I will be 4 weeks post op tomorrow. THR my right hip. Sometimes I feel like I had less pain a week ago. Everything I've read makes me think I should be off my cane by now and weaning off pain meds so I can get back to driving. I honestly can't see that happening in the near future. I just want to know if this is common and I should be patient or if my situation is unusual. My doctor doesn't believ in physical therapy other than walking and doing a few exercises on my own. I am also ver sad, cranky, and moody. I just feel like I need a huge hug. Can anyone relate. I welcome any thoughts or suggestions.
Hey Riley. ... here is the hug (((((()))))) yes i read how others are doing and try to measure myself against them. Not a good thing to do. We are all different. Our surgeons have done differnt things. Remember its a mess in there. Im 2 weeks 3 days pist op and only going to one crutch now. Sometimes 2 as i have twingy pains like my leg won't hold. I tried to take a step today without anything. .. it was more like a hop. Im no where near ready. We are all different. . Cheer up. It will get better.
Riley, yes, I can relate! Are you still on narcotics? They can really do a number on one's mood, let alone that many of us have to endure 24/7 pain. I have been told repeatedly to relax and let my body heal and that everyone has a different recovery experience.
Do something nice for yourself. Watch a movie on tv, endulge in something yummy (in the US, where I live, it would be anything chocolate), and personally, I find simply praying helps
Feel better soon and know that you ARE on the road to recovery, even if it doesn't feel like it today.
- Tricia
Well said Tricia . Heres to a glass of chocolate lol
That sounds depressing. If the pain is getting worse I would be concerned. It should be getting better each day. Each person takes different times to heal but maybe you need a review?
Don't be so hard on yourself Riley. Why are you weaning off pain medication? You have had a big operation, not forgetting the damage to your hip and surrounding muscles over the years before the hip replacement which also needs time to heal. You will experience some pain which can be depressing, take your medication and that will let you exercise speeding up your recovery. Take care of yourself and be positive, I had mine done in 2007 took a while to recover but went back to work pain free changed my life after all that pain. kind regards
Hello Riley,
sorry you are feeling frustrated you say......
yes I was off crutches at 4 weeks: others on this site at eight weeks: we are all so different, age, med history, regime offered, etc.
driving is generally not advised for 6 weeks by the way...that's when I had a review too, and probably guess you should be getting one then too.
so, relax, reflect back on yourself pre op, even last week: it's important to make progress, small steps at atime. I had no physio either: at 6 weeks I booked some PT time at the gym though, to up my exercises as well as the useful walking
Good luck, and a glass of red wine
mic
x
dear riley ,
welcome to our family of hippies !!!
We share our personal experiences, our pains, setbacks, our moods, our victories - big and sometimes small ..
I agree wit all the other comments ... do not compare yourself with others - we are individuas, healing at our own pace ..
week 3-4 are notorious for set backs - or what we think are set backs - becoause we are feeling better we do more ... walk a bit further and longer, increase our exercises etc ... and then WHAM , pain ... stabbing or soreness when touching -
and so on ... a roller coaster, physically and emotionally ..
listen to your body, rest and relax, be gentle with your self -
you know that you can always come here and just vent --- very therapeutic -
big warm hug
renee
Hi Riley you will be just fine . This site is brilliant but please don't compare ! This experience really is a journey and I too experienced highs and lows ! You almost there now I have just turned massive corner and I'm 6 weeks tomorrow it will come . Sometimes if you having bad day you need to just nurture yourself good book ,nice food or film or call an old friend.
Big hugs
Denise
Hello . I will also be 4 weeks tomorrow after a TRH .
I share your miseries lol
i think we are all very different and different surgeons / pts/ countries all have a different follow up approach !
where are you ?
i am on one stick all the time and my pt suggested trying no stick in the house which I am doing but find I walk in a srange way lol
a lot more time needed for this I have decided .Yesterday after my walk my thigh really ached and so I dosed myself with co codamol which helped .
I get quite low and still burst into tears for no reason which my hubby doesn't get lol
i think that although to us 4 weeks is a long time it actually isn't !
So here is a big hug and we will get through this !
This time next week we will be 5 weeks and so on .
Beautiful sunshine here today so the world is looking good .
