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Official Member of the Club/Dr. Gross

Started by imgetinold, January 11, 2012, 03:57:53 PM

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imgetinold

Yes....Dr. Gross and the staff there are unbelievably good.  Perfect pain management (until the ride home), great hospital, and definitely confidence inspiring.  My inclination angle was 32 degrees.

Did any of you experience more pain days 2-4?  It looks like I'm in for that.  It is also exceedingly tough to lift my foot without the help of the leg lifter.  Again, I assume it is normal, but quite a pain.

Andy
Andy
- Right Biomet uncemented HR with Dr. Gross on 1/11/2012
- Left Biomet uncemented HR with Dr. Gross on 10/28/2020

BOILER UP!

Aerial

I took the meds until three days post op.  The first five or so days are the worst and then it seemed to get better quick.  I definitely used my hand to assist I getting my leg onto the bed and/or couch (probably for several weeks).
Right hip resurfacing with Dr. Gross on 12/5/11!

John C

I think that with his pain protocol, days 2-4 have the potential to be more uncomfortable, because he uses quite a multi pain control approach coming out of surgery, but some of that is wearing off by the 2nd or 3rd day. Then its more up to you to find the right balance with the pain meds.
As for lifting the leg out of bed, for the first week or so after surgery, my leg was like a big sausage that I had little control over. Its not that it hurt to move it, it was more like it was somebody else's leg, that I had to move around for them. The simple exercises that he gives you will bring that around.
John/ Left uncemented Biomet/ Dr Gross/ 6-16-08
Right uncemented Biomet/Dr Gross/ 4/25/18

Kiwi

Stay ahead of pain with your pain killing meds & gradually back off. A little pain is okay & expected, but you're not meant to be in a lot of pain. I didn't get much pain for first two weeks and put this down to keeping up with my pain meds. On third week I backed right off the pain meds, but still took the odd tramadol when needed. I followed prescription for the other meds (anti flam, asprin etc).
LBHR 11/23/2011
56mm Head
Hugh Blackley (BHR Trained with Ronan Treacy)
Use it or lose it!

newdog

Ditto the advice from the others. The first 2- 3 days after I got home was probably the toughest time as far as adjusting to everything. I was on the "hard stuff" for 3 days after I left the hospital then went completely to X- strength Tylenol. After the first 5-7 days things improved very fast. We are all different but that's probably the way it will be with you also. You're doing O.K. Andy.
Steve, Dr. Gross bilateral, uncemented Biomet, January 10 & 12, 2011, Columbia S.C.

WTW15

WTG Imgetinold!   
Ice-Ice-Baby (so I've heard)  8)

Congrats and happy healing. 
Successful LBHR 1/19/12 Dr. Cynthia Kelly
Fear causes Hesitation and Hesitation causes your worst Fears to come true

imgetinold

I did eventually get it under control.  For some reason, I have significant pain when getting out of bed...during the "lift the leg" phase, and also as I pivot on the bed, I can't control my leg, so when it drops down it hurts a lot. My wife is helping lower my leg slowly, which helps.  What a nuisance.
Andy
- Right Biomet uncemented HR with Dr. Gross on 1/11/2012
- Left Biomet uncemented HR with Dr. Gross on 10/28/2020

BOILER UP!

hernanu

Quote from: imgetinold on January 13, 2012, 08:16:39 AM
I did eventually get it under control.  For some reason, I have significant pain when getting out of bed...during the "lift the leg" phase, and also as I pivot on the bed, I can't control my leg, so when it drops down it hurts a lot. My wife is helping lower my leg slowly, which helps.  What a nuisance.

Try my leg lifting technique (I'd patent it, but my occupational therapist at Newton Wellesley showed me).


  • Sit on the bed
  • tuck the unoperated leg under the operated one at the ankles
  • Use the unoperated to lift the operated leg as you pivot onto a resting position in the bed.
  • To get out of bed, reverse the process

This worked pretty well for me, other folks have used a crutch for supporting the leg instead.
Hernan, LHR 8/24/2010, RHR 11/29/2010 - Cormet, Dr. Snyder

imgetinold

I will try that, for sure.  Today has certainly started out better.  I'm not used to being completely helpless, though.
Andy
- Right Biomet uncemented HR with Dr. Gross on 1/11/2012
- Left Biomet uncemented HR with Dr. Gross on 10/28/2020

BOILER UP!

