Hi everyone,
I am going to get my right hip replaced on November 4th and I am a nervous wreck. The doctor told me I will be fine and I will be happy I did it. he said it will be done posterior with titanium and ceramic and I will have twilight sleep and a spinal block/or epidural. I am so very scared about all of this. YIKES!!!!! I always have pain when I walk, can't go up steps normally and now hear and or feel a clicking as I walk. Can't go on like that. Really nervous that I really can not stay out of work for months on end. I really don't do a physical job and I can get a ride to and from....is like 5 or 6 weeks realistic
Hi Clissy
For reference, I am a 53 year old male who had a ceramic left hip fitted 8 weeks ago. I can empathise with you completely - just over 8 weeks ago I was in exactly the same position as you. Same fears, same anxieties. I too was faced with the anaesthetic / spinal block dilemma.
I have to tell you that you have a roller coaster ahead of you but it is SO worth it. Have no doubts - you ARE doing the right thing. I cannot believe the effect my shiny new ceramic hip has had on my quality of life. It's amazing! You do have some tough times ahead (particularly the first two weeks post-op) but things get better very quickly. Stay strong, be brave, and keep your eye on the prize!
Regards
Neil
Also, I was back in work bang on 6 weeks!
Regards
Neil
I'm so glad I did it! I had mine on September 9th. I did have the spinal and am glad I did. I will say that it didn't wear off of my surgery leg the first night so that scared me but it was fine the next day. The first few days are horrible but tolerable. Get up and get moving as soon as you can! I'm 12 days after my surgery and doing well! Using a walker and today my pt started me on my cane. I'm going back to work on Monday just a few hours a day (using my walker). I wish I would have done it sooner, I was in such pain that by early evening I had to be flat on my back! It was scary but you can do it! Do it for you!!!! 😉❤️
Ahhhh, sounds like general consensus is First two weeks not good but start to look for light at end of tunnel. I can do this. Thanks for taking your time to reply. It helps.
Crissy...if i can do it....you can. I was terrified as im not good wih anesthetic....when the doc said...no we do a spinal my heart rate soared. I was more than terrified. I almost got iff the bed and told them to forget it. He said he would give me something for my nerves.... i said ok. ......then something ...i think it was me tickled my face......i woke to find it all over with. Not a problem. Now im 11 days post op. A bit slow on recovery. ...this recovery is far better than the hip pain i was in. You can do it. Believe me YOU CAN DO IT.😃
Clissy I'll be able to fill u in next week as Mark has being doing this week
I tried to write more but screen went blank. I'm going for mine on Friday this week. Absolutely terrified at the thoughts but cannot handle this pain any more. I want pain that going to get better rather than worse every day. Be brave as I'm trying to be
Good luck to you and yes, let me know how you are doing when you are up to it.
Are u following Mark s? He's just 6 days post op & doing quite well. I was always the type to want to run before I could walk so I'm going to find that hard to slow down.
HIs name on the forum is Mark s I'll try sending u the link. I don't know if I can though
Like us all you are bound to be nervous, I had a real dose the day before my op. Could not concentrate at work but was ice cold the next day. I did persuade them that I preferred a GA on the day, but the advantage of the spinal block is that it does help with post op pain.
6 months on I am fairly mobile, back at work, driving , going on holiday and quite often forget about my hip. Yes the first two weeks are hard even with all the gadgets and help, but it is so worth it
Poor Cissy! I was nervous as a cat before my surgery! Scared to death is more like it. I had a spinal with twilight sleep and that part was a breeze! Much better than general anesthesia which I had for previous surgeries. I also had posterior with titanium & ceramic. I was like you, couldn't walk or go up steps normally, etc. and knew it wasn't going to get better so I decided to go through with THR. I'd be lying if I didn't tell you that the first week was really rough. They had to try a few different meds to control my pain and ALL of the pain meds made me nauseated so I was given anti-nausea drugs which were a huge help. Constipation from pain meds and anti-nausea drugs was a problem and, to be blunt, so was the diarrhea that followed all the drugs they gave me to combat the constipation. It wasn't fun. I'm not trying to scare you but I wish someone had told me about these things before I went into this. All I heard was, "Oh, it's so great! I'm so glad I did it! I wish I'd done it sooner!" All of that may be true 6 months from now but no one told me how hard the first week was going to be. But things improved drastically by week 2. Not that I had no pain but that I was definitely a lot better. I was religious about doing my post-op physical therapy (though some days I felt lousy and didn't want to do them). I'm now at week 5 and walking with a cane (and sometimes without). I think by week 6 I'll be able to drive (with doctor's approval). Will you be all better by week 6? No, I think that's more like 6 months. We'll still need to keep doing physical therapy exercises, walking, etc but it's not impossible that you could return to work after 5 or 6 weeks. I was told not to lift anything over 5 pounds for awhile and I'm not allowed to bend over to pick anything up but I can still get on the computer and work. If I need something out of a bottom cabinet, I just ask for help. If I weren't retired, I feel I could go back to work now and I've not reached week 6. You may tire easily for awhile so make sure you get a lot of rest. As much as I wondered in the first week if I'd made the right decision, I think being able to resume a normal life after this will be worth it. Inform yourself as much as you can before your surgery and get a few aids if you can before you go in for your surgery. I bought a high potty seat which I installed on my toilet. I used it a few days before surgery and hated it but was so glad I had it when I got home from surgery. "Knee" pillows or abduction pillows to go between your knees when you sleep on your side are wonderful. Was glad I had them, too, when I got home. Comfortable clothes that are easy to get on and off are a must. My "grabber" or "reacher" (long handled gadget for picking things up and pulling on clothes) is wonderful and very inexpensive. You're not alone in your fears. But I'm already in less pain than before my surgery and the memories of the first week are starting to fade. This forum is a great place for support. Keep coming back.
Linda,
Thanks so much for all your information. I gotta tell you, I am not looking forward to that first couple of weeks. YUCK...
Some of my friends have said "are you sure you want to do this" I really don't see it as an option. If I don't do it, I can't imagine whakind of mobility I will have. I can't remember not having pain while walkin... Thanks again, Linda
Linda that was a very detailed & informing message. I'm glad your doing well so soon. We will all take advice onboard as every little bit helps. I already sleep with a pillow under me knees at night as its too uncomfortable to sleep,on either side before I've even had my op. Keep us posted on your progress 2 days & counting for me.
You give me hope. Ca't wait to go on a vacation after this is all over.
You are right, if you want quality of life and mobility then you have no option
Would much rather this stiffness / discomfort than arthritus hip pain ANY DAY. Out of 10... hip pain before 10/10...
Hip pain now 0..1 / 10
Discomfort stiffness 3/10