🍷🍷🍷
Hi jay I was exactly the same as you . Then last week (week 5) I was walking with 1 stick outside like a penguin ! Went stick free for walk round block (crying in frustration ) last Monday and leg ached so back on pain killers . Then suddenly turned corner last Thursday now stick free since then very rarely pain relief walking about 2 miles a day and I'm 6 weeks tomorrow ! So it will happen ! But only when your body let's you ! I see consultant tomorrow and wonder what he will say as I'm signed off work another 6 weeks ! Although I still realise I'm not up to work yet when I attempted to got supermarket ! Definitely a no no
Have a nice day you have done so well and we are all different
regards
Denise
Hi Riley,Listen to your fellow Hippies,especially Swindon and Renee,they will pull you through this,we know how you feel,today is the day to spoil yourself,also I think it helps reading about what others are doing,I am 14 weeks post op and every day is getting better,but I too can have a little blip,so enjoy you have a lot to look forward to Lots of Hugs love Michael.
Walking like a penguin is exactly right lol
You are doing really well and I agree that the supermarket is a no no . I have been doing on line shopping which is great except that I accidentally ordered 23 cucumbers !!!
Let me know how you get on with your consultant tomorrow . I am signed off for initial. 6 weeks but hope to have another 6 weeks as I am no where near ready to return to my demanding job !!!
I really don't want to go back ever lol
I will persevere to try and walk like an upright human being lady and try and lose the penguin image .
Oh jay. Your post gave me a good giggle. 23 cucumbers. I have a demanding job too abd i dont want to go back. Sigh
The penguin walk....glad its not just me. I dont kniw is its true but a friend had an old fashioned physio who insisted on you walking heel to toe with each foot it teaches you proper stance. My friend walks petfectly
Most of the exercises you do at home will be the same as the ones they do at PT. The most success will be in your diligence of actually doing them. I paid for two sessions which basically were the same exact thing I was doing home. Stopped that payment plan quickly when I saw this. Dont be in a hurry to dismiss the cane. It can be your friend. I depended on my home walker to do my exercises for four weeks and felt it stabilized my posture while learning to do the exercises correctly. Walking around the house without anything came naturally at 4 weeks as long as I took my time. Each person has a different outcome but you can do these on your own. I YouTubed a lot of hip replacement PT videos which also helped. Know your body, Know your limits and dont overdue it in hopes of furthering it quickly. I was up to 20 reps on each exercise on each leg and one day my non op leg I overstretched the muscle group in the back of thigh. Took me 3 weeks to heal from that. So dont be in a hurry. Know your body and know your limitations . Embrace the healing process. {{{HUGS}} P>S> Watch your posture your spine will thank you in the end
I was the same at 4 weeks. I thought I would never be able to give my crutches back to the hospital at 6 weeks but things started to improve after the 4 week mark quickly. I also just had 4 exercises to do at home and just walked. In the next two weeks I changed from 2 crutches to 1 to a walking stick and on short walks just had a cane as a precaution. I invested in a folding walking stick for after the 6 week appointment. Used it a bit but now I'm 5 months and haven't used it for ages. I was able to drive at 6 weeks too.
Recovery rates do vary - i recovered faster after my first op a long time ago.
Waddle waddle lol
i was told to walk heel toe and to imagine that there is a piece of string pulling my head up straight !!!!
not garrotting me lol
i love all these helpful comments and to be able to share the ups and downs !
Thank you all for your help and support. I'm not sure how to reply to individuals after they hav commented on my post. If anyone has information regarding replying please let m know. Also, thanks for the hugs, I really needed them,
I can totally relate! I think everyone progresses at a different rate and THAT is what's normal. At week ago I was doing to well that I overdid some of my physical therapy exercises and pulled my inner thigh muscle. That has been a real set back. I've been depressed and anxious ever since. I'm at week 6 and wondering what I should do or not do. I need to heal but I need to keep moving as well. THR is not for the faint of heart but all of us here are in it together. Hang in there.
Hi Riley,
You will recover at the pace your body dictates and nothing you can do will change that. Do your exercises when you can but don't push yourself too hard, remembering that your meds can mask pain so at the slightest twinge, stop and leave it for a while, maybe trying again half a day later.
Take your meds, take lots of rest but most of all you mustn't compare with others on here. We are different ages, sizes, different levels of fitness before the op etc and we all recover at different rates. I was off my crutches at 4 weeks round the house but still waddle and probably will for a good few weeks yet.
We all have down days, it's natural considering what we have been through so allow yourself a little wallow, just don't buy yourself a season ticket to the mudbath 😉
You our will find you have up and down days so come here as often as you need to for hugs if you are in need. There are lots of hugs here for all ((((()))) so ask away.
Hope you feel a bit brighter soon. You will get there, it just takes time.
Take care.
Ali xx