Good morning everyone. I've just joined up in order to thank you all for your discussions, which I think are really helpful to people both before and after surgery. It's all very well getting the 'official' line from the advice leaflets and other medical publications that are out there, but I and I'm sure many others who are both before and after surgery, are genuinely interested to hear real experiences, compare notes and pick up practical advice.
I have been 'lurking' here (i.e. reading without participating!) for some weeks as I led up to my surgery, and since. I'm now on day 15 post-op right leg THR. I'm a 58 year old man who had what my physio described to me recently as 'borderline the worst he's ever seen' OA and dysplastic hip. A mess. Now, thankfully, all seems to have gone really well and recovery progressing fine. (Just fed up of sleeping on my back and wearing TED stockings!)So thanks for all your discussions and posts - great to have the opportunity to share with people who actually want to talk about this - my family have now lost interest!
welcome Neil, glad you are getting on ok......... yep lying on your back isn't pleasant, but having said that when I was told I could sleep on my side, guess what I always ended up on my back !!!! Keep improving daily and don't rush it, we all have good days and bad days. xx
Yes welcome Neil, I was so pleased when I found this site after my op and the fact that all all the posts are current, normally you see these forums and the most recent post was something like 1 year ago. I googled "muscle spasms after hip op" because it was so painful and no mention had been made of this happening. Within 10 minutes I had half a dozen replies and I realised its always better to speak to people who had actually undergone this type of op and have an understanding of how you feel. I mention things on here I don't say to my family I'm sure they were beginning to wonder whether I was just having a good old moan and feeling sorry for myself.
I wish you well in your recovery, feel like a moan or just stare an experience send us a post. Take care.
Well said Neil! Found it so useful for all the what is and Why's. Plus like you, think those around me sick of hearing about dodgy hip. I'd even started to bore myself on run up to the op lol. X
Grest that you are recovering well, I'm sick of the stockings too!! I'm toying with leaving them off tonight as the swelling is all gone in my leg. Should really leave them until I see the surgeon next week.
Georgie I am keeping my TED stockings on as I'm getting swelling in the thigh above the knee, and around the ankle - to be expected, I'm told - and I have been asked to keep them on in fact until my 6 week checkup! Everyone else will be hoping for a nice hot rest of July but I'm not sure I feel quite the same
Gillcat I have tried briefly lying on my side with pillow between the knees but this feels like I'm pulling on the new joint .... not a great feeling ....
glad to have you onboard, I love the comment *lurking* , we are always here to over help, advice, and support anytime day or not, so keep in touch, good luck with your recovery,
I agree with all the others how incredibly it was when I found this forum ... at that time I had pain in my groin at 3 weeks post-op and Googled it ... the rest is hippy history ... the support and understanding here nobody else can give you ...
No stockings for me but self injecting Fragmin for 6 weeks ... as for the sleeping onside - yes, there is a pull and it takes some fiddling until I found the right position and also tried different pillows ...
this is a great site, reading about how well everyone has done made my mind up with a lot of encouragement from the great people here, Ian now waiting for a date, like you right leg dyplasia and oA and hearing your news on how well you have got on gives me more confidence when the time comes.
Yes I am injecting Fragmin too! - my stomach looks like a bruised dart board....
I think my surgeon is v risk averse - leg pumps on days 1-2, TED stockings for 5-6 weeks and the anticoagulants for 30 days. They all have their own ideas about these things
To be honest I am amazed at how well things have gone, compared to what I expected. I think I have had a very good surgeon and I was reasonably fit before the surgery, which I think helps with recovery. Good luck wih yours - you are very unlikely to regret it!
Neil, I was told by a nurse when you put the needle in and release the fluid, count to 10 before you take it out this stops the bruising. I found it worked too.
Aha! That sounds like a very good tip. Thanks very much, I'll try it ...... (visions of me looking aghast as the syringe is sitting there inserted in my belly )
yep it does sound about right lol my tummy (I was having the injections twice a day) was becoming sore as well as black and blue.. I had no more bruising when I tried the above so hope it works for you........ just think of it as intravenous beer mine was gin and tonic lol xx
i too was so lucky to stumble across this site, I feel it has helped tremendously especially on the nights when I only slept for 2 hours on the dreaded back. there was always someone to "moan" to