My THR recovery diary

JPT

@Nurina it the only loose fitting trousers I have! I can't get into my usual favourite jeans as they are too tight fitting and also I haven't lost all the 10lb I put on after surgery. What a nuisance it is!

JPT

Day38 14/4

It was going to be a quiet day at home and then I got a phone call, to meet some friends for lunch.

I managed to walk properly up flights of stairs - they were quite shallow steps but I am pleased with that! Sat outdoors in a low chair on a couple of cushions. It felt quite comfortable. Used disabled loo - terrible, way too low - I thought they were higher!

I was tired out and had a nap when I got home. A lovely day though 😊

frogmorton

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/721150#Comment_721150

That sounds not so nice self injecting. You did well to cope with that. When my daughter had leukaemia they tried to get her to have something like that daily, but the little monkey refused (she was 16 not the best age!).

Thanks for that

Toni x

JPT

Day 39 15/4

Easy day just pottering around the house managed to walk 2km in the afternoon with a couple of sit downs on the way. Happy with that and didn't need a nap afterwards!

Practising walking upstairs normally but not easy yet, exercises are hard and making me ache more but I keep at it. Hip is still clicking when doing the leg raises - so annoying, still waiting for this to stop.

Sleep is gradually improving. I can sleep reasonably well on my good side keeping the pillow between my legs. I try lying on my op side just before I get up. It's getting a little easier but feels like lying on a very lumpy sprung bed. The memory foam helps my settle into the mattress for a while.

One more night with the compression socks to go. Really fed up with them now. I wake up with my legs throbbing and hot.

Nurina

@JPT You'll sleep much better without the annoying socks.

Yes, sleeping on the operated side is like sleeping on a bad sprung bed, like my mother-in-law has at home 😂

2km is amazing! Have you had your 6th week revision yet?

JPT

@Nurina six weeks is tomorrow. 3rd physio session next week and consultant review on 1st May x

JPT

Day 40 16/4

Started off really positive, everything going well until something in my thigh started really hurting. I can only think it was when I stupidly unthinkingly perched on a breakfast bar stool. Now I can barely put weight on that leg. So having been crutch free I'm now hobbling around using one and taking painkillers.

I fell asleep for two hours this afternoon, haven't done that for a while.

I just hope this is just muscular and goes away overnight ..

frogmorton

Awwww no! Rest up go on bed! Fingers crossed for you.

((())) xxx

john62

@JPT fingers crossed for you in that it's just a muskular thing. Take care and rest up.

Zimmer

Oh hon that's awful, you were doing so well too. But that's the thing innit, pain subsided to the point where you nearly felt like your old self, so to remind yourself to take it easy is like going backwards not forwards. Plenty of heat, ice cream and a movie stat 😋

JPT

Thanks for all your kind words. I slept on my back all night and this morning the pain isn't so sharp as yesterday. Lesson learned, I'm not recovered yet and need to slow down!

I will use my crutch round Tesco this morning just in case. x

LennartU

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/721306#Comment_721306

Resting on my back seems to help. It's all about listening to your body in time.

distantshores

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/720806#Comment_720806

Lisa - I was diagnosed with OA of right hip 14 years ago and like you I have been too terrified to have the op but it is getting to the point where it will have to be done sometime this year. Luckily for me I am not in agony and have been able to continue almost as normal over these years which has included a lot of travel to various parts of the world. I do Nordic walking, Zumba Gold, Dancercise and Dancefit at the moment but some of the movements are becoming increasingly difficult. I saw a consultant privately last week and he has agreed to do the op in a private hospital under the NHS (I paid privately to see the consultant) later this year. I am hoping to be able to leave it until the end of the year which will give me time to sort out my house and hopefully go on holiday (booked flights to Greece in September) and hoping to get to India in November but that may not be realistic.

I am beyond terrified of surgery and also about how to manage after as I live on my own. I will post a few questions nearer the time. Good luck with it all.

Nurina

@JPT The recovery is not very straightforward. It's a roller-coaster with ups and downs. It's part of the process but without the good days, you wouldn't try new things. A couple of days resting and you'll be fine again. Three steps forward, one step backwards. I'm still using a crutch when I need it. I think it's better to feel safe than sorry.

