5 days post op now and if I’m honest it’s been more painful than I anticipated!!! Doing everything I’ve been told and I am walking very wel with my crutches but really only pain free when lying down, despite pretty good pain relief.
Just wondering if I should , reluctantly, up pred from 2mgs for a few days? I had no advice regarding this on discharge although the the care was generally excellent. All thoughts and advice gratefully received. Feel a bit of a wimp at the moment.🙂
Hi,
If your pain is from hip only and not PMR grumbling then I’d leave the Pred as it is.
If however, you think it might be a flare then obviously that’s a different matter… or if you think adrenals are struggling then you might benefit from a few days increase.. just to tide you through.
I should take the pain killers they have given you unless you are getting PMR type pain. You have had a major operation. You will find you will improve from day to day, and things you could not do one day you will find you can do the next. I am impressed you can use crutches, I failed miserably and furniture surfed through the house after my hip ops.
I agree with you. Looking at it on a week by week basis was what I did. Five days in is very early, and yes it really does hurt at the beginning!
5 days after a very big op is nothing and you will be definitely in the needing regular pain killers zone. If it is from the operation and around the area, see if normal pain killers help first, but don’t expect to be pain free, there’s a lot going on in there. Using crutches can also cause shoulder, neck and arm pain after a couple of days.
As a peeson w 2 metal knees, I agree. Take the painkillers until you don’t need them anymore!🌝
I agree with everything that's been said so far.
My neighbour and my step mum both just had hip replacements and they both said how much more painful it was post operatively than they'd been expecting.
It is incredibly uncomfortable and will be for a while yet, so you're probably experiencing no more than you should probably expect at this stage of recovery.
Wishing you well though ...and a steady recovery.
Thankyou everyone, I think I was just after some reassurance!!!! I will soldier on at 2 mgs, which is what I would prefer, pred is not the answer to all pain!!!! Onwards and upwards.🤗
As said, it does improve day by day 😊
My husband had both hips replaced last year,he did all his exercises and gentle walking but it still took a few months to recover.
Yes the first 7 to 10 days can be a bear. .yup! That being said, understanding and applying your energies to complement healing and working with mother nature is not 100% passive, Following the post protocol is" Living in the solution"... "stages of healing" are well known . I thought of post is like " growing a band new leg"!. ..5 days is pretty early!... hang in there. blessings to you .
i had my hip replaced 6 weeks today . I can honestly say from day one it was fantastic to be out of pain ! Yes it was tender and sore but not as painful as i thought . Its very early days for you , give it time to settle down or get a strong painkiller. I think that upping your Pred as a pain killer is not such a good idea . Things will start to improve very quickly, you just have to give it chance . Good luck Viv .
I think a lot of people - including medics - fail to understand the importance of the right level of pain relief! A male nurse tried to ration my pain relief after orthopaedic surgery, told me I had to put up with some pain. I mentioned it to the surgeon when he asked about the pain - the tablets were there very quickly and the nurse even apologised. I think the surgeon had given him a real kick!
Having had two hip replacements I do sympathise. Take your painkillers regularly, do your exercises and you will find that you suddenly realise that the pain is starting to become more manageable around 3 weeks post op. You will automatically reduce your painkillers as and when things are getting better. It is a trying time. Good luck and best wishes
you have cheered me up no end, I was starting to feel a proper wimp!!! I will follow your advice and keep taking the pain relief as necessary.❤️
I 've had both hips replaced, the first two weeks are the worst as everything is cut, unhealed and sore. I could only bear to sit for about 30 mins, my clips were worse than the pain as they dug in. At 2 weeks the clips /stitches come out and it all felt much better. By six weeks I was able to walk with just a stick but I did the exercises absolutely religiously and started walking a little outside with crutches after the clips were out. I didn't need very much pain relief, the paracetamol seemed to do the trick but if I had needed it I would have taken it. I was on 5mg of Pred throughout op and carried on for a couple of months after until I felt healed enough to taper. 18 months later I have the hips of a 20 year old, or so my admiring physio said. Just wish I could have an op for the 78 yo remainder. Just look forward to all that you will be able to do in the near future.
Hip Pain is it PMR or in need of hip replacement 
Hip Replacement
Hip pain
