HI well been 4 days since my op, op leg looks little fat, feeling ok just so bored and cold legs feel like ice cubes tried every thing to keep warm , sleeping not much 2 to 3 hours a night just cant get comfortable in bed. thanks bod66

HI how much exercise should i be thinking about ?? just walking around house for now on sticks day 5 after op, op leg abit swollen hip sore thinking about going for short walk ? dont want to mess things up; thanks any advice would help

Congrats on the new hip.. at 4 days you are now on the downhill part..
I had mine on 7th January and can barely tell I had surgery now.. although I am 50 years old and doc did not glue mine in and on no weight bearing for 6 weeks.
I doing heavy PT 5 days after surgery. If ok by doc you need to be doing PT. I started doing PT twice a day at home and three times a week at a PT place.. which my insurance does not pay but I know someone there so got lucky.
That Fat feeling will go away soon. Drink plenty of water. I mean lots of water and that will help your system wash away the junk from surgery. My swelling went completely down overnight suddenly..
Doc should have given you a PT exercise sheet of some kind. For me PT made the difference and If he would allow it I could walk fine right now. Good luck sounds like your doing great..
Sleeping is a pain I know...you will lose some sleep at night but make up for it with naps during the day.. I get 6 to 8 hours at night now after two weeks. got used to being on the back.
Take care and good luck

__________________
LTHR 1-7-2010
RTKR coming up on 4-26-2010

Hi bod, well done on getting through the operation in one piece. This is a very helpful forum, I only discovered it after my op, which was nearly 3 months ago now. I think being a bit more clued up would have helped me pre-op, and immediately post-op.
Are you having to sleep on your back? I struggled with that, too, and we're not alone. Apart from making sure you've got plenty of pillows to bolster you, and taking all your pain relief, I'm not sure what else you can do, but it does get easier. (I think wine helped me too, but that's between you and me.) Beware of getting sore heels, as I did, and sleep with a pillow under your ankles.
My leg looked swollen, too, and longer, and strangely twisted at a funny angle. I don't notice these things at all now but I remember thinking how alien my leg felt.
You can't have been home long? I live alone but had plenty of visitors in the first few days to keep me busy, but i had stockpiled plenty of dvds to keep me going. I think I am probably easily amused, but I found daytime tv rather compelling! I'm going to miss it now that I'm back at work.
Do you have any physio arranged? I try to balance exercise with rest, but sometimes overdo one, and then the other.
I hope your recovery is smooth and you're back to full mobility soon. I am on my way, every day grateful for having had the op, no longer fearful of stairs and hills and distance etc.
There are many helpful souls on here who I'm sure will be able to give you lots of good advice.
L

thanks op on mon 18 jan so its been 5 days was told todo my exercises 3 times a day did not say much about walking been home now 3 days now, drinking loads for tea and water will phone the doctor monday to ask about walking and exercises tried to miss a little med that was a mistake will do a short walk 2 night round the block was in hospital 18 till 20 just over 2 days think wont do to much until monday after speaking with doc thanks

thanks m8

HI think the physio will be arranged monday ? pillow will try that its all a bit strange this forum will be a big help because you know you are speaking to people whos been though it might try that wine thing lol thanks

Walking should be done as much as you need to and a little bit more. Take it easy for at least a couple of weeks yet. No point in making yourself exhausted - which is all too easy - but so long as you do those simple exercises as instructed, normal life is sufficient for the time being. That is, going to kitchen to get a drink and to the loo. Take a short walk to the garden gate and back once a day. Twice a day the second week and so on. In a month, you should be taking a walk down the street a few yards. Just don't get to the point where you feel sick with exhaustion. You need lots of rest right now, rest with your feet well up on pillows on the settee, not just on a foot stool.

__________________

Please post in forums; PMs and emails for personalized help are not community oriented and will not be answered. Also search the Library and other threads for information.Thanks.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER - Moderator comments on this web site are provided for informational purposes only and are not a substitute for advice from your personal physician or surgeon.

Administrator is an orthopaedic nurse of 50+ years experience in joint replacement.
Left arthroscopic menisectomy 4th October 09
RTKR 17th March 09
Right arthroscopy June 06

hiya bod,
i had my surgery 10 days ago, and for the first week 4 hours sleep at a time was pretty good.. the third nite i believe, i was having difficulty sleeping, mostly niggling kinda pain from being on my back..and the nurse suggested I sleep on my side, which i had assumed was a no no. He just placed a pillow tween my knees, had me roll onto my side and wedged me there with a rolled up blanket, worked great, slept like a baby.I still sleep that way using body pillows to keep me relatively immobile.I imagine you should check with someone as to whether you are restricted from doing this , but it sure was a relief for me. My recuperation has been steady, with few backward steps. so far... I am negotiating stairs, showering, going for little walks.. and face the dungeon master every week for more "exercises" as he puts it.I get my stitches out next week, and then I am going to go swimming, or more like wading I guess.Just pay attention to your body, it will set the pace.. and DONT ignore the little warning signs, those pre pain twinges and such, have a great recovery!!!

