hi, I am 6 days post op lthr. Only home from hosp yest but today am struggling. Have been left with length discrepancy which is very difficult and wont rectify until October when I have rthr. left leg is aching from top to bottom and is incredibly swelled although the pain is more ov a dull ache than the hip pain I had pre op. IConsultant and nursing staff were fantastic and tell me patience and staying on top ov meds is the only way but its soooo depressing. When does it get easier? I have been given some exercises but physio told me walking is the best thing to help. Feeiling very disheartened today
Hi Cheryl,
I'm 5 weeks post op lthr today. I know it's tough the first few days at home. I tried to sleep as much as I could to let my body heal. Take more short walks than longer ones. I would walk to the bathroom and back even if I didn't need to use it because it was close and I felt like I had accomplished something with a round trip rather than going all the way to the kitchen and barely making it back. It helped me to have my husband gently rub my thigh. Not massage but lightly touch it. There's something about sensory nerves being activated that distract you from other pains. I still do it every day when I feel pain.
Try to stay hydrated because dehydrating will make you even more miserable. I would also set little goals for myself every day so I had a better way to see that I was making progress even when I was feeling down and that I wasn't getting better.
I know it doesn't help much to tell you that it will get better but it will. After a couple weeks (when my incision was more healed) I had my husband put a bunch of pillows on my hip and leg then put my two pugs on the bed with me. They really cheered me up and helped me focus on something other than myself. I do that almost every day now. It really helps.
Hang in there and try to find things you can do instead of things you can't do.
i wish you the best!
Cindy
Hi Cheryl. REST. That is the key. I am 7 weeks now, but remember that 6th day well! If you have paracetamol take it - and regularly. Its the best way to keep pain under control, and then use something stronger at intervals i.e. codeine or tramadol. Dont be a martyr and try and cut down the meds too early 
. I was taking regular pain meds for at least 2 weeks and now, 7 weeks down the line, just the occasional nurofen. Icing really helps although you may be a bit early for that, maybe after a few weeks. Perhaps someone else can recommend when to do that. Arnica pillules are also brilliant as I had no bruising at all thanks to taking these regularly. Highly recommended to take alongside ordinary meds. Are you wearing surgical stockings? Assuming so, because that does help. The swelling does go down.. but you are so early into this. Its a long process but once you have the pain under control you'll feel better. I wouldnt advise too much walking because you are so early on in your recovery. But as Cindy says below, short walks to the bathroom, kitchen and back are good. I think i managed a short walk or 2 round the block but if I didnt feel like it I just didnt do it that day. You dont need to push yourself, just listen to your body. You'll be fine!
Hang in there. I'm waiting for a new knee so I know the frustration of waiting for 'part 2'. Exercise little and often at first, do ankle movements every hour to pump the blood through your calves which will help the swelling, sit with your feet up, I found bed easier than chairs for this at first.
Keep on top of the pain, it is much easier at this stage to not let the pain break through than it is to get on top of it later. Find something distracting to do between exercise sessions, if you can achieve something it is easier to feel positive. I like knitting and embroidery as well as reading so I had things to do. But have faith, in a while you will be encouraging those who are finding the going tough.
Hi Cheryl..Have a look at other THR threads on this forum for other peoples experiences...I know its easy to say but now at 13 weeks and just back to work and almost normality the discomfort of the first few weeks becomes a blurr!
Dont compare your recovery to anyone else..we're all different. Try some heat on your op site too ..one of those wheatsack things...quite soothing...ice on your swollen leg and elevate and keep rotating your ankle....we've all beem thru it ...it gets better and better...keep smiling..that helps too!!
Chris
cheryl, your question is when does it start to get better.
For me, it started to get better at 12/143/14 days.
These were the factors in why I got better
#1- I got the right pain medication and I take it. (You can read my topic Oh Lord give me rreief) pain will sap your eneryfy, even just low grade pain.
#2- Getting a LOT of sleep. Taking full pain pills at night allows me now to sleep 10 and 12 hours. I can tell that I really need that kind of sleep, and while I am sleeping I am healing.
#3 Nourishment. In the hospital I went for a week without hardly eating anything. Now I am home and my husband is making me good meals and with being nourished I am stronger, better.
