Six Months on from LTHR

Bones, joints and muscles
1

It has now been six months since my hip replacement.

For the most part life is back to normal and I am able to get into London for work and do what I need to do.

I still find I get tired quicker than I did before and, if I over do it, I sometimes get pain in my hip.

I think what holds me back the most now is the response from those around me.  My wife gets concerned if I try to do too much and gets very concerned when I have to travel for work.

The last year has been hard, since breaking my hip and having it replaced.  But I do feel it is now all behind me.  Hopefully the hip will last me a long time and not need replacing.

Good luck to all of you that have had a replacement, or will be having one in the future.

2

Thank you! So glad you are doing well!! I too am at 6 months from my revision after dislocating the first replacement. I still have a ways to go as I still can't get to 90 degree hip flexion. Still limping without my cane, lots of nerve pain and muscle weakness and joint stiffness. But I'm getting there. Slower than I want and anticipated. Hope all continues to go well for you!! Blessings for continued healing!! LD 🤠🤓

3

I had limp for the first three to four months and had to have extra physio to help it go away.  I still get it occasionally when tired.

I have been fortunate with a good range of movement within weeks of the replacement. 

What seems to make the biggest difference is keepng on top of the physio I was given to do.  If a take a few days off, then the limp comes back.

4

Hi Adam

From what I hear it takes up to a year to get back to normal whatever that may be! I'm only 9 weeks so...

I guess you have to follow your body and if it needs rest then do it. I have a friend who is 7 months done the line and still needs to take paracetamol as she is stiff in the morning but apart from that seems to be improving all the time! Sounds like you are doing well though

Julie

5

Hi Adam, good to hear how well you are doing. I'm almost 7 months, and feeling pretty normal again. Like you, really hoping it won't need replacing. Surgeon seems to think it will last a lifetime, here's hoping!

6

Adam,

So nice to hear of your progress, which sounds so much like my experiences with getting in and out of London.   I am just over a year post-revision now, and like you still suffer the odd pain when I have overdone it, or when the train lurches down the line 🚂.

I did manage to get up on my workshop roof to try to seal a leak, but my wife was very worried about me being up there.

Best wishes

Graham 🚀🤸

7

hi adam

good news all around and happy for you ...

thanks for sharing this encouraging post -

well done

big warm hug

renee

8

Good news Adam.  you are being impatient, If you were like me, you had compensated for years for that worn out hip.

Now you are a baby again, starting from scratch learning to walk all over again.

Takes a baby about 12 months or a little longer, which is exactly what the specialist told me, I scoffed at him, he said you will find out, that little comment came back and bit me on the butt.

I was particulry lucky with first hip, got the perfect replacement, 12 weeks and I was up and about and walking well.

2nd hip took over 15 months or so, with physio's help needed to get me right, gait wrong, leg length an issue, compounded by natural leg length issue not recognised before surgery.

I was compensating by not using gluteus minimus correctly, and in the end the weakness only made me worse, but have come right now, not sure exactly when, but this week am 2yrs on since my not so good THR.

I was thinking the last few days, I feel soo much better than I have for years previous, with that constant pain from my hips.

9

Sadly my replacement was due to a bad break of the Femur.  I managed to snap the abll off the top, coming off my bike.  It was repaired, but that failed.  I was unable to put any weight on my left leg for five months prior to the replacement.

10

Adam, I am 17 months post op, and my husband stills says to me, you shouldnt be doing this etc, know your own body I know my limitations which are not many and i do take care still getting up and down off the floor. In regards to tiredness, it is major surgery, it takes time. My surgeon said to be fully healed is two years because of the muscles, my muscles have decided to give me gip recently but massaging and ice help, but being ironed out by the osteopath also helps. 

Good luck 

11

Aren't you lucky to have a caring wife! I suspect she comes from the fear of watching you suffer and as the caregiver which is no small role. It may take a while before she can relax. Could you sit down with her and tell her you will be honest if you have done too much? That you will rest when it is? And though you really appreciate her concern, it isn't necessary anymore?

Good to hear your recovery has been successful

12

Adam

It's hard to remember exactly how long I took to get back to 'normal' But I was definitely back on my bike regularly within a year. And have been on it ever since until my  joint was infected. Getting that fixed next month so hoping to be back doing active things later this year.  Some things I've struggled with (putting socks on and cutting toe nails) but in general it worked as well as the old one.

And I think we all have partners who worry. Better than one who doesn't care!

Mike

13

Know all about not being able to walk, or very little due to pain levels and damaged ball of hip. 

My ball of hip was no longer a ball, if you make a fist, you will see your knuckles, looked somewhat like that, and all sloping off to one side, also when they finally did MRI discovered the ball was hollow, eaten away by cystic action, and also on the other side pelvis, a hole was forming, didn't know for sure as I went into surgery if i would need a bone graft but was prepared for it, explained very well by surgeon.

After this MRI at the beginning of March was upgraded to Category One, (is for cancer patients and potentially life threathening cases), in public system, 32 weeks later finally got surgery on Oct 30.

Should not have been made to wait so long but GP's letter was a shocker, she has OA, and that was it.

Only got into hospital quickly after seeing GP's locum, he was shocked I hadn't had THR done at the end of Aug and picked up the phone and spoke directly to specialist at hospital, appt 10 days later arranged.

Specailist in no uncertain terms told me to fire my GP, and under no circumstances and step down on that hip, we have steps at the back of our house.

I do have a memory just as my surgery ended male voices saying look at this, its dust, and tapped removed part of hip with some instrument and it fell apart in his hands, commented lucky we got to it when we did, challenged him later with that memory, and he said you weren't awake, awake enough to remember that i said to him, and we had a laugh, I had recognised by that time what a good new hip I had.

Lucky patients in Edinburgh, thats his home town, where he is now a ortheo surgeron.

14

I can't believe you had to wait 32 weeks following your MRI. That's shocking. Glad you are now so much better.