Left hip replacement

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Good afternoon this is my first post and hope I don't sound like I am whinging.

I am due to go into hospital on 25th April for a total left hip replacement and I am worried that something will go wrong during surgery.

I am a 55 year old male and I have suffered two heart attacks and also suffer with dilated cardiomyopathy.

I have been reassured by my consultant and the anithestis that they are happy to carry out the procedure.

I am currently on two crutches in constant pain and unable to drive.

I am wondering if anyone else has been in this position and the benifits from having the operation are worth all the worrying.

2

Hi there.

I had a total right hip,anterior, replacement on March 1st. I am almost 51 and that was my first surgery in almost 40 years so, I was really scared. I was limping for about a year and in constant pain, I really could not walk any longer, so I had to have the procedure. Well, it went very well, Thank God. No issues. I am almost 6 weeks out, driving and able to do a lot more around the house, I am even grocery shopping. However, I am still working hard with a physical therapist to walk without a limp. My leg muscles became very weak over the last year. I am working hard to gain strength. It never occurred to me that I was in such bad shape. In my opinion, the surgery will not be a big deal, but you will have months of therapy ahead to be able to walk normally again, at least if you are anything like me. Best of luck!!!! You will be fine.

3

Thank you for your reply I wish you well on your road to a full recovery 

4

I was in a similar position, I had had to give up driving and was in a wheelchair most of the time. I hardly left the house. I was worried silly the operation would be postponed as I was not sure how long I could hang on. I saw the orthopaedic surgeon yesterday for post op check up and everything was fine. I really had very little pain after and I was walking around virtually immediately after the op. I understand that it is the most successful operation in the world. A friend of mine’s son who is an orthopaedic surgeon is working in Chicago and he says in his hospital most hips are now done as day surgery! 

5

I can totally see where you are coming from, I need a LTHR and I'm s######g myself LOL but every one says it's a straight forward op, my MIL had hers at about 80 she has AFib heart failure, chronic asthma and was at the time over weight, she had spinal thing and talked all the way through, she refused sedation LOL surgeon said if he had know how talkative she was he would have drugged her LOL what are you having, remember to take goodies in with you and are your practicing on your crutches

6

Dear Norm,

you are not whining.  The best comfort you can get is to voice you concerns to the surgeon, the nurses, especially the anesthesiologist.  The anesthesia the use will be appropriate for your body and heart condition.  Although it’s a scary surgery, there are lots of these done each day and year in many countries.  The recovery is well discussed and expected.  If you are miserable, you ill be so happy when you get it done and get through the first week or so.  Do your physical therapy, and ask for it if your surgeon says you don’t need it.  It’s really a help, and another person to ask about Little nagging questions after surgery.  I was lucky and had very little pain.  7 weeks out I am still stiff getting up from sitting or laying down, but otherwise I’m really good.  My PT was great and got me through good and not so good days.  Come back to tell us when happened and talk to any of here anytime. Good luck and get your life back.

7

Hi Alexandria, your MIL seems to have had a bog standard hip op. In the US now they are doing them as day surgery. I had a spinal block and refused sedation too, the anaesthetist was quite keen I should have one probably for the same reason as your MIL I talk too much. It meant that I came out of the op with no anaesthesia hangover. I had another one three weeks later for something totally different. If I had not had one for the hip op I would have had a general so I was so glad I had come across the spinal block. I was useless with the crutches and packed them in as soon as I got home. I think the really bad part is the worry of the unknown beforehand. I cannot believe that I have an artificial hip, it seems just like my real one.

8

LOL goes to show it can be done, can I ask is it very noisy, can't think I would appreciate the 🔨 noise's eeek, also has any one gone the spinal anaesthesia and had sedation, was it completely out, will ask my consultant when I see him next week as well, fear is a terrible thing, I'm booked in for therapy to try and help with it as I'm unable to walk and use crutches full time, please don't judge me as nuts LOL

9

I’m 8 weeks out of a total lt hip. Not young.  I had spinal anesthesia and sedation. I was waiting in the holding area and they were putting medicine in my IV.  I said I’m not going to remember any of this am I?  The last thing I heard was no.   Don’t remember going into the OR or getting into position.  When I woke up in recovery I as pretty comfortable, except for the leg cuffs and the wedge between my legs.  Felt wide awake and hungry.  Was out walking the hall with help from the PT people about 2 hrs later.

I have a ceramic head with a polyethylene liner on titanium cup.  No noise or squeeking.  Good luck.

10

Hi, I had the spinal with sedation. I told the surgeon that I didn’t really want to hear it all,  (I’m a bit of a baby I suppose), and he laughed and said he didn’t blame me! Next thing i knew was that he was telling me that it had all gone really well.  I was having lunch an hour later, it was all very smooth. I was up using a walker later in the afternoon. I recommend it!

Good luck,

Judith 

11

THR is a big operation, it is normal to feel apprehensive. I am sure your medical team will know your history of heart attacks and will take appropriate precautions.

My THR didn't go according to plan, but even so, I am glad I had it,  I have such a better quality of life now, I can move without that terrible OA pain.

See my website for tips from hippies on this forum, the address is in my personal info here ...

   http://patient.info/forums/profiles/rocketman-sg6uk-907025

and at the bottom of the moderator's "useful resources" page at

   http://patient.info/forums/discuss/thr-useful-resources-487147

Best wishes

Graham - 🚀💃 🤸    ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

12

There was banging that sounded like the builders next door, not that much though. The thing is the spinal only numbs your bottom half so I had vibrations round my top half. Very strange. There was a lot of drilling, I am not sure if that was just putting the hip in or clearing up the cysts and spurs I had as my hip was in a bit of a mess. My neighbour who is ninety had a spinal with sedation, she said she just felt very sleepy and did not really know anything until it had finished. She said she felt very relaxed. 

13

Thank you Maryboo for your message you say something that is very important and that's getting a life back,I will let you no how things go and may I wish you a speedy recovery back to good health

14

To my knowledge in the USA (Chicago area) I am not aware of anyone leaving the hospital the same day. I had Posterior and was in for 3 days. I know Anterior is 2-3 days. Many people are in 3-4 days. I hate to think being sent home the day of Surgery. 

15

I am not sure which hospital he was at in Chicago, but it cut down on the number of beds apparently! I suppose the time is coming when it will be day surgery for us all or no ops at all if antibiotics stop working! I had posterior in UK and was on the Enhanced something or other and could have been out by the following day, having passed all the physio checks. My CRP had rocketed to 415, it should be 5, so I had to stay in which was really boring.