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10 days post bilateral anterior total hip replacement

Posted , 9 users are following.

annie.conway
annie.conway

Hi all, newbie here from South Africa. I am a 63yo, previously very active, female. At this stage there is still a lot of pain on the sides of each thigh (iliopsoas tendon I think - not at all knowledgeable about all the terminology). Neither hip is really very happy, but for different reasons. The left side can take my weight, but I can't lift my knee beyond about 30 degrees before it feels as if it loses all power. The right hip is very sore, feeling as if there is bone grinding against bone in a very small area; but as we now know, that's all it takes. When I lie down the pain radiates to the right buttock. Otherwise I feel well, walking on crutches but still basically incapacitated. Looking forward to advice/encouragement/somewhere I can moan and folk will understand and empathise

4 likes, 19 replies

19 Replies

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  • Kate53CornUK
    Kate53CornUK annie.conway

    Posted

    Welcome, Annie, I've had both hips done but with six months apart. What I do know is that the first few weeks are tough for all of us and I believe that, naturally, having them done at the same time means healing takes a while longer. 

    If you read some of the post on here you will find that we have all suffered from weird and unusual, normal and rapid healing.

    I think the rules for everyone are - do it slowly! Give your body time to heal, this is a massive operation and it needs some respect.

    Your legs will feel very heavy for a while until you get some muscle tone back and we all get pain radiating all over the place cry

    Quick or slow, we do recover, just be patient, use your crutches and rest often

  • CelsB
    CelsB annie.conway

    Posted

    Hi Annie and welcome to the forum,

    You have found the right place, this forum is fabulous for advice, support and encouragement.  You can moan all you like because we all understand the trauma of hip replacement, double trauma in your case and 3 weeks after having my right hip replaced I find it hard to understand how you cope with having both done at once. There are some people on here though that have had bilaterals and will know what you're goig through.

    One thing I can say, and I think this applies to one hip or two, after the first couple of difficult weeks the body starts to heal in leaps and bounds.  I think the main thing in the early days is keeping ahead of the pain and not trying to be a hero. Your body has taken a huge beating and you need to be kind to yourself.

    Anterior is supposed to be the way to go, with a faster recovery time, and it's great that one hip can take your weight.  At least you can get around a bit.  Little and often is the way to go I think.

    I hope you've got plenty of help at home, if you are at home now.  You may have opted for somewhere else to convalesce.  I'm not sure how things are done in SA, I'm in the UK.

    Keep posting and let us know how you're doing.  I'm sure in a week or two you will be telling a different story, passing milestones and generally feeling better about it all.

    Hugs, Cels xxx

     

    • annie.conway
      annie.conway CelsB

      Posted

      Hi CelsB, yes; fortunate enough to be at home with full time home help and my husband and daughter are also both being super-supportive.

      What I can't but wonder about is how some folk can literally "take up their beds and walk" a la Lazarus of yore, and then the next person goes ouch! for months..... I'd love to know what the differences are.

    • CelsB
      CelsB annie.conway

      Posted

      I think a lot depends on our surgeons, how much they pull us around and which muscles and tendons are cut, stretched or otherwise messed around with.   How badly our hips had degenerated, age and fitness pre-op also play a big part.  Some make these amazing initial recoveries and experience set-backs later, some recover slowly and steadily, and some just breeze through it. 

      I'm still going ouch.  When I wake in the morning is perhaps the most painful time, and at night I'm just so exhausted.  I dream of the time I can look forward to a normal night's sleep.

       

  • renee01952
    renee01952 annie.conway

    Posted

    Hi Annie, 

    You are so welcome to come here and moan whenever you feel like and also share all those little victories - no one understands you better than the ones who are going (have gone) through the same - 

    I know, I heard those stories too and when it didn't happen with me, i got frustrated and worried and so I found this forum ... phew  --- 2 THR surgeries later (like Kate- 6 months apart) I am still ouchy ...

    I agree with previous comments - I understand that Anterior approach does not involve cutting muscles, tendons, etc. but seperate them, however it is still major surgery - The old joints still have to be removed, new ones fitted, the pipes hammered in to your femors ... and you had both done - the healing that is taking place takes a lot of energy -

    When is your follow up appointment ? If the pain is getting worse, or you are worried , better to contact your doctor -  

    Be gentle with your self and come back here anytime okay ...

    big warm hug from gray Holland .... 

    renee

     

    • annie.conway
      annie.conway renee01952

      Posted

      First follow-up is tomorrow morning. I don't want to go in there moaning like a drain, but not being able to put weight on a brand-new joint doesn't sound right to me? And it is within the joint where the pain is, not the surrounding area
    • renee01952
      renee01952 annie.conway

      Posted

      don't hold back, Annie - I have a tendency to make light of things like that - don't want to sound like an old nagging woman and all that, but my girfriend who was with me, stopped me and told how I was feeling - Of course I confirmed that -

      Is there someone going in with you ???  

       

    • annie.conway
      annie.conway renee01952

      Posted

      Yes, my husband has to drive me, so he will most decidedly be invited to sit in on the consult. Thanks for the heads-up
    • jamie0456
      jamie0456 annie.conway

      Posted

      Hi Annie,  I had the same issue at my 2 week follow-up (I too had bilateral anterior).  Couln't put weight on my left leg.  Doc seemed to feel it would just take time.  At my 6 week (last week) followup, it had eased a bit. Over the last four weeks I saw improvement and could get a pretty good stride with crutches taking the weight off the left leg.   It clarified and seemed to be the muscles surrounding the hip that were preventing me from putting full weight on it not the joint itself.  It is now 7 weeks and I continue to see slow progress, as I try to slowly strectch and strengthen the muscles.  I find that walking with crutches is the perfect exercise for strengthening those muscles since you can put exactly the right amount of weight on the muscles that they can handle.  Then be sure to ice!

      Hang in there, there will be improvement!

  • Rocketman_SG6UK
    Rocketman_SG6UK annie.conway

    Posted

    Annie,

    What can I add to my fellow hippies comments - not much.

    You can certainly always get a sympathetic ear of people who actually know what you are going through on here, and usually some excellent advice.

    I am also 63, but in UK, all I can say is it does get better - I have been 'through the mill' a bit, having 2 operations on the same joint now, and set up an advice website - see my personal info, or below.

    Best wishes

    Graham - 🚀💃

  • jamie0456
    jamie0456 annie.conway

    Posted

    Hi Annie, I too had bilateral anterior.  Am now 7 weeks.  At ten days definitely saw some of the same symptoms you describe.  IT WILL IMPROVE!!!  10 days is still very early in the process and your body is devoting all its effort to just recovering from the operation.

    Some thoughts.  Make sure at this stage not to overdo the walking/stairs.  Ice helps tremendously! I still ice after I walk.  Feel free to post again, we all deserve to moan and groan!

    Hope you are feeling better (even today!!!).

    Jamie

    • annie.conway
      annie.conway jamie0456

      Posted

      I miss my bed - which is upstairs. But at this stage I fear that, should I go up there, I might not get back down again .... LOL Other than sliding down the banister, of course!!
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