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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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lynne123

Congratulations imgettinold!  Now you can change your name to "feelingyoung" !!  I'm not too far behind you - five days to be exact. 

Best,
Jennifer
LBHR upcoming 1.21.12
Dr. Su HSS
Jennifer
51 years old
LBHR
1.21.12
Dr. Su
44mm cemented femoral head/50mm cup

newdog

I can't answer about the feeling of difference in leg length since I had both done and had only a little over a day with just one hip done.

I asked Dr. Gross about the cup and what it would take to loosen it. He said the cup is hammered in and is really tight. It would take a pretty good hit to move it and the force would have to be directed just right. He told me that if he had to remove it right after surgery he would have to hit it very hard with a hammer to release it. The motions that you are doing wouldn't move it.

Sounds like you are progressing really well. Keep it up! You'll be amazed at how fast things improve.
Steve, Dr. Gross bilateral, uncemented Biomet, January 10 & 12, 2011, Columbia S.C.

imgetinold

Thanks all.  Today I decided to "wait" on my narcotic and see how it goes.  I've weaned off the short-release Nucynta, and today I've skipped my extended-release Nucynta at 7:00 a.m. to see how it goes.  I can tell the difference, but it is really manifesting in additional "tightness" and "soreness", but not what I would classify as pain.

I also haven't yet gone for my morning walk, so we'll see.  I have no issues going back on for a few more days, just trying it out.

There have been a few instances where I have leaned my crutch against something and go to take a single step on my new hip.  I don't know if it is my body's defense mechanism, or really just weakness, but the leg on the operated side seems to want to buckle.  During my walks with 1 crutch - with seemingly only 10% weight assistance from the crutch - the leg does fine.  Add the extra 10% and the leg seems incapable.  Could this be my subconscious playing a role?  It never seemed to intervene with the....oh....150 idiotic things I've done to injure myself in the past.
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

You can drive yourself nuts with this. I'd just trust your body, and if it says "whoa!!" then whoa it is. Mine buckled early on when not on the crutch, let it get that 10% now, you'll be off it soon enough.
Hernan, LHR 8/24/2010, RHR 11/29/2010 - Cormet, Dr. Snyder

Aerial

I agree you will know when it is time to take that first step. I remember I was out walking and something just said go for it!  I walked only short intervals unassisted the first couple times (maybe 30 or 40 steps) and then back to putting the cane back on the ground.  I commented in my recovery thread that I felt like a little kid on a bike with training wheels and an adult just pushed me an let go.  Not overly steady at first but a wonderful feeling.
Right hip resurfacing with Dr. Gross on 12/5/11!

imgetinold

Okay.....been AWOL for a few days. I am day 9 post-surgery. Recovery is going so well that I can't believe it.  Today I walked 0.8 miles with a cane....no problem.  I still iced upon returning home, but mostly prophylactically.  I can easily go down stairs foot over foot, though not easily up stairs yet.

I have a couple questions:

1.  Where did you all experience the "monkey fist"?  Mine seems to be on the top of my operated glute....above the incision.  Is that a common location, or are they all over the place?

2.  I have a fairly sharp sting when I do my thigh/buttock isometric squeezes that runs the length of my quad near the outside.  Sound familiar to anyone?  Not sure why it would sting there.

3.  Leg lifts:  too soon to do them?  I find that part of my leg is weak, but I can do them.  Is it bad at this point to do them?

4.  Too much:  Is it possible to walk too much and injure myself?  I DO understand about overdoing it - on Monday I went to my son's first (demonstration) band concert, and after sitting uncomfortably for 45 minutes, I stood with my crutches for another 90.  My leg was like a sausage and I basically sat all day Tuesday.  But, today I walked 0.8 miles, and I feel great and want to do another 0.8.  Dr. Gross said to be up to a mile by 6 weeks, and I could easily do that today.  I know it's not a race, but is there actual risk involved?  I mean, if my body says "no problem", are there other factors I should take into consideration? (I will, of course, not run, and I follow the 90 degree rule to the "T".)

Sorry for the long post.......

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!

Tin Soldier

1.  Not sure about the monkey's fist, but I did get a lot of Charlie Horses in my glut during the first few PT sessions.  Sorry, I had to say that.  9 days is pretty early.  I think you're going to have a lot of interesting, new, and weird discomforts in the hip area still.  You might ask the PT about the monkey's fist, might just be some really tight muscles trying to loosen up around the still-existing inflammation.

