In my nursey experience usually 30-45 minutes. The first one might be longer for an assessment and probably more teaching than in subsequent appts. Be sure to ask how to use ice to promote comfort after exercise, it’s a godsend.
Thanks, I wouldn’t have thought of that, I usually hate ice bags as more trouble than it’s worth. I wish I could get some of the type of ice bags they used in the hospital – maybe 12" long by 5" wide, made of impermeable paper or something, and with a non-condensating coating or cover on it. Just drop in some ice and water and you’re in business for hours. Ooh, I think I found them, by Medline, with or without ties at the end to keep it in place. Medline Accu-Therm Refillable Ice Bags with Clamp Closure | NON4420, NON4420H | Vitality Medical Box of 25 for just over $52, not bad. I mean, they’re disposable for hospital use, but at home I’m sure they would be re-usable a few times.
These are what you want. It is what PTs use in their outpatient office after a session. I used them after my arm internal fixation surgery (not unlike a hip replacement-nuts, bolts, screws, a drill, saw) and they worked better than opioids to relieve pain. I used them extensively for a month.
Get two so you can be using one while the next one is chilling in the freezer, so you always have one ready.
RelaxCoo 11x14.5 Large Flexible Ice Pack for Injuries Reusable Gel, Cold Compress for Hip, Shoulder, Knee, Back Pain, Swelling, Bruises, Surgery Amazon.com: RelaxCoo 11x14.5 Large Flexible Ice Pack for Injuries Reusable Gel, Cold Compress for Hip, Shoulder, Knee, Back Pain, Swelling, Bruises, Surgery : Health & Household
These are the large ones, which I just got from the same company because I had to start hip PT three weeks ago for painful trochanteric bursitis and ileotibial band syndrome.
Much easier than messing with ice cubes and a bag with a finicky closure that doesn’t conform nearly as well to the shape of your hip.
This is the 2 pack, which I recommend.
RelaxCoo 2 Pack Large Flexible Ice Pack for Injuries Reusable Gel, 11x14.5 Inches, Cold Compress for Hip, Shoulder, Knee, Back Pain, Swelling, Bruises, Surgery Amazon.com: RelaxCoo 2 Pack Large Flexible Ice Pack for Injuries Reusable Gel, 11x14.5 Inches, Cold Compress for Hip, Shoulder, Knee, Back Pain, Swelling, Bruises, Surgery : Health & Household
Oh my GOSH you went from zero to a half-block !? No wonder your leg was lecturing you afterwards. And hey, right on. Getting up, getting moving. It’s what all the cool kids do.
It’s amazing how our body chemistry works. The very fact that we enjoy the benefits of Cardiac Automaticity is remarkable.
Ice that suture site !!! 30 min at a time. REALLY helps with the internal swelling and soreness.
Yeah. The medieval nature of large-form surgical hardware. When I had my first hip done 8 years ago, they wheeled me into the OR before giving me any sedatives. HEAPED on a table were all manner of stainless steel doodads, geegaws, spanners, clamps, bars and hooks. Also standing near the table were 2 or three henchmen, awaiting their clamping/stretching/lashing orders. Utterly unnerving. I do remember speaking to my surgeon afterwards and asking, “SO-- how’d the assault go?” and he just laughed. This time I was only aware of one item and it was kind of disturbing. A long thick belt. Like…8 feet long, quite thick, about 3 inches wide. Now, I know I get lashed down very firmly and leg gets clamped, etc. No problemo. But…this black band had weird white reside randomly on it. That caught my eye. And yet, here I am no worse for the wear. When I have my third hip done, I’ll ask for a sleeping mask to be put in place before they wheel me in…
The fact that they were bare-chested, wore leather gloves, and had black hoods over their heads made it even scarier, amirite?
This thread is alternately harrowing and encouraging…
Thank goodness we’re not quadrupeds or worse yet, have an insect body plan. 6 knees, 6 hips, and 6 ankles, all subject to wearing out if you live long enough? Ouchety ouch ouch! 
Correctamundo !!! Thanks for inserting The Gimp into my surgical memories. Well done !!!
Hmmm. Perhaps we’d qualify for the Carapace Discount. In that case, the OR would also have to have a 5 gallon Homer bucket filled with drawn butter. 
Quick update: I got the dressing mostly removed yesterday, and that’s a big relief (because of the drain and the drainage tank that was attached to it). He left a section of mesh on part of it, and put some little butterfly strips across another part of it; all that will either fall off on its own or I can take it off in a week if it’s still there. Next post-op appt in 4 weeks.
For home care, I have seen an occupational therapist (OT) and another nurse (still not a peep from the PT). The job of the OT is to make sure I can do the daily necessary things: getting dressed, getting in and out of bed, using the toilet and shower; and that I have someone around for food and other necessities. She was okay, taught me a couple of useful things, but there wasn’t much for her to do. Her best contribution was to give me the contact info for a good handyman, ostensibly to put grab bars up in the shower, but if he’s as good as she says, I have a lot of handyman jobs around the house I could have him do.
The second nurse, on the other hand, was an idiot about my recovery. Even though the written doctor’s orders say “no restrictions” on movement, and both the surgeon and PA told me that orally three times, he still insisted on things like I shouldn’t cross my legs or bend down to the ground, or squat, or one other thing that I forget, “just in case, hee hee.” Just in case what, you dipstick? Just in case you know their business better than the doctors? Try upping your continuing education. I’m not gonna argue, but I will just be ignoring anything he says, going forward.
