Hi, I am 12 days post LTHR and severely depressed. Did not expct to be sooo difficult. Can't imagine to go thru this again. Nobody prepared me emotionally. Everyone was saying, oh, you will be up and runnunig in no time but that is not true and it isn't helping. I don't want to take the painkillers anymore because they make me crazy. No sleep. I don't know how to survive. Help, please
hi maria,
I am so sorry to hear this ...
warm welcome to this wonderful forum of hippies where we share our personal experiences and stories ...
maybe you can start your own discussion and share your story with us -- you are not alone okay? and this is normal and part of the roller coaster ride of hip surgery ...
big warm hug
renee
Hi Maria ,it's a slower process than you think ..I too am more down than I thought I'd be ..whether it's because we are not doing our normal stuff ...Christmas coming up ...not so mobile ..not sleeping ..expecting too much of ourselves....losing quite a lot of independence..a mix of it all ..I also have cut my meds especially codeine..I really hope we both feel better soon ..keep in touch ..take care ..Gail x
Gosh this site is some story of crazy. Took me ages to work out why a five month old thread was at the top!
Like Renee said, if you could start your own thread, you can have us all to yourself!
Life is perverse, isn't it? Everyone was expecting me not to be up and running in no time ( including me), and I'm one of the rare cases that is! But you are absolutely right - counselors etc., are usually available for most major conditions, but hospitals are woefully lacking any such resource for major surgery like this, and it's probably as important as physiotherapy.
Are you on your own or with family and friends?
Please don't just stop your painkillers. Right now you need their support. If the ones you have don't work for you, speak to your doctor - there are plenty of others you could use. Believe me, you will survive this. You must have had a lot to deal with before the surgery, or you wouldn't have had it - and you survived that, so you must be tougher than you think.
This time of year - rubbish weather, dark nights, cold, and Christmas - it's a classic for making people feel down anyway. Normally, at this time of year, I take off to somewhere that isn't celebrating Christmas (or not on 25th), and it's warmer, because I just abhor the British winter!
You don't have to do this yourself. We're all here.
Thank you for the hug , I really needed it. It's actually helping - to know that I am not alone.
Beth, thanks for the support. I am an active person and being chained now affects me very hard. I have survived worse than that (breast cancer) but I also have to deal with the loss of my husband a year ago so my emotional balance is a little off I guess. I have talked to the doctor but for some reason he was very rude and did not help. I have cut the paincillers to the minimum and have decided to increase the therapy and home exercises. I will also begin short walks around the house. i would like to go back to work asap. That will be the best medicine.I cry a lot. My son and my step son are taking care of me as much as they can but I don't have help 24/7 and that makes the situation even more difficult. Most of all I need encouragement. Thanks.
Thanks for the support. If I only could sleep better, I would feel better but I can't. The doctor insists to ware the immobilizer and the abduction pillow for 6 weeks and I hate them both especially the immobilizer. A
ny experience to share?
Hello, new friends!! I found this site by accident (looking up 'How soon after total hip replacement can I get a tattoo'--which should tell you something about me!) and am I glad I DID!! I am 15 days post-op, and made my first trip out into the real world, totally exhausting. I am using the walker first thing in the morning, last thing at night--when I'm most wobbly. First 12 days were 25% weight-bearing, so getting off the walker has been huge! I LOVED the 'hippies' comment--gave me a good laugh! I have 8 active inflammatory diseases (yes, my body is trying to kill me), which is why the hip replacement. Had my right knee replaced 2 1/2 years ago, mostly due to a fall at school. The 5 years of bad knee and an erosive arthritis took out the right hip. I expected the hip to be easier than it has been--totally unrealistic, I realize now. I had so much inflammation in the hip that it has caused radiating pain all the way down my leg--like having a non-stop charlie horse. When it didn't stop after the surgery, my already depression got noticeably deeper. It's reduced some, and I have to focus on the fact that it doesn't hurt ALL the time now, just SOMETIMES--but depression doesn't listen to reason. I have a chronic low-level depression, so I am on a rx all the time, but after talking to my dr, we've upped it some--not just because of the hip, but this was like one thing too many. I am SO relieved to read of you all struggling with the depression, too, and also expecting that getting rid of the bad part would mean instant relief. I'm glad I wasn't the only one!! I'm going to be following you, so keep up the words of truth and encouragement, will you? I know I'm not the only one who needs to hear them.
Stay positive, Use this hip replacement as an opportunity to make improvements in your life. I am 63 years and had a total hip replacement in 2018. At that time I weighed 235 pounds and was very limited on any activities I could do. I took the opportunity and made a decision that I wanted to do activities that i have not been able to do for many years. Now i weigh 170 pounds and enjoy hiking and backpacking. It took time and a goal that was achievable. My advise is to take this opportunity to improve your life. It was not easy but my new hip gave me a new life. My prayers go out to you. Stay positive
Totally agree about the loss of a part of yourself. it was when I got home that kicked in.