know that move was called an octopus, makes perfect sense though.
 
Hi, again, zauberflöte. I had to take a BSM (BoneSmartBreak), then came back with coffee and reread your thread to see what conflicting info you were given. I was gnashing my teeth while reading your recapped conversation with the nurse. I am so empathetic! I just hate these "after the fact" tidbits about the restrictions. I have been twisting the entire time, I think. The stuff that Songlady mentioned, from her OS's restrictions ... I was never told all of that. I emailed my PA and the Nurse to ask for photos or a video about the final restriction I was given at my six-week checkup, which has to last (the restriction, that is) for six months. I was told they have no pictures or video to send, and tried to explain it.

I do hope you get some clarification and The Final Answer soon! This is ridiculous.
 
Hi Chris,

Sorry that you've gotten mixed information from your OS office, that does happen...

Did you ever look at this thread about dislocation? One of the parts that is interesting is about the length of time it takes for the capsule of the hip to heal (it's under the section about the risk of dislocation). This capsule helps contribute to the stability of the new joint, as does the healing and then strengthening of all the muscles in the hip area after the invasive surgery.

As we get further out in our recovery, those early weeks on, sometimes we get a little gung-ho about what we can do -- or think we can do. It is still important to move around thoughtfully as you continue to get used to the new hip. I don't think that you have to look at your foot every 5 minutes, just try to think about where your foot is as you are moving around -- connect your brain with your foot/leg. It is the extreme twisting that they are cautioning you against, not the tiny amount of rotation that comes from alternating between brake and accelerator pedals of the car. In the kitchen if I was doing something that required twisting from side to side I would sometimes lift my op foot off the ground so that I didn't twist my hip -- but that was because I could feel a twinge with that movement, not because I was warned or given any restrictions.

On the swimming piece, you know you could just go to the pool and walk in the water -- march, do leg lifts and such. You don't have to swim, float or dangle... I am always amazed at the suggestions that swimming is good for the hips because it's no impact. I found both before and after my surgery that swimming was not the most comfortable activity because it requires movement of the hip which utilizes muscles and tendons that are not happy and in good shape.

So, out of curiosity, what did you PA say about the "goose egg" on your incision?

Take care,
Cardie
 
C Mac Peaches octopus LeeApril26 BarbaraR ByGosh TeeEm Thanks for your support while I have my few moments of post-op blues.
But I'm gonna make lemonade yet, just wait and see :):flwrysmile:

BarbaraR said:
move very slowly and no rotation-- did they tell you WHY???
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heh heh BarbaraR it's up there, the nurse said, "so it doesn't pop out". We assume, here where we have a better educated vocab, that she meant dislocate when she said pop out.:snork:

Peaches said:
don't they post on their websites THESE gray-area restrictions instead of the usual ones showing some woman getting in and out of a bed. I think every OS has a responsibility to film his assistants demonstrating which maneuvers should not be done ... and then post it to his website alongside the glowing testimonials from so-and-so who is bungee jumping one week after his THR and is praising the OS to the moon.
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AMEN Peaches !!!!!!!
C Mac Cardie, thanks for the (as always!) thoughtful encouragement! I had read that post, way back when I was first studying the library, a couple months pre-op, and understood it. But my surgeon emphasized at our initial meeting, then through the nurse at joint class, and then again at our little discharge meeting at 7:00am the day after surgery, "You have NO restrictions!" (with a big grin every time, even from nurse Jo-Jo). So I believed him. (I was offered the full gamut of home aids, but since I could do this stuff without them and with minimal discomfort, I just did it. Besides, LOL, I don't wear socks and hubby helped with the TedHosen which are now a thing of the past.) Nothing was twinging in the kitchen, or like you I probably wouldn't have done it. Nothing was twinging in the very tight bathroom, lots of swiveling there. I'm currently not looking at me feet every 5 minutes, I'm watching them all the time during a cautious turn, all weight on non-op leg-- a turn which I don't even know how I was making before, but it never bothered me. I expect I was using the op heel to turn on as often as the non-op heel. But the answers the nurse gave to my questions, see above, were pretty restrictive, so in my mini-ocd way I feel I must be able to follow the rules before I know which ones not to follow!
The only thing in bed that ever bothered me was when I'd make my legs a unit and pull up my knees preparatory to shifting position.So I'd do it instead straight legged, and bend when they were supported. I always have a pillow, even tho I was not told to-- my knees need it for pressure spots.
Water walking-- I think that was actually my first thought, but I'm like somebody else here, if I get into the water, oh that weightless feeling would be so very seductive LOL.
PA said nothing when he saw my incision except, "looks good, you can cut off the tape as it comes loose, here's how to use Vitamin E on it (and blahblah about why), and you can go swimming." I think it's getting softer and going down bit by bit. It gets alot of attention from the ice packs LOL.
Well, that ran on too long, didn't it! I like your common sense approach, but it doesn't yet jibe with what the nurse said above. I do think I'm going to call again and ask to speak to the PA for more confirmation; I'm going crazy in the house where i can't walk well anymore-- only place I can walk loosely or smoothly is out on the street now, in a straight line! Otherwise I seem to have sunk back into the wide-legged straight-legged walk of yester-month. I try to fix it, but then a corner comes and I have to put thought into the turn. The straight leg helps me to keep the leg in a non-moving unit with the torso, so there's no twisting. The moment I let down my guard, the leg does what's comfortable, which does include some rotation. Arg!

As i said, I will make lemonade yet!!! :) :) :):flwrysmile:
 
[Bonesmart.org] zauberflöte's Magic New Hip!
@zauberflöte, I really think you're over-stressing about this restriction thing. If you went for two weeks without observing any and had no real problems, then it's likely you could pretty much continue the way you were going. But I would talk with either the OS or his PA and get it all straightened out---and get full explanations of what they expect from you.

I truly think that "no restrictions" usually means that you can do whatever is comfortable and easy and doesn't cause pain or real discomfort. But one is expected to be careful and take it easy and not get carried away---I mean, it was major surgery and healing must take place.

If your OS had had any serious worries about your dislocating your hip---he would have said so right up front! So stop worrying so much. [Bonesmart.org] zauberflöte's Magic New Hip! Take care, we care. [Bonesmart.org] zauberflöte's Magic New Hip!
 
Peaches, I just want to point out again - those restrictions I mentioned weren't actually from my OS - they were on a handout for lateral folks, and since I had posterior-lateral (whatever) I figure it got folded into my bunch of papers.
zauberflöte, I think bottomshollow gave the best advice and said it best! Hang in there. Obviously you're doing OK, so it sounds as though you should just keep on as you have been doing!
 
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