i really want to know what to expect. Greatly appeciate any suggestions or feedback on recovery and how i can prepare.
Congratulations.
Step one is getting on this forum, it really is the best, most friendly place to be.
In the Related Information section on the right you will find;
'Hip Joint Replacements' this gives advice on what to expect (being referred for surgery, Pre and post operative care, surgical technique, rehabilitation, complications, and much more)
'Anaesthetic Choices' this explains the anaesthetic. Spinal, sedation, epidural, general, nerve block, delaying the operation, pain relief, side-effects, and much more (like what happens on the day of, during and after your operation)
Also look in the pinned "THR - Useful Resources" thread - access it by clicking the "Hip Replacement" link just above "Unfollow this discussion"
One of the most useful I found was at Bonesmart - search "Bonesmart Dislocation risk and 90 degree rule" in your favourite search engine.
Best RegardsGraham - 🚀💃
Thank you so much i will have a look.
I have been researching ho- replacement and saw this forum as i really wanted to hear from people that. Have gone through it and get whatever tips i can get to be prepared 😀
Hip replacement
Hi Karen,
firstly, please try not to worry although I realise this is easier said than done.
you will be given help and instruction on what to do in the home, toilet risers, chair risers, graspers, instructions on the height of bed etc, think about what levels things in the house are kept, move things used a lot to a higher level so you don't have to bend to get things.
perhaps make some easy meals to put into the freezer for when you come out of hospital. Do you have someone at home to help once you come home from hospital?
As others have said there are a lot of resources but those that have gone through it will give you some pointers.
Here are my basics...
You won't sleep that well for a few weeks - it doesn't seem to be pain that keeps you awake either.
I needed the loo a lot at first and kept a bucket downstairs with me for emergencies
Everyone has different levels of after pain but it is DIFFERENT to what you experienced before the op
Mobility is different for everyone - I hobbled around for about four weeks using crutches and sticks and everything felt difficult
I used a rucksack or a small trolley around the house to transport drinks and food
I slept on my back for 3 weeks
I slept lots!
Car journeys were uncomfortable for a few weeks
Expect tears and down days but also expect small triumphs and a whole new way of looking at the world without pain
I drove at 6 weeks for a short distance
Everything took a long time at first - even going to the loo exhausted me.
My golden rule - try and be patient. This operation is massive and if you had broken your leg you would be in plaster for 6 -8 weeks. You are having a new joint and this doesn't involve the fairies popping a new one in so chill out and let your body heal naturally. It takes about 4 -6 weeks just for the joint to become stable so you need to support your walking and weight bearing.
I am 6 months post RTHR and having a LTHR in Feb and I am trying to remember that I will need to be patient!
Hi Karen,
Welcome to this wonderful forum of hippies in all stages of post-op recovery, pre-op and still sitting on the fence -
We share our personal stories, give advice, tips, ask questions, voice our concerns and an occasional tantrum, meltdown and all our victories, from small to big ones -
Karen, maybe you can ask something specific -
What do you know? Have you had your pre-op appointment? What were you told to prepare at home? do you have a husband,partner,someone at home ?
We have a lot of new hippies here, some who are about to get surgery in next couple of days and veterans like me - 1st R ight THR surgery in March 2015 and 2nd Left THR in September ....
Hope to see you here soon again...
warm hug
renee
Great response Kate !!!!
Thanks, Renee - I forgot to add that comparing yourself to others is not good for you. I wasn't running, biking or back to work in 6 weeks. We are all different and at different stages of our lives. I was fit and healthy before but took a long time to find a new normal.
Well said Kate. It is so easy for others to say do this, do that, I do this so you should etc but we are all different.
Thanks, Thursday, I hope I didn't scare anyone but for me it wasn't all roses. It was hard work and a struggle sometimes but the end result is amazing ......wanders off doing a little happy dance
Tips - well there's my wife's ideas of a vegetable trolley on wheels that she had, which is now my mobile trolley for storing pills, hospital guides, TV remotes, laptop, kindle, ipod, mail .....
Also, an office chair for the dining room that allows me to eat with the family instead of having my food in a separate room on a tray.
To keep your mind off the pain or boredom, I found jigsaw puzzles my best bet, but there are also adult (or kiddies) colouring books which I am told are great for anyone artistic.
