Bilateral with Dr Gross

[Ross]

Actually, the Nucynta inhibits reuptake of norepinephrine. Should give you an elevated mood.

[Ross]

Three weeks postoperative

Walked a mile today on 2 crutches.  Walking around the house with a cane.  Still have the sacra.like pain and find it difficult to sleep at night.  Lots of thoughts about returning to the gym, work, and grad school.  Amazing what happens over a week.  Easy to get in and out of car.  Still need a nap during the day around 4pm.   Taking Vicodin at night to sleep.  I feel pretty freaking good like my old self is coming back to life.  That nasty terrible pain inside my hips and back are gone.  The pain in my sacral area is not the same as previous.  I can feel it is going to clear up with better ROM.  Get the occasional bilateral knee twinges that dissipate over a few minutes time.  Appetite is back and ready to jump back in the saddle.

[hernanu]

Sounds really good, Ross - the sleep issues, the pain subsides as you get past the initial part of recovery. Then you start getting ambitious, which is the time to remember to be patient.

There's nothing like the absence of that pain to kickstart you, and if you focus it towards the type of rehab that is approved, it makes you really strong for when you can kick it into gear. That happened for me at about 10 months, but for some folks at an earlier time (six months?).

Enjoy the progress and stay within yourself, the best is yet to come.

[Ross]

Four weeks postoperative after bilateral with Dr Gross and Ms Lee Webb.  I can walk a mile with the cane but am having to stop ever so often to remind myself to stand up straight in the hope that my back will calm down.  I have a little tender area inside my left groin that will get aggravated if my stride is to long. Will icing a lot to get over the hump.  I still have the sacral pain  when walking that annoys me more than anything.  Have been rubbing my IT bands out twice a day.  Have not went back to the gym as I am gonna wait for my 6 week follow up.  I just feel better physically and mentally when I can exercise a little bit and hit up the steam room and pool.  Sleeping is still a pain.  Sleeping no more than 4 hours at a time and wake up with back pain.  Can walk without crutches for short distances but start to feel the limp come back so move back to the cane.  Every week I am getting better and the left leg is catching up to the right.  More than anything I have cabin fever as I am not allowed to drive for 6 weeks.  My left incision feels like it has more scar tissue/ adhesions than the right.  Maybe this is why I have the back pain on the left hand side.
Cordially,
Ross

[Dee Dee]

I am with you on the SI pain. I did not have issues with the first surgery but with this one my back is flared up. But I have a history if back issues. 

Do you have an antigravity lounge chair or a recliner?  That has helped me with taking pressure off the back and also with getting sleep.  I plan to ask Dr. gross for PT after six weeks, mostly for my back but also for my scar tissue and rom.  The muscles in my  right hip are beginning to act up a little- I suppose since I am probably using them to compensate for the new left hip. 

Keep us informed.

Dee

[Ross]

Yes on someone's advice I bought one of the Lafumas.  The first 3 weeks I would have went crazy without it.  Started taking a little Benadryl at night to sleep and help out.  Sill can't sleep on either hip.  Wife is frustrated with me as I wake her up in the night.  Gonna ask for a PT script as well. Lee told me she thought my back was sore due to the scar tissue.  I can feel the difference in the width of the tissue right compared to left.  Walked on the beach yesterday and my son was chasing the birds.  The sand was all compact but I was so tired afterwards.  I still need a nap during the day. 

[hernanu]

Still really early on, Ross - it takes time for your body to recover. I also had trouble with sleeping, it gradually went back to normal, at about six to ten weeks.

While sleeping, do you use a pillow under your knees? I found that helped quite a bit in avoiding back pain.

[Ross]

Hern. I have been sleeping with the pillows between the legs which does help pre event the internal rotation.  Like Dee had said I need to be conscious about not pushing it.  I feel bad for my wife we have two under two.  I am self sufficient but I can tell she is getting tired.  She is not use to doing certain tasks.  Went in walked in front of mirrors today at the gym.  Definitely going to need some PT to straighten my gait out.
Cordially,
Ross

[Dee Dee]

Ross,

Can you arrange a support system for your wife like a babysitter, house cleaning,and/ or day at the spa?  Maybe you could arrange help with the kids and just let her get out of the house and have coffee with a friend.  It is really taxing being a caregiver and a mommy to little ones.

My kids are all older and really helped my dear husband over the holidays, but he got burnt out and needed a day of nothing for him to do but watch old movies and rest.

You will still be recovering for several weeks (Lee said it can take a year or more to get back the ROM) even though you feel better and stronger.  Healing can take a lot out of you and there will probably be minor set backs while you start pushing yourself to do more. 

I can only imagine the stress of holidays, new hips and little ones.  May I humbly suggest you treat your wife to some time alone and then to a date with you? 

