Complete hip replacement.. more nervous than anything.

Posted , 9 users are following.

Hello, This THR thing I think will be a miracle once completely healed. I have a very positive outlook for after especially after I have suffered for so long.

It is quite fresh since I had it done Dec 28.. and was released home Dec 31st.

I try hard to keep my leg straight but that has proven very difficult. It has made me wonder will it stay sideways cause even walking it it feels a bit sideways but I'm also wondering if it's not jus swelling.

I went into this scared and crying so bad and the drs were phenomenal.. I had a spinal and also a long acting morphine injected into my spine.. coming out I felt wonderful and pretty much still do except yesterday. I think I spend too much time up.. sitting up and trying to walk around because once it was time to relax i had one hell of a time to get back into bed and get comfortable. There was alot of pressure and aching in my groin area and inner thigh muscle.

Today all in all I'm impressed cause I was able to get out of bed alone this morning for the most part. Yay progress!! I do keep a pillow under my leg and a rolled up towel under my knee and do foot pumps almost all day long.

Good luck to everyone! I'm sure I'll be here tonight. Right now I'm jus fresh and waking up so besides some back pain I'm ok.

Thank you

3 likes, 23 replies

23 Replies

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  • Posted

    I also forgot to mention that I have one tender spot in my side.. a small spot but it's quite tender when touched

  • Posted

    Hi Starr, it is still early days, from what I remember from mine 15 months ago, you need to be up for most of the day but take a 2 hour rest/nap on the bed in the afternoon. I was told to get up and walk around every 45 minutes so I didnt get too stiff.  I had terrible trouble getting into bed, couldnt lift my leg up high enough for the first weerk or so. Did they give you exercises to do, I had to do 3 different exerciese 3 times a day. As to feeling like your leg is out sidewas, my foot still is to some degree, Doc gave me an exercise to do tuning foot in, but that was not until I was 9 months in and mentioned it.  pain on theside of the leg? maybe just where you are healing but you could have bursitis. I ot that post op nad it took months to settle but it will go away. Good luck x
    • Posted

      Thank you. I will see the doctor on Monday and address it with him. It feels like it's turning outward. I'm feeling better. But if I sit on the couch or in the livingroom all day (of course getting up etc as well) the incision itself hurts a bit.. drying up and pulling I'm assuming. I'm not sleeping like I was which is nice.

  • Posted

    Starr, for the first few weeks after my surgeries, I slept whenever I could, and only walked around as needed, from bed to bathroom to dining room table and back to bed. Resting, elevating and icing as much as possible are all very good things early in recovery. There has been much trauma to your body from this surgery, including cut bone, stretched soft tissue and lots of stitching, inside and out. Your body needs to rest in order to heal. Sounds like you are doing very well!

    You say you are having trouble keeping your leg straight when sitting or lying down or walking, is that correct? I don't remember having that situation. Is it turning in or out? That is something I'd check with my surgeon about. Where I live, we always have a two-week follow-up appointment after surgery, and things can be addressed then. 

    I well remember those early days of having a hard time getting comfortable. It took me weeks to actually feel comfortable in any position. Take care!

    • Posted

      I did all of my sleeping sitting up for the entire 6 weeks that I was not allowed to sleep on my side. I sat in bed on an incline, propped up by a dozen pillows all around me. I only managed a total of about 5 hours of sleep per day all that time, in 1 1/2 hour chunks. I am unable to sleep on my back due to obstructive sleep apnea. So, if you can manage better sleep than that, good for you!

      For the second surgery, I went to a rehab facility for 2 1/2 weeks after my surgery, and then had a hospital bed for my home. I also had gotten an electric lift recliner between the two surgeries. So things were MUCH better for me for sleeping after the second surgery. After the first op I had no comfy chair to sit on without breaking the 90 degree rule, hence I had to use the bed for everything.

    • Posted

      Thank you. Things are starting to settle down. Just that even with my exercises my leg is quite weak.. I can't fully lift it into bed by myself but my bed is 34" tall. I have a follow up in 2 days and will.definately be asking the surgeon about it smile

  • Posted

    Hi Starr, sounds like you are doing well. I didn't go to bed at all during the day, found it v uncomfortable at night on my back, so I certainly didn't want to spend any more time in bed!. I did sit on the sofa with my leg up resting from time to time during the day, and particularly in the evening. I think moving and doing your exercises is V important as long as you're not feeling too sore. Good luck!

