Hi everyone | Arthritis Information
It has been 4 months since my total hip replacement. Still on modified hip precautions but can take a shower now. Have started to walk w/o my cane but look like a duck. Don't do to much as I can't stand or walk for a prolong time period. Have been having trouble with my hands and feet/ankles. They don't get to red but will hurt. Just have to watch it. Not on any special meds, just taking Advil. It does the job but can't skip any dose or I start having trouble. I hope that my arthritis isn't getting worse as I don't need any more pills to take.
Hope that everybody is doing well and having a good day.
marisaGlad to hear you're getting around better - do be careful!!!
So how does it feel compared to pre-surgery?
Before the surgery my pain level was a 10+ and now it will range from a 0 to a 5/6 depending on my activity level. Stairs are so much easier to climb and I don't have to take a vicodin after climbing up them. The replaced knee joint isn't giving me all of the trouble that I was having pre surgery. I just wish that I had done it sooner. The only thing now is all of the damange done to my muscles from the years of walking with one leg shorter then the other. I get muscle cramps in my butt as everything trys to readjust to the new hip.
So if any of you are thinking about having a joint replacement done, don't wait. Get it done and afterwards, do as your rehab team tells you as that's the key to getting better. Life is so much better now as I don't feel like having somebody putting me out of my mistery!
marisahi marisa glad to see all is going so well .. i am considering surgery
i think they may have to drag me kicking andscreaming
Hi Marisa,
Glad to hear your hip replacement has greatly reduced your pain. Its amazing huh? I had both my hips replaced 2 years ago. I had to sleep in a recliner cuz I couldn't lift my leg to get into bed. When I raised my leg, you'd hear these grating, popping-like sounds. It would take me as long as 10-15 minutes to get into a car, cuz the pain was so bad, right before my surgery I had to hire a medical transport van to take me in a wheelchair. I waited too long for surgery too, but I wanted to delay until after the holidays.
But life is good again.
Do you have access to a pool to exercise? I've done that in the past, and its a comfortable way to do range of motion and muscle strengthening exercise. I need to find a nearby pool myself. Well, good luck and take care.
Joie2008-06-15 15:26:32Boney, it's natural to be afraid of the surgery but do research and assess your pain level and then make your decision. All I can say is that my fear of surgery cause me to do more damanage to my joints. If, I had surgery sooner, I wouldn't have gone through all of those sleepless nights and mood swings. Take care.
Joie, just reading your post about how you were before surgery, was me. My knee was at a 45 degree angle to the rest of me. Surgery made it straight but because I still had the bad hip on that leg, recovery was painful. I, too, would pop as I was walking and people would hear it. The only thing was that I was working too. My job was heavy lifting and long hrs on your feet, didn't help!! I would hang on to the wall as I slowly walked to my car after work and then slowly walk up the flight or flights of stairs to my car. Many times the tears would be running down my face as I sat in my car trying to pull myself together for the drive home. I prayed that I would be able to make it up the driveway and into my home as I drove home. I would slowly get out of my car and then hang on to the building as I worked my way up the driveway to my stairs that led to my front door. As I climbed those 7 steps, I would tell myself,"one more step towards your easy chair." I just hope that I don't have to go through that with the other leg.
Marisa
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