Hi just wondered if anyone else out there had a double done and how are you doing after 5 weeks . I am 50 years old . I can get around the house with one crutch or none but when I go outside I use 2 for a bit of security . I walk about 500 yrds 3 times a day , am I over doing it or is that ok ? I still have quite a bit of stiffness in the mornings and if I sit too long . It's slow but sure . Glad I went for the double although it's hard going .Looking forward to long walkswith the dogs , Ruth
I think you are doing fine especially after having a double. Don't overdo it though and try to get too ambitious at first. Slow and steady seems to be best way to win the race. Good luck with it.
Thank you for your encouragement Barbara , I will go easy .
Hi Ruth,
I am 71 and I had both hips done 6 months ago. My progress has been slow but steady and I am now confident to walk without support, though I still take a stick when I go out. At 5 weeks I was probably also walking about 500 yards with support, and this has gradually increased with time. I think my body has always let me know when I've done too much, An afternoon rest and sleep proved essential for the first three months, but I am now sleeping well at night and getting much less tired. I still find sitting for long periods difficult, and need to take regular breaks when driving (I was back behind the wheel after 7 weeks, by the way, and that made a huge difference to my morale). I am also a bit stiff in the mornings, but find that doing exercises helps with that, as does a daily walk. I also try to keep active around the house, and have now dispensed with my cleaner as I can manage all the hoovering and so on myself even though it all takes an age. Bending and lifting are still quite hard. However, everything is much, much easier than before the operation, when I was virtually housebound towards the end, and I'm certain having both hips done together, and being able gradually to return to normal life, was the right decision. I can see signs of progress daily, and am confident that I will continue to improve over the next six months.
Are you still seeing a physio? I was referred for a bit more support when I went for my 6 week check-up, and found that just four sessions and some extra exercises made a huge difference to my balance, and consequently to my confidence in walking.
Hope you continue to do well.
Best wishes,
Maidlin
Hi Ruth well done though I am a bit Jealous having been told how bad my hips were they would not do both together i assume they must have had a good reason not to do both, I am also 5 weeks post op but it sounds that you are doing a lot better than me my operated hip is doing really well but my other hip is still causing great pain and stopping me from doing as much as I would like to, what part of the country are you in? iam in surrey, hope you carry on with your recovery
Regards Ron
Hi Maidlin , thanks for your reponse , its really good to share with others on here . I'm so glad I found this site as I have struggled to find others who had had two done at once , it seems rare . I am not actualy seeing a physio just told to keep walking . I have my six week check soon so will ask lots of questions then . I hope to get the go ahead to drive by then . I have sat in my car and worked the pedals and felt fine so fingers crossed . Thanks again for your reply and keep up the good work , regards , Ruth
Hi Ron , thanks for your reply . It's a pitty you did'nt have the two done .I was bit unsure weather to but now I know I did the right thing . It's pretty hard going but when you have one done and still have a bad one it must be hard too . I live in Mid Wales on a farm so have missed all the lambing this year and it was frustrating at times not being able to do a thing to help . Will you have the other one done in time ? If you dont mind me asking , what age you are ?
I;m hoping to drive soon , I have my 6 week check soon and get the go ahead . I hope you get your other one done and recover well , kind regards Ruth PS , my cousin lives in Byfleet , Surrey !
Hi Ruth i'm 64- 65 in july I go to a german shepard dog traing club in Byfleet its about 30 min drive from me small world. I started driving at 4 weeks and all seems well, my car is a automatic but it was my right hip that was done, I have my 6 week check on 7th May, my consultant did tell me when I was on the operating table and not yet gone under that he would do my second hip in 3 months so I am hopeing that will be true. living on a farm must be hard work and i can see that it would be very frustating time for you not to be able to help, still before my op I was virtualy house bound and could only shuffle a long on two crutches in great pain, so in those terms i am at least now able to walk short distance's with one crutch and a stick in doors, but my bigest achivement so far is now being able to put my own socks on but trying to do some of the excerises is very difficult as the bad leg stops me doing them, do you have much physio? our physio is a wast of time been once that was at week 4 he told me to keep doing what I am doing and to also do the extra 3 in the booklet and ring back for another appointment in 4 weeks, yeah right, as the extra 3 are the ones I cannot do because of the other leg, boy I feel like writting this makes me look like a real misery but i'm not always have a smile lol hope to speak to you again Ruth and keep on weel with your recovery I found also that you have to be careful not to over do things as its very tempting to do to much, says me
best Regards Ron