I'm home after having my hip op and i feel yuck

efleure

Hi to all on here. I came home last night after 8 days in the hospital following my hip replacement. I just need to cry a bit and you lot are the only ones that will understand. i got so het up before the op about all the things that might go wrong, that i didn't even consider the other stuff. i was in no way prepared for the pain involved. i can't take morphine so that doesn't help i know but even so..the nurses in the hospital were at best indifferent and at worst downright cold and unhelpful apart from a handful who were wonderful .I feel so depressed coming home to two lively girls and a grown up son and daughter who are trying to help but who have no idea what i'm going through.it is so hard. i haven't slept in a week, and now have terrible sciatica which i'm told may settle down or not...every time i try to do anything my leg swells up, and i feel dizzy and lightheaded all the time. i'm so weak it scares me. i'm slightly anaemic after surgery, and have iron pills for this, and my blood pressure is a bit low, but the hosp said this will all settle in time, but i'm scared this is it from now on....i hate to say this, and everyone keeps telling me off, but i wish i hadn't had the op. i know in my head once the pain and other stuff stops i might not feel this way but now, i do. my new hip has made my leg feel about 6ft too long, and the surgeon said that was because my old hip was so bad the muscles and stuff around it have all contracted and don't work anymore, but this makes it impossible to walk with any sort of rythym or pattern. so the pain and the limp are worse than before the op.. sorry for the moan...didn't know who else to talk to .
will these things ever get better?? any help would be so appreciated...

carola

Oh dear.
You did the right thing by coming on here and talking.
I do not have any experience of what you are going through therefore no practical advice I am afraid.
Just want to support you.
It sounds very plausible what the docs saying why your leg feels about 6ft long and the sciatica probably 'cos you have had to walk funny previously putting pressure on muscles and joints you shouldn't have and also the sitting and lying around.
When I cannot get away from pain I find 'association' a wee helpful thing eg I programme my mind (just like training a puppy) that a specific something will help me. Currently it is a cup of lemon and ginger tea. Seriously, when I hold the mug I instantly feel a little saner.
You will get through this and come out smiling meantime try to grit your teeth and relax as much as possible.
I just know you will feel a little better each day.
Carol

dreamdaisy

Oh poor you. Operations are big things and they do take time to get over. I have never had a replacement but I have had my share of struggling post-op. Recovery isn't instantaneous, it takes a while for things to settle. For starters the GA takes a while to clear the system, the amount of pulling and tugging and heaving and pushing your poor body has undergone is in itself a huge trauma, and there is always discomfort - to put it mildly! Give yourself time to recover from that before you start thinking about skipping along country lanes in bright sunshine. It's too late to fret now about what you did/didn't do before the op. You are in this situation now, and this is what has to be dealt, with so give yourself some time. Be kind to yourself, accept help, rest plenty, and think positively. Things will improve but it will take time. DD

frogmorton

Oh CHICK

You poor poor thing

First of all contact GP for pain releif - that would make a huge difference. And if you are not having something yet - something to help you sleep. You need to get AHEAD of that pain if you can. Overlapping pain releif with yor anti-inflam if you can.

There are those of us who are rubbish at surgery - I am one of them too. :oops:

When I had my back op I can promise you I regretted it for at LEAST 6 months!!!!!!! Now I am so very very glad I had it done - honestly.

The sciatca is likley because you are not allowed to sleep on your side Try pillows under your knees - it might take some of the strain off your back if they let you.

Most people's sleep pattern gets mucked up when they have major surgery too - Elna posted about it a while back after her second knee.

the length of the leg is something you can look at once you are in less pain and more rested.

You please take care my love

Love and huge hugs

Toni xx

julie47

Sorry you feel so bad

But I do hope that now you are home and in your own surroundings that your recovery will speed up.

Sorry my input to you isn't very helpful but I am thinking of you, I am pretty new to this forum so haven't had much experience at giving advice. :?

