Swollen leg

April 15, 2006

Hi,

I had THR on my left hip 9 weeks ago. Everything is going very

well. I can do all the exercises and I'm walking about 3/4 of a mile

every day. However my operated leg mostly from the knee down is

still swollen. I've tried keeping it up and trying to massage it but

when I sit with it down even for a short while it swells and then

gets very itchy. Does anyone know if the swelling is normal? If it

is does it last a long time as I think I will have problems getting

back to work in a couple of weeks if I can't leave my foot in a down

position.

Thanks

Bonnie

April 16, 2006

Hi Bonnie!

I had a TLH Revision a year ago next week. I was just out back

chopping down bamboo by the way.

My operated leg swelled up in the rehabilitation hospital (Presbyterian

in Dallas) on day five after I took a several hour long joy ride around

the grounds in my wheel chair. I was sooo bored.

Anyway. After my leg swelled at the rehab hospital they gave me daily

lymphatic massage on that leg to reduce the swelling. It helped. A

year later I am still getting biweekly lymphatic massage to manage the

swelling. It's so much better but I can still tell my operated leg and

foot is bigger than my non operated leg.

The lymphatic massage therapist at the hospital told me to keep an eye

on the swelling and address it because the body can get used to the leg

being swollen and I might have trouble with it for the rest of my life.

So far it's been a year. But the swelling is getting less and less, I

can tell.

My current lymphatic massage therapist does lymphatic drainage massage

on my whole body. I have found this works much better than just on my

leg. I see a vastly greater reduction of swelling in my operated leg

with total body lymphatic drainage vs just operated leg lymphatic

drainage. She starts on my head and works down. My understanding is

the lymph system is a closed system that can get stuck somewhere and if

the whole system is not flowing then there is swelling. I had weekly

appointments for a couple of months, now I go biweekly unless there is

more swelling.

For myself I noticed that the pain pills and Advil cause an increase in

swelling. Exercise causes a decrease in swelling. Exercise in water

can eliminate swelling for a time. For the first few months of massage

therapy I would wear the TED stockings for a couple of days after the

massage. That helped. I still wear the TEDs if I am taking a long car

trip or sitting for an extended period of time.

On what seems to be an unrelated note: I used to have dark circles and

bags under my eyes. I thought they were related to age. I'm 52. One

of the benefits of the lymphatic drainage is that the bag under my

right eye is totally gone. My left eye is a little baggy but that

disappears for several days after the lymphatic drainage massage. My

left leg is my operated leg. An odd coincidence? The dark circles

under my eyes are gone also. Yipeee!

Hope this is helpful,

Beverly in Austin

TLHR 93, TLHR 2005

Message 3

> From: " Bonnie Gold " bgold@...

> Date: Sat Apr 15, 2006 2:52pm(PDT)

> Subject: Swollen leg

>

> Hi,

>

> I had THR on my left hip 9 weeks ago. Everything is going very

> well. I can do all the exercises and I'm walking about 3/4 of a mile

> every day. However my operated leg mostly from the knee down is

> still swollen. I've tried keeping it up and trying to massage it but

> when I sit with it down even for a short while it swells and then

> gets very itchy. Does anyone know if the swelling is normal? If it

> is does it last a long time as I think I will have problems getting

> back to work in a couple of weeks if I can't leave my foot in a down

> position.

>

> Thanks

> Bonnie

April 16, 2006

Hi, can you tell me what the exercise is or send a photo or some thing so

I could try this excerise to get the swelling down in my right leg. It

comes and goes. I get on my feet a while and up goes the swelling. Any

information would be help full and my foot and leg turn red. thank you

Jean

April 16, 2006

Hi

I find that walking reduces the swelling but when I sit my leg

swells. However aside from walking (I still use a cane) I find that

pumping your toes up and down when sitting in a chair can help. Also

doing the knee bends ( standing and bending your leg at the knee)

helps move the swelling. You can try standing and rising up and down

on your toes a couple of times as well. I have also used ice when I

finish walking.

You can also try the hint Beverly in Austin gave me which was to try

lymphatic massage. I'm going to investigate that myself.

Hope that helps.

Bonnie

On 16-Apr-06, at 5:09 PM, M Hunt wrote:

> Hi, can you tell me what the exercise is or send a photo or some

> thing so

> I could try this excerise to get the swelling down in my right leg. It

> comes and goes. I get on my feet a while and up goes the swelling. Any

> information would be help full and my foot and leg turn red. thank you

> Jean

>

April 17, 2006

Hi Bonnie I do 1200 to 1400 of the toes pumps every day and my swelling

gets worst when I am on my feet very long and my foot and leg turn red. I

had a TRH done 6 months ago and when I want in for my 1 month pre opp and

they took x=rays they found my greater trocantor had broke and was

hanging there so that has also slowed me done. I am still with a came and

walker and still have pain. Not the same pain as I had befor surgery but

now it is a different pain and as long as I stay off my leg the pain is

not too bad. Thank you for answering and I am trying to find out if there

is another excerise I can do to help this.

April 17, 2006

Elevation of the leg, increased activity, and time should take care

of the swelling. Try not to sit with your feet on the floor for very

long (or at all) - if your work station permits, prop your leg on a

chair or stool while you sit, and stand up and walk around often.

While you're still at home, occasionally elevating the feet above

your heart is worth trying.

If the swelling persists and continues to bother you, contact your

doctor. However, in my experience, increased activity and elevation

helped a lot and this too shall pass.

>

> Hi,

>

> I had THR on my left hip 9 weeks ago. Everything is going very

> well. I can do all the exercises and I'm walking about 3/4 of a

mile

> every day. However my operated leg mostly from the knee down is

> still swollen. I've tried keeping it up and trying to massage it

but

> when I sit with it down even for a short while it swells and then

> gets very itchy. Does anyone know if the swelling is normal? If

it

> is does it last a long time as I think I will have problems

getting

> back to work in a couple of weeks if I can't leave my foot in a

down

> position.

>

> Thanks

> Bonnie

>

April 17, 2006

Dear Bonnie,

The swelling is sort of normal but it's the swelling with attendant itching that concerns me. Please mention it to your doctor when you see him next. Sometimes edema (fluid retention) with itching could indicate something else. Please don't hesitate to either see or call your doctor (or nurse) just to be on the safe side. Especially if it is also turning red. Just as a precaution. Good luck!!!

Gentle Hugs, Contessa

-- Swollen leg