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Shock to the system

Posted , 14 users are following.

kate030815
kate030815

Now 6 days post op and look like I've been thrown off a fast moving train! Pain relief has been rubbish as I was twice given tramodol whichbi am allergic to.Then codeine which made me nauseous and sleepy. However now on track and csn hobble about kitchen and bathroom unaided. The nurse told me yesterday that swollen ankles was normal and sometimes a bag of frozen peas placed on genitals (bikini line) can reduce the swelling in the groin and allow better blood flow. I also didn't understand that you need to lie flat in afternoon to let blood flow as easily as possible in groin area to help reduce swelling. Everyone on these forums seems so positive. Hopefully I will feel a bit better later.

The physio said the younger you are the longer it takes. Because you take bigger faster strides and are more active. In jher words, if you are 85 and potter around then you get back to this more quickly thamb someone younger wanting to go back to work

6 likes, 23 replies

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  • Georgie11
    Georgie11 kate030815

    Posted

    Hi Kate,

    interesting advice!!  I found the ice packs great for pain relief. Used them on my knee and hip. Lying down will aid reduction in swelling.  I hope you have an alternative to tramadol, they don't agree with me either. I came home on endone and targin. I sort of see what the physio is saying,we're more likely to over do things !! All in the name of getting back to normal.

    Glad to hear you're on your feet, it only gets better 🌈

     

    • kate030815
      kate030815 Georgie11

      Posted

      Thanks georgie11. It just seems difficult to be patient but this forum seems a great place of support.

      Take care

  • renee01952
    renee01952 kate030815

    Posted

    Dear Kate,

    First a warm welcome to this group of fellow hippies, pre and post op .. I am not sure how long you have been following us ... it is the best place to come to for questions and concerns, or just rant - you find the most loving and supportive people, helping each other along on this road to recovery ..

    We all share our personal experience and stories ...

    It seems that you are in pain and I am sorry to hear that - however, it is pretty normal being so early in your recovery . 

    good that you are already hobble about unaided ... I could not do that until later (2 weeks) - not because of the pain but more about the way I walked - very unbalanced and insecure ... 

    I, personally, have not heard that it takes longer for younger people to heal or feel better - more the other way around ... 

    Of course it is a shock to the system .. it is major surgery ... just in case you have not watched the video on you tube, please have a look at it when you are ready - I had a so much better understanding of what is involved and the trauma done to the body ... 

    It is important to lie flat, with legs extended to stretch the muscles and blood flow - also to elevate the operated leg to reduce swelling - let the nurse show you the best position ..

    It takes time, dear Kate .. so please take it easy and be gentle with your self - 

    I hope that you will get medication that will reduce your pain ... 

    and so come back here ....

    warm hug

    renee

     

    • kate030815
      kate030815 renee01952

      Posted

      Thanks Renee01952 for your support. Found this forum yesterday. It makes for interesting reading. I think the physio just meant it takes longer to be fully fit and working as opposed to pottering about all day.

      Don't think I will watch the video though. Having had an epidural I have heard all the noises and experienced the hammering. I hope it will turn out to be like child birth and once the pain has gone I will be able to forget the horrible experience

      Take care and thanks for your support

      Xx

  • ian97093
    ian97093 kate030815

    Posted

    Hi Kate I have just had two hip replacments since May this year, and if I were you I would use a stick indoors to help you get aropund, and a crutch or two on the street for the first week, seems to me the younger you are the quicker you get back to normal, everyone says that, all the doctors I have seen, and everyone on this blog, and yes the wound is painful and pinches, feels like it is splitting apart sometimes, you could get it looked at by the nurse at you GPs and get it redressed, that could give you peace of mind, I find 2X50mg Tramadol work fine for me, you can also use Naproxin as a painkiller, thay game mehuge ones in hospital 1G and  was used to 500mgs. they cartainly worked but made me sweat a little, but lilled the pain ...500mgs are good too but you need Omeprizole once a day and food with Maproxin, my second wound is still painful now after 10 days, but getting easier every day, dont worry so much, I am sure you will be fine.

    Ian.

  • neil5421
    neil5421 kate030815

    Posted

    Hi Kate

    Welcome, and glad to hear that things are a bit better than they were to start with!

    Just take it easy - it's very easy to fall into thinking that you've got to get up and get around in order to be getting better, but don't push things and using a crutch stick is no stigma!  

    Leg swelling is v normal and will probably in fact peak next week for you... the second week is usually the high point for this.  Are you wearing those lovely TED stockings?!  If you are, they tend to push the swelling up the leg.  As Renee says, elevation is the key to helping to deal with this. 

    Icing swellings and groin is good but I've been told - keep this to 10-15 mins a go in order to prevent distressing your skin/nerves.

