Hi all, I am waiting for a date for bilateral hip replacements and was just wondering if anyone out there has had this done recently. How did it go? Any advice? Thanks for your help.
Hi, I had bilateral surgery on 4 Feb, just over 3 weeks ago. The op went very well but I hadn't realised that I would have to be in bed for most of the time until the joints have time to settle and to keep weight bearing to a minimum. When I do need to get up to go to the bathroom I use a frame and make sure that that takes most of my weight when I walk. I have an excellent physiotherapist and she comes once a week and shows me new excercises for my partner to help me with and we can both see a vast improvement just 3 weeks on. My partner is brilliant and he helps me with everything and I couldn't have managed without him. Do not underestimate how incapacitated you will be for the first weeks or so and how long the recovery will be, I still don't know! You will most definitely need someone to rely on for almost everything in the early stages of your recovery. What I have learned from my physiotherapist is that it will take at least twice as long as just having the one replaced because the muscles on both sides have been damaged. She in fact said I was crazy and would not advise anyone else to have both done at once. I can see the advantages for having one replaced and the other 6 weeks later but I have no regrets in my decision to have both at once. However I could not have done it without my partner.Judy
Hi
I had bilateral surgery six months ago. I was up and walking 24 hours later and was encouraged to weight bear - mine were uncemented. My physio was very supportive as he knew I had the right mindset to cope. I went walking and canoing in the lakes after 7 weeks and returned to the gym at 9 and work at 11.
I was fit as I could be presurgery and had good upper body strength for easing myself on and off the bed etc. Everyone is different in their pace of recovery.
I would have been very frustrated to have only had one done at a time as I feel my life would still have been on hold till the second op.
Good luck ! Stay strong. xx
That's interesting Judy, not quite what we were being told on TV about Eamonn Holmes, but much nearer the truth.
I can see the need to have someone there to help you.
Graham
Thanks for your reply, certainly sounds like you have done really well, the idea of being able to walk a distance would be great. Good to hear you are back at work as well.