Hello hippy's! I am one of you now! Surgery went well except for an allergic reaction preop to IV antibiotics. Pain is very well managed . They got me up earlier and I took a few steps. Tomorrow the work really starts. Can't wait!!! Thanks to all the support on this site, I think that has nada all the difference!
Hi Lauren - It's so nice to hear from you, and that all went well. I was wondering if you were going to post a message today. Congrats, and I assume the pain that you had before is gone, and that it is now a different pain that the recovery process will take core of. WTG!
Wishing you a speedy and uneventful recovery. Take it easy and keep us posted on your progress. I am three weeks away from my surgery.
Congrats - look forward to you sharing your experiences. You will be on some highs and lows over the next several weeks, and as long as you are patient and do not expect too much too soon, you will enjoy a new future!
Congratulations, great to hear the surgery went well! Good luck with your recovery. I just had both my hips done since April 1, so I'm a little ahead of you. Just be patient the first couple weeks and follow doctor's orders and you'll feel better before you know it :)
Well done.
Best of luck with your recovery.
well done you! I am just over 4 weeks now so only just in front of you. Be patient with your recovery - my biggest challenge!! good luck!
Congrats Lauren Lee! welcome to the other side.
WOO HOOOOOO!!! Happy healing Lauren Lee ;D
Congrats welcome to the other side !
Lauren
Great news. Good Luck. Looking forward to reading your posts later this summer when you are walking and active.
Pat
I came home this morning! A little more than 48 hours post op! Feeling good too. My low back and groin pain is GONE!!! The expected muscle and incisional pain is there but controlled. Very happy I had this done!
Congrats Lauren!
Remember to hydrate, eat well, nap, follow instructions, RICE (rest, ice elevate ) and work on your recuperation. Keep your spirits up, some of us (I did ) hit some depression after a bit.
But most of all enjoy. It's not a cakewalk, but you will improve and leave all this behind.
Thanks all. I got a little dose of reality my first night home...in spite of what everybody at the hospital said...I ain't all that and a bag of chips. :P Everything is a big huge effort. For example, I bought satin sheets because they help you slide out of bed. Slide is right...nearly onto my sorry sore butt which as you all know would be a tragedy. Nothing was easy or smooth. They must have used latex dressings because I have this big itchy red square where the dressing was. I need to be patient and chill-ax like so many have sad here. Had myself some fine whine, a good cry, some good drugs, a good "God help me" wail and I feel better today. The nurse, and OT and PT are supposed to come today and I will be happy to see them. God still made the sun come up today. I'll be fine...really...fine...just fine...really..... ;)
Well, you are all that and maybe a couple of chips right now. You're going to have challenges, and they will change.
What makes you cry today will be gone tomorrow, but there will be more things, as you heal and try more. Just go with the flow, and watch as things get better.
hi Lauren - really know where you are coming from,my first two weeks too so much effort to do such basic things but keep the faith because despite me thinking i would never get there 5 weeks later i have seen the light at the end of the tunnel and things are better and getting easier every day.
I cried a lot and I screamed at everyone who was helping me because I was so frustrated at everything! but now I am getting there! keep believing in yourself and use this wonderful resource to get some amazing support, and to shout and scream when you need to!! ;)
No Question Lauren that the first week is the toughest. I was on such a high the first 2 days and a little ditzy too, but then the swelling and difficulty of regular motion set in for days 4 to about 8 that I sunk to some sadness. Venting and sharing experiences is good for the soul!
Now I could say "Suck it up Princess" for some motivation, but that would be totally disrespectful to the process - it does take your attitude of you'll be fine....really...you'll be fine to just wait for your body to signal some positive signs. With each day/week that passes, you will discover a whole new energy of outcomes that will reinforce that you made the right decision, plus the ongoing decision of being careful
Thanks all! right now 6 days post op and dealing with raging rash and swelling of my right leg. If it wasn;t for those things I would be (almost) dancing.
I went off the Xeralto last night and am instead taking 325 mg aspirin. Also not taking the Norco...I really don't need it. I have applied cortisone cream, popped many Benadryl caps and am drinking detox tea. And it is not clearing up. I had an allergic reaction to the vancomycin in pre-op so maybe it's that. The surgeon on-call this weekend said prednisone would be ideal but that compromises the wound healing. So I am going to suck it up, put on my big-girl pants and keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Love all of the support on this site.
Hi Lauren - I am going thru most of what you are, although your whole leg is swollen, mine is down to my knee and I don't think as bad. You and I just need to have the faith all will be well, I am positive it will. What a pain (figuratively & literally) until then though. I am eating less due to the constipation, and will probably get a laxative as I do miss eating, but my stomach feels so full right now.
C-ya later, thanks everyone,
Bob
I wound up in the ER last night. That rash was getting worse and my skin was on fire.
