GETTING CLOSE NOW !!!!

stickywicket

hileena111 wrote:

Would you believe that just this month they changed the 90 degree angle for THR's....no sleeping on back for 6 weeks, no 90 degree angle etc...

Actually....er....no. I don't think I do believe that. Where did it come from?

I can't believe that suddenly there's no danger of dislocation. That's always been the big thing with THRs especially in the early weeks / months. How can the supporting muscles be instantly strong? It doesn't make sense to me.

The 90 degree angle? I thought that was a minimum for knees not hips.

hileena111

Hi Sticky
That came from Hexham General Hospital where I had both hips and knee done.

Love
Hileena

hileena111

Hi
What a day I have had.
Firstly I went to the district nurse to have my clip removed.
She took the dressing off, looked at it and said its very squishy {Her words LOL}

I had an appointment with the GP in the afternoon so she got in touch with the GP and said she thought I had an infection.
Anyway I got to the GP, she took the dressing off and examined it and said it didn't look right but she wasn't sure about an infection. She would like to get in touch with the orthopaedic dept at the hospital to see what they said. Out to the waiting room while she rang. Message came back that they would like me to go to Cramlington Hospital to have it checked. {30 minutes away} Got there saw the consultant who said it wasn't right but didn't look like an infection. If anything happened over the weekend to go to Hexham Hospital {the one I usually go to} like it leaking or me feeling ill.
Monday the district nurse is due to come and check the clips and see if she can take them out then and change the dressing. So no anti biotics or anything else. Left the house at 3pm to gop to the GP and got home at 6.40pm!!!!!!
I'm shattered.........and sore with sitting in the car.
Love
Hileena

stickywicket

I imagine you're both tired and anxious. This is not what we want post-op but at least you are being closely monitored and that's good. I hope it's just a blip.

Re the post-THR guidelines, do you have it in writing? I apologise for harping on about it but this would make a massive difference to me if either of mine needed re-doing. Owing to my neck bones being in the wrong place thanks to RA and OA and 'everything down there being in the wrong place', according to the guy sticking a nasal endoscopy down me, I choke if I lie on my back for any length of time. I have assumed that a revision of either THR would not be possible. I'd like to believe otherwise but only if it's true.

hileena111

Hi Sticky
No I haven't got it in writing but it came from one of the charge nurses {if that's what they are called now }
Why don't you get in touch with your own hospital and ask????
I'm sure different hospitals have different rules about things but this is a biggey
I cant lie on my back either for any length of time, I had to more or less sit up for the 6 weeks
I know I have spoken to others {before I heard this} and some had to be on their back for 6 weeks some for 4 and the length of time before you could drive varied as well. Ket me know if you find anything out
Love
Eileen

stickywicket

Don't hold your breath as I don't currently have a hospital, having just moved. Even when I did I only saw my orthopaedic man annually.

I can understand slightly different times. Someone with eg one bad hip who is otherwise very fit is going to have much stronger muscles to start with than someone who has had couch potato status thrust upon them for some time. Yes, the muscles in the affected hip will have some ground to recoup but they have a head start. Even so, the prosthesis must be in danger of dislocation until they are strong again.

hileena111

Will Do Sharon

Hileena

dreamdaisy

It always surprises me how differently things are done in different parts of the country. Not once have I had to go anywhere to get my clips removed after open surgery, those who do it have always come to me. It seems a harsh thing to make someone do so soon after an operation when they should be resting the joint; walking, struggling to get in and out of cars and having to bend the newly-knitting scar beyond its tolerances is surely counter-productive?

I hope all goes well and that your knee is settling down, I know it's a flaming nuisance (especially at this busy time of the year) but please give it what it needs because it's in a delicate state, the deeper healing will be in its very early days. DD

hileena111

Hi DD

Both my hips, district nurses came to me. Two of them came a few times for each hip
This is a new thing here. I suppose saving money I don't know.
When she said they couldn't come out and they would need to be checked on Monday again she said someone would come to me. Two of them came this morning

Hi Sharon,
Like I said to DD 2 district nurses came this morning and decided it was OK and all 20 came out. I have got a tiny dressing on the middle of it just in case it weeps a bit
and goes over my clothes. They said take it off tomorrow.
So that's it as far as district nurses are concerned.

