Hi everyone,
I'm new to the forum and although I've followed some of the discussions here, this is my first post. I am 45 yrs old and am 5 weeks post thr surgery. I had avascular necrosis which over time caused my hip to "die" from lack of blood supply. I moved from walker to one crutch rather quickly but cant quite seem to get to the cane yet. I am currently receiving pt to strengthen muscles and regain range of motion and mobility. I am sore from the past two sessions, which i know is good. I was told by my pt that my hip area is stiff from all of the pain/limping and my lower back overcompensating. I think this is making the healing process more complicated and has affected my gait with weightbearing. I was hoping to go back to work in 2 weeks. In general I feel good but get tired quickly.I was wondering if any of you had similar experiences and when you returned to work?
Return to work at 7 weeks seems very early to me! We need to get plenty of rest and allow our bodies to properly heal after a very serious operation like a THR. Many people don't go back to work until 12 weeks, and then with a phased return. Also, many people don't start using a cane as earlly as 5 weeks either. So I would pay attention to my body and not push so hard. At both 5 weeks and 7 weeks I still fatigued very easily and did lots of resting. Congrats on getting through your surgery and welcome to the forum!
I returned to work at 12 weeks which is considered fairly normal.
I admire your ambition but really do think that you may be pushing your body faster than it wants.
I am not allowed to go back to work for 12 weeks and then I will be on 'light duties' for several weeks. Now, I accept this all depends on the type of work you do (desk based or physically demanding), But, if this time-frame is considered "normal", then, there must be sound reasons for it.
As your body is the only thing you will have for the rest of the days, why not care for it :-)
Michael
Hi my2boys,
warm welcome to this wonderful forum -Well, as we say here , you are still early in the recovery/healing process -
We are told many different things and some of them quite contradictory too - I was told to use walking aid (in my case 4wheeled trolley) for 6 weeks inside the house - The to use it outside as well to avoid falling back into limping -
I had 2 THR surgeries , so it is really important to walk correctly ..
Remember that you had major surgery after a long time of painful moving etc.
This is not making the healing more complicated, but it is just part of it - we all have that experience - The body is unbalanced, the brain needs to be trained to walk properly again after a time making sue you are in the least amount of pain - so, one limps and slouch aand hunch ... all those poor muscles need tp be lenghtened and get stronger again - this causes soreness and stiffness -
the body also will us a lot of energy to repair the extensive damage done, hence, feeling tires/exhausted quickly -
What kind of work do you do ? Is it full time?
Have you had your 6 weeks follow up appointment yet?
For now, take it easy and be gentle with your self - and patient !!!
you are doing so well already ...
big warm hug and please come back here any time you have a question or concern
renee
Hi Renee,
Thank you so much for your warm welcome. I appreciate your insight and it does make sense about the body/ brain being retrained to walk properly again. I hadnt really thought about it like that. I am a full time Special Education teacher, but i work in many classrooms throughout the day so I walk to various parts of the building every 40 minutes. That is the part that concerns me, although I know it will also probably help a lot in my recovery. I have my 6 week follow up on Feb 22nd so I guess I will wait and see what he says. I hope you are feeling well.
Thanks again!
Thank you so much for your warm welcome and sound advice.
Thank you Michael. I am a Full time Special Education teacher. I have my own classroom but I do the majority of my teaching in various classrooms in the building throughout the day so I do walk to different rooms every 40 minutes. Perhaps I am getting ahead of myself. I see the dr on Feb 22nd so I will see what he says. Thank you for your reply.
Crumbs - looks like you have your work cut out. I am sorry if my reply came across as a bit curt - that was not the intention.
Good luck on the 22nd.
Welcome to this wonderful crazy site. I went on it when pre op in September and scared.. thenagain post op and living alone and still asking at 5 months. You are at very eary days of op and I was not off crutches..perhaps on to one until 8 weeks. You are told you must rest but you are a lot younger than me ( I am 67) but understand from other posters that you can return to work, dependent on type work, at 6-8 weeks.
Keep asking however odd you may think the question is.
Alice
Sounds physically challenging for 7 weeks post-op - If you can wait until 12 weeks and then a phased return instead of full time,maybe ...
Welcome! My THRs (yes, both) were also caused by AVN. I had the first one Nov 30 2015 and the second one Jan 20 2016, so quite close together. I was flattened for the first couple of weeks after the second one but have returned to work on part time basis at 3 weeks post op. (6-8 hrs per week) Mind you, I am not teaching a class room of special ed kids! I am a psychotherapist in private practice. My husband drives me to the office, I wheel in on a 4 wheel walker, sit, and listen to 2-3 clients. THAT SAID, it can totally wipe me out and I don't know that it is optimal. Sometimes, yes: I get out of my own head, feel competent and useful--and of course $$ as I have no income without working! BUT from just a physiological point of view, most of the time I'd rather be lounging on my bed watching HGTV. Tracking a conversation is tiring.
