It's day 4 post surgery and I'm completely off narcotic pain meds (still taking acetaminophen and ibuprofen).
I'm walking around completely unassisted now. This is amazing.
I see my PT for the hip for the first time tomorrow, but I'm expecting to be spending more time rehabbing my shoulder. Thanks to the pain meds I've been on for this operation, I feel like I've been able to make more meaningful gains on my shoulder exercises.
What did they have you taking? They put me on oxycodone and I could never tell for sure that it did anything except make it easier to sleep. I think I took on their schedule for a few days last time, then one at night to help me sleep for a few weeks after that.
They got me on oxycodone as well. I think it helped quite a bit with the initial pain management, but I'm basically completely off of it unless stuff gets really achy. Hopefully I can continue managing it with the other stuff instead.
Had my 3 week follow up on hip #2 this morning. Dr said it looks like everything is going well. My progress on this hip is significantly slower than the other one and he said that's to be expected given the amount of work he had to do on this one. He's not certain, but this might have been the longest hip surgery he's ever done. Glad to know I'm the best at something. They removed the stiches and bandage.
After the home health nurse changed my bandage last week I got a nasty blister under the edge of the bandage. I guess that's somewhat normal. People either have a reaction to the adhesive, the fluid is trying to escape and has nowhere else to go, or the bandage just rubs the wrong way. We thing mine was the latter. And of course it's right at my belt line so it is constantly getting irritated by my pants.
Early-mid last week I was feeling really good and upped my steps a few hundred every day. I got to a point that I was averaging over 8,000 steps per day. Then things started getting worse. My muscles were sore and stiff and I was getting irritation in my hip. I went back and looked at how many steps I was taking at this point after the last surgery and I was 1,000-1,500 steps higher this time. I wasn't expecting to see that since I started off so much lower on daily steps on this hip. I dropped by steps by about 1,500 daily and am feeling much better.
About the only place I feel like I'm not progressing well this time is stairs. My office is on the 2nd floor. Last time I was off work for two weeks and came in on day one using the stairs. This time I was off for three weeks and after having been back for a week now I'm still not able to do the stairs. I have to go to another building several times per day and the main door I use there has two steps leading up to it. I've been using that as a gauge for how well I'm doing on stairs. Based on what I've seen so far I think I'm probably 7-10 days away from being able to do stairs. That really sucks because our elevator is a death trap. The general rule of thumb is never get on it without your phone or if you need to pee. We've had several people get trapped in it and as many times as I've used it this week I'm sure my number is almost up.
I'm having issues with stairs and bandages as well.
I can ascend stairs with a hand rail. Descending stairs is a bit easier. However, I think I'm seeing more light at the end of the tunnel in this than you are. I'm hoping to be navigating stairs much easier in a couple weeks.
I'm pretty active, and I'm back doing lawn care which I'm sure has contributed to my bandage starting to come off. Luckily I have some backups from my last surgery that I can just slap on there. I'm a little wary of seeing the incision 🤮 but I also don't want to be walking around like a dirty troll with my bandage half falling off.
Right now (10 days post-surgery), aside from the aforementioned bandage issue, my main issues involve finding the right quantity and types of pain management medicine, and psychologically adapting to having a more capable hip, with is new strengths and limitations.
"What did they have you taking? They put me on oxycodone and I could never tell for sure that it did anything except make it easier to sleep. I think I took on their schedule for a few days last time, then one at night to help me sleep for a few weeks after that."
PSA: for anyone who has to take those kinds of narcotics, either chronically, or acutely following a medical procedure, talk to your medical providers early about stool softeners, and other laxative effective foodstuffs.
It is best to stay ahead of any constipation side effects of those meds, which may exacerbate and be exacerbated by decreased ambulation and movement during those periods.
A practical and earthy matter, but it comes in handy, when it does.
"PSA: for anyone who has to take those kinds of narcotics, either chronically, or acutely following a medical procedure, talk to your medical providers early about stool softeners, and other laxative effective foodstuffs. It is best to stay ahead of any constipation side effects of those meds, which may exacerbate and be exacerbated by decreased ambulation and movement during those periods. A practical and earthy matter, but it comes in handy, when it does."
They harped on this so much. I never needed them, but they were almost forcing me to take them. Every 15 minutes there was a nurse in the room trying to get me to take one. I'd just fall asleep and they'd be waking me up with a stool softener to take. I don't want to be plugged up, but I also don't want to be getting out of bed to spray paint the toilet every 20 minutes. Especially when sitting on the toilet is about the most difficult and uncomfortable thing in the world for me after surgery.
Getting my second hip replacement in August. My plan is to do other activities before getting back to rolling and even then just roll with very good friends. Health is number one and fun comes much later. I am getting more involved in teaching and using a mixture of ecological approach and old school teaching to decrease the need to show and demonstrate moves. (Cant do the moves for a while:-)
"Getting my second hip replacement in August. My plan is to do other activities before getting back to rolling and even then just roll with very good friends. Health is number one and fun comes much later. I am getting more involved in teaching and using a mixture of ecological approach and old school teaching to decrease the need to show and demonstrate moves. (Cant do the moves for a while:-)"
Best of luck to you. You've already done it once, so you know the limitations for your body.
"Getting my second hip replacement in August. My plan is to do other activities before getting back to rolling and even then just roll with very good friends. Health is number one and fun comes much later. I am getting more involved in teaching and using a mixture of ecological approach and old school teaching to decrease the need to show and demonstrate moves. (Cant do the moves for a while:-)"
I hope it goes well for you. Sounds like you've got a plan that will work for recovery.
