Hip replacement-3 weeks getting pains/restlessness in lower parts of legs

Hi, I had my hip replaced on August 17 get very restless legs when in bed.  I take the strongest painkiller Tramadol with two paracetamol before I go to bed prop myself up on two pillows plus a V shaped pillow and do now manage to sleep for about four and half hours before I have to get up, I think it's better if you sleep half sitting up.  Good luck Ann

good luck,

Marion

Hi Neena

I am now 7 weeks but like you u had awful restless legs and couldn't sleep. I drank tonic water as quinine meant to help. After it carrying on I rang gp who prescribed an anti spasmodic drug which greatly helped.

I have found after about 5 weeks this problem disappeared.

I am 2 weeks post op and had sore heels and like you was restless, so I put a really soft cushion under my calves and feet and find the support really comfortable and I'm having the best night's sleeps for months.

Hi.  I am 3.5 weeks postop for left thr and can totally sympathise with the restless legs issue.  It has really been driving me nuts!!  However, it has recently improved slightly as I make sure I do my last set of exercises last thing at night.  If the restless legs problem strikes then I sit up and read for a bit and then try again.  If that doesn't work then I go for a walk around the house (the dog thinks I have lost the plot!) and do the calf-stretch exercises too.  We bought a memory foam topper and that has helped quite a bit in that there is now no pressure on my heels.  It is just a very un-natural sleeping position for me and I can't wait to get to the point where I can lie on my side again!!!!

Let's be honest .... there is not a lot you can do about sleeping .... at night you just can't because you are forced to lie on your back for 6 weeks.  I had a second round of this just 4 weeks later after my revision, so I know what it's like.

I found my iPod with soothing music was best, also I went into the spare room to give my wife some respite from my fidgeting.  I found the spare bed had a harder mattress which suited me better.

You can move your 'good' leg in bed, i used to flex mine sideways, bending my knee.  Also, you can do anti-DVT 'bed exercises' like raising and lowering both your knees together.

As a friendly policeman said ...

 You've done the crime - had a THR

 You have to pay the price - restless legs, endless trips to the bathroom, no sleep

 You will be free soon - when you recover, you will be free of OA pain.

I did nap in between doing my jigsaw puzzles (adult colouring books are also very good, I will opt for them next time).

Best Wishes

Graham

Lots of good advice here. Plus see Rules of the Sleep Club recently reposted by Fernlady (original posted by Kate).

Sleep is our biggest post thr challenge as it comes in dribs and drabs.

In addition to solutions proposed here, others have suggested getting magnesium levels checked as we are often low and this increases problems with agitated legs.

I avoided adding more prescription drugs (don't like adding to the cocktail we use for the pain) but did try melatonin after 4 weeks to try to re- establish sleep patterns. It did help me fall asleep better but I became resigned to getting g up 4-5x nightly to ease cramping and to use the loo.I have my 2nd to be done shortly, so welcome other thoughts but I really think this is simply (and perversely)part of the healing process.

Better to work within it than to fight what nature and drugs gave created in this journey.

Good luck.

PS thanks to all the lovely nightime members of this forum who helped while away many midnight hours with me.

L

Hi neena, this is a pretty common problem that a lot of seem to have gone through. I just had my second hip replacement 3 weeks ago, and first 3 months ago. I noticed the pain and restlessness moreso with my first, but still do have some with this one. Last night was a rough one as that is exactly what was going on with me and I had a terrible time getting to sleep. With the first surgery I found that placing a pillow or pillows under my legs right about at the knees to keep the knees in a bent position helped me quite a bit. Unfortunately that doesn't seem to work for me anymore and I find it uncomfortable to lay that way. All of us have gone through the sleeplessness. It does get better with time. Their have been posts on here about the "sleepclub" gives great advice for not being able to sleep. Not a solution but rather different ways of dealing with it. I found the best advice for me was if I can't sleep not to fight it (as I did last night because I was exhausted) but to just go with the flow. Sometimes is better to just get up for a while and maybe walk around a little or come on the internet. Anything that takes our mind off of not being able to sleep. No rules that says we all have to sleep at night, and taking a nap when you are able is a big help. Fernlady was the last person to share the great post about not being able to sleep hope you can find it and read it. Wishing you well and hope your pain and resltessness subsides soon. Barb