I’m not able to tell stories of minimal pain or no need to medicate or “hold me back” regarding PT.
I had my anterior approach right THR on Tuesday, April 1 at 5 pm. It was done and I was in recovery by 6:11. They said I did great and all had gone amazingly well. I got to see pictures of my femur head…flat on the top. Very delineated where the cartilage ended and the bare, eroded bone began. They said it was a really good thing that I got the surgery done. The joint was beyond shot.
I FELT great at that point. By 9 o’clock, I started feeling some inkling of pain. My teeth started chattering uncontrollably. Having decided to not be a “tough guy” and to follow directions and advice of those who had gone before me, I buzzed for meds. Fifteen minutes later, when the pain was actual pain and no one had shown up with any relief (or anything, for that matter) I buzzed again. “O, right! She’ll be right there!” Twenty minutes after that when I was in excruciating pain, I buzzed again and was pretty rude and nasty and pretty much experiencing pain worse than any I’d ever had before. The nurse came scurrying in, apologizing profusely, and administered dilaudid through the IV. While the pain melted away, I suddenly vomited the small amount of fruit they had given me once I was in my room. Thus began an 18-hour alleviate pain/empty stomach pattern until they figured out when to dose and what to use regarding the anti-nausea meds. Then it was much better.
My first round of PT was so painful. I was somehow able to get out of bed with my Thigh Of Fire and stand using the walker. I got about 20 feet from my room and said I was light-headed. Back to the room I went. Blood pressure 65/32 or something like that. And thus continued my PT pattern for the next 4 sessions before being discharged.
Last night as I was feeling frustrated I decided to see what really happened to my leg and I found this video…
I also posted this in a comment on Sarah’s thread. For those of you who had anterior approach and are experiencing IT issues…they cut through your TFL. Just sayin’…
So I felt better seeing evidence of what I already knew…that it was a very very invasive procedure and to be gentle to myself in terms of recovery.
Every day the Thigh Of Fire burns a little less. I’m looking forward to the day when the swelling subsides for good…because Blimpleg is no fun!
A question for you: did you ice pretty constantly? can you over-ice provided you aren’t giving yourself frostbite? I’ve a message in for my surgeon but no answer yet.
For now I only need the pain meds at night…maybe once during the day…but not yesterday or today.
I’m still able to make meals for my 4 kids (not because I want to but because there’s no one else to do it). They do help a little bit. Still able to help the youngest get dressed and undressed and brush her hair, etc. Self-care is pretty good, too…except for putting my foot down when I’m spent and really want to lay in bed! Where’s my housekeeper? lol
I’m not feeling as negative as this all probably sounds. In fact, I’m feeling really ‘up’ about the whole thing…just my story isn’t sunshine and roses 🙂
Hope all of you Hiprunners are doing well!
Ahh yes. The good the bad and the ugly. I remember I really wanted to be out of the hospital after day 1, but I could not walk the walk without feeling dizzy (I even fainted). It is different for everyone for sure. You have a whole heck of a lot on your plate. Where IS your housekeeper? 🙂 Hang in there and thanks for the video.
Hip Brother Tom
LOL…you’re welcome. I didn’t know putting the link would post a frame! In my comment to Sarah, it remained the http youtube link. SURPRISE!!!! The narrator guy is so matter-of-fact and the footage is so…gruesome? And did I mention…my kids are all on Spring Break until the 18th? Means no driving to and from school, which I planned…but the playdates and the sports and music lessons and the bickering…oh…THE BICKERING!!!! LOL Maybe I should take those pain meds more often 😉
That’s one intense video! What did we do before the internet? My surgical approach was a combo lateral/posterior and I also found a video that I watched before the surgery. I thought I wouldn’t want to but I just had a feeling that I needed to see and hear doctors in action to know that this is like routine for them. Somehow that made me feel calmer.
I love reading about everyone’s unique experiences and am often surprised at some of the differences. My pain meds post op came from a PCA pump. That meant that I was primed with pain med right after surgery and I could press a button that would deliver a bolus of pain med if I needed it – I think it was like every 10 minutes or so. I did have some nausea but I think I was lucky that it wasn’t that bad.
I never had the “Thigh of Fire” and didn’t have to ice. I don’t think I’ve heard of over icing, it’ll be interesting to hear what the doc says about it. I hope it gets better soon! A week after my surgery I was still lounging around taking it easy. Sounds like you’ve got a lot on your plate~
Anissa, I think the Thigh of Fire is due to the fact that they’re monkeying with the rectis femoris and spreading the TFL and stuff that is on the thigh…so it makes sense that a posterior/lateral patient probably wouldnt’ experience it. Yeah, I was kind of hoping for that self-dosed pump thing. But no. My hat is off to you for watching your procedure before going in!
Glad to hear you are hanging in there! One thing for certain is that everyone’s experience is individual. Optimism is important but like you said this is still major surgery. In a few weeks you will look back and be amazed at how far you have come. That is the video I watched prior to my procedure. My husband thought I had lost my mind but I had to know what they were going to do while I was snoozing.
I have had to ice quite a bit (3-4 times a day for an hour or more at first). I’m still icing 1-2 times a day for 30 min to an hour. Still have some fairly mild swelling over much of the thigh at 5 weeks out but improving. Follow your physicians orders but my PT said I could not over ice. In fact he was never happy with how much I was icing. He thought I needed to be doing it more.
Hope the kids continue to adjust well.
Hi, MRS
Sorry to read your story. about icing , whenever I walked 10 minutes , 15 minutes, I used to do icing just 1 minutes. I did so often till I feel comfortable. Looking family is quite hard job. I used already packed meals 2 weeks. Try not sitting down long time. If you can , try to walk with crutches so often , short distance. ( 5 ms going ,coming) do physio exercise, and rest ( put leg up) 30 minutes to one hour. 2-3 weeks time, sure ,your mobility will increase. 8 weeks , you feel much much better. just be patient, count your recovery day. good good luck!
The thigh of fire I think is from stretching the lateral femoral cutenaous nerve. I think it’s more likely in anterior approach. Thanks for posting the video too. I guess now I understand more why my TFL still looks asymmetric one year later….they cut through it! I sent it to my running friends and now have “street cred!” Rest assured that not all of us have bounced back quickly, but that we all get there sooner or later. Hang in there!
Dear MRS
Sorry to read your story and thank you very much for this video. Could you please advise, in your opinion what is the best medical canter for this surgery operation.
Waiting your kindly replay
regards
I’m 7 months post op; THR left leg. Anterior approach, bikini incision. Joint is fine, no limping, no twisting of spine which is what I had prior to surgery. BUT far out I have debilitating groin pain. Seems it’s my psoas that has a tendonopathy. Anyone heard of this? Will it improve. I can’t run, hip Flexion & straight leg lifts from the ground are painful.