Take care love julie xx

marion1952

Dear Efleure

I wondered how you were getting on and only this week posted a general message to see if you had had your op..

I can sympathise with the way you feel at the moment though - those first 2 weeks after the op are difficult - my leg felt as heavy as a tree trunk and was very swollen.. It does get better though .. Make sure you rest on the bed a few times a day to help with the swelling and also keep doing those foot paddling exercises..

I also had low blood pressure after the op and also had anaemia - and that doesn't help..

It's been a big operation Efleure and you just need time to recover from it.. Don't rush things.. It must have been very difficult for you not to be able to have the morphine.

I am in a rush just at the moment Eflleure, so this message is quie brief, but I will post another message to you this evening..

I'm sure Speedalong (who has also had a hip operation recently) will be along soon to give you some advice/encouragement..

Marion x

efleure

Thank you Marion and all the others who have replied. Already feel mentally a bit better after reading your kind words.... i know i've got to get a more positive mental attitute going but just can't...it's horrible ...and having the girls around makes it so much worse...i'm snapping at them and the poor things don't know what the hell's going on....so now i feel guilty that i'm not handling it very well...i'm also really bad at knowing just how far to push myself physically...thank you for your replies. means a lot to me.

dreamdaisy

You have had a traumatic time - you were unconcious for part of it (a good thing) and concious for the rest of it (a bad thing). It is VERY EARLY DAYS. Stop putting pressure on yourself, explain to the girls that you are ill and feeling very low, hopefully they are of an age to show some understanding. It is going to take time. Be patient. Things will get better. DD

barbara12

H iefleure
You poor thing, I was wondering how you had got on., I suppose Its know use telling you it is early days, like Marion says you mustn't be hard on yourself, after any op you can feel really down when you come home, this is such a big op, but I am sure you will fell the benefit, when all the swelling and pain settles.
What sought of pain relief are you on, If you can get the pain under control, then you will more human, and able to do more.
Sorry I cant help anymore, I am still to have my THR, but please keep coming on and talking to us, I am sure It will help to get it all of your chest.
Lots of very gentle hugs (((((((((((()))))))))))
love
Barbara xx

kathbee

Hi Fleure

Sorry to read that you arent so good at all after your op.

It will get easier - honest.

I had a THR last Xmas, was in all over Xmas time but that
was ok as there is only my hubby at home and no young kids.
Of course I missed having xmas dinner with my lovely daugher
but hey, what's one xmas out of 66.

Seriously though, you're bound to feel rubbish for now and it cant be easy if you have young children. Try to relax and tell yourself you will be back to your old self soon, minus the old hip pain. That was the absolute bonus for me, no hip pain, yippee. Let your adult kids do as much as they can. You do need to rest but also move a little and your body will tell you how much.

Did you have a general anaesthetic or a spinal block.
I chose the spinal block and would if I have to have any other replacements, which I'm sure I will.

Try if you can to get the pain under some control and hopefully you will get stronger everyday.

Also, do you have some OT/physios coming in ?
I did and it did help although it was thick snow and they didnt always make it but they were at the end of the phone.

You do sound a bit better though now and I really hope that you continue to improve.

Pop along and tell us how things are going.
I do understand.

Take care
Love Kath

joann1

Hope ypur feeling better soon, hopefully got my op soon and at the min thinking of the good things that mite happen after, think i best start thinking about what its going to be really like

Jo-Ann

frogmorton

Hiya

I bet all these nice messages have had you bawling even more - they've set ME off!!! :oops:

Say sorry to the kids and then start to be kinder to yourself - the anaesthetic can make you a bit depressed for a good while - you are honestly doing very very well.

Please keep posting

Love and huge hugs

Toni xx

kathbee

Oh, forgot to say efleure
that I also had shocking sciatica pain
but to be honest i was struggling with that
along with the severe hip pain before the surgery.

and now -
ta dah,
no sciatica pain, phew what a relief.
Still have all the other awful pain connected
to the RA, OA, spondaloarthropy, ankylosing spondy,
fibromyalgia, bulging spinal discs, etc. etc.