    Not sure re the thing about it taking longer if you're younger - most docs I've heard talk about this say the opposite .... but I kind of get the implication that this is about getting back to where you were, based on a level of fitness.  however it's also about what sort of state our muscles were in beforehand, which cuts across ages......

    You're doing well !  Take it easy!

    Best wishes

    Neil

     

    • kate030815
      kate030815 neil5421

      Posted

      Thanks neil

      I have decided today not to push myself and to have 2 hours lying flat. I find sleeping difficult on my back and so only grab a

      few hours at night. How did you get on with this?

      Thanks for your help

    • neil5421
      neil5421 kate030815

      Posted

      Yeah I really disliked sleeping on my back too.  The best thing I found was to  not lie flat but get a bit more propped up with pillows, incl. one in the small of my back... with another pillow under my knees and with a rolled-up towel under my ankles (I was getting real pain from having my heels on the bed). ...and a not-too-heavy covering.  This just seemed better than lying down flat on my back and I could doze off more easily.  

      The afternoon kip is a wonderful thing!  Try and catch up with as much sleep as you can at other times.  Many people post-op struggle with sleep, as far as I can see, and maybe that's also because your body doesn't want to stay in one position for too long.... 

      Good luck

      Neil

       

    • kate030815
      kate030815 neil5421

      Posted

      Sore heels amongst everything else. They hurt out of all proportion don't they?

      I will try more pillows and wore some fluffy socks last night which seems to help

      X

    • Jodi-France
      Jodi-France kate030815

      Posted

      Ian who commented above is the ONLY person I have ever read on here that doesn't have a problem sleeping. He wrote on a different topic that he just slept 14 hours, sounds like heaven doesn't it?

      it is a shame the codeine made you nauseous the good part about the codeine is that it does make you sleepy, which is really what you need, sleep. What you could do with the codeine is cut the pill in half and then add an extra paracetamol. Keep in mind that codeine is VERY constipating so you need to take a stool softener every day and I also drank a big glass of prune juice every day.

      there is no way around it, sleep is a b*tch and it usually doesn't get any better/easier until about 2 weeks.

    • kate030815
      kate030815 Jodi-France

      Posted

      Thanks for the reply. Last night I gave up trying to sleep in bed and sat in my chair. Today I have spoken to my physio who says of course I can sleep on my side..just put a pillow between legs. She said if it doesn't hurt it is not harmful.

      Thanks for the tip about codeine. Have just got over constipation with lactulose so very happy :-)

      I love prunes but had forgotten about their properties. Will send hubby for some today. Had a small glass of wine last night. Heaven.

      Take care

      Kate x

  • lynne09047
    lynne09047 kate030815

    Posted

    Hi and welcome Kate to our hippy club,

    sorry to hear you are in pain, but as all the other hippies have said it does take time no matter what age you are, you alone know your own body, so listen to it, if you feel tired sit or lay down, take it one day at a time, you will get there, I'm 13 post my 2nd THR and I can tell you that this one has been totally different to the first one last nov.

    I was on tramamdol then codiene, then oxydone, all of them only serve to take the edge of it, in my opinion, the side affects far outwaiegh the beinfits, contipation, nausea, tirdeness, etc. so I stopped all of them at day 6, noe just the ocasional nurofen when I need it, Ice packs are the best, and a giant U shaped sleeping pillow, so good luck with your recovery, we are always here for help and advice.

    Love 

    Lynne xx

    • kate030815
      kate030815 lynne09047

      Posted

      Thank you so much. Just one question. .if I get a giant u shaped cushion, how do I use it?

      Take care x

    • lynne09047
      lynne09047 kate030815

      Posted

      Hi Kate, 

      well in answer to your question, if you go on ebay and type in the U shaped pregnancy pillow, you will see how they use it, firstly when you sleeping on your back you need to lay the pillow on your bed, then ease yourself into the middle of it, and sleep like a giant cocoon lol, when you first try sleeping on your side, use the u bend in the pillow as a head rest and lay your operated leg on the long side on the U with your good leg underneath, it keeps your pelvis inline, good luck,

      Lynne xx

  • Kate53CornUK
    Kate53CornUK kate030815

    Posted

    All these lovely people are right, Kate. I was also frustrated in the 'wait' to get better but the more I read on here the more I chilled out and let the healing take it's time. I still push it a little and then I am back on the sofa again in the afternoon for a little snooze and feets up.

    My ankles swell to cankles when I have been a bad girl even after 6 weeks (tomorrow) but everything else is coming along really well.

    I was super fit up to a year ago and my body is itching to get into shape but I have hip number 2 to go yet so really have to take my own advice and take it easy!!!

    Love and light

    Kate

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