Swelling continues. I am trying to spend more time in the recliner with my feet up, which helps some. On the whole, I feel good and I am pleased with the progress. I am looking forward to being able to drive again, I don’t know how long that will take.
I suggest you put up grab bars on all sides of your shower. When I moved to The Home there were grab bars on two sides and I asked our handyman to add one on the third side. My shower is about the size of a phone booth (remember those?), and in fact, my bathroom is so small I can stand in the middle of it, reach out my hands, and easily touch both walls. Anyway, if I start to fall in the shower, I don’t want to have to try to remember while I’m going down which sides have the grab bars. In fact, everyone should have grab bars in their tubs/showers for safety, because anyone can fall.
I see your phone booth even has a phone. With the handset on an armored cord no less. Brings me right back it does.
Congratulations on the progress!
Yeah, as in any profession, they tend to vary remarkably in quality. My home health nurse seems like a nice person, but offers no useful assistance. I get the quiz about "precautiions " every time. The first time I tried arguing that my surgeon didn’t recommend any, but she insisted on digging them out of the paperwork. She also lectures me on idiot things like "don’t put the ice pack directly on your skin, cover it with a towel " and “be sure to drink lots of water.” At first I tried some gentle protests, but now I keep the visits short by engaging as little as possible. Just smile and agree. If anything were to go seriously wrong, she is the last person I would consult.
Speaking of seriously wrong (well, not that serious) don’t be like me! Remember how I decided to walk 1/2 a block because the hip was feeling so good? Well I managed to Do Something to my leg – not the hip joint, but a pulled muscle or tendon from my groin down the inside of my leg to the knee. Crap. It hurts each time I lift my foot to step, but it’s my own damn fault for being cocky. I told the PT and she tut - tutted me and told me to ice it.
So take it easy, everybody!
I did go out yesterday to two different locations which involved walking from the parking lot into the building and back, and the second of those was to a supermarket (brief trip, just a few items). When I got home I sat back in my recliner and immediately fell asleep for 2 hours. After that I felt fine; I’m lucky I didn’t hurt anything. My husband was driving, and getting back into the driver’s seat myself is one of my shorter-term goals – his driving makes me nervous. OTOH, mine probably does him too.
Finally briefly saw the PT yesterday for the first time. The office for that company is really messing up; they basically forced him to squeeze me in at the end of his day, and then they neglected to tell me that he was coming. We were about to eat dinner, so I couldn’t really work with him, but he seems like a great person to work with. I certainly wasn’t mad at him, and let him know that. We talked for about 10 minutes, he saw my swollen legs and gave me instructions for the weekend: 2 hours morning and afternoon lying flat with feet elevated, and 5 minutes of walking every two hours. I might try to do a little more walking than that, but at least I have some directions to follow.
It’s been almost 3 weeks since my surgery and I’m waiting for my next personal milestone, which will be when my leg hurts less than before surgery. I’m able to walk slowly around the house without the cane or walker, but my left leg is still very sore and weak. Have either of you (@Roderick_Femm or @Cartooniverse ) achieved this level of recovery yet? Anybody else remember how long it took?
PT is coming next week and I’ll ask her too.
It’s been 2 weeks and 2 days for me. My pain level has been lower than before surgery pretty much from the beginning, my old hip hurt some nearly all the time. Now I really don’t have pain as long as I am moving according to instructions, and movement feels less constricted every day. The last of the bandages came off yesterday.
Today I am still using the cane to walk around, except for a short step here or there where I have to carry something in my hands. My next goals are to be able to do my several-minute walks back and forth on the deck without the cane, and to walk up the stairs in the normal way (I’m still doing two feet on each step). I think both of those are still maybe 3 or 4 days away, maybe more for the stairs. After that, being able to drive (this will take longer for me, as it’s my right hip that is healing).
I’m supposed to be getting a nurse’s visit today, but I have no idea when. I am annoyed with my home health agency, they are not good at making appointments even a day in advance.
Ah, I am so jealous! My pain isn’t the same as pre-surgery, when I could swear I felt the joint grinding on itself. Now it’s down the inside of my leg to my knee. Partly because I overdid walking too early, and part because I waited too long for the operation and my muscles were very weak.
Anyhow, I wish you continued progress.
My home health nurse and I mutually called it quits yesterday. Maybe your visits from them are more useful to you, but I didn’t get anything out of them and am glad to be done with that aspect of recovery.
My 1st cousin may have hip surgery. Insurance is requiring him to try physical therapy and injections first.
He’s doing better. The decision for surgery is being discussed.
He’s not a good candidate because of his weight. He’s at least 300lbs.
I’ve read the thread. I guess hip surgery will be necessary eventually. The joint problem will gradually get worse.
Glad your recovering from surgery @Roderick_Femm
Are you doing PT for a few months?
I kind of thought the nurse visits were required by Medicare or something, I have to sign every time that they are here. They basically just take my vitals and ask a couple of questions, look at the suture/scar and the swelling in my leg.
The amount of paid-for PT one can get in a year under Medicare is limited, AIUI. I am getting one visit a week at home, I don’t know for how long. I was doing PT for pain and to help me keep moving before the operation, so I only have so many sessions left, maybe 12. At twice a week, that will last 6 weeks. After that, we’ll see, I am going to try going to the gym again. There are 2 qualifications for PT if you want insurance to pay for it: a doctor has to prescribe it, and the insurance has to agree to pay for it in advance.
That is dependent on which kind of Medicare you have. An Advantage plan often pays for very little PT/OT and the pre authorization process can be tortuous. Traditional Medicare supplemental insurance, like mine, is virtually unlimited as long as a doctor prescribes and it is nominally medically necessary.