Post hip replacement problems

I was told by my NP I could walk without the walker after walking around the hospital during my husband's stay, but to get a cane if I felt I needed it. I'm being more diligent with PT home exercises they gave me. I don't know why I wasn't assigned professional PT and when I called surgeons care line yesterday the nurse said she wasn't sure THR people were given that option! I haven't been happy with some of the conflicting info I've been given. I see the surgeon assistant Thursday for 6 weeks checkup and I intend to ask a few more questions. I know I dropped the ball while caring for my husband and then the company from Tennessee kept me busy but didn't get to squeeze in my exercises. So, I guess I deserve to be scolded 😞

Ah, yes - Grrr... If you have struggled before hip surgery, as most of us have, with limited mobility and pain, PT should be mandatory. Too many surgeon's think the job is done when the prosthetic is in, and the incision heals.
Now is the time to be your own best advocate - be as pushy as you need to be, either with the surgeon or your primary to get referred for at least 8-12 sessions of PT, with emphasis on strengthening and balance.
Are you ready to do that?
Sue

Yes, in fact I called my surgeons care patient line and when the nurse called me back and I specifically asked for professional PT which they have right there in the building she said hmmm, I'm not sure about that I know they do that for a total knee replacement but let me find out from surgeon's assistant and I'll get back with you. I'm very frustrated at this point. so, I'm going to pursue this more tomorrow being Monday hopefully she's had a chance to answer my question. My husband is still ill and I know I have neglected myself but just being concerned for him it's like my top priority right now. As far as doing the beginning exercises they sent me home with on paper I do those once in awhile and I do walk a lot which I know is also good therapy but I definitely need the strengthening and the ability to go up and down stairs better. Thank you for your help and insight otherwise I would have to pester them more because as I said this is my first rodeo.

I was hoping for a reply😃. No pressure. I suppose there isn't much else to add. You are so eloquent and understanding. Not to mention helpful! I'll keep posting if I'm not too wiped out after PT. 😏

I noticed new bruising on my incision. Is that normal at 5 weeks?

Hip granny,
I wouldn’t dream of scolding you! I’m shocked that you weren’t referred to PT. I had hip replacement on a Monday and was at PT clinic on Thursday.
It used to be that you needed a referral from a doctor for PT, but I don’t think that’s true anymore. You can call up a PT clinic and refer yourself. The PT would contact your doctor for information, but would take you as a patient with a self referral. PT has really helped me and I started before the surgery to strengthen my body for a better outcome.
There’s more to PT than I knew before my hip replacement!

Your health HAS to be top priority otherwise you will not be able to take care of your husband. I was doing home p/t in addition to professional p/t and it took only minutes out of my day. There are many many exercises on the internet specifically for THR.

I had a sudden onset if pain right before covid so that I couln't see a doctor for a year. It turned out that i needed a hip replacement. I agreed but i had severe pain for a year post op, but the doctor said there was nothing wrong. He sent me to a spine surgeon who saw the the hip was overlengthed by over 2 cms and this elevation caused my pelvis to impact my other hip. I had a surgery on my other hip. The doctor said I wouldn't need pt, but I knew I was in trouble. It's now a year post op. I found a great p.t a few months ago who is also a mixed martial instructor, I'm a Pilates instructorm but didn't ptactice throough this time. I just started additional rehab with he. Both have helped, but I have pain and my activities have been severely curtailed. I've gotten to the point where I'm consistently frightened and anxious about ever healing properly.

It's so not like me. I had several back surgeries and worked my way through them. I was younger then. I have not been able to get a therapist since covid filled everyone's practice.

I hope I can find support.

Thank you

I have begun the exercises for 4-6 weeks post op. And I have been using the PT on YouTube off and on. After talking with a friend I realized I want to go to PT to at least let them assess me. I'm doing more for myself. Husband getting better praise God!

Good to hear! My home healthcare worker was supposed to coordinate my p/t but she did not as she did not know that I was going to have to use a walker for six weeks. She thought that it should have been 4 weeks. She actually asked me to ask my surgeon to make a change from 6 weeks to 4 weeks. Of course when I asked I was told that I required the full six weeks. Long story short she never coordinated the outside p/t and we only found out later on that it was HER job to do that. When we called the p/t place we were told that we had to wait almost a month. I figured they were busy and I did not question it. When I had my first appointment for the evaluation I told the p/t that I felt as though I was way behind in my progress because I could not get an appointment sooner. She got a bit upset and said that their surgery patients were usually given appointments right away. She went to the registration desk and all of a sudden there were MANY openings that were available. How could that be? I lost faith in the entire process from the get go. My doctor, home healthcare worker and p/t we’re all part of the hospital and therefore they were all supposed to be on the same page. I’m tired of falling through the cracks and thank goodness I was doing my home p/t every single day so I wasn’t as much behind in my progress as I might have been. As they say “ you don’t know what you don’t know”. I was angry because the whole process involving p/t did not go as it should have as more than one person dropped the ball and I paid the price for it.