I am in a lot of pain, I cannot walk for more than 100 yards...after this distance I feel that my body is unable to carry me and I have to sit down. I feel exhausted most of the time. I can still drive and I just manage to do my shopping because I use the supermarket trolley like a zimmer frame.
I can only sleep on my back or occasionally on my bad hip but often I wake up because of pain...Bending is agony, gardening a torture, carrying any heavy bag painful.
Because I feel like this, I am not scared or worried about the operation...I wish it was tomorrow, not in a week time! . Sometimes I wonder if this is how everybody feels just before a hip replacement or it's just me having something drastically wrong.
Hi. If you'd have asked me a few weeks ago I'd have said the pain wasn't too bad really. More occasional pain and only since December last year so not even six months. Decided to go ahead as bone on bone, it was never going to get any better and I started to have issues with other leg and back. However, the last few weeks got very much worse and last few days quite severe pain unless I sit on backside doing nothing, and even then, the slightest movement in by legs or hip causing really bad pains. My op is on 8th June and I can't believe that I'm actually looking forward to it too.
everyone feels like this, the Times I used to wake up during the night and end up taking pain killers, the night before my opinion I hardly slept even now I don't sleep well I hate sleeping on my back be glad when I can sleep on my side
I think your pain and fatigue is similar to most of us,which explains why we eventually take the decision that the op can't be any worse than the pain and immobility we are suffering.
If you have arthritis fatigue as I have fatigue is one of the systems,though you do get good days and bad.
I had OA in one hip for 20yrs which gradually got to the point where walking my dog everyday was agony,making what should be an enjoyable experience into a nightmare.
12 months and 2 THRs on and apart from the occasional aches and pains I feel 100% better than before..
The 2nd op was easier than the first because I knew what to expect and how to handle the down times.
I also struggle to walk 100 yards, can't bend or carry - even heavy clothing like a coat can be difficult. Saying that I've questioned my diagnosis many times as I have little hip pain. All my pain is in my back. At times taking a deep breath sends my back into spasm. This is apparently due to a partial collapse of my femoral head, due to OA and my left leg is now 4cm shorter than my right, which my back is protesting to. My surgeon has assured me that he can correct this through a THR and so I'm also looking forward to surgery and getting back on with life! I'm not sure what I'd do, however, if my back pain/spasms didn't improve and I also have to cope with hip/groin pain too - that's my only slight concern but I'm determined to stay positive.
I'm sure we'll both have our lives back again soon!
Hi Brisky, yes I was as bad as that am am still, as my left leg still is getting worse, I dropped off so quick from Jan this year is was silly, and now worried that my left side will make it to operation day, that could be 6 months away...I am seeing the Surgeon on 13 July for the 6 week check up and want a date in August for the left leg if possible then. Waiting in anticipation.
I think you are in a normal state of mind given your pain level. My first left hip replacement failed and by the time the revision surgery was scheduled, I was more than ready for the surgery with only mild fear. Like you, I could not wait!
I pray it goes well for you and afterwards you will adore getting back to all of your activities pain free!
It's 5am and l'm getting ready for my second hip replacement. I'm glad it's finally being done but l must admit, there is more fear after the first one. It's been 7 days after my first one & in the few days of recovery, l've experienced the torture of physio, the constipation, the uncomfortable sleep, the realization that there are no guarantees after the op (my one leg is longer, l hope the second replacement balances it out). My AVN has restricted me so much & l'm looking forward to a better quality of life.
I think fear & apprehension are natural emotions before a procedure but u gotta face facts...it must be done!!! It's almost time
Dearest Ella ... I am so sorry to read about your struggle .... I was in denial for some time and waited until I could barely move, couldn't really drive anymore and was silently weeping on the couch .... a couple of days prior to surgery (now 10 weeks ago) I got the raised toilet seat, the grabber and the sock aid and boy, I wish I had them sooner .... but then I might have waited even longer ....
the day is approaching rapidly, so hang in there - take good care of your self in the meantime and be gentle with your self ... warm hug ... good luck
I got to the stage where I could hardly stand or walk more than a few hundred yards. Once the decision was made I could not wait for it to happen , but managed to chew the pain killers and continue to work as being absorbed in something helped me forget the pain, mostly referred knee pain. Having said that the day before the op I cracked and had to go home early. Think they were all expecting it, was odd being a patient rather than staff the next day!
Like a lot have said, we experienced feelings similar to yours.
I put my op off because of work but by january, when I had the op, I could only walk about 100yds, like you, and with a stick. I was taking massive amounts of codiene and paracetamol to get through the day and when it was really bad liquid morphine at night. The hip was so gunged up it affected my sacroilian joint and that got inflamed. It meant most of the pain was in my back and, like you, I couldn't carry anything it hurt so much. Supermarket trollies are wonderful zimmers aren't they!!!
I really wish I hadn't put it off but I had no choice.
I'm now 4 and1/2 months on and still having to do physio exercises because my muscles had got so weak through non-use! BUT I can walk upright without pain and I can drive for longer than 20 minutes without pain and I can sleep without pain.
Work hard on the exercises after and if you have any that really hurt, like groin pain, question the physio. There are other links on here about issues with groin pain post op.
Your damn right thats how we felt lol. I used to force myself to walk up the road not far and came back in tears. Very frustrated and upset about what I couldn't do. My life was a total misery always apologising for snapping at my lovely partner, not happy woth anything or anyone. But now I'm on the other side by 6 days I have totally new outlook on life it's brilliant. I'm not saying things won't go downhill I'm sure they will but for the moment everything is fine. Youo will be so much better.
I think it is fair to say that you get to the point when you've really had enough and actually long for the day of the op. I'm into my second week post-op and I have to remind myself how bad the pain was before. In the days before the op. I was paranoid about talking to people with bad colds/coughs incase I caught it and would have to have the op postponed! That's how much I wanted it. Having said that, the post-op phase is no picnic, but each day does (usually, unless you overdo it) get a bit better. I had to go to a compulsory hip education class before I was put on the waiting list and the physios stressed that there would be pain after, but it was a different pain and a "good" pain, because it would get better. You can't make bone-on-bone pain better - not with exercise or rest or drugs. Just move things you are going to need (clothes, toiletries, saucepans, chocolates etc) to waist-height drawers/cupboards before you go into Hospital, whilst you still can and look forward to a new start. Take care. Cheryl
well said Cheryl, I didn't get to hip education class as I elected to take a cancellation. I really shouldn't have had mine done bere the end of June, so really I guess I am a month in advance lol. Best decision ever. Nope sory second best first was moving in with my partner 12 years ago.
Hi Marilyn, I could not cope at all with trying to sleep on my back and I was told that I could sleep on my side as long as I had a good thick pillow between my legs to support the upper operated leg. I was sleeping on my side from day 2. I am now back to sleeping on my front which I have always felt more comfortable. I do have a pillow that supports the operated leg though. I had my op on 7th May so not quite three weeks yet.
Before my op I could hardly walk any distance at all and only with a stick and a dreadful limp. Getting out of a chair I was bent double and very stiff and it took ages to straighten up! I also had back pain. Since the op my operated leg is slightly longer than the other one and the surgeon has told me that I need the other doing as well before it gets as bad but I don't have any pain in that hip at all. I have seen the x-ray and can see that there is considerable wear and tear in that hip but similar to you I have no pain in that hip. I am just hoping that when I have this 2nd one done I will end up with two legs the same length.