BHR Recovery Questions

[Waterman1]

Hello all, I am home from the hospital after a two night visit, and an anterior BHR on June 23. I am having a little more pain on day 5 than I had on day 4 it seems. Sure would appreciate the advice of others. My incision goes across the crease where the torso meets the leg, so when I sit in a chair it causes the incision to bend in half or thereabouts. Should I not sit at all? How much ice per day? Thanks for any thoughts you have...

[3Chords]

 I have the more common semi-posterior incision, so I can't help you much there. I think sitting is better than just lying around, though! My surgery was 6 weeks ago, so I can sympathize. I found that a recliner was just the thing... you can sit when you want, and if you get uncomfortable, you can lie down.

I think keeping pain under control is the most important thing to do, and you're just coming off the heavy-duty stuff from the hospital. I think it's normal for the first several days home to be figuring out for yourself what works with the pain killers they give you. I took a pill and water with me to bed, and if I woke up at 2 am, the pill was there and I didn't have to get up to take one. By the end of the second week home, I was off all pain killers.

For icing, I was doing it pretty much all day, every day, for the first week I was home. I got two of those bigger ice gel packs from the hospital, they seem to last three hours or so. I have a big ice wrap thing for a shoulder that holds one of those ice packs pretty well, and it has long straps so you can keep the bag on all the time, and even provide a decent amount of compression. It also keeps the bag in place while I was sleeping.

It does get better! At six-weeks post, I'm walking a lot, sleeping normally, driving normally, I can ride a bike for 15 miles or so, and the last walking stick was put away a couple of days ago.

Best,

Jim

[Waterman1]

Hey 3chords, thanks for your experience. I am looking forward to throwing away the canes and riding a bike someday. Won't be long now...

[hernanu]

Hello all, I am home from the hospital after a two night visit, and an anterior BHR on June 23. I am having a little more pain on day 5 than I had on day 4 it seems. Sure would appreciate the advice of others. My incision goes across the crease where the torso meets the leg, so when I sit in a chair it causes the incision to bend in half or thereabouts. Should I not sit at all? How much ice per day? Thanks for any thoughts you have...

I would ice as much as possible. It helped both of mine, just make sure you have a good schedule, icing for 10 minutes or so, not directly on skin, then rest your sking for about 20 minutes.

That way you avoid frostbite.

Pain will go up and down. Especially when you're starting. If something worries you enough, call you doctor and get his or her take on it.

As to sitting, unless your doctor proscribed it, do what you can with the lowest amount of pain. Just trust your body to tell you when not to do something.