Also my foot was turning a funny color and the edema was from foot to upper thigh. The back of my calf was red and hot so in I went. No DVT and the swelling is "normal". They think I've been a little too active. Put me back on my pain meds until the rash and hives subside. The rash is contact dermatitis...no telling where I picked it up. I think it may have been the sheets in the hospital or the spongy leg abductor thing. Feeling better today...well I've been sleeping all day! I thought I had "graduated" to the cane but went back to the walker yesterday.
The thing that scares me the most is dislocating...my new obsesion. Last night I was at the ER and the guy came out with the wheelchair. One footrest was down. I was trying to maneuver myself and pivoted and I will tell you...my hip let me know that was NOT a good move. Thankfully it was a warning. As a health care worker I know to put both footrests UP when putting a pt in a wheelchair. DUH.....
PT was out today and was REALLY helpful. Helped me get a better way to get into and out of bed, which has been an issue. Simply by switching to the other side so that my good leg goes in first made a huge difference. So far the OT, PT and RN are very pleased with my progress.
I've started Miralax prior to surgery. If you go with that you might want to do a half dose until you find out how you respond.
Wait just a minute here...my "good" leg is BOTH legs!! I had better stop this good leg/bad leg talk. They are both going to be just fine! And so are yours bestbob!
Hi Lauren Lee, sorry that you've had a rocky start.
On dislocation, it is very low on the reasons for revision list on resurfacing, as opposed to THR. The incidence in the Australian registry is about 2.7% of all revisions, which are about 4-5% of all resurfacings.
So your chances of dislocating are 0.027 times 0.05 or about 0.135 % . That's for all surgeons and all patients.
It doesn't take away the pain of having one happen, but you are in pretty good shape (99.865%) in avoiding it.
Hi Lauren, Sorry to hear oh the ER. Looks to have been to smart thing to do, and nothing major. If doing to much exercise is the reason, should be easy to slow down would think.
My 2 area of focus are 1 - Constipation, and 2 - managing the swelling.It has now moved down to the knee. Regarding pain meds, still taking the OXY, but a 6 hr intervals. Looking to change over to Tylenol Extra Strength soon.
Very Glad to hear you are OK.
Bob
Well it is has been 9 (almost 10 days) since my surgery and I guess things are okay. I didn't count on my foot being puffed up like a balloon and my two middle toes turning kind of blueish. Being a former nurse I would like to reach down and check the pulse in my foot but that would break the rules and maybe my new hip. Other than that I have had no other bruising and went off the vicodin yesterday to clear my head but might take one tonight.
I am so tired that I can fall asleep at the drop of a hat and nothing really tastes good. If I sit too long I get stiff, If I walk much at all, my shoe gets tight.
OT and PT are coming to the house and they say I am doing really well. Still limpy. How long after surgery did your limp go away? We are working on my gait.
This is hard and patience has not always been a strong suit of mine and was not a virtue I prayed for because I might just get tested in it. :) This is a test.
This is a test but you will get there - i had lots of swelling in my foot and shins - really painful! this went after about 2 weeks, when I was walking more.
I found it difficult to walk without a limp until the swelling around the joint had really gone down as it made me feel like my operated leg was longer when it was swollen. But people keep saying my walking is really fluid now so keep going, keep doing the PT, sleep when you can - at your stage I was having about 2 hours a day naps.
lets face it the recovery is boring, frustrating, exhausting (physically and mentally) but in the grand scheme of life its a drop in the ocean and the result of this amazing surgery is that you get your pain free life back :) keep up the good work :)
Hi Lauren - 9 days post-op for me, and now 10 days for you. Sorry to hear about your swelling below the knee. I have not had any past the knee, and hopefully don't. Sounds like your just about at the same level of recovery as I. Below are the key items for me, just for reference.
- Taking meds at 6 hr increments, Percocet at night and extra-strength Tylenol during the day. Trying to get off Percocet 100%
- Can only sleep on back so far. Tried to sleep on non-op side last night, after 10 min(even with pillow between legs) the pain got to be 2 much. Sure miss having options on how to sleep
- mostly muscle soreness, knee pain,and incision pain. about a 1 to 2 level. Sometime a 3 when I just wake up in the morning, but I walk and work it out.
- sleet 3 - 4 hrs at a time at night, and stiffness sets in than
- Still a little constipated
- On the emotional side, feel alone and insecure at times. This Site REALLY helps out (Thanks Pat et All)
- Doing PT 3 times a day. all lying down exercises, at 2 weeks (next Tue), can starting standing ones
- Next Monday get staples out and stop using ankle pumps if check for blood clots come back negative.
- Surgical bandage removed 2 days ago. Took shower just before removal, and it felt GREAT!
I do a lot of icing, and try to walk every hour troughoutthe day.
Just think, we are almost 2 weeks post-op, how time has flown.... :-)
Bob
Lauren and Bob,
I am glad to hear your recovery stories and am following them as you post. I know that you both have had some struggles (Lauren the allergic reaction really stinks!), but you are progressing, so it's all good. Baby steps!
I am getting anxious about my surgery on the 10th....so it helps me to read your stories.
Bob -- I appreciate your post about feeling a bit emotionally down. I am struggling right now with putting on a happy face and reassuring people that I am fine (maybe I'm trying to convince myself of that).
