Post Op Paranoia

[Asalisbu]

Just discharged from hospital after five days in Hospital for a Bilateral with Dr. Gross.   

I am already walking alternate legs on the crutches and even though it is still very early and I have a lot soreness I already notice some small movement improvements.

What I am mostly experiencing now is this immense sense of paranoia that I am going to ruin this or make a one of the components slip.   It’s more palpable because there are no longer any nurses and therapists to appease my paranoia.   

I assume this is normal and does anyone have any info about just what it takes to ruin this early?   One therapist said it would take a pretty hard fall and that if something slips you will know it.

As it is I am currently acting like a protractor seeing the world in 90 degrees.       

[Joe_CA]

Not to worry. Many of us, including me, were concerned about doing something wrong that could compromise our device(s). I actually called staff members of Dr. Gross about a week after my bilateral surgeries about this very topic. I've mentioned here several times that one of the nurses (Nancy?) informed me that it would take the force equivalent of jumping off a one story roof to damage your equipment in the early stages.

So no parachuting, rock climbing, or flying trapeze stunts until the 6-month mark!

[MattJersey]

Yes. This brings back such a strong memory.

Every twinge (and you will have many!) will cause a worry but I think that's just your wound and stitches complaining and all fine. You will imagine it's the cup having moved or worse! As long as you follow your guidance and do your exercises you should be fine even with the twinges.

Sounds easy. But I can almost guarantee that you, like most of us, will get carried away and have multiple occasions of very worrying soreness. Couple of days taking it easy usually works.

Try not to worry (I say, but I know you still will :) )

[John C]

Yep, with the first hip I was always worrying that I would damage the placement early on; especially the time that I was balancing on the top of the toilet while trying to fix the bathroom fan, and fell off landing on the edge of the tub right on my new hip. All was well, but that paranoia during the first couple of months is common. When I had my second hip done, there was much less concern.