Thought some of you awaiting surgery might be interested to hear my really positive experience of THR under general anaesthetic. I originally elected for GA without knowing too much about other options, however, by the time I went in for my THR last Tues I'd convinced myself an epidural/spinal would be better. On the day, my anaesthetist advised me to stick with a GA which was combined with some local anaesthetic injected around the hip joint, which I did.
I woke up in recovery Tues afternoon with no sickness or pain. No catheter was required and I used a bed pan twice (which was easy) before I could use the loo myself. I was up and about on crutches on Wed and discharged Thursday. In fact I was home in less than 48 hours from waking up in recovery! In terms of pain relief I'm on paracetamol and ibuprofen and feel great.
Not sure if it makes a difference but I'm age 45 and was very active up to 3 months pre-surgery but a GA worked really well for me 😃
Excellent outcome. Although we as patients have a choice I asked my consultant what he preferred and it was as you had - GA and spinal. He said he preferred to get on with the job without being worried about the patient being alert. Theres no heroism awards - just doing the wisest thing for everyone - so well done you! xxx
I had a hip done when in my mid 40s under general and epidural. I was sick the next day and in hospital for 5 days. However once home I recovered really quickly. No bruising, numbness in scar, very little swelling. I was walking with no pain really quickly and back to teaching in 12 weeks, I had worked rght up to the op.
This time at 62 and retired I had an epidural only and was awake and felt good on the ward virtually straight after the op. I was still sick though the next day. I think now it was the morphine drip which I had both times. This time I had lots of bruising and swelling around the wound. I had a drain the first time but not this time so think that was probably the cause. However I was home on the 4th day. It has taken a lot longer to recover though. Partly age and partly differences in the hip prior to the operation. I can walk now at 6 weeks but still use a stick occasionally and can now just get up and down stairs properly. It's still a bit sore. Just hoping for a positive result at my post op surgeon meet on Tuesday.
Good luck with your recovery - I hope it is like my first one!
Thanks Anne. I worked right up to my op too and the surgeon has only signed me off for 4 weeks which is a bit scary - although my job is office based. Best wishes for your appointment on Tuesday, hope all goes well!
I had spinal and a light injection to put me to sleep, but this is not a GA.
If you get a GA they put you to sleep without a spinal and some people wake up confused as a result of the medications injected. With a spinal you wake up feeling normal. In my case I had very low blood pressure and it was unpleasant, but I had no catheter, no back pain, no leg swelling.
I did not want to be awake and hear noises, comments, and see the operating theatre...but a friend of mine put on some loud music with headphones and shut her eyes. We are all different and we have to do what is best for us!
Hipster delighted your feeling so well so soon after your op. Hope your recovery continues very well. I hope I'm recover as quickly when I go for mine. Just trying to pluck up the courage to book myself in for it. Hopefully within the next month.
I also elected for a GA and was given some local into the op area whilst still under, it helped a lot with the post op pain. If I had not spoken up it would have been spinal and sedation which is normal where I was. I just asked on the morning of the op when I saw the anaethetist
hi I definitely had both a GA and a spinal - I was told that the spinal was given as it acted as ongoing pain relief for the hours after surgery. The anaesthetists and surgeons leave it to us as patients - we are given a choice that they cannot make in an informed way as they cant know how we will feel.
My approach for THR was definitely influenced by previous hip arthroscopy where the anaesthetist told me spinal would be best. I mentioned this to the robed up consultant in the pre-theatre prep room and it pole axed him = his exact words were "This is a 2 and a half hour operation that I have never before performed solely with an epidural....it requires a great deal of force and you may want to reconsider" Hardly made me feel confident , as you can imagine, so I suggested a replan and a GA.
I am lucky I had never before suffered with after effects of GA - which is why with THR I asked my consultant his preference. I want his eyes hands and brain on the job.
My mother in law had 2 spinals and could hear the kerfuffle through the ear phones. So i would definitely go for earphones which are noise cancelling ones
The recent op was on the other hip. The first one metal with plastic liner is still going strong after 15 years. The liner has worn a little and it will have to be monitored but if it does go further the stem doesn't have to be replaced as that is ok - I'm hoping for a few more years though.
The recent one is ceramic on ceramic and I had more muscular/tendon problems with the gluteus giving way (trendelburg) and stabbing groin pains as well as the joint eroding. The first one was just worn bone and had been slightly deformed from birth - it looked like corregated roofing! The muscles were ok. I think I will probably have to have some physio on the new one to get some strength back into the muscles.
4 weeks is a really short time even for an office based job. Make sure you are really fit enough and if in doubt ask for an extension or even phased return. Your doctor should be able to sign you off. I find it hard to believe the surgeon only signs you off for 4 weeks if you have a 6 week post op visit!
I was lucky with my first op in that is was in early june so i had the summer holidays for extra recuperation and could start the school year at the end of August.
Hi Hipster ... thank you for your post -I chose GA too and had no problems whatsoever - was brought in to the OR and then sucked on an icicle in the recovdery room .. I am a coward and eventhough I was told I wouldn't feel or hear anything, I wouldn't take a chance ... My next hip needs THR soon and I will again go for GA ...welcome home and take it easy ...big hug
It's interesting that you say it's the liner that's worn and the stem doesn't need removing. I haven't thought about it that way before. I wonder if that's the case with most revisions. You would think with the advances in THR that the second one would of gone more smoothly than the first one 15 years ago. So really, the recovery is down to how bad the hip is when you have the op.
I was surprised when the surgeon told me - I think a lot of revisions are because the implant works loose. I am small boned and thin and have not overdone it over the years- short walks and gardening being my physical activity. I am sure the outcome would have been different if i had engaged in a lot of impact sports and also been a lot heavier - the load increases dramatically with weight.
I am hoping though that once the muscles have improved the outcome for the second will be good!