1. Community
  2. Operations and surgical procedures
  3. Hip Replacement

Day 3 after Posterior Left Total Hip Replacement

Posted , 6 users are following.

john26737
john26737

Hi All,

It is day three post op for me and things are going pretty well. I want to give a fairly detailed account of the last three days as reading this kind of thing really helped me prepare. Bearing in mind that everyones recovery will be different.

Day 0 - Operation Day

The hours following the op are a bit of a blur. I think I was in the theatre for several hours. When I came around I had very low blood pressure and this was consistent over the next 24 hours. Managed to stand and shift weight to my operated leg 6 hours after the operation. Had some nausea. Took a lot of pain killers through the night.

Day 1 - After Operation

Was spaced out for most of the day but thanks to ample pain killers was feeling pretty good. Managed to shower myself, only required assistance to put stockings back on. Managed to use crutches around the ward. By the afternoon I was cleared to go to the toilet on my own using crutches. This was probably my worse night pain wise.

Day 2 - After Operation

Crutched around the ward. Blood pressure returned to normal. Have full mobility with crutches. Passed the stairs test and getting in and out of car test. Pain eased off but still on pain killers periodically. First swelling started so began using ice packs. Able to do all lying and standing physio. Spent a few hours in a chair. Previous to the operation I could not sit for more than a few minutes without pain in the joint. Pain that would increase and become 10/10 until I got up and limped around. Now there is zero pain.

Day 3 - Today

Have woken this morning feeling fantastic. Went for a crutch around the ward. Swelling has reduced. My main problem is that I have been walking with a stiff hip for 20 or so years so having some difficulty getting the correct muscles to fire. This will come with time and effort. i am going home today.

There are some caveats on the above. I have been on around the clock pain killers which has hidden the pain and improved my general mood. And the worse may yet be to come. I have been advised that swelling and bruising are on the way.

 

4 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • Annette1234
    Annette1234 john26737

    Posted

    Great going John, one foot in front of the other as they say and trust need the pain meds are needed this early!  I misses one here or there and thought my femur was coming out of my leg, So enough the good ride and keep moving!!!  All the best,

    Annette

  • linda38528
    linda38528 john26737

    Posted

    Very impressive first days!

    It is hard to get more than two days in hospital here. Do you go home tomorow?

    I was a bit conflicted - wanted to be home in my own bed, but did not want to give up the extraordinary pain pill even if they messed me up a bit (don't ask what hallucinations i got)!. However on balance I was glad to get home and start the journey 'in real time'.

    Well ... the ride home was a treat. Do not forget your pillow or the plastic bag to help you swivel in and out of the car. It is amazing how good it feels to get home, but I have to admit I was beat after this and it only took about an hour all told!

    The first 10 days are tough but also rewarding as you can start to see progress with exercises and small tasks fairly quickly even if it is sometimes frustrating to be so dependent upon others. Make sure your network is lined up to help with tasks and lift your spirits and help them understand what you need - be explicit, as expecting them to divine what you need is a fool's game. Unless they have been through it ....

    Keep in touch to let us know how you are doing. Take care.

    L

    • Annette1234
      Annette1234 linda38528

      Posted

      just reading what you write always makes me feel good Linda, you always hit the nail on the head. How is out friend Fiona today she is quite..no?  Annette xo
  • renee01952
    renee01952 john26737

    Posted

    hi john, 

    thank you for sharing and great progress ... amazing how that awful OA pain is gone right? okay, there will be other pains while the body is healing and, like you mentioned, having walked or sat or whatever, with bad posture for many years ..

    keep the positive attitude and be gentle with yourself --- you don't need to prove anything to anybody, okay ... seriously ... 

    and come back here anytime ...

    now my dear female co-hippies, I have noticed that men heal differently (faster?) than us - don't despair and don't compare ...

    big warm hug

    renee

  • john26737
    john26737

    Posted

    Just an update on this. When I wrote the above I was on a cocktail of drugs and adrenaline.

    Since coming home it has been pretty much hell. Exhausted, in pain, constipated and can no longer put weight on the leg due to the swelling and pain.

    Had to reduce the pain killers to get my digestive tract moving which brought on quite severe pain in my operated leg right side of the femur extending from the hip to the knee.

    Have had a couple of nights of utter delirium and I would say probably only 1 night where I had a full good nights sleep. Felt pretty good that day.

    I am having great difficulty doing my standing physio exercises.

    Having said all that I am still overall happy. The arthritic pain is 0 and I know the rest of this will pass.

    Cheers

    • renee01952
      renee01952 john26737

      Posted

      oh john, 

      I am so sorry to read this ... I remember coming down from euphoria to reality eek - 

      were you prescribed different pain medication?  Arghh ... but you know what - it is normal ... not fun though ... 

      take it easy and be gentle with yourself -

      it is said that it is better to take pain medication and be ahead of the pain than stop taking them and suffer through it ...

      please let us know how you are getting on

      big warm hug

      renee

    • linda38528
      linda38528 john26737

      Posted

      Hi John,

      (I think) Your overall message in this update is that you have been through a rougher patch since your initial post but starting to be more optimistic again.

      The challenges of balancing pain managment with regularity (although some people seem to (a)void this problem) and sleepless (fewer people manage to sleep on) are pretty intimidating. I hope these 'pass' for you soon 😊.

      You had such encouraging initial weeks that this must all have been pretty depressing and discouraging. So kudos for you to still see the up side.

      I was lucky and could manage 'regularity' with a regular fibre-rich diet, extra prunes and the occasional softner. Others report that traditional medicines offers a 'smooth move' tea which helps with this too. As going without pain meds is hard to imagine this early on.

      For sleep - I was able to use melatonin which helped me better sleep routines although I still get up 4-5 x per night for a quick walk-about, loo visit and to turn over sides in bed (now 6 months post but getting ready for hip 2 in three weeks).

      Other than that (and problems of hip 2 which clearly slowed down my recovery), I am feeling quite positive about recovery - so don't despair. Better days are definitely ahead.

      Regards,

      L

Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.