WTW15

Quote from: imgetinold on January 13, 2012, 11:50:27 AM
I will try that, for sure.  Today has certainly started out better.  I'm not used to being completely helpless, though.

I think that's the one thing I'm going to struggle with too.  Hubby's been thru 4 knee surgeries, a cervical fusion and a fx'd jaw > I always get to be Nurse Kratchet.  Now the roles are going to be reversed and "I'm scared"... LOL    :-[
Successful LBHR 1/19/12 Dr. Cynthia Kelly
Fear causes Hesitation and Hesitation causes your worst Fears to come true

Boomer

WTW,

I don't ever remember being completely helpless. Even the first day home from the hospital I was able to move around with the walker. You'll be able to feed yourself, dress yourself, move around the house, use the computer, watch TV, read, talk on the telephone. You'll never be helpless. There's no reason to be scared.

Boomer
RBHR with Dr. Rector on 11/30/2011
LBHR with Dr. Rector on 6/11/2012

WTW15

Quote from: Boomer on January 13, 2012, 12:50:22 PM
WTW,

I don't ever remember being completely helpless. Even the first day home from the hospital I was able to move around with the walker. You'll be able to feed yourself, dress yourself, move around the house, use the computer, watch TV, read, talk on the telephone. You'll never be helpless. There's no reason to be scared.

Boomer

Thanks Boomer!!!!   ;D
Successful LBHR 1/19/12 Dr. Cynthia Kelly
Fear causes Hesitation and Hesitation causes your worst Fears to come true

imgetinold

#32
Okay, so while my overprotective wife was in the shower today, I went for my walk.  I am 5 days post op, and each day she's only let me go one extra mailbox (2 crutches).  I did a 0.4 mile loop today with only 1 crutch!  Other than tightness, it felt great.  I tried to let my leg follow a normal gait, and it felt pretty good.  I really am surprised each day how much better it feels.  I also stopped taking the 4-hour narcotics last night, and went to extended release tylenol.  So far, no problem.  I am still taking the extended-release narcotic, and will taper that off at the 1-week point (as long as I stay ahead of the pain).

Here are a couple of questions for the experienced hippys:

1.  Every once in a while, particularly when entering/exiting bed, and I'm lifting the operated leg with the other, I'll pull the operated leg too close to centerline and feel a "tug" in my groin that makes me fear a displacment.  The movement is fairly gentle, but what are the chances that this simple movement could loosen the cup?  Or, put another way, what kind of activity does it take to loosen a cup?

2. It still feels like my operated leg is longer than the non-operated leg.  Let me preface this by saying that my hip was not totally deteriorated like many here, so I don't think I was "used to" that leg being shorter per-surgery.  Anyway, when I'm walking, it feels like I step "up" onto my right leg, and swing my left (non-operated) leg on by.  I suppose it could be due to swelling that everything is tight, and so not working as "fluid" as the other leg.  Any thoughts?  Any similar experiences? 
Andy
- Right Biomet uncemented HR with Dr. Gross on 1/11/2012
- Left Biomet uncemented HR with Dr. Gross on 10/28/2020

BOILER UP!

hernanu

#33
On :

1. The muscles in that area are very weak right now. Think of trying to lift a hundred pounds when you're used to 20. It takes a while to get the motions right, the muscles stronger. You're still extremely early in your recovery, I wouldn't worry unless it persists, then talk to the surgeon. You're early Charles Atlas now and there are some things that will kick sand in your face the first week or so.

2. I think it's the mechanics of the leg. I was walking with my foot pronated outwards for so long to protect the OA caused problems in my hip, that walking with a semi normal motion was bizarre to me. Your leg is also stiff due to the trauma of the surgery and the swelling, so now you are probably not flexing the knee as much as the other leg does. All of this normalizes as your body does. If you're really concerned, call the surgeon and ask if your leg length is now different from the other leg  - they may have measured it, so you'll know.

