Still not back to normall

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Hi all I haven't been on here for a while, I still seem to be having problems, had THR on 24/2/16 was doing fine, but I don't seem to be making any advance. I am having Physio ,Hydro Therapy, and I also go to water aerobics when I can. I still need to use a stick when I am out in the street, and when I go shopping I am finding that the time I get public transport, I am extremely tired to walk around shops.

i am also suffering from PPS (Post Polio Syndrome) before I had my THR my Nuerologist did say to me that I would take much longer than the average person to get over THR. At the time I didn't really no what he ment, but I do now. What Nerve endings I have are not very strong, because of the Polio that I had. Today I feel really down in the dumps, because I have always been fairly active, but I don't seem to have any pleasure in going out. Just hope this goes. Due to go back to Surgeon in August, to discuss how I am and also to sort out about having my TKR done 😬 Not looking forward to that at all.One more thing, after all this time I still can not lay on the operated side, is anyone else like this after nearly 5 mths. Speak soon 

2

So sorry to hear you are going through such a bad time. As you say, because of your weak nerve endings, it's going to take you a bit longer than average to start feeling better.

On top of that a knee replacement to boot!

All of your unusual problems may be the reason you cannot lay on your operated side, have you tried soft pillows under your side to cushion your hip? I have a memory foam topper which has a lot of "give" and really comfortable, also I take a strong painkiller before going to bed which helps me get off to sleep.

I am 6 months post op. but everyone has different rates of recovery.

Keep plugging away, you'll get there at your own speed ! Warm wishes xx

3

Sorry to hear you still get tired, but saying that I can't do as much though I am 69 so age probably comes into it.  It took about 9 months to lay on my operated side so don't worry it takes time others seem to do it quicker others like me.  Just keep smiling hope you get on okay when you go in August.

regards Lorna 

4

hi nell, 

You already read it here so any times before that we heal at different rates and speed - I can imagine how you feel at 5months post-op - you should be further along, right? there is no one size fits all sweetheart - and as you mention, you have additional challenges - 

healing takes a lot of energy - physically, mentally an also emotionally - 

it is okay and just know that all is well ..

how are you doing otherwise ?  

big warm hug

renee

5

Hi Nell, I think Gwen has the right of it. I am also 5 months and a little frustrated ( okay more than a little). I think of this a bit like learning a new sport or art form. We are all gung ho to get going, start learning and practising and then realize that it takes a while to learn certain techniques. then we realise the effort needed to master them and coordinate them together . It gets pretty frustrating at times ... just like pro golfers except we don't earn the big bucks or have a whole pro team supporting us every day. And you have additional challenges.

Personally, I might not be ready to take on a TKR yet. I might wait to sort out my gait and get stronger. But it depends on the level of pain you are experiencing and the level of damage being done to your knee ... and other joints as it must be increasing the stress on them. Is it possible that the bad knee is slowing down your current progress?

Either way you have my sympathy - the recovery is definitely tougher than I expected and my only complication is needing my other hip done. I see my surgeon next week to discuss dates and I think early fall might be feasible from my perspective.

Big hugs and hope for improvement for you.

L

6

Thanks Gwen, think I'm going to have to take some painkillers before I got to bed, I have got a very soft pillow but it still makes no difference, Grin and bare it I surpose 😬. Wish you well xxx

7

Thanks Lorna, hope your well xxx

8

Hi Renee, I just feel like a Fraud haha, when I hear about other people, and I know that we are all different, and I have the PPS, which was bad enough before I had the THR, but some days I feel really sorry for myself, anyway hope your ok, and I wish you well xx

9

Hi Linda, we must be about the same time, more or less, how are you walking, can you sleep on operated side? Do you use Stick ? Sorry for all the questions, but it's nice to hear about people who are on the same time of surgery. Hope your well xxx

10

Good morning, Nell.  Everyone has given you great feedback here and I'm not sure I have anything new to add.  But I wanted to offer some encouragement and empathy.  This is a long haul for us, isn't it?  And not easy.             Oh, I do have a question about the PPS.  I don't know lots about it.  So I assume you had polio as a child?  Then the PPS came years later?  I am 67 and I remember at about age 10 getting those sugar cubes with the polio vaccine.  It was quite the thing back then.  Anyway, if you feel like writing some information a bout the PPS, I'd be interested in it.