It will as someone else said be aggravated cos you are
having to lie on your back, thats something I
really disliked and could only do it with a V-shaped
pillow pulled around my shoulders to 'prop' me up a bit.

Kath x

tkachev

Sorry to read you are suffering so Efleure. It must be very frightening for you. Keep your family informed about how you feel as they need to support you and they cant do that if you dont tell them how you feel.

When i had my THR op I had good and bad staff too. I was dizzy and feeling sick in the early days. I had a spinal not a General anaesthetic.
After 2 days I was white as a sheet and they gave me a blood transfusion and I felt much better after that. It doesnt make you feel very well if you are anaemic, especially after a major operation.

Can you let your GP know how you feel? It could be an infection, a reaction to meds, loss of blood. They should help you after all.

E x

elnafinn

Dear Efleure

Lovely to hear from you and that you have escaped hospital. :roll: I am sorry that you are not feeling that great but it will get better, that is a promise. It is only one week, for goodness sake, my lovely. You have to look after yourself for a while now and let the others in the family rally round. It is major surgery as my consultant kept emphasising to me after my knee ops. He asked me last week at my 6 month post op check for knee no.2, if I felt it had been worth it as he said it is such a big thing to go through. Of course I replied that it had. Well worth it all.

We are all different in how we get on after an operation. Some have pain, for a long time (me), others have none, some get mobile very quickly, others take a little longer. We all get there in the end. We have to be patient, something many, including myself are not, regarding recovery. You are not going to feel that great being anaemic which can happen after an op of this nature. I also said out loud and to myself on occasions, I wish I had not had the knee op so you are not alone there. After a good few weeks, that thought no longer crossed my mind. It will be the same for you.

You may eventually need to get an insert for your shoe if one leg is now a little longer than the other. I think Speedalong has an shoe insert but not 100% sure. I did not sleep well for months after my knee op. It does pass. I did not bother with meds for night time but have a chat with your gp about it if you feel this would be of benefit to you.

I hope physio will be put in place for you soon. I hope you are resting and elevating the legs and "icing" to get swelling down. Are you in those lovely "stockings"?

Chin up, my lovely, after another week or so, you will be able to look back and that way you will see there have been improvements in what you are able to do now compared to then.

Keep calling in, it really does help and the "Hip Club" members are all lovely and will be on hand to guide you through it and give you as much help as they can.

Love
Elna x

skezier

Hi Efleure,

I am sorry its all so horrible for you just now but it is early days. That said its not helping you to be told that really...... I think the contracted muscles will lengthen again though sadly that takes time and without the morphine I hate to think how you have managed.

I haven't had my hips done, they have offered but as yet mine are okish so I can't help but I have had major surgery on my spine and had to learn to walk again... almost like a baby. Its soul destroying for a few weeks but then it all comes together and, hopefully, you never look back. Just hang in there flower and come and post and this lot will help you to get through the rough bit.

In my case I took to writing a diary and put all my frustrations and disappointments (I was expecting and instant cure!) into it..... this site didn't exist them but I think it helps to say whats getting to you so well done on posting. A ((( ))) for you and yes it does get better. Luv Cris xx

Rainbow77

Hi

I am glad that you have come on here to get some support. Everyone has written lovely replies and given sound advice, the only thing I would add is just take a deep breath as you have been through so much and just take each day at a time. At the end of the day think about just one positive thing that has happened or you have done to keep you going.

Take care and lots of hugs ((((((()))))))

Fayann xx

elnafinn

Writing a diary is a very good suggestion. I started writing one when I was going in for my first knee op and have continued ever since. I used to write a diary when young.

I write mine every night, in bed and then read if I feel like it. If I read first I sometimes fall asleep and forget to write the diary. For me, I find it quite difficult to remember what I actually did the day before if I miss a day. :roll: 24 hours is a long time ago in the life of Elna or it is these days!!!!

