My grandad has just had his hip replaced and I'm really worried

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Hi Everyone,

My grandad went in to have his hip replaced on Friday. Usually, before the operation, i'd say he's in pretty good shape although he does have a stent and a pacemaker.

After surgery the doctor told him that during the operation they fractured his femur, and needed to use screws and plates to keep it strong and to prevent it fracturing further. The doctor said this happens fairly often. has this ever happened to anybody else?

My mum went to see him on Friday after the operation and said he looked very unwell. whenever they try and get him on his feet, he says the pain is unbearable and he is violently sick. it's like he takes two steps forward and then three steps back. i saw him yesterday and he looked a bit better, but when i went back today they'd tried to get him on his feet again, and he looked really unwell with oxygen mask and violently sick again. and to top it all off, he can't pass urine and needs a catheter.

i'm just a bit of a worrier, and like every body, hate seeing someone i love in pain. i just wondered if this is normal? the bloke in the bed opposite is already up on his feet and moving about (although he's only 50) and my grandad can't even sit up in bed

any comments, or personal experiences would be great. i'm going to see him later on, and i can pass on the info. i think he'd feel much better if anyone has had a similar experience.

thanks very much  

2

Hi Rachael,

Sorry to hear your Grandad is having such a tough time. 

I was violently sick after both my THRs and it lasted nearly five days (it will get better) and made me feel really ill.  Once the sickness stops he should start to pick up a bit.  I too had a catheter, that will go in time so don't worry about that. 

Can't help you with the fractured femer hopefully someone else on here will respond.  As for the pain following surgery it will get better and in your Grandad's case hopefully once the other problems have stopped/been removed you will see a big difference.

I hope you see a difference in the next week and your Grandad makes a good recovery.

 

3

Hi Rachel

So sorry to hear about your grandad. How old is he? I am a retired nurse (waiting for a hip replacement -yes, we get sick too!) and I would surmise that your gran dad's has a degree of osteoporosis which have made his bones brittle and more easily breakable. By necessity,  a hip replacement is a very violent operation and it's easy to see how this would happen to someone who's bones were not strong. You would expect there to be a lot of pain after the op, however pain severe enough to make you vomit is not on and I wonder if there has been another fracture that they are unaware of and which is unstable, thus causing him such extreme pain. I would suggest you ask to see the doctor treating him and ask whether this may be the case and if so, could he have an x Ray to see. If not can they give you an explanation why he is in so much pain.

good luck and let us know how you get on. Xx

4

Hi Sue,

thanks so much for commenting - I'll let him know that the sickness isn't too much to worry about and should clear in a few days. I think it has a lot to do with his blood pressure dropping and he's quite an anxious person, and gets worked up quite easily. we keep telling him to try and relax - but easier said than done i guess!

i hope you're feeling much better with yours and i wish you all the best

 

5

Hi Rosie,

Thanks for the reply

he's 78 so not too old. i think the sickness has more to do with his blood pressure dropping — he has experienced this in the past, before his pacemaker was put in (once in an aerobics class - don't ask! haha)

he had three x-rays yesterday, so i don't think there are any more fractures. though he does keep complaining that his knee is the most painful, and we're not too sure why. i broke my leg a few years ago, and there's no way i could have walked on it the day after - it does seem a bit crazy. but then, i'm sure they know what they're doing.

I'll post tomorrow evening with another update. thanks again, it's good to know that his case is quite normal and nothing too much to worry about. and best of luck with your operation xx

6

Hi Rachael

I'm sorry to hear about your grandad.

I'll tell you my tale and you can see if it compares at all.

My first THR was fine that wasmore than 5 years ago.

My 2nd one ....about 15months ago appeared tobe fine as well until 4 weeks post op I was doing one of the NHS exercises {which I had done loads of times before} There was a crack and my leg gave way.

