Hi everyone, I am due for my op on March 21st and I am wondering how long it will be before I can drive again, also do I have to tell the DVLA that I have a false hip ?
Hi,
I am just starting today 3 weeks post op having been cleared by my surgeon. I drive an automatic and had my left hip replaced. He told me that had it been my right it would have been 6 weeks or when my leg was strong enough to perform an emergency stop. I think 6 weeks is pretty standard.
You need to let your insurance know as soon as your surgeon has cleared you. That's all. They are fairly uninterested but best to inform them my OS says. You don't need to inform the DVLA.
Hope this helps.
Sam
Thanks Sam. I have actually just passed my test so havent even got a car yet but was worried I would have to wait forever to drive again and forget how to do it lol.
Congratulations on passing your test!! You won't forget And you won't even want to think about driving for a bit!
I forgot to mention you also need to be off all opiates to drive. I was allergic to them so not an issue for me.
Good luck with your op in March, not long now! The waiting is the worst - I am so happy to have mine behind me and the surgery and recovery haven't been nearly as bad as I thought they would be
Sam x
Thanks, I know what a time to pass, 1 week before my op lol. I have been waiting for my op since September grr. Glad your recovery is going well hope mine does too I hate sitting around doing nothing..
Hi Cupcake, it is 6 weeks usually, I drove at 7 weeks and just went round the block to see if i could do an emergency stop. I had RTHR. DVLa dont want ot know and neither did my insurance company when I rang them. They said if surgeon has cleared you to drive then its no problem. Good luck with the op, be patient we all recover at different rates xx
Hi LadyCupcake,
From what I've read on this forum, 6 weeks is the norm. Everyone heals differently so you may have to wait to see how you are doing. I was walking unassisted within the first 10 days, which is very quick. I was back to driving an automatic after 2 weeks and taking myself to the PT sessions, but I didn't ask for permission to drive this early. I was too afraid they'd say No. I also live out in the country and my PT sessions were only a half mile up the road.
Hi LadyCupcake
I drove 4 weeks after my HR. As long as you arnt on pain pills, the dr. said i could drive. I was not told i have to tell DVLA about my hip. Hope this helps.
Depends on your surgeon .... and no, you do not need to inform DVLA or your insurance.
My surgeon said after 6 weeks, that until I could walk without a stick outside, he wouldn't give me his permission to drive. His reasoning (and I have to agree with him on this) was that it's not the pressure you can exert on the brake/clutch pedals, but the speed that you can get the foot onto those pedals that matters.
Most surgeons say yes at anything from 6 to 12 weeks I believe.
Graham
I waited 10 weeks before I drove. I probably could have managed earlier but didn't need to and didn't feel like it. I drove round the farm's roads first off just to get the seat height etc adjusted properly. Insurance didn't seem bothered when i rang them and said i just needed surgeon s ok. 🚘
Hi ladycipcake,
I was told that I could drive after I went for my 6 weeks review as long as I could do an emergency stop. I drive a manual car. I think if its an automatic car you can drive at 4 weeks.
I did feel nervous so asked a friend to come out with me for the first time which was a confidence boost.
I still find it a bit awkward getting in the car and have my seat pushed well back.
I'm still on a small dose of codeine (1 tablet 4 times a day) plus paracetamol. I was told this was ok as long as I have no adverse effects. This is the same as what the leaflet that comes with the tablets says.
Progress is slow after THR.
I'm at 10 weeks post op and find that on the surface I look 'normal' and people can't understand why I can't do everything I used to before the op, like lifting heavy things, riding my horse and all the things that entails.
Good luck with your op. You'll be a new person afterwards.
You do, however, have to check your insurance! My surgeon told me that a lot of of insurers say 8 weeks or longer ifyou cannot do an emergency stop safely and consistently. When I checked my policy, that is in fact what it said. I could have easily driven at six weeks - but would not have been insured for two weeks! That would have been a disaster- for me or someone else, if anything had gone wrong. Never assume anything got are told is correct- if it's important, check it.
Interestingly, and quite a surprise to me because my insuerers didn't say this - I happened to Google this https://www.gov.uk/surgery-and-driving. The official UK government site says that hip and knee replacements MUST be notified to DVLA! The page is current as of seven days ago.
slight amendment - you have to report it if you are still having problems three months after surgery.
I having a total hip replacement in May. In the mean time I need help suggestion anything please.
My pelvic area is hurting so badd I cannot sit long I cannot stand long and when I try to stand it's so painful my leg shakes and I have to wait till I can straighten it out then I have to wait until they hit goes back into place the MRI's show that I am bone on bone nothing they gives me for pain works. I can't sleep I think I must pass out after for 3 hours every night I am exhausted and I'm tired and I'm just in a very dark place right now and I have to work.
I'm walking on crunches because I have failed to times and I trip all the time and to try to save the right hip.
Will the surgery bring Instant relief, will I go back to normal????
I having a total hip replacement in May. In the mean time I need help suggestion anything please.
My pelvic area is hurting so badd I cannot sit long I cannot stand long and when I try to stand it's so painful my leg shakes and I have to wait till I can straighten it out then I have to wait until they hit goes back into place the MRI's show that I am bone on bone nothing they gives me for pain works. I can't sleep I think I must pass out after for 3 hours every night I am exhausted and I'm tired and I'm just in a very dark place right now and I have to work.
I'm walking on crunches because I have failed to times and I trip all the time and to try to save the right hip.
Will the surgery bring Instant relief, will I go back to normal????
I having a total hip replacement in May. In the mean time I need help suggestion anything please.
My pelvic area is hurting so badd I cannot sit long I cannot stand long and when I try to stand it's so painful my leg shakes and I have to wait till I can straighten it out then I have to wait until they hip goes back into place the MRI's show that I am bone on bone nothing they gives me for pain works. I can't sleep I think I must pass out after for 3 hours every night I am exhausted and I'm tired and I'm just in a very dark place right now and I have to work.
I'm walking on crunches because I have failed to times and I trip all the time and to try to save the right hip.
Will the surgery bring Instant relief, will I go back to normal????
You should plan on waiting 6 weeks but it will depend on your progress and what you drive. I have an automatic and had a left hip replacement. I was told I could drive once I could walk without crutches, which was at 4 weeks, although I waited another week to feel comfortable. My insurance company advised that I must be off any medication that would affect my driving and must be able to do an emergency stop (I had a practice in a local car park)
You don’t have to inform the DVLA. It is your insurance company that is the issue. No company will cover you if you are still on crutches, and most want you to have been given the ok by your surgeon or physio. Contact then and ask.
You should get relief from the pain you are feeling almost immediately, although there will be some pain and discomfort from the operation itsel for a while. Nothing like the constant grinding down pain you are suffering now.
I am five weeks post left posterior hip replacement, got the ok to drive at three weeks. No problems driving my automatic car.