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Total hip replacement - What to expect for recovery

Joint Replacements | Last Active: Feb 21 8:18pm | Replies (152)

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@lotsofpain

I am not sure if I am posting this in the right place., I had a total hip replacement 6 weeks ago and my range of movement is vastly improved however in the last 10 days my ankle and foot have swollen up. The consultant is confident it is not a clot especially as my other foot is also swollen. So the first question is this swelling normal and what should be done about it. My GP has prescribed Furosemide which to date has not done much to reduce swelling. Is there any value in wearing compression stockings. The second question is side effects it appears to be exaaaserbating my irritable bowel or am i putting 2 an2 tofethr and getting 5

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Replies to "I am not sure if I am posting this in the right place., I had a..."

I had one knee replaced and both legs were swollen from hip to toe. They gradually went down in three to six months. My surgeon said it was normal. I exercised and iced my replaced knee which went down more slowly. Physical Therapist also used athlete tape in strips diagonally down my knee and ankle. Don't know how that works but it did.

@lotsofpain I was having some swelling from fluid retention in my R leg and I was told to wear compression stockings. I asked if they did anything beyond helping my leg to not puff up as much by nighttime and was told that they do. I had three different ultrasound tests done on my leg but none showed anything so the nurse practitioner I saw suggested it was "Chronic Venous Disease".

I can't recall exactly what the benefit was but I do remember that it impressed me enough that it made me more conscientious of wearing compression stockings for the problem. It was just one leg and now it seems to have recovered.

I found an article about the benefits of compression stockings:
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-you-should-know-about-compression-socks/

The first time I got some I went to a pharmacy that actually measured your legs and fit them to you but you can measure your own legs and buy that brand (Jobst) online too. I liked the ones that go up to the thigh because my legs are sort of short and a bit heavy so the knee-high high-compression ones would bind me below the knee.

If you want just light compression and knee-high though I have also had luck with the Dr. Motion brand that can be purchased at Target, Kohl's, and Amazon. They come in patterns, dots, etc. so are not medical looking. Even my old PCP commented on them being nice! Being a lighter compression they don't hurt at my knee. I pretty much wear them all of the time except in the summer when I have sandals on.
JK