THR Bassetmom RTHR recovery progress

[Eman85]

If you really want to know why your leg hurts there are videos of the procedure. Short description is they physically manhandled your leg and dislocated it. It's really amazing that we don't hurt more considering what is done. I could see the hand prints in bruises on my leg where they handled me.

 

[Layla]

has anyone experienced pain on the back of the lower thigh/knee area? I feel like someone has hit me with a metal pipe on the back of my leg

Yes, a common complaint as the knee can be manipulated rather aggressively during the dislocation process.
Ice any / all areas of discomfort since it will help with pain and swelling.

 

[Bassetmom]

@Eman85 I have heard similar stories and will avoid any YouTube videos!! Not knowing if I will need my other hip done at some later point in my life I definitely don’t want to watch something I can’t unsee…! It really is crazy what has to be done for the procedure. I only skimmed the operating notes for my surgery, they were very detailed.

 

[CricketHip]

@Bassetmom Hello!! You sound like you have had a very good mindset for your recovery.
That is so important!
You seem to be right on track with your various aches and pains, they seem to enjoy migrating around and instigating some concerns, but as others have stated here, all part of the recovery process.
Happy Icing!

 

[Eman85]

There is an animated version you can watch. You can just use your imagination and if you ever cut up a chicken you can get the idea of what had to be done to disconnect your leg.

 

[Bassetmom]

Morning all! Just wondering if anyone else has experienced what I’m feeling today…I feel like I am slightly hunched over when I walk because the front of my hip seems really tight. I’m trying to be very conscious of standing very straight as I walk but I think doing that is irritating it. I also have the sensation in the front of my hip area that it feels huge, not sure if it’s from swelling (I don’t necessarily feel swelling there) or because some swelling has gone down and now I’m very aware of the prosthetic in me. I don’t know, the mind games that accompany the recovery process keep shifting….thanks everyone for the support.

 

[Bassetmom]

Hi, my sleep since surgery has not been very restful, which I know is common during recovery but lately I have been very restless in bed because of a discomfort I feel when trying to lay with my legs flat. It feels like a muscle/tendon, etc in my inner groin/hip going down the inside of my thigh is being stretched by my legs being flat/straight, forcing me to move my leg to try to find a comfortable position. Has anyone else experienced that? I’m really hoping it will go away in time. I can finally sleep for a little bit on my I operated side with a pillow between my legs (slightly bent), but not for too long.

I also feel like this same issue is making me walk a bit hunched over (not completely straight up) since I can feel it “pulling”. All of this of course makes me feel like something wrong went on with my surgery and that I will have an uncomfortable long-term effect… is this something that will work out on its own once all the soft tissue parts have healed??

Any insight or experience would be greatly appreciated.

 

[djklaugh]

@Bassetmom Alas sleep problems are very very common after any joint replacement and they can go on for quite a while. I know trying to lay flat on your back can be uncomfortable .... have you tried putting a pillow or two under your knees when lying flat? Or sleeping on your left side with pillow between your knees to prop up the right leg?

And yes it is going to take a while for all the muscles and tendons in your leg (and back too) to get back to proper functioning and to feel right again. Think of how long it took for your to develop a hip that needed replacing! During all that time, muscles and tendons were getting more and more out of shape.

Are you doing any physical therapy? Not totally necessary but sometimes when muscles are having trouble, it can help. You are just over 3 weeks out from having major surgery! Be patient with yourself .... you are still healing!

 

[Bassetmom]

@djklaugh thanks so much for the response. I can sleep for a bit on my left side (non operated leg) with a pillow to prop up my right leg but after a while I need to reposition. I did start going to PT twice a week after week 2 of recovery, taking it slow. I have been using a pillow under my legs (especially elevating at night early on since my surgery) but my physical therapist wants me to try using a lower pillow, and work my way up to longer periods of time with no pillow, I just really need to believe the strain I feel up the inside of my thigh after a short time with no pillow under my legs (laying flat on my back) will go away. Because it drives me crazy and is so uncomfortable. I meet with my surgeon the first week of June, hoping it’s gone by then but if not will definitely bring it up. And ask him what type of vengeance he took out on my knee during surgery…my PT taped my knee up this week and it has helped thankfully, but had no idea a different joint would be holding me back from pain free walking after THR.

 

[myglasshalffull]

Unfortunately pain does tend to migrate to other areas of your body. My knee hurt worse than my hip in early days & I haven't had any knee surgery.
If the pillows at night are helping you feel more comfortable in bed on your back I'd continue to use them, I'm sure your PT thinks he/she doing right thing but if you are that uncomfortable & feel your leg is straining there's just no sense in that. What are you accomplishing other than being in pain & getting no sleep.
You need to be your own advocate in recovery.

 

[luvcats]

When they change out the joint, it completely changes how we walk and stand. It's annoying, but makes complete sense that our knees get unhappy with us. Mine are unhappy in a few places too. All the muscles have to realign.

The thing about PT, is they have to be able to document progress in order to keep getting visits approved by insurance. So they have benchmarks in mind for all the progress we're supposed to make. I try to keep that in mind when doing my own PT and deciding how hard to push. I'm still not doing all the exercises they gave me when I left the hospital, but I review the list every few days to see if I should add a new one. How uncomfortable is it, and do I have extra pain after?

I'd keep using the pillow so you can sleep. Sleep is very important to healing. Maybe make part of your personal PT to lay in bed with your leg flat to get passive stretch when you aren't trying to sleep. Just lie down and read a book for a bit or something. But don't challenge your sleep.

 

[djklaugh]

@Bassetmom I agree with luvcats - the PT person, IMO, is wrong about trying to sleep "flat" so soon after this surgery. When I had my BTHR I rented a hospital bed and slept with legs elevated for about 3 months. Didn't give it up until I was comfortable sleeping on my side again. While the amount of elevation gradually decreased over that time, I felt I still needed some .... until I didn't need it any more.

My routine was to take my pain meds before getting into bed, set the elevation to most comfortable for me, arrange ice packs on each hip, and settle in .... most nights I was able to sleep quite well.

 

[Layla]

Happy One Month Anniversary!
I hope your week is going well. The weekend is almost upon us. I hope yours is all you want it to be! Thanks for sharing your journey here, Bassetmom.
@Bassetmom