I also still sleep on my back though I'm only 3 weeks out.  It's still working OK for me.  May change the longer I'm at this.  Hope you can find some comfort.  Sleep is so important to us during this healing process.

Hugs,

Leslie

11

Hi Nell.

Sorry to hear that you are struggling and feeling down in the dumps. It can be very disheartening to feel that you are not making progress. You likely have made gains but it's hard to see these sometimes when you are in pain and discomfort and limited in what you can do. Having the added complication of Post Polio Syndrome with weak nerve endings is making the  

recovery even harder and slower.

I think we don't realize that the THR surgery and the After time also can be emotionally hard sometimes. 

Hang in There Nell. We are all rooting for you. Give yourself lots of TLC.

Warm Hugs,

Cathy

12

Hi - yes we are on the same timeline Nell (posterior THR Feb 19th this year). I am doing reasonably well but , of course, not as well as I would like. Progress has been slowed by my second hip (it was a toss-up which to do first) which has been getting worse and I see the surgeon next week to set a date and I am hoping for sooner rather than later - even if not looking forward to another recovery.

I am now sleeping on my operated side ~2 hours at a time). It is still painful when I roll onto it, but if I go slowing and prop it a bit with a small pillow, it is okay. It took me a while to get the courage to try this (sadly), but managed to roll onto it at about 7 weeks the first time and I juse tred extending my time on it after.

I don't really know what the 'stick' is! We (I am a Canadian based in Ottawa) only get offered: a 2-wheeled (then 4-wheeled walker), then crutches or canes. I cannot use the crutches (previous injury) so stuck with the walker and cane. The walker really helped me slow down and smooth out my gait. I used the cane primarily when in tight settings. I have a pair of Nordic walking poles which I keep intending to start using but somehow life (and death) has kept intervening.

I am walking reasonably well - capable of 1-2 km at a time and when I concentrate hard, I cam walk without a limp or waddle. However, when tired or rushed it is definiens evident. It has taken a while to accept that short rests can makemake a huge difference.

No worries about questions - that's why we are here, to help one another whether advice or simply moral support. There are only so many times you can talk to others about this, if they haven't experienced it. I am sure you know the glazed look I am thinking of. 😆😴

Has your surgeon been open about how PPS is/can be expected to affect your recovery? I have to believe that it will complicate it - nerve and muscle recovery is far more challenging (and lengthier) than I expected even though I have had several bad injuries requiring significant rehab in the past.

Ask any questions at all - happy to help a fellow hippie! A good girl friend from my 'youth' had polio and I understand some of the impact it had on her life and our activities together. However, we lost touch in the '70s, so I have no idea of the longer term effects.

Wishing you an easier time of it and .. big hugs,

Linda

13

Hello Nell.  I can relate to the length of time recovery can take.  I use a walker to go shopping at Safeways or small stores.  I wouldn't be afraid to use one, as they let you sit when you need a rest.  Perhaps you are overdoing it a bit.  A stick is a crutch, I presume.  I have one but I find the walker is so much better.  It gives more stability and as I said you can rest.  Do you have something like  a Handibus where you live?  If you could get signed up they could take you to the stores and back and skip public transit.  Then you would have more energy for shopping.  Places that have them usually don't charge as much as regular public transit so that is a plus. 

Anyways, take it slow.  Remember it is a huge committment and it will get better.

Lorraine

14

Hi Leslie, yes I did have Polio when I was 4 yeas old, thankfully I wasn't that bad, got a limp on the left side, Big toe shrivelled up ,Thank God I was very lucky to only if had it mild. In the last 6 -8 years, I started to get very fatigued , toe hurting shoulder etc, anyway Tendons snaped  in shoulder had reconstruction done on that, them the Big toe unfortunately that never worked well, so I have got metal plate and pin in it. Then the Fatigue started I thought it was all to go with the Hip, but doctors then told me about PPS, which I never heard of, Unfortunately there is nothing which can be done, only Pacing myself daily, because the few nerve endings that I do have are not very strong. The Polio that I had when I was a child killed a lot of the nerves. So everything I do is much more hard work Grrrrrr The doctors told me the before I had THR. 

