THR Z's Postop thread
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Z15
graduate
Pretty weird, Rick...I have 2 sisters and one is named Eileen.
I think you must be Psychic...
Z
I think you must be Psychic...
Z
charlie cyborg
senior
Hi John,
Thanks for your message on my thread.
Yes Jasper aka the Ginger Nut (it's a type of cookie in the UK) is one in a million as all pet owners would say no doubt. He's been with me for nearly 12 years now through very "trying" times he's been my constant always pleased to see me .... something to do with giving him food and shelter maybe
As regards your LLD don't sweat it, up until last November my left leg was between 3 and 4 cms shorter than my right but I have played every sport going at a reasonable level and ran 10k races for years. It certainly wasn't the difference in length that held me back in any of these pursuits, it was the pain!
You sound incredibly positive which is the ONLY way to be.... onwards and upwards:yes 4:
Charlie
Ps yes you were right ..... my left thigh is Titanium reinforced Concrete!
Thanks for your message on my thread.
Yes Jasper aka the Ginger Nut (it's a type of cookie in the UK) is one in a million as all pet owners would say no doubt. He's been with me for nearly 12 years now through very "trying" times he's been my constant always pleased to see me .... something to do with giving him food and shelter maybe
As regards your LLD don't sweat it, up until last November my left leg was between 3 and 4 cms shorter than my right but I have played every sport going at a reasonable level and ran 10k races for years. It certainly wasn't the difference in length that held me back in any of these pursuits, it was the pain!
You sound incredibly positive which is the ONLY way to be.... onwards and upwards:yes 4:
Charlie
Ps yes you were right ..... my left thigh is Titanium reinforced Concrete!
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Z15
graduate
I've done some research and I'm coming up blank...
I feel the fatigue post operatively. I know I am tired. But I wonder what the medical explanation is...and how to make sense of this.
1. Is it caused by the fact that my body is investing energy into building new bone and muscle cells to repair the effects of my surgery? Does that cell production take a lot of energy?
2. I would also contend that pretty much all of us are working every day to get back our strength and ability to do whatever.... I know that I am doing more exercising than I was 2 months ago (and a year before that) so that is taking energy that I was not used to burning in recent years.
3 And lastly, the concerns and worries that all of us have to some degree...sometimes not much, and sometimes a whole lot, must take soem energy. We have fun and joke around here, but there are more than a few genuine concerns. The stress must account for some energy drain...
SOOOOOO...what would the medical folks say to explain the root cause of the multi-month fatigue... @Josephine:
Thanks,
Z
Z
DallasSarah
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Z your string comment was soooo funny!! You are silly 
Good question about the energy. Im sure stress plays into this journey it has too, I will say as I've hit the 12th week mark my energy level is better than pre-surgery without a doubt. On the stress comment something did emotionally hit me either last week or the week before....basically WOW this has been a BIG deal not just the post surgery part, the pre surgery has to be completely exhausting.
Good question about the energy. Im sure stress plays into this journey it has too, I will say as I've hit the 12th week mark my energy level is better than pre-surgery without a doubt. On the stress comment something did emotionally hit me either last week or the week before....basically WOW this has been a BIG deal not just the post surgery part, the pre surgery has to be completely exhausting.
Josephine
NURSE DIRECTOR EMERITA
Well, for starters you could remember that only 6 weeks ago you had major surgery! :DOH:
This is often what worries me about these fantastic surgeries (and they are fantastic) that also appear to have a really fast recovery - the patient might get ambulant and independent really quickly but there are elements that still apply regardless which I will come to shortly ....
Yes!
Yes!
Yes!
Well your research obviously didn't extend into the BoneSmart Library
Energy Drain for THRs
How Long Does Healing Take ......
Chart representation of THR recovery
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Z15
graduate
Josephine,
i read all those articles...
they tell me that healing goes on for a long time...i get that....but I'm curious about what is going on 6 months after surgery. I'd bet the muscles that go STRETCHED in surgery are largely recovered. Most of the incision healing SEEMS healed.
I just wanted to go beyond the charts and pictures to understand the physiology of post surgical fatigue...
Z
i read all those articles...
they tell me that healing goes on for a long time...i get that....but I'm curious about what is going on 6 months after surgery. I'd bet the muscles that go STRETCHED in surgery are largely recovered. Most of the incision healing SEEMS healed.
I just wanted to go beyond the charts and pictures to understand the physiology of post surgical fatigue...
Z
DallasSarah
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Morning Z and Josephine,
I'm only chiming in because it genuinely interests me.
I would think the fatigue part would be effected in how you heal and recover, my example being I'm at 12 weeks and my energy level is even better now than before my surgery my theory is no pain now, more confidence moving, my walking etc and at this point it will continue to move in this direction. If I had taken a different path or in some cases the recovery is longer example we have members who have other medical problems, knees, spine, nerve muscle pains I would think potentially their fatigue could be higher because it's very tough dealing with the pain and emotional part of not recovering quickly! Oyyyyy that was wordy yes??