I was taken into hospital and saw a consultant who was on at the weekend......he said it was a frature of thereater trochanter bone.......maybe our nurse who posted earlier can tell of if that is similar......so he said it would heal, nothing they could do about it and it would take a long time and sent me home on 2 crutches.

About 2 months later I saw my usual consultant who said "you like straight answers dont you?" Yes.....well it wont heal. He showed me the X Ray and said that when it had fractured a bit of bone had moved and it had moved so far that the 2 pieces would never knit together again

So I'm on crutches permanently.

The other thing he showed me was th first hip replacement.......he said that was a fracture of the greater trochanter bone as well and you didn't even know about it........It showed a hairline crack and it never did bother me. The second one was different and it was sue to osteoporosis.  I would have been 67 then.

I'm sorry I kep saying "the nurse"  Rosie......can you help with that?

I was also sick but that was due to my BP hitting the floor....a couple of transfusions and I was fine.

I've accepted the crutches are permanent now.

When I was told that I got rid of the NHS ones.....who wants to use those all the time.....I know have a pink pair and a lilac pair that I ordered online.

The pink pair were festooned with fairy lights coming up to Christmas.  The older you get the dafter you get

It did make people smile wen I went into the shopping centre....they would be running around stressed about what to buy and then they saw me so it was nice to make them smile  LOL

I hope your grandad s OKLove

Eileen   UK

7

Hi Rachel

I had my hip replacement 9 weeks ago. I'm 62

I passed out twice after surgery,when the nurse tried to get me out of bed and I ended up on oxygen. Re assured it was common but I found it very scary. My roommate however was up and walking and fine! I felt very disheartened but my consultant reassured me and said to go at my own pace.

I have had no problem since and am recovering nicely now.

How lucky your grandad is to have such a caring granddaughter.

Best wishes

Barbara x

8

Hi Eileen, it sounds like you have had a raw deal healthwise. Here I am on day 4 and feeling sorry for myself. My daughter bought me a pair of teal coloured crutches 7yrs ago, when I had a pretty bad leg due to a combination of cellulitis and septicaemia. They were waiting for me when I got home. Nothing like a bit of colour to cheer you up. I hadnt thought of fairy lights. I have got a sparkly cane waiting for me as an incentive to get on with it lols. However, having been on crutches for two yrs coping with neuropathy in both feet and a very painful hip, I have concluded that it is not the end of the world if you cant manage everything you managed before. Be as strong as you can be, live every day to the full and be thankfull, it could have been worse lols. Purple ones are next because with the best will in the world, I do not think I would be safe outside as my feet have a will of their own and can trip on a tissue! I am 68, but not ready to join the oldies yet lols. Take care.xx

9

Good to hear you're not letting it get you down Eileen. Sounds like you had a bad time of it! It really isn't surprising that bones give way during and after a thr - as I say, it's a very violent op!

10

Hi Eileen,

Thanks for replying

that's amazing that you have a pink pair with fairy lights! sorry to hear that you had a rought time, i always think women handle pain better than men

I think it's the droping BP making him sick, just like you were. i'm glad you're on the mend now though and entertaining people with your funky crutches. 

xxxx

11

Hi Barbara,

I'm so glad to hear you are recovering well. I can see why it's disheartening to see people around you heal quicker, but like you say, everyone is different and needs to go at their own pace. 

it does seem crazy that they try and get you up and out of bed so quickly, but i think it's to try and regain movement as quickly as possible. that's what I read somewhere.

Anyway, thanks for sharing your story, i'll pass it on to my grandad and all the very best with the rest of your recovery.

xx

12

Hi Rachel,

Oh dear - sorry to hear your grandad is going through it a bit.