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Thanks Cathy xx

16

Hi Lorraine, sorry yes the stick is a cane, wasn't given a walker, just the crutches, I used them for a couple of weeks, then went onto the Cane, as I said don't need it indoors only when I'm outside. Take care xxxx

17

Hi Nell,

Sorry you are having such a hard time. I am 7 weeks post op so don't have any personal experience to relate to you other than we all know what it is like to be down in the dumps when we are not able to do things we want. It is very frustrating and depressing. Sounds like you have been through a lot, and now you are waiting for a TKR....that is a lot to go through. I am getting ready to schedule my LTHR with my surgeon next week. I still can't walk properly after my RTHR because my left hip is also terrible, but I am managing better than before my surgery. Wish I had some advice for you. Mostly just wanted to say hang in there and wish you well.....Hope you are feeling better soon.....Barb

18

Thanks for telling me more about PPS, Nell.  What a journey for you -- not easy for sure. Even though, as you say, you had a mild case when you were a child.   It is so hard when everything you do is hard work.  I'm finding that just in this, I hope, short term from my hip replacement.  I can't imagine having something that made it even harder.  Good luck with it all and keep posting!  Hugs, Leslie

19

Nell

All i can say dont loose hope buddy you will be absolutely fine .

I know after surgery passing time is hard as i am on 5th week post to my hip replacement surgery.

Keep uour self busy dont tjink too much about surgery sometimes positivity work like medicine.

20

Hi Neil

Sorry to hear you are not doing so well or recovering as fast as you would like. I am 5 months post op for my 2nd thr my 1st was in dec last year l felt exacly the same as you l am 43 was 42 when l had my 1st hip done and my recovery from it seemed to go really fast to the point at 4 weeks l was begging doctor to do other leg as l still was getting OA pain in the unperated leg. Well l had my 2nd done 8 weeks after 1st and my recovery this time has been much slower l got myself really down as l was expecting to be normal much quicker than it was happening. I can walk without aid and with both thr's l have never needed to use any saids at all from the minute l got home but this did not mean l was recovering. I still woke with back pain and in the middle of the night l still have to get out my bed and move to couch as l find it much comfier to rest. When l was trying to walk l found l was getting bad knee pain afterwards and l was no where near ready to go back to my work when l thought l was in may then june and still felt that there was no way l could sit at my desk for 7 hrs. Again my knee pain was gettng worse than my hip recovery pain. So i went back to docs and got xrays taken and now l have been told l need both knee's reolaced as l had bad OA in both of the too. Sonl have been off my work since november last year. I can drive and do most normal things but not a lot as l end up suffering after. I get my 1st tkr in august and like you l am terrified of this as l have been in knee forum and they have said nothing but how painful it is and a hip replacements a walk in the park compaired to knee.

So l again have tobgo through these 2 ops and recover. I have no clue if l will still have my job at the end of it as l will have been off for so long but l will cross that bridge when l come to it.

I sometimes get really down and think why me l am 43 and all l seem to have is bad luck. But then l have to be thankful that there is a lot of people worse of than me l can be fixed ok it might be long and painful but all l have had is OA pain for the past year or so and there surely is a light at the end of the tunnel.

So l know exactly hiw you feel. I am going to see a councillor to try and help me get throigh this as l have had issues before this and now l have just found out my mum has cancer so its took the focus of me feeling sorry for myself and l must say my hips are not guving me much pain now just the odd niggle and some stiffness and back pain. But l still take painkillers everyday. I have to or l would not be able to move hardly.

So next thingis knee replacements that l am trying to forget until its time.

Just to let you know you are not alone.

Keep your chin up .

Laura