To Everyone else that might be interested.
Tomorrow morning I have my first physiotherapy appointment

Thursday at 9am I have my Chiropodist then 11.10am An appointment with the consultant/surgeon

That's it at the moment {its enough :roll: }

Love
Hileena

hileena111

Hi
If you scroll back I mentioned the day I had on Friday.
District Nurse to get the clips out, GP, Consultant at a hospital about 1 hour away.
Over the weekend things were OK
Then Monday the district Nurse came to check, decided the clips could come out and took all 20 out. There was a little bit in the middle that was weeping but she put a small dressing on, told me to take it off Tue {I didn't} I was going to the Physiotherapist.
She took the dressing off, I did a few exercises, straight leg and bend and she was pleased. After a few more I was getting off the couch, pulled my trousers up, and she said get back on the couch we've got bleeding.
There was blood over the floor, over my trouser and over those wonderful passion killers I have to wear
She put a small dressing on it and sent me home with an appointment for a weeks time.
I got home. Just sitting in the car for about 20 mins. I got in, looked at the dressing and it was covered with blood.
Rang the district nurse, she came took the dressing off, cleaned it, put a new dressing on. Told me to rest for a couple of days until I saw the consultant Seeing him on Thursday. She said if it leaked or bled during the night get in touch tomorrow morning.
Its been OK up to now {10.45} So if it is OK until Thurs morning when I see the consultant I'm to tell him about the dressing etc and if necessary ask if one of the nurses needs to look at it.
I don't know what the next step will be if it does bleed.
What more can happen???? Don't forget the 4 blood transfusions while I was in hospital
Right I feel a bit better now after having got that off my chest
Thanks
Love
Hileena

dreamdaisy

I think rest, rest and more rest is needed, your poor scar is under all kinds of extra pressures at the moment so no wonder it's 'misbehaving'. After my first open synovectomy (34 clips for that one!) I didn't go to physio for over two months to give everything a chance to heal both on the surface and deeper.

Have you got some Bio-oil or similar to apply to the scar? Once it's stopped oozing you can gently apply it once or twice a day to minimise the scarring, I used it on mine and it's very smooth even though I didn't like applying it, I'm squeamish with scars! DD

stickywicket

My first TKR bled a bit. Not much but determinedly for a while. It was fine.

As you had to have blood transfusions might your iron be low? I know you're a veggie. I've started eating small amounts of meat just to keep my iron levels up.

hileena111

Hi,
District Nurse put a dressing on yesterday {Tue} its Wed 10.15pm now and there has been no bleeding. I see the consultant tomorrow morning. That's less than 3 weeks. I've got my 6 week one booked. I think the jungle drums must have been going from one hospital {Fri} to another and Mr Asaad who has done all my replacements wants to see me tomorrow.
Oh well we'll see what he has to say.
No I'm not planning to do any exercises for a few days apart from a little walking now and then.

The exercises I got from the physio wereall bending ones......not taking the chance for a while,
I had a blood test done on Mon so it should be through now and no one has rung yet. I'll ring them tomorrow when I get back from the consultant.
The hospital sent me home and on the prescription bit of the discharge form it says 2 Iron a day so I'm taking those.
If my iron level is low that should help.
The GP discussed with me {before the op} that she thought she might but me on a smaller dose of iron only make it a maintenance dose. Rather than take some then stop and shortly after that the iron levels would be low again etc etc.
We haven't discussed that yet. The 2 a day are from the hospital

Love
Hileena

stickywicket

hileena111 wrote:

The exercises I got from the physio wereall bending ones......not taking the chance for a while,

Are you sure they were all bending ones, Hileena? The straight leg ones are equally important if the the knee is to straighten properly. These are the ones given by ARUK. file:///C:/Users/patbl/Downloads/2021-A-New-Knee-Joint-Replacement-Exercise%20(1).pdf

I guess it's possible that some have been omitted owing to your hip problem but I'd check with your physio as the sooner they are done the better the outcome usually.

As for walking - to me, it's overrated. Unless the muscles are properly strengthened with the exercises only a limited range is used.

hileena111

Hi
Been to see the consultant this morning. He said what the majority of others said.......no infection. Was a bit puffy to make sure to keep using the freeze method.
He said go easy until I see the physiotherapist on Tuesday again and by then the dressing should be off and it should be healed.
Then you can get back to your full regime of exercises.

Love
Hileena

frogmorton

Back to RICE then Hileena

I know you, you just want to be back to normal ASAP :?

Better take the advice and rest so you are able to do physio exercises on Tuesday.

Have a good weekend

Love

Toni xxx

hileena111

Yes Mam I will
Like I say he was pleased with the bend and the straight leg so I'm not bothering about missing them for a few days.
Once I get over Tues........I cant help but worry that its going to spurt and start bleeding again the way it did the last time with her :?
Once that's over things will be back to normal.
Love
Eileen