It is also good to refer back to as well. I did this when I had my second TKR two years later. It was reassuring to read how it had been - not all plain sailing at all, not for me!

E x

speedalong

Hi Efleure,

I'm sorry you are feeling so low and terrible - BUT THIS WILL ALL PASS!!! You have done the worst bit - had the surgery and now things will improve. Just think - before the op you could only get worse - now you will get better.

What pain meds are you taking? Are you taking the full dose regularly? It is important to do so at the moment to control the pain.

The low blood pressure and anaemia is going to make you feel foul - but take the meds and eat lots of iron rich foods and this too will improve.

Sit your grown up children infront of am internet video of a THR operation - so they understand why you feel as you do. Show your younger ones the size of your leg and the dressing - so they have a visual idea that Mum needs to rest. Let them all get on with it!! You will start to feel much better very soon and resting up now - will get you back to your usual happy, coping self quicker. Send them off to the park/cinema/McDonalds etc and why they are out rest up as much as you can.

I don't know anything about sciatica - but others have made some good suggestions for you to try. You could also raise the sciatica with the GP - ring the surgery and ask the GP to ring you at home.

I found sleeping difficult too, but this will get better. Try and have an afternoon nap each day - even if you have to sit the kids infront of a DVD. Budget your pain meds so you can have some an hour before bedtime.

Get your adult kids/friends to put a row of pillows under the foot of the mattress - and sticking out just a little so they don't slip - so that your leg is elevated even when in bed.

My leg felt massively too long too!! It IS slightly longer - just a couple of centimetres - it felt and looked a LOT longer than that. Even the hospital physio could not get over how much longer it looked. This did panic me - standing up straight and my knee was still bent because my leg appeared SO much longer!! However this settled down as the swelling etc improved and a heel raise in my shoe is all I need now. Stand in front of the mirror and look at how you are standing - try and straighten up as much as you can - this will take effort and probably feel unnatural at first.

Are you walking with a frame or crutches?

Keep doing the physio exercises, especially the pointing and flexing the toe ones even if you struggle to do any others. Just walking around doing daily life things - like going to the loo and making drinks is probably enough until you get the pain under control. I overdid it in the early days out of hospital and went from being able to walk with my crutches to barely being able to weight bear, I had to rest as much as possible for 2 days - learnt my lesson and it improved.

Are you managing the stairs ok?

Keep posting - the forum was a great source of support to me post op (still is,) but especially when you are imagining all sorts!!

Speedy

woodbon

Hello, I'm so sorry you have so much pain and it doesn't help having to worry about your family. Its a big op and it's still early days, I'm sure things will soon start to get better. You sound so depressed, that is normal after surgery, I think.

Have you seen your doctor and talked about things with him? That might help you and also he might be able to suggest some useful pain relief.

Love Sue

efleure

wow...bit overwhelmed by all the replies..thank you so much for taking the time to help me through this...right...had a general in the end because the anaethetist advised it and his reasons made sense. Just as everyone said, i went out like a light, then remember waking up screaming the place down, with someone whispering in my ear that it was all over, but as i couldn't take morphine, and all the usual alternatives, they couldn't get my pain under control enough to transfer me to the ward. this problem continued, with me being on only paracetamol and nurofen for a couple of days( my physio couldn't believe it...)until i begged to see the pain team, who decided that codeine phosphate was the pain killer that caused the lesser of bad reactions in me, so we tried that. I can only take 30 g at a time, or i pass out( I must have driven the nurses mad..) so that takes the edge off the pain, but doesn't kill it. So I'm on that with nurofen and paracetamol. I'm going to have to accept that for now, that's the best the doc can do for me. I will follow all the advice on here..speedy, like you my leg really feels very long, and the physio said that yes it was now longer but as others have said, will settle down a bit and I'll wear a raise in my shoe.Got the District nurse round tomorrow to check on the staple stitches, and physio booked for next week. Thanks again for all the replies..when it gets too much , I'll read them all again. DD, I do keep forgetting it's such a big op because i guess the term Routine Surgery is banded around a lot so you forget. Thanks to all...

efleure

Also meant to say I'm using crutches, badly, and thankfully, live in a flat without stairs apart from the outside. I wanted the frame, but they said I'd become too dependant on it...too right...lol.

tillytop

Sorry come late into this post and can't add anything to what's already been said, but just wanted to say that I am thinking of you, and really hoping that, as the days pass, things will get better for you.