2.  I didn't have that quad pain, but I did have some real tightness (not a sting) in the front of the hip when doing the squeezers.  Maybe it's the same sort of thing for you, but is a little more noticeable down the leg.  If it's really painful, you might want to talk to the surgeon.

3.  I was told that is was ok to do the leg lifts at that time, but you are right, that is a hard thing to do.  It took a couple days for me and then I gained a lot of strength back, probabaly more likely, the swelling went down and the muscle/nerve connection was able to kick in again.  Remember, your muscles are mad you, they should be mad at the surgeon, but they don't want to cooperate like they used and it takes a little time and some continued exercise for them to settle down and work with you. 

4.  Good question.  I'm at 4 months on the right and at about 2 weeks I over walked and got a lot of sharp pain in the front of the hip.  It took a fee weeks for that to go away.  I thought it was gone, but I recently started doing some more intense walking, some light running, and it's coming back a bit.  I need to back off and let things cool down.  I'd say at 9 days you want to only do a bit to keep the exercise going.  If it feels like you can kick ass, don't do it.  A few weeks from now, I think playing with the amount and testing how you feel, is ok, but not now, too early.  BTW - talk to your PT about it.  Mine was great about testing/pushing it, but that wasn't until easilly 2 weeks, probably more.
LBHR 2/22/11, RBHR 8/23/11 - Pritchett.

Aerial

Monkey fist for me was dead center very low in my rear end.  It then traveled to more to the outside but still in the lower rear end.  I never really tried legs lifts until my six week appointment so I can't comment on that.  I did "cheat" a bit on walking distances.  Like you, I was able to do a mile quite easily.  In general did 2 to 2.5 miles a day after about 2 1/2 weeks.  My body seemed to tolerate this but you need to listen to your own body.  Sounds like you are doing well which is fantastic.  Keep using the ice!
Right hip resurfacing with Dr. Gross on 12/5/11!

ScubaDuck

1.  I never experienced the monkey fist either.  I wonder if Dr. Pritchett does something different.  I have always wondered what people were talking about.

2.  I definitely experienced the sting on the outside of the thigh with the exercises.  It slowly went away and I never worried about it.

3.  I tried to do leg lifts early on.  I kept pushing it until I could do them.  That was probably the hardest exercise to do.

4.  I walked a lot early on.  I don't think you can overdo it and cause damage with walking or the exercises they give you.  I would imagine it would take som severe twisting and pounding to damage the bone/joint.  The muscles would have to be torn to cause damage.  And that would not happen with slow gentle movements.

Best wishes.

Dan
LHRA, Birmingham, Dr. Pritchett, 8/1/2011
RHRA, EndoTec, Dr. Pritchett, 12/6/2022
fullmetalhip.wordpress.com

Jbennett

#49
Quote from: imgetinold on January 17, 2012, 08:54:57 AM
Thanks all.  Today I decided to "wait" on my narcotic and see how it goes.  I've weaned off the short-release Nucynta, and today I've skipped my extended-release Nucynta at 7:00 a.m. to see how it goes.  I can tell the difference, but it is really manifesting in additional "tightness" and "soreness", but not what I would classify as pain.

Just curious. Is nucynta the only narcotic you were given? He's doing mine on 3/14 and I'm a little skeptical of nucynta. I'd really rather not be 10 hours away and it not work for me. I'd really rather do a more proven drug.
Right Biomet Uncemented Dr. Gross 3/14/12

imgetinold

#50
Just discuss it with Dr. Gross in the Pre-Op meeting.  I'm sure he can either explain its effectiveness relative to other drugs, or prescribe something else you're familiar with.  He's great.  Or, try it, and if it's not working, call them and they'll call in something else.

I've only taked Vicoden and Percoset once (one pill each) until I realized I was allergic.  I can't compare, but I can say that when following the direction on the Nucynta, I was just fine.  I only got in trouble in the first 2-4 days when I was late in taking them.  By day 6 I had stopped altogether.  You heal so much faster than you can imagine.

Oh.....and good luck.
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!

Two4One

Wow, Andy!

Congratulations on feeling good enough to go without the pain medications!  Have a great Sunday!

'One
aka
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.

imgetinold

Day 12 Post op update.