#4 For the first two weeks I did not focus on rehabilitation at all, just focused on getting stronger overall. I am day 16 Post Op and I cn already tell I am 2x better today on my new hip than yesterday.
I hope somebody comes and and gives you advice on your swelling, I didn't have any swelling at all so I am not in a position to help you ith that, but I know some people had swelling so I hope they will offer you advice.
Eat well and rest, sleep, when you are stronger you can worry about waking, IMHO. How old are you BTW?
very wierd, my comment got printed twice and the second time with a bunch of links I didn't put in there.
Hi, I was taking 2tramadol and paracetamol four times a day for weeks. I don't see the point in suffering unduly. Gradually you find the need tails off. I also was taking a nap in bed after lunch for weeks. Sleep is vital as is a nutritious diet. You will be a new woman in a few weeks; well certainly after the second hip is done. Hip surgery despite them chucking you out after three days is very traumatic. Just because they have us up walking within a few hours does not lessen the magnitude of what happened to us. Love yourself lots and have treats keep your spirits up.
Welcome to my world!
The leg discrepancy will resolve when you do the other hip. I went thru this myself, but the pain and full recovery (or even half full..) will take longer. Patience my friend.
By the way, pain meds will help with the depressing times too. As others have said, take enough pain meds regularly. It helps with the pain which indirectly helps with feeling a little depressed at times. I have post traumatic stress disorder from the accident that lead to the thr and my therapist told me the dumbest thing for me to do is think I can handle the pain without enough meds. All it did was make me suffer with depression AND pain. When I got back on my pain meds Regularly, I felt better physically and mentally. Unfortunately I've been through that cycle multiple times and reducing the pain always helps my mental status.
Re your swelling Cheryl.... I was very, very swollen and found that if I lay down with my leg raised on a pillow or cushion it went down quite well thankfully. I found it a bit scary, but it went quite quickly after being raised for long enough. I too felt much better after two weeks. I am now in week nine and doing great. Doing my exercises in the swimming pool has made a big difference. Also, my physio pointed out that I was holding myself very stiffly around the pelvic area and now that I am focussing on my posture the leg length difference isn't so great. Keep going. It most certainly will get better.
I am waiting for my op, it's supposed to be within the next month but we'll see! Can anyone tell me how post op you're supposed to get yourself in and out of bed for instance without putting your thigh at a 90 degree angle to your body?!?!
you'll be shown how to do it...you sort of lean right back and shuffle to the edge of the bed before lowering your legs..its uncomfy for a couple of weeks but you learn to manage....do a google search for post op thp care I think there are some pictures...its these little things that we all worry about, I know I did ..but honestly you just get through it and it isn't as bad as you think it will be!...Any other questions, just ask!
Hi Chris,
Hope going back to work is good! Wish it was me ooh to feel normal .
Swelling gone down a bit today so feelin bit happier and had my daughter help me shower yest which she thought was hilarious so finding time to laugh and smile ...... so pleased to read your comments
I am 39 so its depressing not being able to get out and about at the min. am staying on top ov pain relief and swelling is going down so thats all good. I read ur thread bet u glad be home! Hope ur feelin good today. How old are you?
yea i've resorted to the tramadol and it is helping. avent had much appetite since op so must really try and eat more!!! I hope to be a new woman after all this I think we deserve it. I have found it all very traumatic but i can be dramatic lol
hi, have ur legs evened out yet? I couldnt get over it at first as hadn't been mentioned this may happen pre op! I am trying to be patient but its hard just want to jump in my car and go shopping or something else normal like I used to
Hi Cindy,
Thanks for your reply. I am taking pain relief and it is defo helping. I am 7 days post op today and am wanting to be back to normal just like that! Small goals, I know and hopefully all be worth it in the end
Hope you are still doing well and I bet ur pugs are gorgeous, I love dogs bet they keep you smiling
Hi Kay,
the swelling isnt quite so bad today! Do you feel a major difference at 9 wks???
Hi Louise,
thanks for your reply. the swelling isnt as bad today and yes am wearing the delightful surgical stockings. I am walking quite a bit around the house but I dont feel confident enough to leave the house at the moment. Am hoping this will come in time. having some pain throughout the entire leg and hope its more surgical and muscular than hip if u know what I mean
7 weeks and only nurofen sounds really encouraging