success finally then frustration

[podgornymd]

To update, i am 5+ weeks out from LBHR and took everyones advice which helped immensely. At 5 weeks after my Physical therapist so tactfully said wuit being a wuss and start walking without your crutch i took her advice and analyzed my gait issues and started walking finally. it felt great. I figured i was on my way. the first dy i stayed on my usual walking path and walked for 35 minutes and felt great. Then the next dy after doing new PT exercises i walked 45 minutes but walked up a hill, then about 2 hrs later i started having that damn debilitating pain in my hip flexor /TFL area so needless tosay i had to lay low yesterday and tried walking tdy but still with pain.

I am getting frustrated b/ci am close to 6 wks and need to get back to work soon and feel like i should be further along. Is this unusual ? and any advice. ? I feel like it was a major setback but maybe it is normal or i overdid it.

Eman

[evant]

You're doing really well but it sounds like you simply overdid it.

You're still really early on in your recovery - there's a good deal of healing to be done yet.

Let your recovery continue at a pace that feels right for you.

Good luck.

[John C]

At five weeks, I still often needed one or two crutches if I walked more than a couple of blocks. After six weeks, I was able to put them away, but I still built my activity level gradually. It sounds like you just pushed it too hard too fast (as in 45 minutes with hills the second day without a crutch). As everyone has said, at five weeks you are barely starting the recovery process. Take things gradually, increase in small increments, listen to your body, and expect lots of ups and downs along the way; especially for the first few months.
Your soft tissue is going to be healing for the next year and a half, so be patient with it at five weeks.

[trgcfrg]

I agree with the earlier posters. I'm eight weeks out of my RBHR and one week out of my left side. In my experience, my leg strength improved dramatically between weeks 5 and 7. I was walking without a cane at work at week 5, but would still be somewhat tired and sore when walking longer distances. Between weeks 6 and 7 my strength had improved to the point that I could walk any distances on flat surfaces without getting tired or sore. I would say hiking hills, etc. would likely continue to take time to work up to doing without being sore or tired. From my experience, I would say you're on a good track and would expect you to be able to manage well going back to work.

Good luck!

[Jason0411]

Give it time you sound like you are doing great but pace yourself.

[packman]

Hi Pods - key words are we all heal differently and listen to your bpdy's alerts. You are doing the right things but avoid the hills if you can until later weeks. In my intro to longer walking distances, I was using my cane at the beginning until I felt my hip "loosen up" (there was always a bit of pain in the first couple of minutes)  - then when I had some rhythm and the pain eased, I would hold and lift my cane for 100 yards, then back to the cane and gradually increased my intervals (and making sure my gait was balanced)
This recovery process does challenge your emotional rollercoaster - relax on expectations and you will get there

[hernanu]

There are going to be setbacks, Eman - we've all pushed it and suffered as result. The good thing is that you do get back to progress, and it can be quick. You just need to be patient with it.

I was back to work at five weeks, but felt comfortable with things at about seven weeks. It takes a while, and as John mentioned, you'll be healing for a year plus. So don't push the expectations while you're diligent (not crazy) about your exercise.

[obxpelican]

You are putting way to much pressure on yourself.  Back off just a bit, relax in due time you will be back to normal.

My new normal is that every joint hurts other than my operated hip.


Chuck

[Pat Walter]

Eman

We all heal at different rates and you can't push your body to heal.  If you push too hard, as you found out, you end up with swelling and pain.  Your body is telling you to back off.  You will eventually be able to push harder and harder, but 6 weeks is still very early in your recovery.  It takes 6 months to be mostly healed and a full year for full healing.  At 6 months you are able to do about anything but impact sports - normally.

You will heal in plateaus.  All of a  sudden, you will be able to do more.  Sometimes it is 2 steps forward and one backward.  Eventually you will be like the rest of us - healed, out of pain and very active.  Patience!  That's the key.  This is not like training for an athlete early on - more pain meaning more gain.  VERY bad idea now.  Give yourself time to heal and be conservative in your activities.

Good Luck.

Pat

[Jason0411]

Take head of the cautionary tales please. You don't want to have to go through what I did. If only I hadn't overdone things.

[David]

Ditto Pat on this one...
You will learn only by your mistakes.  After 6 months to a year of healing you should be good to go.  Depending on how much you want to do, you will still be limited by your weaknesses.  There is nothing cookie cutter about this surgery and especially the recovery.  Be thankful where you are at, and then thankful again at the next step.
It gets better and better the more you work at it.
D.

[podgornymd]

Thanks again for all the great advice. I took 2 days off and did nothing but ice and i feel much better. The toughest part is not knowing how much or little to do. It seems like everyone says walk ,walk , walk but sometimes it feels better when i ride a spin bike. So i ride the bike now . I think walking up the steep hill is what threw me over the edge. The tough part is i live high up in the rockies and there is nothing flat so i went further this time and had to navigate a steep hill. Wont be doing that for awhile.Thanks again for  the support.

[luann again]

Yep, take it slower. I wasn't even allowed to walk without crutches for six weeks!!  I am three years out this Sunday and I am STILL healing. The improvements I notice are small at this point. Mainly muscle strength and coordination. I love my HR!!
Hope you're feeling better.