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Feel like I've hit a plateau

Posted , 8 users are following.

miele55255ch
miele55255ch

I'm almost at 3 months and I feel like I've hit a plateau. I haven't seen any improvement. I'm still walking with a limp and my surgery site still hurts. I haven't driven yet except for driving around my block once. I still can't sleep on my right side because it feels like I'm pushing the replacement into my body further.

Just disgusted I guess. I have no more arthritis pain in my hip which I am truly grateful for. And yes, I would definitely do it again. I just hate feeling stalled out

 

2 likes, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • lynne09047
    lynne09047 miele55255ch

    Posted

    Hi Miele,

    I don't understand how you can still not sleep on your side, at 3 months you really should be further on, but having said that everyone heals at a different rate, if things don't improve I would ask for a set of xray's just to make sure everything is ok, all the best,

    Lynne.

  • helen248
    helen248 miele55255ch

    Posted

    im 6 weeks and also cant sleep on my side. either side. its very annoying. I guess all this will come with time. we jjust have to keep working on the strength and flexibility exercises and it will come.

    im driving tomorrow like it or not. i have 2 hospital appointments and no-one to take me so its behind the wheel i go. 

    keep your chin up. it will all come good eventually. have you set a goal as a reward? mine is walking up Greenside above lake ullswater. its one of my fave places to go and i havent been able to manage it for 6 years. 

  • maggie93798
    maggie93798 miele55255ch

    Posted

    I am 10 weeks, just starting to lie on my side, it is slightly uncomfortable unless I get the position just right. Driving uncomfortable, still trying to get best position but I am enjoying the independence again. Still limp, especially when tired, though folding walking stick has not left handbag for 10 days. When Ilookback to 10 weeks ago huge progress, day to day, becoming frustrated at apparent lack of progress. Maybe at this stage it would be best to review weekly not daily
    • miele55255ch
      miele55255ch maggie93798

      Posted

      I think I just get too impatient with myself. I feel I should be so much further along. But you're right! I need to measure my progress by the week more often. I have made strides though since day 1.

       

  • Hailea
    Hailea miele55255ch

    Posted

    Hi miele

    Sorry you are going through this. I am at ten weeks post op this coming tuesday

    I was told by my surgeon that if I had any problems with my hip not to go to my GP but to call his secretary and book an appointment. Looking at what you are going through I would phone your hospital tomorrow and ask to speak to your surgeons secretary. Tell her your worries / problems and you want to come in for an x ray. They won't mind and it is better to put your mind at rest. Also if everything is ok ask if you can have some more physio. That may help also. You can't rush these things. I have had loads of operations some minor some major like this and I have bounced back from every one of them. This operation seems to have knocked the stuffing out of me for sure. I want to progress but because my right hip has now collapsed I have to wait a couple of weeks till that hip has been done now too having already had my left hip done first.

    • Paulus1949
      Paulus1949 Hailea

      Posted

      Good advice there

      I was in a similar situation after my 1st THR,the other hip gave up soon after.

      I eventually had that hip replaced 12mnths after the 1st.

      If it's any encouragement 20wks on I'm in pretty good shape and getting back into my walks 3-8mls every week.

      As said everybody recovers at a different rate,it can take up to 12 months to fully recover.

      Im a great fan of static cycling to rebuild wasted muscles..I've gradually built up to doing 12.5K in 30mins,every other day.

      My aim is to one day get out on the road bike,it's the fear of falling off and damaging the new hips that puts me off..the thought of having to have revision surgery is pretty scary.

       

  • renee01952
    renee01952 miele55255ch

    Posted

    Hi Miele, 

    seems we are all going through the same kind of stages .... at 3, 6, 10, 14 weeks ... Good grief ... I am 14 weeks tomorrow and feel like I should be much further along ...  I can understand 3 weeks, or 6, but 14 !!!! thank God for this forum though ... I did sleep on my unoperated side while still in the hospital - on operated side 3 weeks ago - I also feel, or think I am feeling the implant ... I do drive - getting in and out of the car is still challenging - Like hailea and many others here, my other hip needs surgery too ... 

    I am happy to have you all in my life .... can't really talk to anybody about this - 

    warm hug

    • miele55255ch
      miele55255ch renee01952

      Posted

      You can count me in on the OA train. I have it in every joint EXCEPT for my knees and my left elbow. I also need to have my other hip done but I think I will give this one at least a year to see how well it heals.

      And yes, it's nice having people to talk to who have had the same thing. My family thinks I should be running a marathon by now. They don't understand how tiring it is yet.

       

  • MarthaUK
    MarthaUK miele55255ch

    Posted

    Hi

    I'm 5 months post op and still walk with a limp because of my back - I have OA in my spine as well.

    I can still 'feel' it when I lie on my operated side, I have to wriggle around a bit to get comfortable.

    I'm still under the physio at my GPs, the one at the hospital was rubbish!! This physio is very holistic and he's working on building up my core muscles - around my middle, so it supports my back better and, hopefully, I won't limp.

    I could only walk about 100yards, with a stick, before my op and last weekend I walked 2.4 miles which was terrific for me! However, I intend to get back to the 10 mile hikes I used to do in the Peak District where I live!!

    Seek advice and keep asking for physio. Don't give up until you find a physio you can work with, they can be SO different.

    Good luck x

    • miele55255ch
      miele55255ch MarthaUK

      Posted

      Hi Martha!

      I had Physical Therapy for 6 weeks after my surgery. When I went to see my doctor, he said I could stop PT because the hip is one joint that will heal on its own with normal walking and such.

      I probably should go back to my exercises because they did make me feel a little more limber but not much else.

       

  • tracy54947
    tracy54947 miele55255ch

    Posted

    Feel much the same! Can only tolerate lying on my operated side for about 30mins. I'm 12wks post op now and have no pain other than an ache in my groin. Having been walking mostly without sticks just have one for long distances but still not walking properly. It feels like my body won't physically go into that position anymore! Frustrating to still have slight limp. On the plus side I've been cycling 3 times and go to a Zumba gold class once a week plus the joint rehab class the physio runs. Thought I'd be back to work just now but taking another 4 wks to make sure I'm walking better. Looking back have made huge progress but yes seem to have hit a plateau too.

    Hang in there :-)

  • jan24212
    jan24212 miele55255ch

    Posted

    Hi there, I haven't been on the site for a few weeks, which tells me I have been feeling OK. However I have had my ups and downs and really believe that everyone's recovery is different. I am nearly 9 weeks post op. Some things that people can do at 6 or 8 weeks astonishes me, I still struggle walking more than a mile and hip class wipes me out.  Position is everything when sleeping and I still wake 2 or 3 times a night.  What I am trying to say is don't despair, you will get there, talk to your physio or consultant and just make you are on top of your exercises, pain relief etc and then plod on.  I am told it can take 9 to 18 months to feel better. Good luck 
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