The fatigue has been the most astonishing part of this for me. It doesn't arrive gradually but suddenly I will hit a wall and just collapse in a puddle of weeping and despair. Not pretty. I have learned to brush my teeth, wash my face and put on nightclothes immediately following dinner, "just in case."
Do you know what caused your AVN?
Best to you,
Gail
Welcome! My THRs (yes, both) were also caused by AVN. I had the first one Nov 30 2015 and the second one Jan 20 2016, so quite close together. I was flattened for the first couple of weeks after the second one but have returned to work on part time basis at 3 weeks post op. (6-8 hrs per week) Mind you, I am not teaching a class room of special ed kids! I am a psychotherapist in private practice. My husband drives me to the office, I wheel in on a 4 wheel walker, sit, and listen to 2-3 clients. THAT SAID, it can totally wipe me out and I don't know that it is optimal. Sometimes, yes: I get out of my own head, feel competent and useful--and of course $$ as I have no income without working! BUT from just a physiological point of view, most of the time I'd rather be lounging on my bed watching HGTV. Tracking a conversation is tiring.
The fatigue has been the most astonishing part of this for me. It doesn't arrive gradually but suddenly I will hit a wall and just collapse in a puddle of weeping and despair. Not pretty. I have learned to brush my teeth, wash my face and put on nightclothes immediately following dinner, "just in case."
Do you know what caused your AVN?
Best to you,
Gail
Renee,
You are right about retraining the brain, I am finding that I really have to concentrate very hard on my walking when I go 'stickless'. It is really tiring, but good when I get it right.
Graham - 🚀💃
Hi Gail,
Thanks for your reply. I dont know what caused my avn, apparently I'm in the 20% of those with unknown cause. It is mildly in my other hip as well, which as you know is very common. I became symptomatic last year but thought it was my lower back and sciatica. Once it became worse i went for an xray and then mri which showed that my avn was quite progressed but surgery was not necessary at that point and i was hoping to wait as long as possible given my age. I went for a follow up visit in September and xrays showed that it had gotten much worse in my right hip but remained mild in my left. The dr said he would recommend surgery in the next 2-3 months because my hip could potentially collapse which woukd leave me in much more pain. I had the surgery Jan 6th of this year. They said that each time i go in for a checkup on my operated hip, they will xray the other as well. I'm hoping it will hold out for a while.
I know what you mean about the fatigue and its sudden onset. That is actually one of my main concerns ( as well as not walking unassusted yet) about going back and has me questioning whether i should wait a week or 2 longer. I go for my 6 week follow up next week and I will go from there. Thank you so much for your help.
If I were in your situation I would wait to return to work. I am regretting in and think it is increasing my fatigue. We will see how this next week goes!
I agree with most of the hippies, listen to your body and dr. and for heaven's sake do not be like my mom, she just about refuses to take any kind of pain medication, not just opioids but aspirin even. Having a joint replaced is not like a headache, a few weeks of opioid use will not turn you into an addict, sorry I'm venting at my mom. In 1/2000 when I had my left hip replaced I was on opioids for the next 18 months, but a back surgery in 9/2000 complicated matters. All I'm saying is we are all different cases and how we respond to treatment has a lot to do with our health before surgery. Get used to listening to your body, you know, that meditation stuff.
Hi Andy,
Thank you for responding. Vent away! Thats why we're all here right? Wow you've had 2 MAJOR surgeries so close together. I cant even imagine having back surgery after the hip! I am not really in any pain anymore, just sore after Physical therapy and a lot of activity. Then i take xtra strength tylenol and ice the area. I have nade a lot of progress and I'm happy about that. My main concern with going back was the level of fatigue i might feel from working full time and walking throughout the building every 40 minutes. I will consult with my physical therapist this week and my dr on Feb 22nd , and see how i feel and go from there. I appreciate your thoughts. Thank you!!
Hi Gail,
I appreciate you sharing your thoughts and experiences. I am thunking that maybe I will push it back a week or two. Will see how I'm feeling next week. Good luck to you ay work this week!
Lori
Hi My2boys,
I am a retired teacher in Uk (secondary teaching) so I know how demanding a day on your feet looking after pupils can be.
I have had three ops on the same hip in the last three years and I know that there is no way I would be fit enough so soon after an op.
Just take a while and wait until your body is ready for work.
Your dedication is admirable but not perhaps what your body needs right now.
Shirley