Hello - I've just had a THR

Lou

At age 71 , with the cartilage loss I had, the Consultant Surgeon had no hesitation in recommending the Full Monty - a THR (rather than tinkering around with other possible procedures).

The operation was 12 days ago. I spent a lot of time beforehand , as you do, researching all aspects of the operation and recovery.

I don't know if my story is the same as any previous posts but here goes anyway..

Post-op, the biggest surprise was that I have had no pain at all ever since waking up in the hospital Recovery Room.! I've seen on forums people discussing pain quite a lot so I guess I've been very lucky and/or had a very skillful surgeon.

In other words there has been no pain while I have been lying or sitting at rest. Yes, it can be painful moving your leg in and out of bed etc, but that's due to the stressed muscles and tissues injured during the operation. You can only move a little at first but mobility returns as the body and wound heals.

On Discharge you get a goody bag of medication to take home, including a very strong 'painkiller' which in my case was Oxycodone Hydrochloride (Oxylan 10mg). This was sending me to sleep during the afternoons and I started hallucinating that my sleeping dreams were real. So I stopped taking them after 4 days. Still no pain, so I'm guessing there wasn't any underlying pain that the pills were treating.

Feel so much better now that I'm not sleepy all the time .
Well that's probably enough for now . Onwards and Upwards !

[Deleted User]

Hi Lou from the Mods,thankyou for sharing your story and I hope your story is good reading for our members
Al

frogmorton

Hello there Lou and welcome form me to the forums

I am very pleased that you have had such a good result from your THR.

When my daughter (19) had her shoulder replaced in January the surgeon was aiming for pain reduction. It worked and she can now put her arms above her head.

However, since her arm had been 'frozen' (physio's words) for many many months beforehand she suffered a lot with 'other' pain. Her neck muscles and biceps etc due to previous lack of use and needed morphine as well as her codeine while recovering.

As Al says your story should make some facing surgery feel very positive

Please do come along in and join us all

Toni xx

stickywicket

It's great that your experience of a THR has been so positive, Lou, and thank you for sharing it. I can't say any of my orthopaedic post-op recoveries were painfree - far from it - but, by judicious use of pain relief and regular exercising, they have all stood me in very good stead for many years.

I've never been sent home with such a strong painkiller as oxycodone but my aim has always been to reduce asap and it's worked well for me.

I do wish you every success with the new implant

barbara12

Hello Lou and welcome to the forum, its kind of you to tell us your story and helps others waiting for the same op
I have had both THR, I expected far more pain post op than what I got..like you say lifting the leg is painful but apart from that, all was well..and long may yours continue..