    • Posted

      I do move when I can. I was just always falling asleep.. it seemed like as soon as I relaxed.. whether it was in my chair or in my bed.. I was really struggling to stay up. In the evening now a days I do ache a bit.. perhaps from sitting too long or trying to do a bit too much for it being only 10 days since surgery.. I wanna go out! Lol. I was basically stuck home bound for 3 years and now am going stir crazy. Happy ur doing well!
  • Posted

    I,too, had surgery on the 28th and went home on the 31st. I'd like to follow your progress. I'm awfully weak and sore but make sure to keep up with my pain meds. Good luck to you! It's great to be on the other side, ready to heal!

    • Posted

      Hi Candice, definitely keep up your pain meds! I wish you a good recovery.
    • Posted

      Yay happy for u and sure follow us smile it does feel amazing to be on the mend and as scared as I was going in.. I'm very happy that I have done it. Once.my 3 months are up tho I go in for the left. At least now I know what to expect smile happy healing smile

  • Posted

    I'm just eight weeks today, and I was started on sets of exercises within 12 hours - not just walking. There was a very definite instruction to keep active - napping was fine (I didn't much) but stay active as well. But like clockwork the first couple of weeks, at 3pm I would nod off on the sofa; and even now I have the odd day when it still happens.

    ?Everyone has a different journey, so I wouldn't worry about things right now. And if you are worrying, speak to the doctor. I'm not sure that any of us can be absoluitely certain what is "normal", and it may be that it's just the getting used to the new joint that makes you feel "sideways", but if that continues speak to the doctor or the physio.

  • Posted

    Hi Starr-

      You have a quite a collection of problems and concerns. But, from my experience as a now-revised hippie, you are doing fine. Remember, just a few days ago, you had your leg detached and hammered on for a couple of hours. It's only natural that you would feel swollen and awkward. Boredom and exhaustion will be your companions for a while; learn to make peace with them. Drugs help, make sure you take your anti-inflammatories and pain meds. Drink more than your usual intake of water, no alcohol for a bit. And be realistic: you won't be your energetic, alert, accomplished, self for 3 months at best (6 months more likely).

    You have a couple of valid health concerns. Write them down and recite the list for your followup with the surgeon. Or mention them to your physical therapist--they have seen it all before.

    Hope this helps.

    Happy New Year

  • Posted

    Hi starr, 

    Good to see you here and again, a warm welcome ...

    It is a miracle, right ?  I remember feeling euphoric in the beginning that the grinding OA pain was gone and also that I did it !!!! yeah ... done ..

    but then reality sinks in and we have to do something - leg feels like alien appendix .. I don't remember the not getting the leg straight either - is this when you walk ?  

    during surgery your leg has been so manipulated that you might feel bruises and swelling and sore spots in the weirdest places ..I had a handprint bruise on back of my thigh ... Not such gentle folks the ortho surgeons ..

    Listen closely to your body .. it is very early days for you ..

    You are doing great and have agreat attitude ..

    be very gentle with Starr and come back here anytime you have a concern or question or just want to chat, okay ...

    there always is someone around --- you are not alone

    big warm hug

    renee

  • Posted

    Hi there I'm just 6months t l h r and doing fine still sore when

    stand and start to walk for awhile but goes away once I get

    moving.

    You have to remember what we have been though ,in those early weeks I rested and slept lots as and when I could,slept almost sitting up this is when your body is repairing it's self,drink plenty

    do your bed exercises just do what you can ,I used to walk bent

    over with a limp (bone on bone pain) now although I had leg

    difference of 1inch after op that has righted it's self I now walk

    tall ,no limp,not bent over and no pain wow hang in there you'll

    get there much love😨 🙋

    • Posted

      That's great! I too was hunched over in pain before. If I shopped I had to lean over the cart. In the end I hated to go out.. I was basically stuck in bed.. the pain was excruciating. The way I feel now.. just over 2 weeks since I had surgery is.. I'm soon to get my groove back lol. Well with the exception that I do have to have the other hip done as well.. but that one doesn't hurt nearly as much as my right one. I'm happy to hear u are doing well and I have alot to look forward to in the upcoming monthssmile

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