Long reach grasper is absolutely essential, as is a sense of humour.
getting your favourite supermarket to deliver your shopping for a few weeks helps a lot, Tesco were running a promotion for free deliveries for about a month, we took advantage of that, we just had to sign upfor it, but cancelled it before the end of the 'contract' time when we no longer needed it.
After a couple of weeks, supermarket shopping is good, the floor is flat and even, just hang onto the trolley and use it as a walking aid.
Use a bag - i used an old camera bag - to carry things around the house. Also used a travel mug with a lid to prevent spillages.
Naps in the afternoon are normal, your body needs to rest regularly.
Remember, things will take time, sometimes longer than you think it should, so don't compare your progress too closely with everyone else, we all heal at different rates.
Also people react differently to different medicines, painkillers usually give you constipation, and anti-inflamatories can have the opposite effect!
You will get aches and pains - just ask on here, there's the now familiar 'sitting on a golf ball' feeling that I am experiencing today.
If you are worried about anything, just come back here and ask, it seems that there is always someone, 24x7x365 to ask about things.
Best wishes
Graham - 🚀💃
Oh yes, and used the curled handle of my long handled shoehorn reversed to pull the veg trolley behind me from room to room.
You are receiving some great advice
I bought a hip kit on Amazon; the one thing that wasn't included was a "hook/loop" to lift my leg in to the bed that was one of the most painful moves that I had for almost 4 weeks. The pain was in my quad not my hip. The hospital sold the device I needed which is great for post op stretching exercises as well
I changed the side of the bed I slept on - I couldn't imagine my operated leg slipping off the bed.
If you can find out I think it's important to know the procedure the doctor intends to use; there is a difference between anterior, anterior lateral and posterior. There are other variations as well
I went in for a resurfacing but ended up with a THR via anterior lateral. Knowing what muscles had to be cut and what muscles had to be stretched during the procedure would've given me a better understanding of my pain.
In hindsight I wish I would've worked more diligently on my hamstrings quads and glutes muscles prior to my operation. If you can safely do some exercise I think this will pay dividends in the end. Working on triceps another muscles needed to push yourself up from sitting made also be advantageous
As you've heard there's a lot of information out there. You will have moments of pain and some pain you don't understand but if you're following the rules you should be OK. Eight weeks out I have some tightness some pain and a limp but I would not trade these for the postop lack of range of motion and pain
Good luck.
Hi graham what is that sitting on a golf ball? I too have been having that occassionaky very odd xx
I had the anterior approach on right hip five years ago. It is less invasive then posterior I had it done on Wednesday. Home on Friday. I did not have severe pain except the first day. They did make me get up and walk on a walker the same day. My entire leg felt like it was made of steel. I was going up and down flights of steps in one week like surgeon told me to. The physicical therapists that was ordered to come to my home threes times per week for two weeks were amazed at what I could do. They had never seen the anterior approach. I quit taking pain meds that Sunday morning after I had come home on Friday. I have stomach issues and pain medicine makes me so sick. Now the top of my thigh after five years has never felt exactly right but it's because of those extenders holding open your thigh during surgery and probably some muscles were damaged even thigh they said they werent. But over all I have done excellent. I was in so much pain before surgery Limping really bad and terrible groin pain. I am having some stiffness and weakness for about two months now but it may be because I have bad degeneration in the lumbar and my back has been hurting really bad. I had to have this surgery or I think I woukd be in a wheel chair. I was 55 when I had it done but started having hip pain at about 46. I have some friends that had the posterior one and they have done great to. If it is causing your quality of life to be bad then you would be much better to have it done. Hope I have helped you. I go for my five year check up next week. I will tell him the problems I am having. Good luck to you.
I don't know, but it is very common.
Thank you Rocketman54
i have been reading heaps and really wanted to hear from those that have actually had it done so this forum is awesome. I am a bit nervous and really want to try and be as prepared as i can. My husband and I have our own ubusiness and he will be looking after me. We live in an upstairs apt during the week near our business. So my biggest concern is getting up the stairs. I have spoke to my surgeon and he
Assures me that the physio will work with me and make sure i can climb steps.
Thank you Thursday i am so glad i found this forum i think its going to help me alot through my recovery. I do have my husband who will be looking after me 😀