10 weeks post op

Bones, joints and muscles
1

I thought I was never going to get here. The first 6 weeks were like wading through mud and I never thought that ten weeks after a RTHR you could start to feel normal again.

It has been quite hard work and still is. I am dilligent about exercise, swimming especially. in fact swimming has been my saviour, the weightlessness means you can move those muscles freely.

I still have 'the pause' when getting up from sitting, worse at the end of the day but my right side is better than it has been for nearly two years.

I was walking like Quasimodo before, bent over, holding onto everything, gobbling painkillers like they were going out of fashion.

I am still in pain on my left side - the leftie is due for the chop after Christmas but I would say to anyone facing, or just had, this op then KEEP THE FAITH. Life and movement will return. Don't be lazy though, move when you need to, make an effort.

I am still taking pain meds but mostly for the rubbish leftie. My new righty gets stiff after sitting but regular swimming is making it all easier. I have just spent five days in Bath and walked all week.

To those of you in those dark, early days when sleep evades you and everything hurts I say.....be patient with your body. Let it heal. Nature is an amazing thing and the body even more amazing. If you have put me in a coma and woken me up now I would never know (apart from the scar) that I had a fake hip. It moves like a good un and behaves like a normal joint (apart from illegal twisting).

Don't give up, keep going, keep moving - it all gets better

2

Kate, all I can say is THANK YOU!  I have been getting so worried.  I am 4 weeks post-op LTHR tomorrow and still have significant pain and discomfort, especially, in fact mostly, at night.  Don't get me wrong, I'm delighted for the people on this forum that are doing so incredibly well. Exercising and pain free so early on, but for people like us who don't recover quite so well, it makes me wonder if something is wrong or if I'm doing something wrong.  I am 55 and will need my right hip doing too but right now I'd rather put up with the pain than go thru this again too soon.  I have been waiting for a post like yours, you've given me hope.  Can I ask what meds you were taking at my stage please?  I'm seeing my doc again tomorrow and I'm thinking of asking for a change as nothing is helping at night.  Thanks again Kate. X

3

Hi Kate,

What a wonderful, inspiring post. It helps others see that there is an end to the pain and suffering, and that even if they aren't one of the lucky ones who comes through it extremely well, without pain and ditching their crutches quite quickly after surgery.

The underlying message is to stick with it, have faith and trust in your body and its ability to heal.

Well done on your fantastic recovery.

Ali xx

4

When I had a RTHP back in April, my Consultant told me that the number 6 was the magic number meaning that at 6 weeks I would see a huge improvement and that was so true. I could sleep on my operated side and was all of a sudden able to walk without sticks and pain free. Like Kate, I wouldn't even know I'd had a new hip apart from the scar. I don't feel any pain which is just incredible! So hang in there and you will get there!

5

Hi Joycy,

I'm so sorry you feel like this. I think the main message on this forum is that we are all different. Different ages, different levels of health prior to surgery, different pain thresholds and different surgeons. 

You shouldn't compare yourself to others as it can get you down. You will recover at your own pace and you mustn't try to rush it to keep up,with others or you could end up hurting yourself.

You will get better, in your own time and at your own speed.

Please don't worry in silence though. We are here to help and reassure you but we can only do that if you post us your feelings. Let us know and we will try to help.

Take care.

Ali xx

6

You are welcome, Joycey, and as the others say, we are all different in our recoveries.

I was fit, once! Two years of hobbling around took their toll and I was nearly biting the surgeons hands off when he offered the op.

You don't need to be worried - look at it this way, you have just had the top of your femur hacked off and a spike hammered into it. Then a new socket screwed into your hip - it is a brutal surgery. Fit, or no, you are going to take a while to recover. Elainey is right - 6 weeks and hey presto, little by little you can move again without needing a forklift truck to get off the sofa!

I am 52, about 10 stone, I eat well (a little too well sometimes) I push my walking now, swim twice a week and do most jobs around the house including standing on a chair to get preserverving jars down. I never thought I would get back to it.

My hip wizard (consultant) says there are illegal things like bending yer foot out to the side and no impact stuff (I had to give up my work with young children because of the floor work) but most of all he said DON'T GET TOO FIT!!!

Stretchy muscles allow the joint to move too much - who knew?

So getting a level of fitness that suits you without doing the splits is good.

Pain relief - I am still taking strong co-codamol  but about half of what I was. I take two twice a day with an ibuprofen sneaked inbetween but this is mostly for my un-opped leftie which is still trying to die.

At four weeks I was still finding sleep elusive but gave up the fight and spent a lot of time watching nighttime TV until I slept through the night.

My advice - chill out, let your body do its thing, exercise, take painkillers and rest when you need to.

Pee ess - I can't wait for the next one!

7

You have given me new hope. I am at ten weeks and still stiff and walk rather lope along. But...your post gave me new hope. I went through a round of depression, a UTI infection and other little setbacks and then became discouraged. Hearing from you has insporied me to get out and get int he pool. At 75 I cannot waste time. Thank you.

June

8

June, it is not an easy road but I guess we all got to that stage where we were just about to hack off our own legs and choice went out the window.

The best thing I could pass on to anyone is to be determined. I can't say stay positive because I think this is one of the most testing things I have endured healthwise and also had some very dark days but determination to regain your life gets you through.

I set myself small goals each day. In the early days it was pulling myself up the stairs, then taking one step at a time and then fighting to walk up normally.

Don't give in June, get angry, get cross, get going! Push gently and it hurts a little less each day.

Message me if you feel down or hopeless, we all need someone who knows xx

9

Hi Kate, thank you for the reassurance that all will be well in the end. Can I ask how soon you were able to swim. I'm quite active normally and I'm thinking that swimming will be the first thing I will be able to do again, but I'm not sure how soon I can hope to get back in the pool.

Angela

10

Kate, I will certainly touch base with you on those hopeless days. Thank you. your spirit lives in your posts and I am sure they are helping many others.

June

11

Hi Angela, I started swimming at about 5 weeks. I was very nervous of slipping over and needed my partner to escort me. Once in the pool I did little more than 'squid' about but it was lovely to be weightless. It also gave me a chance to assess the new joint and see what it could do without any weight on it.

When I had my check up at six week the consultant was very happy for me to swim - no twisting the joint.

The only thing I found disconcerting was getting out of the pool and feeling the weight come back. It took me  a while to get my footing again.

I have been swimming regularly since and enjoyed a spa in Bath last week on the rooftop!!