I'm only chiming in because it genuinely interests me.
I would think the fatigue part would be effected in how you heal and recover, my example being I'm at 12 weeks and my energy level is even better now than before my surgery my theory is no pain now, more confidence moving, my walking etc and at this point it will continue to move in this direction. If I had taken a different path or in some cases the recovery is longer example we have members who have other medical problems, knees, spine, nerve muscle pains I would think potentially their fatigue could be higher because it's very tough dealing with the pain and emotional part of not recovering quickly! Oyyyyy that was wordy yes??
dianemarie
graduate
Hi Z,
I too, like you, always want to know more, "enquiring minds want to know" and you would think with the internet you can find the answer to almost anything but sometimes you just can't. I think sometimes you can't because no one really knows. I had 3 surgeries within 9 months and 4 hospitalizations within 11 months and 4 anestethias so I believe this is why my 2nd THR is taking so much longer than the first. Maybe that is why our OS's do not tell a lot about recovery, just because everyone is so different. If you find out any more with your research please let us know. Some of us have been through so much we could probably publish our own research...HaHa! Take care.
I too, like you, always want to know more, "enquiring minds want to know" and you would think with the internet you can find the answer to almost anything but sometimes you just can't. I think sometimes you can't because no one really knows. I had 3 surgeries within 9 months and 4 hospitalizations within 11 months and 4 anestethias so I believe this is why my 2nd THR is taking so much longer than the first. Maybe that is why our OS's do not tell a lot about recovery, just because everyone is so different. If you find out any more with your research please let us know. Some of us have been through so much we could probably publish our own research...HaHa! Take care.
JohnInSeattle
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My wife had both Knees done, one at a time. She took almost a year to recover from each one, we are learning now, that she was severely sleep deprived and was borderline diabetic.
She is now on CPAP and the paleo diet which have fixed these issues.
She is now on CPAP and the paleo diet which have fixed these issues.
Horsey girl
member
I agree the energy level takes sooo long to come back. The body needs the energy for healing on the inside. My surgeon told me at my six week check up that I can expect the complete healing to last a year.
I went to Walmart for a few groceries yesterday and had a cart that pulled to the left. Just that little extra energy keeping the cart straight zapped my energy. I was surprised how much. By the time I left the store, my face was covered in sweat.
And it's not because this is not something I couldn't do prior to surgery. I was able to hike many miles in the mountains, ride my horse and throw hay bales. I guess my body is telling me "take it easy".
Bea
I went to Walmart for a few groceries yesterday and had a cart that pulled to the left. Just that little extra energy keeping the cart straight zapped my energy. I was surprised how much. By the time I left the store, my face was covered in sweat.
And it's not because this is not something I couldn't do prior to surgery. I was able to hike many miles in the mountains, ride my horse and throw hay bales. I guess my body is telling me "take it easy".
Bea
Josephine
NURSE DIRECTOR EMERITA
Well, it's difficult to be specific about these things - everyone reacts so differently. The charts I created were just a guestimate of the process and in no way meant to be definitive.
I also just did this one which goes along the same lines Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?
I also just did this one which goes along the same lines Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?
charlie cyborg
senior
Hi John et al,
The link below is for a paper published in 1997 by the Royal Society of Medicine, so very credible and prestigious but it is 15 years old so I'll see what else I can find.
It seems to say that "fatigue" may well be caused by Psychological and Cultural influences rather than Physiological causes.....
If this is correct those of us who maintain positive mental attitude may fair better than those pre-disposed to anxiety and/or depression ( both conditions, interestingly, I believe can be caused by hormonal or chemical deficiencies!!).
Anyway the paper makes very interested reading even if many many visits to Wikipedia are called for!!
The link is:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1296734/pdf/jrsocmed00033-0017.pdf
Let's hope it works!
Charlie
The link below is for a paper published in 1997 by the Royal Society of Medicine, so very credible and prestigious but it is 15 years old so I'll see what else I can find.
It seems to say that "fatigue" may well be caused by Psychological and Cultural influences rather than Physiological causes.....
If this is correct those of us who maintain positive mental attitude may fair better than those pre-disposed to anxiety and/or depression ( both conditions, interestingly, I believe can be caused by hormonal or chemical deficiencies!!).
Anyway the paper makes very interested reading even if many many visits to Wikipedia are called for!!
The link is:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1296734/pdf/jrsocmed00033-0017.pdf
Let's hope it works!
Charlie
charlie cyborg
senior
.....and yes I did rear the part that said:
"Differences in psychological factors could explain why fatigue occurs after abdominal surgery but not major joint arthroplasty"
Which was interesting to say the least ...... more research is called for!!!
C
ps here's another extract:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8910245
"Differences in psychological factors could explain why fatigue occurs after abdominal surgery but not major joint arthroplasty"
Which was interesting to say the least ...... more research is called for!!!
C
ps here's another extract:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8910245
rider1960
post-grad
I had an abdominal hysterectomy January 2011 and didn't have any significant post op fatigue during the recovery. This hip replacement one year later has knocked me on my butt with fatigue at times. The toll it has taken on my overall body is very different from the hysterectomy.