I tried going up stairs for the first time on Friday. Ended up using them 3 times that morning, then was too worn out and had to go back to Otis. So far today I've also done three trips up and down and feeling better, but it still doesn't feel good. It's a really strange feeling. It doesn't hurt, I just put my right foot down and push and there's no power there. It takes a lot more effort than I'm used to, but does seem to be improving. I definitely didn't have this issue on the last one.
"I tried going up stairs for the first time on Friday. Ended up using them 3 times that morning, then was too worn out and had to go back to Otis. So far today I've also done three trips up and down and feeling better, but it still doesn't feel good. It's a really strange feeling. It doesn't hurt, I just put my right foot down and push and there's no power there. It takes a lot more effort than I'm used to, but does seem to be improving. I definitely didn't have this issue on the last one."
That's weird how much the 2 replacements vary, assuming you had same surgeon & same prosthesis.
I'm having issues with stairs as well, but my issues are based more on pain.
I live in the mountains, so fortunately (or unfortunately?) I have to constantly be navigating inclines/declines. Stairs are way more difficult, and I have to use the handrail.
Same surgeon, same parts, same hospital. Just a lot more trauma to the tissues in this leg during surgery. As far as recovery goes about the only thing similar is trouble sleeping. I'm at least able to stay in bed all night now instead of getting up after an hour or two and going to the recliner, but still having trouble finding comfort. That is getting better, but I think it's going to be a while before I feel well rested again.
Odd development yesterday afternoon. As I said, I've struggled with stairs. No power in my right leg to go up them and extremely tiring to do so. After several trips up the stairs yesterday I got about halfway up and my leg just started working right. I've seen research that suggests the connection between brain and muscle takes time to reestablish, but can happen almost instantaneously once it happens. I'm guessing that's what happened here. Not sure. But on one step my leg didn't work and on the next one it did. Going up the stairs this morning was still much improved, although not as good as yesterday afternoon.
For the research about brain-muscle connection there's a pretty cool video out there of people learning to ride a bike with the handlebars built to turn backwards. People crash over and over and then they get on it one time and are magically able to do it. Then they do the same thing when they go back to a normal bike.
"I'm at ~4.5 weeks post-surgery and I'm squatting 125 for reps. 😀"
I'm jealous. I still can't squat, but I couldn't squat before sugery either. One of my wife's workout buddies had a hip replacement just after I had my last one and her surgeon gave here some paperwork that said that range of motion is usually the last thing to come back, so I guess there is still hope for me. I miss leg day.
AI is very much about the A without much I. Actually, without any I. I'm sure Skynet is coming, but thankfully we aren't there yet.
In other news, I was able to get in the plane and go fly on Saturday for the first time since my last surgery. It was uncomfortable and awkward, but I did it and was just a little sore yesterday.
And I guess in other other news, I've decided chasing a step count every day isn't working this time. I did it last time, but all I get out of it this time is fatigue and soreness. I've been seeing a lot more progress just walking until I feel like I've done enough for the day and then taking it easy. Sometimes that means 8000 steps per day, sometimes it means 2000 steps per day if things are busy and it's difficult to work an hour of walking into the schedule. This is the complete opposite of last time when pushing harder every day was what brought success. This is so weird to see such different needs from the two supposedly identical surgeries.
Just got out of my 7 week post op checkup. He said everything was going well considering the difficulty of the surgery. Once I'm done with my 10 week PT routine I am fully released for activity as comfort allows, but he did caution against heavy squats. I go back in October.
I think this week marks 5 months off the mats. Not sure what it will take for me to feel comfortable getting back to it. My original goal was September or October, but that was based on the recovery on the second hip going as well as the first one did and it didn't. I think now I'm looking at early next year, but we'll see how things go.
Coincidentally I just got out of my 6-week checkup 20 minutes ago, and the doctor said I'm pretty much clear to do basically anything I want, including grappling, which kind of surprised me.
He cautioned me against letting my foot extend behind me, with my foot/ toes pointed out... said there was the potential for dislocation.
I'm definitely in no shape to be grappling anyone, regardless what he says, but just knowing that I have the freedom to do so is comforting. Maybe I'll test it out in kids' class tomorrow :)
"Coincidentally I just got out of my 6-week checkup 20 minutes ago, and the doctor said I'm pretty much clear to do basically anything I want, including grappling, which kind of surprised me.
He cautioned me against letting my foot extend behind me, with my foot/ toes pointed out... said there was the potential for dislocation.
I'm definitely in no shape to be grappling anyone, regardless what he says, but just knowing that I have the freedom to do so is comforting. Maybe I'll test it out in kids' class tomorrow :)"
I also just did my 6 weeks check up . Had a bit of Femur pain running in which backed me off my rehab. Seems to be fine now. I am back at work (i am on feet all day so took my time) but still use 1 crutch for long walks. I am a long way from back on the mats but am comfortable with my progress. Get my scan on the 24th to make sure it's sitting fine. Guy I met in the hospital is running again...........I am not.
Finished my 10 week PT regimen last night. I still have good days and bad days, but I think over the last 2-3 weeks things have really trended upwards. I'm sore quite a bit, but it's the sore you feel when you've done some good work instead of the sore of aggravating a compromised body part. I've been experimenting with some light trap bar deadlifts just to see how it feels and they are OK. I still can't get low enough to do full range, but that also seems to be getting better. I think I'm about ready for movement drills.
I'm about 9 weeks post-op, and I've been sparring for the last 3 weeks or so. I started out just rolling with tiny women for the first couple weeks, mostly because my hip is still kinda painful when it's forced into various positions.
On Thursday I was back to rolling with everyone, including giant, "strength-based" blue belts.
Functionally, I'm pretty much back to pre-surgery levels, which is not that impressive, but it's something. And as a bonus, I'm not in excruciating pain anymore either.
