Hey everyone!
I'm 26 and about to have my left hip replaced next friday. It's my first major surgery and needless to say, I'm very anxious.
Last week I met with my anesthesiologist who told me that they will use regional anesthesia. That sounds absolutely terrifying. I really don't want to feel anyone yanking at my bones or smell my own blood or really anything else to do with the surgery. How did you guys handle it?
Hi I just had a left thr last Monday and I'm 30. Although I was nervous before the operation I kept telling myself it'll change my life and i'll be back walking again. I had an epidural and was out for the count. Although the recovery takes awhile, I am currently pain free and moving about. Good luck!
I'm so glad to hear that. I hope the rest of your recovery goes well!
I'm also a little anxious about the pain on those first steps and days. How would you rate it on a 1-10 scale?
I had my left hip done 16 days ago by epidural didn't feel any pain. If you feel anxious they will give you something to relax you.
I was up on my feet by the early evening the hip pain had gone. I'm walking without pain. I am forty years older than you so you
have that advantage. Trust me you will be fine just make sure you tell them of your fears so they can help. Good luck
At your age if reasonably fit which I'm sure you are you should absolutely sail through the surgery and just as important the recovery.
I was 55 when I had my primary surgery and had an old fashioned general. I was pretty fit and left hospital very mobile at I think four days on two stick only because they insisted! Threw one away on getting home and was walking several miles on uneven tracks within any aids in a few days. Back to my full time self employment within a few weeks. Not looked back....twenty years of demanding building and hill farming, etc.
Revision at 75 with spinal and general as surgeon wanted me to be OK for a long surgery if there were complications which turned out not to be the case.
Woke without any pain but first night was difficult pain wise and needed morphine. Making a good recovery walking well several miles each day without aids at three weeks, driving nd shopping etc.
Everyone is different of course but it helps to be fit and not over weight, not a smoker or a drinker and having a positive attitude and a measure of luck!
All the best.
Richard
Thank you! I feel a lot less anxious now and more excited than anything!
"... I really don't want to feel anyone yanking at my bones ..."
Hi Fred-
You really have to dial back the drama level...
The anesthesia guys have a jargon all their own. Rest assured that they are not going to inject a bit of novocaine and hand you off to the knife, hammer, and saw team. It doesn't work like that.
First thing after your arrival at the hospital, you will sign the papers and get into your gown. The prep team will give you a pill to "relax" you; the scant water you get will be a welcome taste, but the overall impact is further driness. As I recall, the OR team gives you a quick once-over, and another pill. This one is much stronger, rohypnol-like. Very disorienting. You may be quizzed to see just how coherent you are. Finally, the moment arrives, you are wheeled into surgery and transferred to the table. Sounds nerve-wracking, but you are blissfully detached by the pre-op medication. It is at this juncture that the OR anesthesia regime applies. They might request a countdown from you. But it really does not matter. They are going to totally numb you; there will be no sensation, no sense of time, nothing.
Post-op, the OR team will deliver you to recovery (and move on to the next customer). In the recovery room, you may feel cold and nauseous, but mostly, just exhausted. You will be watched for signs of pain-related distress, and medicated accordingly. Your operated leg will feel very heavy, your opposite-side knee may be sore, and you may have a killer backache.
Or, you might be like most patients: very very tired for a few weeks, and slowly get up to speed until, after a couple of months, you have to think a bit when people ask you what side was operated on. Really, it happens.
So, it's too bad you messed up your hip joint at an early age. There is no justice sometimes; I know the feeling. But you are fortunate indeed to live at a time when expert joint replacement specialists are working at every major medical center. A couple of hours work from those guys, and you will be all fixed up.
Good luck, let us know how it turns out.
HTH
I had that type anesthesia at age 35 during my 1st RTHR. The anesthesiologist will keep you very sedated during your procedure. You shouldn't be able to remember any of it. I know I didn't but please, please let the anesthesia team know of your fears, concerns & questions. There's what they're there for. I had Legg CalvesPerthes disease diagnosed at age 4 years of age.
