Hi everybody, having explored the possibility of a THR in Lithuania and France I finally agreed to the operation in a private hospital under an arrangement with the NHS. In the meantime I have read so many testimonials from " I was trekking in the mountains only three months after the operation " to " After twelve months I am still in pain ". I can understand that this website is a place for people to discuss what might have left them uncomfortable after the operation - but can anybody tell me of operations that went perfectly, with recovery in just a few months. I have so many plans for when this darn hip is sorted - am I being unrealistically optimistic - or should I leave a six month gap in my diary ??
I watched Bear Grill’s Celebrity Island last night where a load of celebs stay on a desert island for a month just in the clothes they stand up in. One guy, some relation of Julia Roberts I think had had a hip op six weeks before. At one point he did say his hip hurt I suppose. I thought he must be mad!
When I had my right hip replaced in May it went like clock work. I never had pain, I was up and walking within 6 weeks. I did take care not to bend wrong or go on my knees all summer. Now here in Nov. it is completely healed and perfect.
Hello, like you have probably read on here,with each person it is different. Your age factors in,your health,how active you are. And how the operation is done. In my case,I had a posterior hip replacement,cemented. Meaning the piece that fits into the femur is cemented in place,and you can put full weight on that leg right after the operation. I was up walking with a walker 5 hours after the surgery.With some replacements it is weeks before you can put full weight on it. I’m 63 years old and had a spinal, before the surgery. And when I came to in recovery,2 hours later,felt no pain. Even after the cocktail of drugs that were in that spinal wore off,the pain was tolerable. Bottom line,if this is affecting your quality of life. And physical therapy is key to recovery,the exercises they have you do,do them. This is my second total hip replacement,13 weeks post op. Had the left one done 14 years ago. Good luck ps. don’t rush recovery,your body will know.
Every one is different. had non cemented posterior. the following day for about 7 days there was pain but nothing too bad took NORCO for a week and then TYLENOL all restrictions lifted at 6 weeksno pain but muscles weak had a bit of STEM PAIN (microerosion) at 12 weeks after i overdid it on the walker laid off for a few weeks and never came back 3 years now and i forget i had it done except when i go thru airport security
I got out of hospital feeling woozy but ditched the pain killers straight away.
Within a month i was back hill walking and mountain biking, even fell off a couple of times.
After 3 months i was running again.
The problem with any site discussing health and operations you are always going to get mostly worse case scenarios because if it all went well they want be on here they will be line dancing or fell walking LOL you will be fine if you do as your told im sure
Hi John
I’ve had both hips replaced - the first (right) in 2016 and it was bloody awful. The operation itself took far longer than normal - some 3.5 hours and I was in hospital for 5 days. I was in a lot of pain for the first 6 weeks (managed - just- by 4 weeks of Oxycodine and then 2 weeks of Co-codamol. My operated leg felt ‘heavy’ and unresponsive. I had a nightmare of a recovery, but eventually - about 6 months after the op - things started to improve. I still find that this hip doesn’t like certain movements and can be sluggish to respond in cold, wet weather.
I had the second hip done in 2017, and it was a complete contrast. The operation only took a fraction of the time of my first hip. I had virtually no pain from day 1, was walking with just a walking stick within a week, driving at 3 weeks and back to work at 4 weeks. I’m please to say that the new joint works perfectly.
So, my answer can only be - who can tell!
Sorry, not much help I know, but the outcome depends on so many different factors that its not possible to guess the outcome of your op.
Realistically, I would suggest that you prepare yourself for 6 months of recuperation - and then you can be pleasantly surprised when your recovery is a lot quicker.
Good luck and post on here how you get on.
John, I have had both hips replaced (1st April 2017 - 2nd 6.5 weeks ago) both of mine I believe have been very normal. I was back at the gym 26 days after first surgery (gently of course), this time I waited 30 days. I’ve been out dancing, I go shopping regularly, walk or gym daily, do my own yard work. Some of these things seemed like they would never come back and then one day you just do them without thinking.
