What was your first 1-2 weeks like post-OP?

[MattFL]

What was everyone's experience for the first week or two post-OP?  Pain levels, what could you do and not do, was it OK to sit in a regular chair, etc..?  I'm signed up for left resurfacing with Dr. Brooks in a few days and curious what to expect.  I'm 50, had to stop running a couple of months ago due to pain but still ride the mountain bike a couple days a week and otherwise in OK shape, and really curious if returning to work 2 weeks post-OP is reasonable (I sit all day). 

[IRONMAN]

Is it worth major surgery just because you can’t run?

[MattFL]

Thanks for the reply.  I just read what I typed below and just want to say it's not intended as an angry response at all, but it's more of a vent about my situation, so I hope it reads OK.  I do appreciate your response and your point. 

That said; running isn't the only thing I can't do anymore, it's just the last of the physical thinks that were keeping me sane, and I can't do it anymore.  I'm sure most people here were paddling the same boat before surgery, but just for a data point:  standing in one spot more than a few minutes hurts A LOT, can't bend over or squat down to pick things up, can't sleep if I've done anything active, can't walk far, tying my shoe on that side comes with a lot of pain, it's making my back hurt, getting in and out of the car hurts, can't ride the motocross bike, wakeboard or kneeboard anymore, mowing the yard comes with pain that day plus many sleepless nights, and the list goes on.  Add a very noticeable limp and ever shrinking range of motion just because the world is cruel.  Oddly biking is about the only physical thing I can do without a great deal of pain.  This has been progressive over the last 4 or 5 years or so, and my left leg is now visibly smaller than my right leg from lack of use.  At first NSAIDs would help, then prescription NSAIDs would help, then those things even with a oral steroid on top do not help at all, so here I sit doing nothing physical except riding a bike.  I'm only 50 and basically disabled, it's horrible pain just to work around the house.  It's really taking the fun out of life and I can't take it anymore.  So I'm excited at the possibility that I might one day be able to be more or less normal again.  Crossing my fingers!

[IRONMAN]

Ah yes sorry I’ve just read the one thread and it seemed you were going ahead soon into the start of a bad hip.

From the story it does seem you’ve put up with it for some time, tried everything with no long term results so surgery is the last resort.

Good lunch, I really hope it all works out for you.

[MattFL]

Thanks me too!  lol 

[BSarchet]

You will be able to sit in a regular chair but not for a super long time.  The incision will be the sore spot there and I found myself not being able to sit for more than 20-30 minutes before I had to recline / lay down.   Also I had to sit in taller seats for the first couple weeks.  So either bar height chairs or a regular chair with a foam pad on it.

I took off two weeks, then worked from home for a week then started going back into work for half days for a couple weeks.  Sitting was more difficult for me with my second one than it seemed for my first one.  The other thing is the bathroom situation at your work.  That’s one of the more difficult parts and I had to use the tall toilet for a few weeks. 

Not sure what else you might want to know.  I’ve been through it twice and used a similar playbook each time.  Good luck!  It sounds like you are in a pretty similar situation to where I was before my first one.

[MattFL]

Thank you very much for the reply.  Fortunately I work from home, but the tall seat and tall toilet seat suggestions are excellent, thanks!  As far as the toilet situation, was the painful part just moving in more range of motion when sitting down? 

[MarvinB]

Exceeding 90 degrees is what gets you for using the toilet.  I tried without a raised seat my first go round and regretted it!  Used a raised seat for only a few weeks this time and it made the process much more agreeable.   :)

Accidentally crossing one knee over the other if you are a side sleeper will stick with you for a while.  Sleeping with a large pillow between your legs for several weeks helps.  I used an overstuffed king size pillow.  You can also prop your leg up on it while lying on your back to help reduce swelling.

[BSarchet]

As MarvinB said, exceeding 90 degrees is one factor but also I would strongly recommend getting one of the setups with the bars on either side. It helps you reposition and keep some pressure off the incision, as well as getting up.

At first I went with a cheap add on from Amazon and I had to get rid of that and get a legit bolt on from a mobility store.  This one allows you to put on your home seat. Verify whether you need elongated bowl or not. 

https://www.walmart.com/ip/43347398

If you haven’t bought the accessibility tool set, I would do that.  A grabber, a long shoe horn, sock put on tool, etc.  Also I didn’t use it a lot but a high density foam pad can be useful.  I used it for my couch and dining chairs which were both low. 