Blessings,
Dee

BTW I am 4 weeks and can only last 30 on my side at night.  I have a tough time on my back for very long so about 1 pm each night I end up in the lounge chair which is in the bedroom.  Last time it took awhile(10 weeks) to be able to sleep all night on my side even with pillows.  I am impatiently looking forward to that and in the meantime I am rubbing/massaging the scar like crazy to loosen the tissue.

[hernanu]

Dee is correct (again). One thing to remember, as I can see you do, is that everyone who cares about you is along for the ride.

Getting the HR is the best thing for you and for your loved ones, but as it was tortuous for them to see you descend into OA hell, it can be difficult to support us as we rise. No matter how good and kind, there is a limit to forebearance and we should be on the lookout for how even a little rest can liberate those who are helping us.

The time of recovery will pass soon, but, like Dee suggests, a little "normal" time together or even a small luxury for your wife can do wonders. It's a recovery for everyone, and it will get better soon.

[fenceman]

Ross, I am 2 weeks out but only dealing with 1 hip right now.  I have been sleeping in shifts, 3 hours on bed, and then 2 hours in recliner.  Then either back to bed or an hour on couch propped up.  Just started laying on no-op side with a pillow between knees which has helped.  Then usually a nap during the day which is going to be harder because I am starting to work again 3/4 days.

My poor wife has had to take care of me, organize Christmas, and ran our annual family New Years Eve Party.  My kids (teens) have been a big help but they went back to school today.  I will try to get her out to dinner this weekend to her favorite restaurant.  (good idea Dee)

I started driving yesterday and did not have a problem using my right op leg to work gas and brake. 
Bill

[Ross]

Dee

I would be real careful rubbing the scar.  I received a follow up call from Dr Gross office and they informed me to not rub anywhere near that incision.  Been rubbing my IT bands.

[Dee Dee]

Thanks Ross. I will take it easy on the scar area. I am rubbing the IT bands also. They have so many painful knots for a long time now.  I can't seem to get them out.  I am not ready to try the foam  roller yet.

Dee

[Ross]

I was very tempted to start on that scar tissue too.  Mine is probably .5 inch of thick tortuous  skin.  Sometimes those first stage stretches do help my sacrum a little.   Hopefully at the 6 weeks the back will finally release.

[Woodstock Hippy]

Ross, I just read through your posts and it sounds like you are doing great.  Hopefully the sacral pain will easy up soon. 

[Ross]

That is great Bill. Sleeping is definitely tough.  I am sore and so ready  to start PT.  My gait is bizarre to say the least more like a waddle.

[phillwad]

Ross - congrats and I hope the little ones are helping mom.  I am amazed at you having both done so close together - keep the recovery going.  I also used a pillow between my legs - helped keep things aligned better.

Again - thansk for the posts

[Ross]

6 week update

Walking with the cane minimally but my gait is sometimes an interesting waddle.  Look kind of injured Iamsure but my hips feel pretty good.  My back hurts worse than anything.  Can't walk a mile without pain 6 to 7 in my low back.  Going to see Lee in a couple days.  Hoping PT can help me out.  There is no way I would last a whole day in an  ER working as a nurse the way it is now.  Sleeping a little better withe three pillows under the knees and 1 under the foot.  I bought a wedge on line and it was a waste of money as it was extremely uncomfortable.  My muscles of atrophied a lot since the OA took over in the last year as my exercise slowly degraded frombeing unable to strengthen core sue to torn labrums so Ithink that I really need to try and get stronger.  6'3" 220 and it is not all muscle anymore.  Open to suggestions, I have bilateral neural foraminal narrowing mild s1, L5.  My back had minimal problems until that stinking hip scope.  Maybe my ligamentum flavum is stretched out.  I know it is moderately enlarged as well as the facets.

[Dee Dee]

Hi Ross, 

I have spondilolisthesis  l4-l5 and si issues.  This all flared up in the middle of trying to figure out what is wrong with my hips.  I did get the epidural and facet injections a couple years back and it really helped me.  Now that I have both hips done I am hoping to really work on my core and keep my back stabilized.

My PT for the back is awesome.  They are like physical therapy with chiropractic combined.  They don't use fitness machines but are very hands on.  They help me get into proper alignment, train me about proper balance in sitting and walking, work deep into the abdomen to get the back in line, dig into the front muscles inside the iliac crest to stretch them, massage, e-stim and ice.  I go out feeling worked on but good. 

Dr. Gross said if my back started to act up that I can get the injections- better than a spinal fusion!

I hope you get some relief on your back. 

Dee

[Ross]

Walked little over .75 mile without the cane.  Then the groins and back pain started up and had to use the cane. Icing a lot still and using Tramadol twice a day. Cooked dinner the other night and can finally help out a little more around the house.  The long stride still gets my groin aching.  Don't feel so obvious when I am out in public anymore either.  The neighbors were cheering as I was walking down the street without the cane.  Feels good to know others see me advancing.  Sometimes it's not so obvious to me.
Ross