You are doing amazing. Take care

JPT

Week 6

I managed shopping trips yesterday without any issues but had some strange sharp stabbing pains when sat in the car.

After resting up the rest of the day and and a reasonable night albeit with cold legs (first night without compression socks!) I think I am back to wear I was a couple of days ago. Phew!

frogmorton

and it is icy here so you'd have felt even more cold @JPT

Well done doing the shopping!

Glad all is back on track😊

Toni x

Janlyn

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/721157#Comment_721157

I was glad when my ten days was up but also a lot better at it. My first injection went all over my stomach and hardly any of it where it should have gone!

Janlyn

@JPT it's good to hear your back to more like normal. It is true it's as @Nurina says without progress we wouldn't try new or even normal things. Sometimes it's time, and they work, sometimes they set us back a bit but you sound to be back on track. I think a problem is when the whole world seems to think we're okay and it makes us think we are too, but we still have more recovery to come until we're truly back to our best!

JPT

I've got friends who have have come to see me for the weekend and are staying locally so out and about with them. Not that I can do much and get tired easily when I do. You forget how fast normal walking is when you realise you can't keep up! And why why are loos so low?! Even disabled ones. I am really struggling with this when out and about. There are times when I wish I wasn't tall!

I realised yesterday that when these new pains happened, the feeling of golf balls in my hip had gone. I wonder then when I sat awkwardly whether the musculature changed and that's why these random stabbing pains are now there. Sitting is generally more comfortable but not for long periods.

I've had to reduce the number of exercises I am doing daily so I wonder what my physio will say next week. Also my hip is still clicking loudly and I do wish it would stop.

I guess I expected more from week 6! Fortunately I don't work any more and can't imagine how I would get on sat in an office as I used to!

frogmorton

"….I realised yesterday that when these new pains happened, the feeling of golf balls in my hip had gone. I wonder then when I sat awkwardly whether the musculature changed and that's why these random stabbing pains are now there.….."

Now there's a thought @JPT

You are doing incredibly well for week 6! Gosh honestly you are.

Physio will be ok with you I'm sure. Enjoy your visitors. Very very good of them to stay nearby but not with you adding to your workload.

Toni x

Nurina

You are doing very well, even you sound a little bit frustrated, @JPT You are still healing the surgery wound and then you'll start healing the damaged tissues around the hip. It'll take around 6 months and iI can't say it will be easy but that's how this thing works. We think that once our wound is healed, we'll start our normal life and that's not true. I didn't believe it but I'm in my 3rd month and now I do believe it'll take another three months to feel fine. You are only in your 6th week and look at everything you can do now.

My recommendation is to listen to your physiotherapist and do what they say. Ignore what we others say here because are all different.

Take care x

JPT

Thanks @Nurina yes I do have to constantly remind myself that it is still early days. My physio seems to be super keen for me to try so many normal things already and I think that's what has made it difficult this week as I have tried and not been successful.

The post op discomfort is appearing in different places as time and healing goes on which catches me out. Today the pain was deep in the front of my thigh. My brain says it's where the new part is embedded in the bone but logic says it is just the muscles around it. New sensations and all that.

Did a fair bit of walking today and sitting on lower outdoor benches so it's probably testing everything to the limit.

Not very good with exercises today. Must do more tomorrow.

frogmorton

All those unused or partially used muscles have to gradually get used to working again I suppose?

Of course it's an anxious time worrying that things really are ok 'in there' (even though you really do know they are) unlike the wound you can't see the healing yourself.

When do you get your consultant check up? That will be reassuring.

Take care @JPT you are doing so well

Toni x

JPT

Thanks @frogmorton , yes it's easy to forget the inner layers that are slowly healing and remembering what they are supposed to do!

Physio next week and consultant review the following week. Julie x

frogmorton

Great then hopefully you'll get their reassurance and know you are definitely doing really well Julie😊

We all think you are, but they are the experts.

Take care

Toni x