post op questions from a new member

[Liz]

Hi I am new here and this is the first time I have ever use this sort of message board, however I have been reading messages for a while and found it so useful and reasuring.

I am just about 3 weeks post op from a hip resurface where they did a little extra, and so I have a plate and 2 screws as well as the resurface. My surgeon removed a bit of bone to help maintain my blood supply to my bone for the future. I am 37  and had dysplasia as a child with lots of surgery but luckily not OA. I have been using crutches for 2 years since my hip suddenly started hurting and I experienced a lot of pain and found I couldn't walk. I had some surgery last summer to try and put off a resurface, and that helped a lot, but it became clear that I needed a resurface to get back to normal life.

I had the most fantastic surgeon Mr Witt at UCLH in London, who has already changed my life for the better, however, I am not seing him again for another 3 weeks and wondered if anybody could help with some of my questions. I have been told, due to the extra plate and screws I need to use my crutches for 6 weeks to allow that bone to heal, but I can put my full weight on my leg if comfortable. I must also not bend my hip more than 90%  or do the excercises where you raise your leg out to the side until I am seen again. Much of this is due to the extra surgery rather than the resurface.

I have 2 main questions.


I have been advised to walk as much as I can to build my strength and mobility. I think I am doing really well, but am not sure what most people would be able to do at this point. I manage 3 walks a day for about 15 to 20 mins each, but I'm not sure what I should be aiming for. What do you manage.? I guess it is slightly different having had the extra surgery, but maybe someone has also had that too.

My second question is about my leg swelling. Some days I am fine, but others my leg swells with fluid. Resting in bed brings it down after about an hour, but it is sore and a fair bit larger than my other leg when it does swell. Is this normal and will this be something that always hapens or is it just a normal part of recovery? It has been very hot here for the last few days so this may have added to the problem.

Hope someone can help!

many thanks
Liz

[Pat Walter]

Hi Liz

Welcome to Hip Talk.

I am not medically trained, but did have my hip resurfaced in March 2006 with Dr. De Smet of Belgium.  I have done a lot of reading about hip resurfacing and belonged to the large Yahoo Surface Hippy Discussion Group of over 6000+ members http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/surfacehippy/. 

So I can give you some answers for your questions based on the things I have read and my experience.

1.  The distance or amount you walk really has to be up to how you feel and how your new hip feels.  I was walking almost a mile a day with one crutch at about 15 days post op, but I only had a hip resurfaced with no other special problems.  Dr. De Smet always tells his patients to "listen to their body"   If you feel really tired or sore - you walked enough.  You do have to watch that you don't "hit the wall" as one of our Surface Hippies, Alan, use to say.  You feel so good that you go out crutching and walking - but then realize you all of a sudden are tired and wonder how you will get back.  Pace yourself and don't do more than you know you can do.  You have plenty of time to heal and walk in the future.  Your recovery won't be any quicker or better just because you walked twice as far than you are doing now.

Do what feels best for you.  You don't have to push it. I was able to put all my weight on my leg and used one crutch until 4 weeks.  But we are all different.  In the end, we all end up in the same place - we have healed hips that don't hurt that allow us to do anything we want.  We just have to have patience until we get healed. Healing actually takes a whole year or more.  Usually you feel healed and can be very active before that, but inside your body is still healing.

I was lucky and did not have swelling. But many people do. Usually it is because you have been too active. Sometimes it also just happens as the result of surgery. Everyones body is different. 

Many people ice their hips to reduce the swelling.  Some doctors acutally use fancy ice machines that pump cold water thru a tube to a device on the hip.  But just a bag of ice works well for many people.  Some people have used large bags of frozen peas because they mold to your hip shape.  Just don't eat the peas after if you keep refreezing them.

Also resting helps reduce the swelling.  Dr. De Smet always said "toes above the nose" to keep swelling down.  If you are laying on a bed, put a pile of pillows under your legs to get them higher than your head. I always slept that way for a few weeks after surgery.  If you have a fancy lounge chair - you can sometimes get your legs pretty high. 

Dr. De Smet's PT sometimes just had people take a day or so off and just rest to get swelling down.  You need to experiement to see what works best.  Using ice and getting your legs up will probably be the best. 

You might want to call your doctors office to see if they have any additional suggestions. They might suggest that you also take Ibuprophen since it is an NSAID (non-steroid anti-inflamatory drug).  That is an over the counter drug here in the US.

So my best advice is:

Don't push yourself too hard - you will have plenty of time to do that later.

Ice your leg and lay down with pillows under you legs to reduce the swelling.

Good Luck.  It won't be long before you will forget all about the surgery and the healing.

Pat

[Liz]

Thanks so much for your reply Pat. It is good to know how others have found things. I have never been one to take it slowly, so maybe this is the time to learn.

I can't tell you how much I appreciate this website, it is so hard to meet people who have had a resurface especially when you are in the early days of recovery and at home!

many thanks
Liz

[Pat Walter]

Hi Liz

You are welcome for the advice.

Taking it slowly is a good approach for now. 

It is nice to have support from people that have had hip resurfacings or understand what it is all about.  If you have a lot of time and like to read, the very large Yahoo Surface Hippy Discission Group http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/surfacehippy/ is very interesting.  There are over 6000 members and you will get over 100 emails a day.  Unless you like to get a lot of email, it is best to get a condensed version sent to you or go up on the Yahoo website to read all the emails.

I stared this group to have a smaller, more personal group.  But no matter what group you belong to it is nice to have someone you can write to and get some support.  It takes time to recover and some people get very bored.  I took the time to write my book about my hip resurfacing in Belgium http://www.surfacehippy.info/belgium&mybhrebook.php  Written stories about your experience help other people.  If you would like to write a small or large story, I would be happy to post it on my Hip Stories Page. Also since you are now an official hippy, it is nice to answer other people's questions - as you already have.  You are now an official Surface Hippy with lots of good advice for others about the experience.

Everyone gets thru it and eventually almost forgets all about the surgery and recovery -  especially when they are active and no longer have hip pain.

Good Luck and keep in touch.

Pat