FEELING so ill

is it normal to feel so low and run down i am 11 days post op not sleeping and cramping in leg and foot of operated hip i cant see light at end of the tunnel

If you are suffering from cramps then a tumbler of indian tonic water should stop it in under thirty minutes just make sure that it contains quinine. Good luck
Cheers Richard

yes it is unfortunately however, keep doing your physio take meds and rest. In a weeks time you will improve its a slow process. Im 7 weeks post op and i never thought id reach this stage. good luck :slight_smile:

I am very sorry to hear you are not feeling well but I am 3 months and I have a few bad days. It is a slow process and you want heal properly. Please give it time bur you will feel fantastic. I wish you well.

Hi Debbie
I find that it is easier to become low if i don’t get some fresh air and if i don’t have anyone to chat with.
we are here for you whenever you want a chat, and don’t be too proud to ask friends and family to lend a hand or an ear on a more regular basis.
i wonder what would put a smile on your face?
Laura

The first 6 weeks are the worst - it all gets better after that point.
It was like that for all three of my recoveries in the last three years.

For the first few weeks there are some tough times for many people. Important to drink a lot of water. You will have to go to the bathroom often but that’s not really a bad thing because it makes you get up and walk a bit. Also, elevate the leg, especially when you are lying on your back. Use ice pack periodically (about 10-15 minutes each time) during the day.

Important, too, to have some protein.

for leg and foot cramps i took magnesium are use magnesium spray on the area. ice hip a lot. rest, rest ,rest. also drink protein shakes helps me feel so much better. the meds can cause so many issues eat at least 2200 calories a day the body needs extra cal for energy to heal. every week you will get better its the first two to three weeks thats the toughest. many healing blessings sent your way.

HI debbie, I am 13 days post-op. I am so sorry to hear you are feeling so ill!
I wasnt prepared for how bad i would feel afterwards i think the reality is its not easy. When i was discharged last week from hospital i asked the surgeon to prescribe me some sleeping pills which he did.
All the best and i hope you notice a shift in how you are feeling soon xx

hi, I wasn’t in much pain after my hip replacement but I have honestly never felt so low. I was crying all the time and really didn’t want to talk to anybody.
I had a general anaesthetic and I think it was the effects of that, it lasted about 2 long weeks but then all of a sudden I remember sitting and thinking how much everything looked brighter visually and my low mood completely disappeared there and then. you will feel better soon x

Debbie,

A lot of people feel down after the op, the second week after my hip op I felt really depressed. I did not realize how down I felt until a friend emailed asking how I was and my reply was very ‘ranting’ , their answer to me made me wake up as to how I was feeling, I had to make a conscious decision to pick myself up.

The more exercise you do the better you will feel, magnesium stops cramping, restless legs etc., along with the exercise. Unfortunately, we have to play our part in the recovery it does not happen on its own. In a week or two you will have moved on so much. Good luck.

hi Debbie yrs it is totally normal to feel as you do your body has been through a lot and because you cant sleep etc everything appears so much worse . i had my thr right side september 2016 and the left thr in december 2016 and i felt very low for a few weeks after but i did start to feel better as the pain eased and the sleep improved however it didnt work for me and im still using a crutch and on pain meds but i think i was just unlucky i wish you well in your recovery and hope your feeling your normal self soon xx

it’s the exhaustion and frustration that gets to me - all very depressing, so I understand. i’ve not had cramps but have to get up 3 or 4 times in the night, and it just takes so long to get off the bed and to the loo. embarrassed myself today when I went to the docs to get the staples removed, and ended up fainting and falling heavily, fortunately on my good hip, but it was really scarey.
hopefully, the next couple of weeks will lead to real improvement. i’m relying on chocolate and painkillers to keep me going.

Hi Debbie
My sister, a veteran of four operations, says that it is common to feel low following operations. Our bodies go through great trauma. Be kind to yourself. Take your pain meds, do your physio, go for walks, eat healthily, drink plenty of water and prop your legs up, when you lay down.
I felt I was flying the first week following my op, but once the gabapentin and morphine ran out, I crashed. Felt weepy and miserable. Had a hard time as a single mum with young teenage sons. But my family, who live far away gave me good advice over the phone and I was soon feeling more positive.
Wishing you a speedy recovery

i have to go to have dressing removed in two days my are dissolverble stitches yes its so hard getting up in the night isnt it i hate it hopefully we will be see improvement soon x

I left my walker right beside my bed, switched sides to sleep so the operated leg was on the outside, got a wide, flat exercise step because my bed was a little too high, and wore those loose hospital socks over the heavy elastic socks so I had traction for the bare floor. my husband was great, helping pick up my leg when i needed to get up, but it still was exhausting to do just normal things. I moved a dining chair with arms to watch tv in the living room, and piled the coffee table with yarn balls, magazines, i pad charger, water bottle, remotes. phone, munchis, stuff i had planned to get to. Not that I did that much, but stuff was in reach and I could keep busy if I wanted to. Like most of you I was surprised at how little energy and stamina I had and how low I felt. A nurse friend on mine told me that the body “mourns” the loss of parts we have removed, like a hip, shoulder, appendix, etc. I have not read any scientific basis for this, but after many surgeries I believe it might be true. Be good to yourself, sleep well, eat well, rest even when you think you’re not tired. Remember all your energy is going into healing that hip so give it time and talk to us. celebrate little victories.