Driving - first hip had to wait four weeks because it was my driving leg; second hip I drove at 12 days (two weeks is normal with no complications). Was I tired, yep you betcha, do I push envelope, yep you betcha but never do I push the envelope completely off the table LOL (I’m 63 yrs old if that helps and both hips have been anterior).
My biggest piece of advice when you are post-op is to do your exercises, do your exercises, do your exercises and be prepared for your gluts to be sore (really sore).
I would tell anyone/everyone to do it sooner rather than later your life will be so much better.
Hi Kebra, You may not see this as this thread is old. I am 51 and one doctor says I am too young but need the hip replacement so wait as long as possible to avoid it wearing out too soon. The other doctor I met with said it is my decision as to when to have the surgery but it is necessary.
Would you still say to have it rather than wait if you were younger? If anyone on here is also younger, I would be happy to hear from you.
Hi Isaac, I’ll respond as as close to your age, had my first at 51, was bad and needed sorting, surgeon said it was bone on bone, recovery went well, or so I thought, had my other one done 4 weeks ago and this, so far, has been so much easier, 2 years apart. The left (this) was not as bad as my right but I didn’t want to leave it until I could not do what I wanted to do, so bit the bullet and went for it. Look at it this way, you have good years ahead of you and you want to enjoy life, you could struggle on and suffer until retirement and get hit by a bus the day the rest of your life is supposed to start or get the thing over and done with and enjoy what should be some winding down, me time. Hope this helps
Helen
Thank you, Helen, this is very helpful. Being told I am too young for a surgery I definitely need put me in a mental rock and a hard place. Was this one easier because it wasn’t as bad off as the other?
Hi Isaac, sorry, spent yesterday following the cricket! Not sure why this one seems easier, I had different surgeon who made a larger incision and I guess that means less manoeuvring muscle and such about, it’s really the only thing that I can think of that was different. I do have groin pain that sometimes drives me mad, but I had same with the other one, I don’t appear to have any referred pain this time like shin splints and knee pain so it’s a bit of a mystery.
Helen
Hi Helen, did your doctor tell you that you are too young and to wait?
hey there everyone. I am actually wondering which type of replacements you all had done? mini posterior or anterior? how do you all feel. I am 35 years old and all my life been extremely active and in good shape. my dad was in the SEAL teams to I grew up doing pretty much everything. I tore my labrum at work delivering heavy appliances for lowes and they dropped the ball releasing me back to work after 8 months of treating me for possible hernia and muscle strain. I guess I already had messed up impinged hips though never had any pain or issues they said the 8 months of physical therapy and continued work with a severely torn labrum had severely sped up the process of osteoarthritis in my right hip. I was told I had two options, the first option was a PAO osteotomy which is long recovery but better than hip replacement and is usually done on younger people such as myself but they said given how far my arthritis is already there is a chance i will just be in there in 10 years for total hip replacement. The second option is just do the replacement now while covered through work comp. So my question for most of you is did you have posterior or anterior?
Hi Isaac, no he didnt, the first surgeon mentioned age but realised I was struggling and had me in within 4 weeks. The 2nd, offered physio and injections but I stuck to my guns!!
I was quite Adam Ant, with the second but it was one of the surgeons team, both actual surgeons were fine and encouraging
Helen
i am 53. had surgery 2 wks ago. every day thjngs like standing from sitting, driving, sleeping, getting dressed were all painful. I used to run marathons, play competitive tennis, downhill ski, hike- and have not been able to do the things i love for 2 yrs now- so since i was 51. i am still moving slowly but i can get up from sitting w no pain in groin, i can bend over and back up without pain for first time in 2 yrs. while i just want to fast forward the recovery process i am so glad the surgery is behind me. can only keep going up from here!
That sounds like me! It has been close to 2 years and I used to hike, exercise almost every day, go dancing with friends and drive to spots for photography as I chose. It hurts to drive because it is my right hip. My world is now very small- currently I struggle to climb up and down the three steps to my front door and use the steps into the garage to do laundry.
Your message gives me hope, I would like to do things without all the pain. Thank you!