Normal worries for early on, it's ok to worry, but these were my experiences.
Hernan, LHR 8/24/2010, RHR 11/29/2010 - Cormet, Dr. Snyder

Luanna

Hi imgetinold,

I can relate to everything you are saying. I have a leg length difference of 4.05mm (longer on operated leg) but looking at pre-op x-rays my doc measured the unoperated leg and it was a bit over 7.0 mm longer. So, my surgeon actually made it better by 3mm - but it feels weird and my body is still getting used to it. Lots of muscles have to figure out the new hip - mechanics and changes.

I found that the pull in the groin for me was the hip capsule healing. My hip capsule is also quite tight still and my PT is stretching it out now and working on my scar tissue and it is making a huge difference. Should have started this work much earlier (6 weeks but waited until 5 months) but opted for the "pain is no gain" approach. Didn't work.

Hope you continue to improve at the rate you are! Great walk for 5 days post op!!! Keep up the excellent progress.

Luanna
RHR 8/30/2011 - Dr. Pritchett - Stryker Trident Shell /X3 Poly liner acetabular cup. BHR head.

Aerial

I was very concerned how tight my groin was after surgery.  It felt like a guitar string.  The more I got up walking and moving around the more it loosened up.  I also started doing the phase 2 groin stretch at about 4 weeks (which is cheating a little since these are supposed to be started at six weeks). Dr. Gross's phase two exercises are on his website. My groin is feeling great now, better than it has in years.  I think what you feel now is completely normal for your point post op.  I was amazed how quickly things improved after the first week!  Good luck!
Right hip resurfacing with Dr. Gross on 12/5/11!

Dan L

I also had the sensation that one leg was longer for the first few weeks; it went away, perhaps when all the swelling was gone.

Dan
LBHR Dr Brooks, 10/2011; RBHR 2/2012

tennisgirl

I was like you in that I was active until the night before my surgery, so I felt like I was in pretty good shape going into the surgery.  When I went for my five week checkup, I was told it was completely normal to feel like the operated leg felt longer, and that feel would eventually go away, which it pretty much has at ten weeks...I don't think about it like I did in the early weeks.  I was also sore all around the top of my leg, and the incision area would occasionally spasm, again, all normal in the first couple of months.

And yes, things feel tight for awhile.  Keep icing and call or email Nancy or Lee with any questions.  They are absolutely fabulous in getting back with you in a few hours, or quicker if needed.

With you in spirit,

Mindi
R Biomet Uncemented Dr. Gross 11/9/2011

n4085b

Quote from: hernanu on January 13, 2012, 10:41:21 AM
Quote from: imgetinold on January 13, 2012, 08:16:39 AM
I did eventually get it under control.  For some reason, I have significant pain when getting out of bed...during the "lift the leg" phase, and also as I pivot on the bed, I can't control my leg, so when it drops down it hurts a lot. My wife is helping lower my leg slowly, which helps.  What a nuisance.

Try my leg lifting technique (I'd patent it, but my occupational therapist at Newton Wellesley showed me).


  • Sit on the bed
  • tuck the unoperated leg under the operated one at the ankles
  • Use the unoperated to lift the operated leg as you pivot onto a resting position in the bed.
  • To get out of bed, reverse the process

This worked pretty well for me, other folks have used a crutch for supporting the leg instead.

This is what's working for me right now. Hi Fives for reaching Day 5!

Two4One

'Gold,

Hang in there.  You are going to love day 15!  Then you'll wax on about the 3 week mark post op, and so on.  Everyday it seems I can do so much more.  Keep up the hard (good) work!

2-4
"I was inspired by the very idea of turning the wildest figments of your imagination into something real and creating a life for yourself." - Ken Ilgunas

12/11 Failed Bilateral BHR by Dr. Schmitt  3/14 Positive Metal â€" LTT for Nickel Allergy.   11/14 Bilat Ceramic/Titanium Revisions.

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