i'm due to have a thr in 10days time & I'm terrified! I've never been in hospital before. Does anyone have any tips on how to cope? I'm scared I will wimp out & not go thro with it.
I was scared beforehand but just think at the moment how bad is your pain and how good will it be to be pain free, the actual op I had a spinal injection so was awake but felt no pain, you can't see anything also if you want you are allowed to take an iPod so u can listen to your music, am not going to skirt over things after op when painkillers wear off it hurts but long term, I am 12 weeks now and the pain I had before has gone still a little post op pain but I know when it has really healed inside properly will be pain free xxx
Please dont be terrified Val,sometimes the waiting is far more petrifying than the actual day,try and stay positive remember that you will have your life back...and really is worth all the nervousness you are feeling,just remember Summer is coming and this year you will feel a different person from last year.Good luck but i am sure you wont need it!
Hi Val,
I have lived a large portion of my life in hospitals due to being born with a lung disease, so maybe I can share a few tips?
First remember that you are THE most important part of your medical team. Let no one treat you rudely or leave you unattended. You have a say in decision making. Do not be afraid to speak up, ask for help, ask questions.
Have someone you trust be there with you if possible so they can advocate for you when you cannot.
Always request your pain medication one half hour before it is due. Here in the States it takes 30 minutes for the nurse to get the meds to you. You do not have to lay in pain waiting for your next dose.
Sanitize your hands often
hi
i can totally understand your concerns and fears .
i felt the same when i had my THR in april 2014 but i kept thinking that (hopefully) my hip pain would be gone. in my case i had terrible hip pain 24/7 and after the operation i woke with no pain.
the recovery was going to be tough but no pain ...bliss!! now im due to have my other hip done in february 2015
i found speaking to arthritis uk very helpful they were able to send me loads of info so i felt very well informed
keep positive...we are all here for you xx
I would say try to think beyond the day of surgery. Plan to be living life without the restrictions which have driven your THR. Don't fret about the op until 5 mn before; why waste that energy. Calmly go about preparing for your discharge, nice bed, nightwear, suitable clothes, fridge stocked, DVDs, books, etc. keep cosy use the recovery time well. Get your supplements, phone to hand. Have a plan day by day to do a little more. Rest enough, phone yr friends, take enough painkillers but not too much. It does improve in leaps and spurts, some good, some bad days. Keep yr legs up if you get swelling. Don't dwell too much on the dressing and staples. Keep moving gently and enjoy the rest! It will be worth it a few months down the line. Tell yr story on here and lighten your load! Courage
If you read all the other letters there are lots of peeps who are scared but the majority say afterwards it wasnt nearly as bad as they thought...i`ve had two knee replacements and a new hip and i wouldnt be at all bothered if i had to go in again...good luck you`ll be fine
O dear Dawn I only just read all yr detail about your result. Thought you weren't going in til Feb. what is the story today? Antibiotics did the work.... I see you are taking ami and that is good. Whatever it takes. How is your pain level and your balance and symmetry. Are things improving daily...that was a major intervention. I haven't read your chronological account. What was the journey like were you fully conscious. Can't believe it is done. What has yr surgeon told you and how is the follow up. Let us hope this is the last of your sufferings. Are you walking unaided yet. Plse tell
I accidentally posted before I meant to.
Be a kind considerate patient no matter how badly you feel.
Keep a written list of questions for the doctor as you think of them.
Take a robe and slippers, hobby, iPad, cell phone, laptop with the chargers etc.
Then just sit back and heal and let others take care of you!
Wishing you the best outcome!
Dawn
Welcome Val.
Im having my 2nd THR on the 6th Feb..Almost 12mnths to the day since my first one.
I was apprehensive before the op and don't mind admitting I had a slight panic attack in the anaesthetic room which was a door away from the OR! By which time it's too late to turn back.
The kind nurses who must have been used to this helped calm me down..After the epidural which wasn't to bad I must have been given very strong sedatives as the next thing I remember was being back on the ward,all done.
The people who seem to have the least pre op fear are those who do no research or look on forums like ours..they treat it like a visit to the dentist.
Anyway don't worry too much and ask f you can be sedated,and you won't know a thing.
One bit of advice is try and get your partner or a close friend to stay with you til you go down to theatre..this wasn't possible for me and will be the same again this time,but it would have helped me a lot.
Im going to make a real effort this time around to think positively and focus on all the pain free years I'll enjoy with my new hip joint.
And hard as it is, don't look on here again til after the op,it could make you even more apprehensive.
This time next year youll wonder what you were worried about.
Good luck.
Hi Val, I'm just home this afternoon after having my first thr thr on my left hip.
