My name is Tara and new to this forum. I am 38 years old and just a few days over 3 weeks post op on my left thr. I have needed a refill this week on my pain meds. I was trying to only take at night to sleep....
Anybody out there have any advice as to where I should be at 3 weeks. I feel like my mind wants my body to do more, but my body simply wants to chill out.lol
I am able to do some light chores, shower and just started driving today.
At this point should I be weaned off all medication?
Listen to your body. It will recover at its own pace. Help by taking pain relief of you need it and doing your physio exercises but always listen to your body
I am 3 weeks out today. I am in the same boat you are in. I don't want to take meds any longer, I want to be free to drive and free from the emotions drugs can cause. But there are times I just need something to cut the pain I still feel. So I take extra strength Tylenol during the day and when I am safe and sound in my own home, I'll take something stronger. I went 4 days trying to fight the pain, then decided it wasn't worth it.
One thing I have noticed though, the more I sit and do nothing the more pain I seem to have. When I get up and tackle small task (dishes, making bed) I feel better moving and accomplishing something.
The less I do, the less I want to do.
Make small goals each day and do them! You will start feeling better, physically and emotionally!!
At 3 weeks I was still taking painkillers but starting to reduce my intake as I wasn't feeling a massive amount of discomfort. Advice I was given was listen to your own body. I know that's a bit vague but if you're feeling pain take the medication!
I was told not to drive until 6 weeks post op. Check you're ok to be driving so soon, you may not be covered on your insurance.
My mind also certainly wanted to do more than my body would allow so again I would listen to your body and not do too much.
I overdid things a few times and paid with aches and pains.
In summary take things easy, 3 weeks is early days after the surgery you've had!
I understand you completely. Im 5 weeks. Like everyone says. Listen to your body. Ive been on addictive drugs for pain for well over a year. I want to stop them. I saw my doc. His advice. ..... its early days. Dont take them every 6 hr. Only takecthem when its needed. I said to him. Im not in " pain " at night i have restless achy legs. ...orif i do too much i haveback ache...bum ache but its not pain. Aching is considered as oain. So take when needed. My mind is m9nths shead of my body. ..however i did a walk around the block today hslf with one crutch half no aids. Then i kneeled down to weed. . Im havinga good coupleif days
Just what everyone has said. Lusten to your body. Try to do a little each day but if it leaves you exhausted then have a day off. If you are in pain then take the painkillers. No medals for bravery in the hippie world.
I started driving at 6 weeks so check you are allowed at 3 weeks. Your body has been through msjor trauma and needs to adjust slowly so take it easy
You sound as if you are doing really well. I am four weeks post op tomorrow and nowhere near as far ahead as you r. Partly because I had a bone graft and was non-weight-bearing until two weeks after.
Thanks for remembering me! I'm feeling quite a bit better without being totally pain free . The encouragement and advice I got off yourself and other contributors really helped me to realise I needed to swallow my pride, accept the recovery was going to take longer than the 6 weeks or so I originally had in my head and take things a little easier! So I have :-)
Still getting some pain in the hip/groin but it is becoming less. I'm taking more opportunities to sit in work and today was the first time I've walked my schnauzer in 10 days (usually a daily occurrence!) My family have been really supportive, they kept telling me to slow down but I didn't listen until I aggravated things too much, then found you lovely people and you all told me the same!! I'm using a stick to walk any reasonable distance (to and from the station to work) and in a nutshell listening to my body.
Depends on which leg RTHR which mine was, was 6 weeks but left is shorter if it's left and you drive an automatic it can be as little as 2 weeks but tell your insurance
Hi Tarajones I am just over the 3wks with my right hip replacement I am virtually pain free but if I over do things I take a pain killer, usually at night so I can sleep. I walk without crutches around the house/garden but I take just one crutch if I,m out walking. Yesterday I took my first trip to the supermarket, I used a small trolley and this supported me enough to manoeuvre round (my husband was with me also). I do my exercises,although some days not as many times as I should, and try and walk every day even if it's just round the garden. Not driving yet but the surgeon / doctor advised not before 6wks so I will stick to this. Everyone recovers at there own pace I would say do the exercises, take painkillers if you need them ,do things at your own pace. Good luck and hope your recovery continues to improve x susybobs
Glad you slowing down and listening to your body ! I'm ok thanks leg/ groin still bit stiff and achy. Feel more perky (that could be as I sat in ice cream parlour stuffing my face with an old friend most if day ).Still worried how I'm going to cope back at work still awaiting my appointment with occupational health re phased return . Still walking daily but not quite as far .
Three weeks is early days. Take what you need - especially to sleep. I had to resume pain meds at night for a bit because of overexertion. Bottom line: Don't do too much! Even days when I didn't have much pain I couldn't believe how exhausted I was after just some physical therapy and maybe a shower and getting dressed. This is major surgery and realize that your body needs rest to heal. I was impatient and kept saying "Why am I so tired???" I'm in week 9 now and able to do more without being completely whipped. I wouldn't worry too much about the medication. You will be in less pain in the coming weeks and will probably find you only need to take it occasionally if at all. Everyone is different so don't regiment yourself. And like everyone says, Listen to your body! Don't listen to your head. He doesn't know what he's talking about right now. :D
I am 20 weeks post lthr and mostly have given up on painkillers. This week I have had to take some, I have done a lot of walking and climbing stairs round old buildings and a zoo which I love doing, but of course bit off more than I could chew. I spoke to my physio and he said I had been doing too much and to back off a little and rest a little whilst doing the excersises and gentle walking. I have done this so will now knock off the pain-killers again I think the trouble with this operation is, you get rid of all the pain you were in, and find you can do things you haven't done in years, but forget it will take 12 months to be fully recovered so push ourselves too far. Enjpy what your doing but don't push too far, and if ypou do just back off for a day or two and you will take no harm. Love to all hippies before and afters Gillxx
Hi, Tara! I'm 42 years old. I'm 3 weeks & 2 days out from a right hip replacement. I had my left done 5 years ago. I'm working at weaning meds. I've gone from every 4 hours to every 5 & I finally hit every 6 this week. This really is an individual journey in some aspects. We all heal differently & we all feel pain differently. I was advised to not drive until I'm off narcotics, I can sit comfortably, move my foot back & forth between gas/brake, plus be able to slam on the brake if necessary. Of course it's different if it's your left leg. I drove much earlier. Everyone's input is valuable but remember to listen to your own body. Don't try to keep up with anyone but yourself! Good luck!! -Kristin
At 10 weeks post op I am off all meds but just like
others take them if I need to, couple of days ago went shopping with my daughter and forgot my fold away stick that I usually
put in my bag I knew I'd maybe done to much later when I got
home and scar and bottom of my back ached so took couple of pain tablets I know I was still taking them at 3 weeks as I was still having muscle spasms at night I had my right hip done so
also could'nt drive till 6 weeks but for me from week 4-5
everything just improved so much every week honestly it
I was also told not to drive by cons until 6 weeks, Theresa lot of healing that goes on in hop and leg that we don't see or think about. I had left leg done so left driving a while due to clutch etc.
You are doing great at 3 weeks post-op - As said, we all heal at our own pace - Try not to compare yourself with others -
I take my pain medication as needed and I need it still - I take mine mostly for day time so I can do more physically - from week 3, 4 on you will find that it is easy to over do it - you start to feel better, more energetic and start doing more - and then you sort of relapse - your muscles hurt - legs are heavy and all kinds of other pains start to come up ...
as long as you know that this is normal, you take it easier and rest more the following day - we are relearning how to walk again, properly,bones, muscles etc realligning - phew ....