No problem walking a mile.  At this point, I don't even need Tylenol anymore, even after walking.  When I'm in the kitchen, I find myself parking the cane and just walking from point A to point B unassisted.  I hobble a little, so I keep the cane for anything over 3-4 steps.

My incision is quite itchy, and it is still not comfortable sitting in a regular chair without a cushion.  Still have the knot in the glute, although it is getting better.  I don't break the 90 degree rule, but even getting close (in a regular chair) is not comfortable.  Feels really tight as I close in on 90 degrees.

You know that feeling (pre surgery and pre OA) when your muscles were tight, and a good, long stretch felt so good?  That's how the operated leg/glute/thigh feel, and I want to stretch it out!  I know I can't yet, but that is quite irksome.

I am chomping at the bit for more rehab, but will stick with Dr. Gross's exercises until he says otherwise.

I still can't get all the black gook off my butt from the surgical dressing.  Blech.  Helping scrub it off is NOT my wife's favorite thing to do, for some odd reason.

And, since my bone density was not great, I have given up all soda and caffeine.  Both are difficult if you are used to them every day, but I've stayed on the straight and narrow since surgery, so all is good.
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

That black gook was weird.  I very lightly used a body poof (like you would use with shower gel) on the incision area after about two weeks after really letting water fall on the area in the shower.  I emphasize lightly but it did work over time.  I also found that after awhile it peeled off!  I think it is a tiny bit of blood mixed with the surgical adhesives. It peeled off like Elmer's glue!
Right hip resurfacing with Dr. Gross on 12/5/11!

Two4One

How Wonderful you are walking a mile!  If I remember correctly, it took about 20 days to get all the various 'glue' spots off my body, and it did peel off like Elmer's Glue!
"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.

n4085b

#55
Hey Andy! Good job man! I too have had what could be described as a "charlie horse" on the outside of my quad  since the operation. It did bruise a few days later on both the outside and inside of the leg and is slowly disappearing...."trauma" (twisting the leg out of joint) from the surgery maybe? I wonder also if its due to the muscles/ligaments being sutured back together causing some tightness. I do just massage it (the quad only)lightly and it seems to help. I too still have the black goo on me as well...its slowly going away 2 weeks later!
J

imgetinold

#56
Week 3 Post op update.

Things progressing greatly.  Well, sort of.  I felt so good at 12 days, that I'm in that same place.  I am stiff in the morning, but loosen up during the day.  I don't even use the cane on my 1 mile walks anymore, but have it handy when I get tired, or when I've been sitting for a while.  Then, it takes a minute of standing/walking to loosen up.

I can walk down stairs foot over foot easily, and upstairs with some concentration.

I noticed a little extra swelling/tenderness after the Celebrex left my system, but that has normalized.  Unfortunately, the tennis elbow I had prior to surgery.....which was COMPLETELY gone while on Celebrex and pain killers, is back 100%.  And I thought that weeks of inactivity would fix it.

I have stopped trying to walk longer each day.......taking the doctor's, my wife's, and this forum's perspective about recovery being a "journey" and not a "race".  The LAST thing I want is a femoral neck fracture because I was impatient.  So, I walk my mile, then sit my arse back into the chair.

I plan on joining a gym for the next few months to start doing upper body work.  I have a workout room in the basement, but it is all dumbells and free-weights.  Since I cannot pick up a pair of 65 lb. dumbells for a long time, I'll need to use some pin-select machines.

Occasionally, I have felt a twinge in the groin reminiscent of the bad hip days, but only for about 1 second.  I'm sure it's nothing.

All in all, great so far.  I just need to find medication for impatience........
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

You'll feel twinges for a while, Andy, of different types.

They usually go away, it's the ones that persist that need looking after. Even those are usually things you can overcome.

Never feel hesitant to call the doc, though no matter how small something is if it's bothering you.
Hernan, LHR 8/24/2010, RHR 11/29/2010 - Cormet, Dr. Snyder

Aerial

No medication for impatience!  That made me laugh.  Sounds like you are doing well.  I can't believe you are at three weeks already.  The weird little twinges are normal....I am still getting them from time to time.  I think everything is still stretching out and settling in.
Right hip resurfacing with Dr. Gross on 12/5/11!

Two4One

Hi Andy,

Your progress is coming along at a really nice pace!  What is your surgeon's limit to how much you can carry or lift?  I couldn't believe it when Dr. Schmitt's was a measly ten pounds :P.

2fer
"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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