Keep in touch. Let me know if I can help. Be glad too.
Take care Vickie :-)
I had that type anesthesia at age 35 during my 1st RTHR. The anesthesiologist will keep you very sedated during your procedure. You shouldn't be able to remember any of it. I know I didn't but please, please let the anesthesia team know of your fears, concerns & questions. There's what they're there for. I had Legg CalvesPerthes disease diagnosed at age 4 years of age.
Keep in touch. Let me know if I can help. Be glad too.
Take care Vickie :-)
I have had absolutely no pain since the operation. The day after the surgery I had a dull ache in my thigh. You are given plenty of pain medication in hospital. As long as you time your meds and take them generally round the same time each day, you should have no pain
Just add to comments so far you need to choose your surgeon carefully. In the UK we can get access to hospital records showing the experience of surgeons and how many and what type of surgery they have done in past years and success rates.
Cheers Richard
Sorry about the double post :-(
Hi. I really appreciate how you are feeling about the anaesthetic . I was told the same and went into melt down . You can insist on s general unless there are medical reasons as to why this would be difficult. In my case, I suffer with very low blood pressure and a GA can make it fall even more. Fortunately the medical team I had were superb and even contacted a professor who had written papers on low blood pressure and GA. he advised them . As for pain afterwards, I was regularly asked and told the nurses I had no pain, only a bit of discomfort. Two weeks on I ache when tired, which is quite a bit at the moment. Discuss this with your doctor. X
Hi Fred
I had the same and was terrified too I cried all the way to the operating theatre! But it was fine. I was given a sedative then the anaesthetic by epidural. I just felt woozy but warm and comfortable didn't feel a thing. They had music playing but I couldn't name a tune. I heard noises but was snug and didn't care. Then the surgeon came to my head and said just stitching you up.! So try not to worry it's ok and recover is better and it's safer. Do not look on u tube before the op!!!! I didn't ask any details or I would have been off the trolley and back home. 7 months on and life is much better you are so young you will recover better and your life will improve dramatically so good luck we will be hear to hear your news!
Best wishes julie
Fred, here is the thread about anesthesia that is pinned to the top of the Hip Replacement Forum, which has lots of good info: https://patient.info/health/anaesthetic-choices-for-hip-or-knee-replacement
Best wishes to you with your upcoming surgery!
dear fred,
warm welcome to the hippies forum where personal experiences and stories are shared - we come in all ages and stages on this journey - have been there, done that and live to tell ..
you are not alone anymore, darling - great to read that your anxiety is turning into excitement - thin line there -
it is not a walk in the park by all means but the anticipation is so much worse -
I have nothing to add - just want to wish you good luck for upcoming Friday -
looking forward to your first post-op post ---
and come here any time, okay --- just when the mood strikes .. it is very therapeutic to know that there are people wo know exactly what you are going through ..
big warm hug
renee
P.S. I chose general anesthesia with both THR surgeries -like you I totally freaked out by the thought of the mere chance that I would feel, smell or hear anything ...
It is always an option -
I took a deep breath, openend my eyes and was done - no nausea, no pain or other side effects -
Thank you. I feel a lot more relaxed after hearing about everyone's experience. I'm sure that if I've endured all the pain up till now with a bad hip, a few week of uncomfortable aches will be a breeze.
It was great. Don't remember a thing. Recovered really quickly from sedation.
You will be amazed. Don't be anxious.
Good luck.
I am three weeks post op and 63. I'm fit and don't carry weight. I was supposed to have a general but on discussing it with my anesthesiologist he said a spinal injection would be fine for me. When the time came he also gave me a mild sedative and in truth I fell asleep. Woke to someone saying it's almost done. You will be just fine, try not to over think it, thinking about something is always worse than actually doing it, don't you agree? They are surgeons not butchers. hahaha. I had my op on the Wednesday 3.30pm and I was home the same time on the Friday with just codene as pain relief.