Went in for surgery on Friday am and had op very soon after. I was petrified; never been in hospital before even for minor stuff...it went so much better than I anticipated. Spinal and sedation was ideal, never felt or heard anything. Staff were amazing and really put me at ease. No pain after the op, I woke up with a huge smile on my face! Just make sure to do your exercises and ask for the 2 hourly pain meds available and you'll be fine xx
Afraid no surgery yet. Planned for Feb. 27th. I had a complication with an abscess tooth and just had two teeth extractions two days ago. Have been taking antibiotic for 6 weeks. No infection in my hip joint Thank God. Did you see my x-Ray I posted?
Hi Val
Dont worry about it {I know...a stupid thing to say LOL} but honestly its the waiting that is worse than the op and couple of days in hospital.
I've had 2 THR's and both times I had a spinal injection with a light sedation....no problem. I wasn't "out" but heard nothing and didnt hear anything really.
As someone said....prepare for your homecoming by thinking what do you need to hand to start with....I had a small trolly of my own which I filled with notebooks/pens/ telephone/mobile/bits and pieces of make up etc.
Oh yes that reminds me. I made an appointment the previous day to have my hair cut, coloured, and blow dried. Husband couldnt understand this.....you're going in for an operation!!!!! I dont care I want to look as good as I can. I dont wear a lot of make up but what i do I took in with me and made sure I put it on every day. It made me feel much better
Foundation blusher and lipstick were the basics.
You'll be fine. If you have any specific questions....ask away and we'll try to answer them......Arthritis Care is excellent. I volunteer for our branch and they have loads of information that they will send .
Love
Eileen UK
Great post..just the kind we need to ease our pre op nerves.
cheers.
Hope you have a speedy recovery.
That would explain my confusion. Just as well that dental infection was identified in advance of yr surgery. No matter how clean our blood, the teeth offer an open entry to all bacteria.... I looked at yr X-ray but not qualified to analyse. Mine, full frontal, looks fine to me, but when explained to me was eye popping. Edb, another contributor on here, sent a frontal angled X-ray which was painful to see, so mismatched were the two sides it would be impossible to understand how she was upright let alone mobile. Let us hope the time passes quickly for you til yr op and that it brings you the relief you deserve. Get a before and after, won't you....you have faith in the surgeon and that is crucial. Odear words are so inadequate
There is absolutely no need to worry. The surgeon & their nurses have done this op hundreds maybe thousands of times. Whatever crops up they will have experienced it before. You will have no pain on operating day but if it hurts a fair bit next day you just say & they will have a painkiller to suit. Everyday that passes gets better & the Physio's will soon have you moving around & before you know it you will be on your way home. As each day passes you will feel stronger & happier. You may have the odd day that seems not so good but that soon changes & you continue to improve. Just don't rush it & listen to your body. All the best for the great day.
I appreciate you!
Val, I too was very worried, never having been in hospital for anything other than childbirth. However, it was so much easier than I anticipated. I'm at six weeks now and haven't even taken any painkillers today.minhave a 1cm leg length discrepancy but am assured that this can mostly be compensated for through physio - it has to do with the way I've been walking due to the pain prior to the op.
I opted for a general anaesthetic and had no issues with it at all. I was only in hospital for two days. The worst 'side-effect' was dry skin on my legs due to the white stockings you have to wear for about 6 weeks to prevent blood clots! Here (cheshire) they prescribe tablets that you have to take for 4 weeks for the same reason. I gather that elsewhere you have to self-administer injections. However, all of it is worth it to be free of the pain that led you here...promise!
I had never been in hospital before, only to have a baby and that was 49 years ago. I was scared at the thought at first, but once I had been for the pre-op and my mind was put at rest, I stopped worrying and thought about not being in pain every time I walked. They are all great, I had a spinal anaesthetic and light sedation and it was brilliant. When I woke up, the pain was gone. Of course you are sore and various places are tender, but there is no pain, at least there wasn't with me. Don't worry about being in hospital, the nurses have seen it all before and they were so nice to me. We had a good laugh. If you have a positive attitude about it all, you will be fine.
Hi Val, I'm 11days after THR now and I'm sure that I was as nervous as you. As most of the comments say operation day is ok and also while you're in hospital having nurses look after you and keeping pain at ease. I've found that now I'm home it's more scary. Although I've got my husband, kids, friends and family looking after me. I'm taking painkillers every 6 hours but you read that some people try to cut down, I'm no way near that yet. I'd say I was more uncomfortable than in pain. I know it'll get better and as everyone says one day at a time. You'll be fine xxx