Hi, just discovered this forum. I had THR 6 days ago and have been home 2 days. I am 54. Lying flat on back with leg stretched out is very painful. I suppose it is due to tendons and muscles stretching which haven't been used for some time. I am not able to take strong painkillers so restricted to paracetemol. Sleeping is difficult as leg gets too sore and irritable after a couple hours. Advice please. Thanks
Hi Olwen I definitely recommend an ice pack and also plenty of pillows x I slept with loads behind me and even slept with one under my bottom which seemed to help me. Whilst in bed I was exercising also my favourite and easiest being the bum clenches and believe me these really do help x hope you get comfortable soon it really is a matter of playing about with pillows to suit you x Speedy recovery :-) xx
Hi Olwen,
Warm welcome to this wonderful hippies forum where we share personal stories and experiences - We come in all stages and ages ...
If you had the posterior approach to THR, muscles and tendons were cut and will feel sore for a while -
Sleep will be interrupted during the night, sweetheart - I was happy if I made 3-4 hours - but it will get better -
Be gentle with yourself and allow healing to take place -
big warm hug
renee
Thank you for your kind comments. You do feel very alone when you first come home and not sleeping doesn't help. I will try and be kind to myself and take naps during the day. Will also get some gel packs to helpwith the soreness
Dear Olwen,
yes it really is uncomfortable and trying at first so be kind to yourself. I completely agree with Vanessa about the ice packs. I used them for the first THR and I'm 26 days post RTHR and using again. So do get the gel packs. Look after yourself and remember slowly, slowly it does get better!
warm wishes, Whalie
Hi Olwen.
The weeks when you get the post op pain and lack of sleep are rubbish but hopefully you pain in old hip joint is better.
The post op pain will subside just keep popping on here for advice.
The pain killers you have seem a little simple for immediately after the op so see if gp can help.
Other than that keep regular with pain killers and on/off with ice.
Dont avoid moving or u will stiffen up and hurt more.
Use pillows to support yourself and your leg.
You think it will never get easier especially at 3am!! But it will do and you are on the right side.
Everyone here is rooting for you.
I too am 54 and without help from this site wouldnt have coped.
Xxxx😊
Thanks for your advice. It really helps. As for the painkillers, I seem to not be able to tolerate Ibuprofen, Codeine, Cocodamol etc. Really rubbish, but the sickness and headaches just make everything worse. Will work with pillows an ice and try and be patient.
I put a thin pillow under my thighs which helped but ultimetly i was just having to get up every hour or 2 to walk it off. Think the first 3 weeks were like that
Hi Olwen, in addition to the good advice given here, remember to do your foot pumps every hour.
when I couldn't sleep at night, two minutes of foot pumps really helped with my pain. Follow that with gentle thigh strokes and groin presses which gets the lymph nodes activated to help dran impurities. Lymphatic system has no pump, so we have to help it along.
hope this helps
Jill x
Hi Olwen,
There is lots of great advice above!
Unfortunately there is no shortcut through this stage and it is just plain tough - esp as you cannot take many of the common pain meds which help with the swelling as well as the pain.
Sleeping on one's back is tough ... certainly one of the toughest parts for me but as others have said ... lots of pillows and keep trying for the 'best' arrangement. For me it was a good foam memory pillow running under the length of my legs with another smaller one under it at the feet to elevate slightly.
I used cold packs regularly (10 min on and 20 min off). I also regularly plugged in my earphones with my favourite music to distract me a bit.
As you are so sensitive to meds, make sure you keep on schedule with the ones you can take (one forum member recommended using the timer on his phone and this was a good approach for me).
I could not possibly overstate the benefits of exercises (foot pumps and rotations to start and whenever on bed, and butt clenches); these all help with the poor muscles and other soft tissues traumatized by the surgery.
Walk when you can and avoid sitting or standing for too long at a stretch - gravity will have its way and pool all the swelling in your lower leg and foot. It helps to prop up your foot slightly (a box of beer or pop is just right 😊).
Once you can start more exercises, it gets easier as these help strengthen and loosen your muscles.
And if you need a good 'vent' , there are many sympathetic ears here!
Take care,
L
Hi olwen:
Yes, this sounds so very familiar! It was hard for me to lay straight or flat on my back. In fact I am just recently able to do so, and I am 8 weeks post op. What I did and it helped was use pillows to prop below my knees and under my feet. This elevates the feet which is good for the swelling and the pillows under the knees raises them in a bent fashion so you are not completely flat. I noticed that it also helped talk the pressure off of my hip area. Sleeping is difficult for most of us during this time. Try to get rest during the day also to make up for some of the sleep you are loosing at night. It is important for you healing to get rested. I hope this helps. Wishing you well....Barb
I found my ipod with soothing music useful for sleepless nights