My husband had a similar experience. He's 80, one year post-op, and back on his feet and 100% better than before the op. He also has a break (although i can't remember exactly where) and it took him a bit longer than normal. he didn't need oxygen, but had waves of nausea for a week post-op with vomitting when they tried to get him out of bed. i was tempted to tell them to leave him alone - but i guess docs know best.

anyway, tell him he's over the worst, and to ask questions from the doctors if he's worried. it does take a bit longer with a break, but in our experience, it's all been worth it. just tell him to stay calm, be patient and each recovery is unique. my husband won't be running any marathons, but he can walk the dog, and i drag him round the shops without any pain now

all the best x

13

Yes Rachel, I had my femer crack during surgery also.  They originally said I would be up walking that day or next, but after the breakage it was differant.  I could not put any weight on that leg for 8 weeks.  They gave me a walker to use and crutches for stairs using only 1 foot.  They also put screws in the cap and a wire ring around the top of femur to hold together. Xrays later at 8 weeks showed it was healing good.  So I could gradually put weight on that foot over a weeks time untill totally weight on it with use of walker.  I feel great now at about 4 months.  Never got sick from all this.....just depressed and weak for a while.

It should get better.

14

Hi Sonia

I did reply to this but cant find it so if this is a duplicate....sorry!!!

It does make  difference having coloured crutches, aftr all hey are an accessory so why not

It's not e end of the world, we could be much worse. We ht havelost our legs. At least I can still drive so n get about a bit

I'm a volunteer for Arthritis care, so ntexactly sitting still

You keep strong as well

Love

Eileen   UK

15

Hi Rachael

I replied to this yestday and it seems to have gone as well.....into cyber space!!!!!

You re pobably right about the low BP,

As for the crutches....well the older Iget the dafterI get

Love

Eileen   UK

 

16

Hi Connie,

Thanks for the reply. Your case seems to eb the most similar so it's a huge relief to hear you're back on your feet and doing well

can i just ask you a quick Q. - how did you manage when you got home? he can't even really walk atm, and we're not sure how to get him from the hospital etc. did yo have a wheel chair? we're going to move his bed downstairs to make things a bit easier, so he doesn't have to go up and down stairs because they have a bathroom on their bottom floor.

and, did the doctors try and get you to walk on it after your first few days? or did you mostly rest for eight weeks until your leg felt strong enough?

thanks for your time, so glad to hear you're doing well xx

17

Hi all!

I saw my grandad again tonight and he is doing so much better phew!

he managed to walk the length of the ward and back, which is amazing considering he couldn't even sit up in bed on saturday. he also has a lot o colour back and his bp is no longer dropping. 

they think the morphine was making him sick, so he's off that now and just on codeine. his knee is quite swollen, it looks like there's a lot of fluid in it. But the physio didn't seem that bothered by it, so it must be quite common.

all in all, a MASSIVE improvement. i also read him your comments, and they made him feel a lot brighter too.

thanks again for all your assurance and well wishes. xxx 

 

18

That's brilliant news Rachell - so pleased for you and your family xxx

19

Hi Rachael

That is great news about your grandad....I bet you are so relieved.

He'll get stronger and stronger as time goes by by 

Love

Eileen  UK

20

Hi Rachel,   Glad to hear he is doing better.  I used a 4 legged walker that I held onto and scooted forward but only using one foot.  So with my arms lifting me when I moved my foot it worked.  My arms did get sore as I don't seem to be very muscular.  I did use a wheel chair to get out and go shopping with my husband  and once a restrant.  Stairs were hard as I used crutches and had to kind of "jump"  on the stairs using one foot at first.  Later I got totally good with the stairs and just learned to lean on the crutches more and flow much better. 

      Great idea to move bed downstairs to avoid stairs if possible.  I had a physical therapist come to the house twice a week to do exercises.  Then I had to continue them about 3 times a day to build up muscles again.  Never just lay there for recovery.  Even in bed there are leg movements you can do. Butt squeezes, ankle pumps/lifts, heel slides (slide your foot toward you while laying flat, easier to lay a plastic bag under or around your foot to slide. Also to slide that foot on the bag out sideways a little. You have to stay flexible and moving some!