Keep posting. I know I'm grateful knowing this site is here.
Kate 71...so good to receive encouragement from you and other seasoned "hippys". Thank you! Bob...one day at a time, right?
It's a new day but somehow I feel like I've turned some kind of a corner. (I know there will be many corners and bumpy roads ahead). My IT band became very tender and sore last night...first time since surgery.Last night I was miserable but thinking there must be some nerve muscle regeneration going on and that's good....right?I was able to work it out with my rolling pin and medicine ball. Plus my PT worked on it.
Also put together a contraption so I can shave my legs...(taped a shaver to my long handled shoe horn from the hip kit). Pretty proud of myself. :)
Much more awake today and focused. Able to think of something besides me, myself and I.
Hi Hippy friends! I had my two week check today. Doc is pleased with progress. XRay showed implant perfectly placed. I got a copy of OR report and there was "excellent range of motion" in OR...not quite excellent this side of the OR but moving in that direction!
He d'c'd home therapy and I start outpatient PT later this week. I can drive when I feel up to it, return to work when I feel up to it. If it was not for the nature of my work, I would be back next week but I think I need to wait. Too much driving, too much uncertanity of environment, and sometimes I need to be really quick on my feet. So I'll wait.
I feel good...really good. The exercises that I am doing at home have increased my upper body strength and I can feel the muscles in my hip getting stronger. (The IT band was cut). I can't walk without a cane...well I could but I would soon fall down...so I will wait and let Pt supervise that. The swelling is down...just a little around my ankles but I can wear a pair of athletic shoes easily.
So far so good...all is well.
Great news Laureen, glad to hear all is well. My 2 week checkup also went well. My Dr. requires 2 crutches the entire 6 weeks, and no driving for 6 weeks either. I couldn't walk with 1 crutch anyway, so I am taking my time to ensure no femur neck fracture. I put a request in at work that work from home until Aug 1, hopefully they approve it.
Anyway - Nice to hear from you.
Bob
Lauren
Just checking in -- How are you doing??
Hi Juno, I am doing very well. This was a weekend of firsts...first time on the treadmill, first time driving (left foot braking), first time back to church, first time walking around the trail where my dog and I usually walk. My husband took the dog and I did about .6 miles on my own. The driving went well, I practiced L foot braking before surgery. I don't think I am up to a long drive yet. I did get a temporary handicap permit because of the nature of my job but it is TEMPORARY! If I had not had this surgery it would have been permanent. Still on the cane but my balance is improving day by day. My PT said the treadmill was great for that and for helping to eliminate developing a long term limp. I start really slow and gradually speed it up. Sometimes I forget I need a cane and take off without it...now even a week ago that would have been a problem but not so much now although my body lets me know that I need the cane. No pain, just discomfort from the incision. Doing some manipulation to break down the scar and applying oils to soften it. I still want my afternoon nap...I have never been a nap person so I don't know if it is because I need them or like them...or both. There is some frustration still because the simplest things seem to take so long. I still sleep with a pillow between my legs so I don't roll over and break a restriction. I ordered a super heavy duty "grabber" from Amazon and that thing...will pick up anything! The one that came in the hip kit was toast the first week. I am resisting the urge to "push the limits" and have instead opted to mend slow and mend strong.
So....your surgery is coming up this week? I am excited for you and will be thinking about you. It's going to improve the quality of your life in ways that will not, at first, be apparent, but just know it is so. Do what they tell you to do and don't do anything foolish. It's not about the journey but the destination. But you have to take the journey to get there. Let us all know how you are doing! Wednesday right?
Laureen - Sounds like you are progressing very well. A couple of comments/questions. I am still on 2 crutches per the Dr's request, and the only pain I am having is around the incision area, there is a throbbing pain that occurs every 15 seconds or so. It comes and goes though. I think it is either scare tissue, tight muscles, and/or the IT band. After I walk a bit the pain reduces, but is still there. The exercises are the ones recommended by the Dr. so I am cautious about doing any other ones. Also, I am still taking Percoset every 6 to 7 hrs, as I can feel the throbbing pain start to increase.
Have you experienced this pain around the incision, and how are you dealing with the scare tissue? I.e. you mentioned oils, is that working? Also, are you still taking pain medicine?
Bob
Bob, yes the incision is tender especially at the ends.My PTshowed me how to use my index and middle fingers to gently massage ACROSS the scar from end to end. This is before applying any oil. I then use a vitamin E ointment I got from health food store or kukui oil. I bought some Mederma butconsidering the sensitivity of my skin not sure I want to try it. The doc approved this only after incision was completely closed.he also said I could use a roller...again gently. My IT band let me know it was still there last week and I have been massaging in long firm strokes along the length of the thing. I use Motrin when needed during the day and will take half a Norco at night when I need it but I it has been a week or so. Three weeks and counting, Bob.
After working out on my own for an hour this morning and then my PT working me over this afternoon....I have been reminded that I am not recovered...I am RECOVERING!! OUCH! Easy does it!