Home after my THR

peggie

Hi

I had my op last Thursday and came home yesterday. I decided to go with the spinal after discussing on here and taking advice from the medics. I'm glad I did, it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it might be and I would choose that option again.

I was very poorly on the evening and through the first night with severe sickness and low blood pressure. I passed out several times in the bed.

My leg is very swollen from top to bottom and I am in a lot of pain. I am taking tramadol, paracetamol and naproxen up to the maximum amount but don't feel it is helping much.

The OT brought a commode to my house before I came home and luckily my husband is retired and is a great help.

I am determined to take my recovery slowly and accept all the help I can, the hospital have advised me to take at least 3 months off work and then reassess the situation. I managed to work right up until my op without having any time off despite been in terrible pain for the last year, so I am inclined to do as they suggest.

I met a lovely lady in the hospital, we had the op on the same day, and shared a 4 bed ward, she had a THR at the grand age of 87 and was an absolute star. We both got tearful when I was discharged as she said how much she would miss me. I do hope she continues to make good progress.

Hope everyone else is managing ok.

Peggie

krisbe

Hi peggy I had a thr last wed evening and was out Saturday. Please accept all the help you can as I have had no help and no aftercare at all and as a single parent am not happy about it. Luckily my pain is not too bad but since being home I have had a lot of swelling and bruising coming out and am feeling a bit low. Sorry you are in pain hopefully that will disappear within a few days. Good luck

barbara12

Hello Peggie
I'm so glad you are now home, and that the spinal went well..I did the fainting when they got me up for the first time..do your exercises, take it easy in between your little walks to keep clots at bay..and dont worry at how tired you will get when you go out...my first trip was to a supermarket..and only got down one isle... but bit by bit your stamina will come back and it doesn't take that long..well before the 6 weeks ..I made friends in hospital ..I found others so kind because we were all in the same boat you sought of bond...
You take care and keep us updated...xx

hileena111

Hi Peggie
Glad you found the spinal OK ....That's what I had for my 2 THR's and they were great
I had my THR on Friday and was out on Mon but when they tried to get me up on Fri I fainted :oops:
They tried to get me up Sat morning.....I fainted but after a couple of blood transfusions on the Sat morning they had me walking on the Sat afternoon.
It makes a difference when your husband is retired doesn't it?
My 1st THR was 4 years ago and he wasn't retired but he is now and what a difference!!!
My problem is my wound. {and a fracture 4 weeks post op}
When they took me into hospital after the fracture the ortho took the dressing off {6 weeks post op....it had been seeping up until then}. So the district nurse hasn't come back because of that.......It seems quite inflamed around the wound and I'm not sure how normal that is??? {for a while}
I think I'll have to get in touch with them again
Good luck with your recovery

Love
Hileena

Fionabee

Hi there
You will alwaYs get lots of sensible hip advice here, me? I'm a knee.
Are you taking a stomach protector with your Naproxen? You should be, my doc did not recommend it, but I have a friend who is an endoscopy nurse, she told me that she had noticed that a lot of the patients she sees with "gastric" troubles have one thing in common, they are taking (or have taken) non-steroidal anti inflams (naproxen, Diclofenac are the ones I'm familiar with) with nothing to protect their stomach lining. I take Lansoprazole 15mgs once a day.
Good luck
fionabee.

peggie

Hi everyone and thanks for your replies.

I am taking lansoprozole as well as the naproxen.

I know it's early days but the pain meds don't seem to be making any difference to the pain at all. I can barely walk and it hurts so much. I know we are all different but what are other people's experiences of when the pain starts to ease and moving about becomes a bit easier to manage?

best wishes
Peggie

Sarah01

Hi Peggie,

Glad the THR went well. I will be 9 weeks on Saturday since I had my first one done at the ripe old age of 42

I was the same as you with the low blood pressure, they had to wait 2 days before they could get me out of bed. The 1st attempt on day 1 post op ended up with me going white as a sheet and my blood pressure dropping even further.

I know how you feel about the pain, I had a lot of swelling in my hip and knee, I found out last week that the knee was due to OA (didn't even know I had it), I think it's early onset as the surgeon isn't too bothered. I am on naproxen and I start my physio next Monday to strengthen the hip and help the knee.

I hope your recovery goes well, keep us updated on your progress.

Take care
Sarah x

krisbe

I had a spinal and had fainting but that was due to medication they gave me as I nearly fainted before I even had the op. Pregatablin - blood pressure dropped to about 60 over something, I refused to have it after the second tablet.

My pain wasn't too bad and I was happy to take paracatamol However since being home my pain has increased due to the swelling and my wound is beginning to seep and hurt. From day 7 and 8 post op I have needed to resort to the codeine at bedtime (I don't like any of the codeine medications because of the side effects). Anyway hopefully nurse is coming today and she can look at my wound. I am really fed up with the stiffness that I am getting but that is probably due to the swelling - I have put on a stone in weight. I have a physio session next week and a follow up appointment at the same time so I can discuss any of my concerns then. Take Care - Chris

barbara12

Hi Peggie
I found the first week and half was hard..but things soon started to feel better..just take your time stick to the rules and things will improve very soon..hope the pain ease up for you...I had a little book to write down what meds I had took..and realised that I wasn't staying on top of the pain ..but just taking my meds when the pain was bad..so try and stay on top of it..(((())))xx