[BSarchet]

One other recommendation for you is a way to keep your hip iced pretty consistently for the first few weeks.  It helps with pain, swelling, etc.  I have seen people recommend the machines but they are expensive.  I used this strap on hip ice pack and used it a LOT. I bought two so I could rotate them.

https://a.co/d/aKFAvWB

[MattFL]

Thank you everyone for the tips!  Wednesday is surgery day (day after tomorrow) so it's coming up quick.  Time to visit Amazon. :) 

[HippyDogwood]

As others have said, it is the sitting down and getting up that are the biggest initial challenger, whether on the toilet or in a chair. Aside from using lifts to increase the height, think about how you can either use items nearby or position them to help you get up. So if you have a toilet next to a sturdy sink or bath, that can be helpful to push up from. If you place a dining chair with it's back touching the arm of a living room chair, you can use that as a support to help lower and get up as the arm will stop the chair tipping.

I found it a LOT easier getting in and out of bed by sliding to the bottom. MUCH easier and less painful than trying to shuffle sideways and pivot. A good shower stool is helpful too as removes the worry about slipping.

[MarvinB]

While you’re on Amazon, consider forearm crutches, similar to https://www.amazon.com/ORTONYX-Forearm-Crutches-Adults-Built/dp/B0BRNW5CZZ?ref_=ast_sto_dp

They were easy to use and less cumbersome than the under-the-armpit type.  It was easy to graduate to cane walking at 3 or so weeks by leaving one in the closet!

[MarvinB]

All the best today, Matt!  Standing by for updates!

[MattFL]

Thanks, just got home a couple of hours ago!  I'm writing a diary of my experience and I'll post it here in a week or two, for the next guy wanting to know what it's like.  Short story: my surgery started about 10am yesterday morning. When I first start moving after sitting my muscles feel like I didn't work out for a year then did a million squats, but if I'm sitting still there's almost no pain, and not bad once I'm moving.  Definitely some swelling and the incision can be a little sensitive, but Tylenol and Celebrex have been all I need, so far.  The Dr. went in through the side (transverse anterior I think it's called?), he did not cut any muscles, just pulled them apart.  I have no limits on range of motion, but 75% bodyweight limit for 6 weeks and no abduction allowed for 6 weeks, to protect the femur neck.  Then a year of other limits after that. 

Did anyone else have this issue?  I've been getting really light headed on occasion when trying to get up, having to sit back down.  Like really bad.  So I looked at my blood tests and my RBC (red cell count) was 3.4, which is super low.  And I have a small fever of about 100.5, but blood tests were clean (no infection).  Did anyone else have similar immediately after surgery?  I'm sure it will resolve, I'm just curious how common it is.

[BSarchet]

I’m not sure about my RBC counts but I had some light headedness for a little bit after my second surgery.  The pain killers tend to really drop my blood pressure so that’s what I attributed it to.

I didn’t have any fever but my lymph nodes did go kinda crazy for a month or two after both.  I would think that and potentially low grade fever could be a heightened immuno-response from the surgery trauma and the foreign bodies now implanted.  Just my uneducated guess but I’m sure your Dr will have more info.

Glad you are doing well!

[MarvinB]

I almost passed out and had to sit for a few minutes when I tried to walk the steps in the recovery room.  The nurses said it was from a sudden drop in blood pressure.  They said it was very common, but I didn’t experience it the first time.  It happened again about two days later,  not as bad, but I just sat in the recliner for a few minutes.  It didn’t happen again after that.  With the combination of trauma, meds, the anesthesia (which sticks around for a bit), nerves, etc., it’ll be weird for a while.  I felt like I had zero strength in my leg, calling it “log leg”.  At three months, I’ve recently gotten enough strength back to press the emergency brake down with my left foot!

[MattFL]

I'm laughing at log leg LOL.  100% relatable! 

I messaged the doctor about the fever and he said it's normal, so I'll go with that for now.  I think I'm squarely in the "it gets worse before it gets better" phase today.  Last night was just uncomfortable and no sleep, fighting a headache all day today, zero energy most of the day.  Swelling has cranked up a notch, but the ice machine helps a ton.  I may try the pain meds tonight just to see if it helps with sleep.  But about an hour ago I had some really salty soup that 80% fixed the headache and I was able to crutch half way around the block, so progress! 

[catfriend]

Orthostatic hypotension is the cause of your lightheadedness. Very common. This is from my first hr surgery in 2016 and contains my experience with this: https://hipresurfacingwomandotcom.wordpress.com/     My second hr in 2021 was the first surgery in the morning, so no overnight stay, no orthostatic hypotension, etc. Good luck with your recovery!

[MarvinB]

Funny how different docs give different guidance.  Dr. Gross says first week NO walking for exercise, no “wandering” (thought that was funny, but appropriate, especially for me!), just functional to bathroom, chair, and to bed.  Short walks of 1/4 mile on week two, then progress a 1/4 mile more each week until walking a mile or more on week 5.  Couldn’t drive for the first week while on the pain meds.

Remember, slow and steady wins the race!