Hi,
i am due to have a THR on Thursday 18th April, I already have a holiday booked to Spain 5 weeks later, what are the chances of me being ok for this? I am 58 years old & otherwise fit?
Hi, I’d be a bit wary after 5 weeks, it’s not long at all. Have you checked you’d be covered with travel insurance?
I hope you have trip insurance. Don’t think you will be up to it. You will be ok, but not for a big trip.
i went on a cruise, no flying, at 7 weeks . This was after postop check and OK from surgeon. Think 5 weeks may be a bit too soon
Hi, I would have asked my consultant if you had pre booked the jolly, I was told I could not fly before my 6 week check up, not even short haul. When I was told I needed the surgery, I had no clue of waiting times and I had two jollies booked, Namibia last September and Tonga this September. I knew in my head that bouncing around on a safari trip or diving with whales was not going to be like resting up on a beach for a week so we took the decision with heavy heart to cancel both as time was running out on the first one to cancel. (I have good insurance cover so never lost much), I have a feeling that I will need my other done in the not too distant future, just a hunch!! so I plan to take one or two short haul breaks until I know I am of right mind and body to do the biggies. As suggested, insurance might not cover you so soon and your consultant may well advise against
Helen
I appreciate we are all different but I could have easily coped with a holiday at 5 weeks provided I didnt have to lift heavy suitcases or it was a hiking or climbing holiday.
Agreed, there is coping and being insured to do so. Similar to the driving of manual cars questioned here a few months back. Different surgery procedures and so forth, also hark back to folk having a rollicking for walking into check up at 6 weeks. If I remember correctly John, you had minimal invasive procedure and appear to have sailed through recovery with no post op problems, reading most folks comments on here, they do have post op problems so you appear to be in the minority.
i am also having my left one done on April 13th going by past experience i certainly couldnt have gone on holiday i had my right hip done December 3rd and still not fully recovered! i understood it to be 12 weeks before you can fly so please be aware of the risks! you are a lot younger than me but i still think you need to check it with your surgeon first good luck and take care
If you are flying you should check with your surgeon as they are often paranoid about DVT after hip surgery I found with mine.
I was on hip restrictions at 5 weeks think I would rather wait and go later. x
You might get lucky but I would cancel took 3 month for the swelling to go down on me
My surgeon (who I have already trusted with my life!) said that the thrombosis risk drops to normal at 6 weeks. I had my 6-week-and-a-bit check on Monday, and he was happy for me to fly on Wednesday.
He did say some people take aspirin for a few days before and after, but there is no serious evidence that it is effective. I didn’t, but I did wear the anti-embolism socks.
So I am in Greece for a fortnight now, having flown out at 6 weeks and 4 days. I managed fine - with buggy assistance at Gatwick north terminal, which is a long walk - although I was very tired at the end of the travel day. I got an aisle seat, walked around several times on the flights, and did lots of foot exercises.
BTW we rang our (annual) travel insurance - LV - and got a recorded message saying you don’t need to notify health changes until the renewal date. If you have an annual policy you are covered for the year whatever.
We are all different. I am a fit 74-year-old. My swelling completely went after a fortnight. I do the exercises twice every day without fail. You will know how healthy you are - but I would check with your surgeon, because you may need to postpone a week or two.
Joan
Hi Jodie, yes but may cost me a little more, thanks for reply
This is what im thinking John, its short haul, literally doing nothing for a week &, I might be proved wrong, im quite resiliant, dont want to cancel then get to the date & could have gone!
Thankyou Cyndey
Thanks Joan, the problem
with postponing is that we are going with family so it has to be the school holidays, they cant postpone. I was told at pre-assesment yesterday that all restrictions end at 6 weeks, so this is while im away, so really its just a few days? Its a dilema as Ireally want to spend this quality time with my family
i think you should go and enjoy your holiday . i was driving after 4 weeks . just keep doing the exercises and you should be great x
All restrictions don’t end at 6 weeks - but the hardest ones do. eg I was told to stick with the 90 degree rule until three months, and not to do anything which twists the joint sideways at all until after then. I can drive now, and have done (right hip, so 6 weeks, left hip is sooner), I’m told I can stop sleeping on my back (but I tried lying on my operated side last night, and it still hurts a bit too much), I’m told I don’t need to use a raised loo seat any more (but it is still easier to use one, so I bought one from an orthopaedic shop near to the airport here when we arrived.
Is your flight exactly 5 weeks from the op? Or is it 5 weeks and a couple of days? I would probably be wary if 5 or less. But you could reason that if the thrombosis risk is normal at 6 weeks then it won’t be much more at 5 weeks, so I understand where you are coming from. (I would guess that you’ll be fine to cope in Spain - it is just the increased thrombosis risk you need to think about.)
I really think you should discuss this with your surgeon. Lots of the websites say 3 months for flying but I was more than happy to accept my surgeon’s 6 weeks (he’s got excellent knowledge of research and statistics).
Joan
Yes i will speak to surgeon & see what he says, I will be going in week 6 ( sounds better if you say it like that) should have had surgery last week but was cancelled! anyway I will speak to surgeon & insurance & hope they say I can go! thanks Jean, enjoy your holiday
Thanks Irene, thats good to hear!