Other than sufferring with chronic pain for an additional year between surgeries (the hysterectomy was done in an effort to relieve the groin pain that no one was bright enough to figure out was actually HIP pain and didn't resolve the pain at all), nothing else changed for me between the time of the surgeries that would account for the energy drain. I think joint replacement is just a more difficult surgery to recover from--at least it has been for me. The hip has done very well ... the rest of the body ... ... well ...
Z--keep up the good work with your recovery!!!!
Dorothy
Other than sufferring with chronic pain for an additional year between surgeries (the hysterectomy was done in an effort to relieve the groin pain that no one was bright enough to figure out was actually HIP pain and didn't resolve the pain at all), nothing else changed for me between the time of the surgeries that would account for the energy drain. I think joint replacement is just a more difficult surgery to recover from--at least it has been for me. The hip has done very well ... the rest of the body ... ... well ...
Z--keep up the good work with your recovery!!!!
Dorothy
Dee205
senior
Have to agree with Dorothy.....my surgical history is sooooo long it would take a few pages.......but none of them zapped my energy like the THR. Some of them have been pretty major (colon resection at 34, burst appendix at 38....). Even though the incisions were more painful from some of the other surgeries (exploratory pelvic at 26..cut from hip bone to hip bone and up through and past my belly button) I didn't have the total energy zap that I did with the hip. It really took a long time for my energy to return.......naps really helped
Dee
Dee
Horsey girl
member
I agree with Dorothy and Dee. I have had several surgeries and broken bones, burt my energy came back a lot faster than with the THR.
Seems like with this surgery I really have to watch myself on how much I do and it has been over seven weeks now.
With any of the other surgeries, after this much time I was riding my horses and hiking and practically was all ok again.
Bea
Seems like with this surgery I really have to watch myself on how much I do and it has been over seven weeks now.
With any of the other surgeries, after this much time I was riding my horses and hiking and practically was all ok again.
Bea
OP
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Z15
graduate
Cardie,
After 7 weeks I think my fatigue situation is changing dramatically for the better. A couple weeks ago I would say that 4 out of 5 workdays I would need to have a 30-60 minute nap somewhere during the day...that really is not happening anymore.
And take yesterday... I rowed 3K on my rower (decent sweaty workout) then left the house at 8:30 AM to drive 2 hours to see my dad...then a 40 min drive to see my kids at college... then a 90 min drive home...got home around 4. i DID need a 30 min nap at that point...but I was not falling asleep at the wheel.
I feel as if a lot of the tiredness I am now experiencing has a lot to do with exercises and stretches and stuff related to getting all these muscles back to where they once were. I hope to look back and say that most of the perceptible post-op fatigue was gone within 8 weeks.
I think that I had a huge advantage...I was extremely mobile and active (not exercising per se, though) prior to the surgery. I get the distinct impression that many here were forced to endure a pretty sedentary lifestyle pre-surgery and working back to normal activity is a BIG increase in demand on their bodies. That is going to take a lot more than 8 weeks to adjust to!
So...I am doing well thanks. I think the discussion has led me to a better appreciation of all the facets that tax our bodies post surgery.
Unlike lots of folks here though I take a fair amount of ibuprofen for aches and stiffness on a regular basis. I'm surprised and impressed when folks 6 to 10 weeks out are saying they rarely if ever use anything. If I didn't take some ibuprofen I would find it fairly daunting to hop on the rower or bike or do my exercises. (z is a wimp...)
Z
After 7 weeks I think my fatigue situation is changing dramatically for the better. A couple weeks ago I would say that 4 out of 5 workdays I would need to have a 30-60 minute nap somewhere during the day...that really is not happening anymore.
And take yesterday... I rowed 3K on my rower (decent sweaty workout) then left the house at 8:30 AM to drive 2 hours to see my dad...then a 40 min drive to see my kids at college... then a 90 min drive home...got home around 4. i DID need a 30 min nap at that point...but I was not falling asleep at the wheel.
I feel as if a lot of the tiredness I am now experiencing has a lot to do with exercises and stretches and stuff related to getting all these muscles back to where they once were. I hope to look back and say that most of the perceptible post-op fatigue was gone within 8 weeks.
I think that I had a huge advantage...I was extremely mobile and active (not exercising per se, though) prior to the surgery. I get the distinct impression that many here were forced to endure a pretty sedentary lifestyle pre-surgery and working back to normal activity is a BIG increase in demand on their bodies. That is going to take a lot more than 8 weeks to adjust to!
So...I am doing well thanks. I think the discussion has led me to a better appreciation of all the facets that tax our bodies post surgery.
Unlike lots of folks here though I take a fair amount of ibuprofen for aches and stiffness on a regular basis. I'm surprised and impressed when folks 6 to 10 weeks out are saying they rarely if ever use anything. If I didn't take some ibuprofen I would find it fairly daunting to hop on the rower or bike or do my exercises. (z is a wimp...)
Z
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