__________________
Keith /LTHR all shiny and new!!!

thanks have taking all whats been said on broad think walk to the back garden will do for now really pleased i found this forum been a real help thanks again

Hi, Bod....I'll second what all the others have said. Listen to your body and if you feel like a little short walk, do it. But also listen for those feelings that say you're pushing a bit too much. Healing takes a lot of your body's energy and you don't want to use up too much with a lot of activity this early in the recovery process. Resting and your normal activity around the house are fine for a bit.

__________________
RTKR - February 29, 2008

LEGAL DISCLAIMER - Moderator comments on this web site are provided for informational purposes only and are not a substitute for advice from your personal physician or surgeon.

HI does any 1 know how to take the swelling down in foot

Bod, you need to elevate your foot above your heart level as much as possible during the day and night and ice the swollen area. It also helps to take some type of anti-inflammant on a regular schedule until the swelling subsides.

__________________
RTKR - February 29, 2008

LEGAL DISCLAIMER - Moderator comments on this web site are provided for informational purposes only and are not a substitute for advice from your personal physician or surgeon.

Bod,
At 5 days along, sounds like your doing well. When you feel better, you'll do more and the PT will push you along. Anytime something strange that would crop up...swelling or some strange twinge...I'd have icepack on the hip and elevate the leg on the couch with pillows. My mind was always seemed ready to go before my body was and I had cabin fever after the first week and 1/2. But a short outing with my daughter to Walmart, quickly cured that and made me glad to be home again recuperating in my nest. Good Luck and glad you found bonesmart.

__________________
Betsy "TWEETY"
Right THR / anterior approach / Dec.8th 2009
Bonesmart Community!!!

HI thanks again yous are big help last night just sitting next thing looked down wow big foot it really spooked me loads of daft things went thought my head done what was said it worked thanks again

Hi Bod,
Don't get bored just yet!!! You have a few weeks to go being a princess!!! I just wanted to mention that sometime taking a comforter and folding it at the end of your bed will be easier to keep your feet elevated then a pillow. I tried a pillow but when I moved I was off of it. So I put pillows underneat the conforter to make sorta like a row of higher then my heart! Hope I made sense.
Don't over do. It is a major operation on your body and it takes sometime to heal it all back. Little walks and your PT should be good for now. You will know when you can venture out and down the block. Just remember to to think about when to turn around on your walks cause it is a long way home when your tired!! But you sound good and on your way to pain free walking, bending all the things we took for granted!!

Did you get those elastic socks when you left the hospital? I found those to be helpful in preventing swelling. I had my RTHR on December 21 and still find that my ankles swell slightly. I normally sleep on my back so that wasn't a serious problem when I got home from the hospital but I did find that I was scared to turn or anything. Now one month and 4 days after my surgery, I can sleep on either side. The operated-on side feels lumpy though. I agree with the others who tell you to listen to your body. I found that if I pushed myself too hard I would be exhausted the next day. Hope you are doing well today. Keep us posted!

Ted stockings! Yes, the bain of any surgery. I found they caused more problems on me than they prevented - they couldn't find a size that didn't leave deep, bruised rings around my leg where they ended. They actually made my legs swell!

__________________

Please post in forums; PMs and emails for personalized help are not community oriented and will not be answered. Also search the Library and other threads for information.Thanks.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER - Moderator comments on this web site are provided for informational purposes only and are not a substitute for advice from your personal physician or surgeon.

Administrator is an orthopaedic nurse of 50+ years experience in joint replacement.
Left arthroscopic menisectomy 4th October 09
RTKR 17th March 09
Right arthroscopy June 06

HI well been 14 days after op feel good still get a lot of night pain got those elastic socks which i hate ,stiches are out so its coming along ok wish i could get out, lot of snow in the northeast of england so all my walking around the house going to up my pt and walking this week see how that goes hopefull snow will go soon, so its going ok for now will let yous know how i get on thanks for all the surport

The weather and frigid cold didn't cooperated with me getting out for walks either in the early recovery days. So round and round the house I would go. My dog thought I was crazzzzy...as she laid there on the floor watching me!! Wishing you continued hippy progress!!

__________________
Betsy "TWEETY"
Right THR / anterior approach / Dec.8th 2009
Bonesmart Community!!!