Love Tilly x

marion1952

Hi again Efleure

I can see that you have had lots of good advice since you posted this morning, so there's probably not much more I can add..

It must have been awful for you not to have proper pain control on the first/second days - I had morphine for 2 days and I certainly needed it.

I wasn't prepared for how swollen and how heavy my leg would feel after the operation.. it was like dragging a tree trunk round ... the nurses used to lift it into bed for me and when I was discharged my sister also lifted it for me for several days..

I needed to use 2 crutches for about 8 weeks and then gradually reduced it to one. I'm still using 1 crutch a lot of the time when I'm out, but I don't need it now around the house. (I'm 13 weeks post op today).

It's hard to know if you are overdoing things or not doing enough . I certainly overdid it some times and had some strong 'twinges' in the new hip area, but these settled down if I took things easy for the following couple of days.

It's great to know the physio is coming next week - start making a list of all the things you want to ask her!!

I didn't have sciatica, but I did have some bad nights in the first two weeks and could be found watching TV at 3 00 am because I couldn't get comfortable. Again, this does pass..

Hope you find things settle down a bit over the next few days.. Please keep posting and let us know how you are doing.


Marion x

frogmorton

Morning Eeflure

Hoping that today you are feeling ok - not better because i KNOW that takes time.

I know what you mean about the frame vs crutches - they give back op victims(!) NOTHING!!! NOTHING!!! they nick your stick and you gotta get on with it :shock: I know others are off wizzing around and making you feel a wimp, but THEY can most prob take the accepted pain releif and you can't. They are likley to get up and about quicker.

I do understand how frightening pain is and my heart goes right out to you. I hope you beleive me when I say you WILL get through this and you WILL be glad you had it done.

So glad you have no stairs to contend with at least Did anyone sugggest (if you can have it) a glass of fresh orange after your meals to help you absorb the iron in your food??

Love and hugs

Toni xx

dreamdaisy

Hi effleure it's me, DD. Yup, to them it is routine surgery and they totally forget the aftershock to the patient. They rootle around, hammering and sawing and nailing things in place 'cos that's what they do, then they wander off, happy as Larry, and tackle the next poor insuspecting sap. You are left sore and battered, uncomfortable and bruised and no-one thinks to tell you that life may not be a bed of roses immediately after the op. After emergency surgery to remove an ovarian cyst I came to in the recovery room and asked for my Husband. Six months later I was in the same recovery room after my first synovectomy and came round with the same nursing team in place. They remembered my first request and said 'Would you like to see your husband now?' My reply was very fruity and Anglo-Saxon based which basically informed them that no, he could visit Satan for a while and I would dearly appreciate something I believed was called morphine. Much hilarity ensued, but amongst them. I wasn't bloody laughing.

Rest as much as you can today - I hope you are getting lots of help and support from your family. If not, plan revenge. For every cup of tea not made, for every pillow not satisfactorily plumped, for every plate of badly cooked food grudgingly dumped in front of you (with or without flatware) hatch a little plan. This could involve no clean underwear for the family for an entire fortnight (apart from you, of course), or remove the plug from the telly, or perhaps a month's worth of very low quality microwaveable 'food' from one of the cheaper supermarkets. I can also suggest very creative things involving fishing wire and doorways. That'll learn 'em. (PS I am joking, before ellsbells jumps in and tells you not to take me seriously!) I sincerely hope you are feeling a little brighter today. DD