Feeling nervous but at the same time excited!

[lotusbuds]

Hello I am going to have a right hip replacement early March 2019. Its been a long process to come to this decision but I have finally made it and although I am scared as I have never had surgery I am also looking forward to being pain free eventually.

I have been in pain for 3 years. I have 4 different friends who have had hip replacements in the last couple of years so have asked them a lot of questions and done some research myself.

I discovered this forum a couple months back and have been reading and taking notes. I am impressed with how supportive people are here. That's it for now just wanted to introduce myself.

Thanks, lotsubuds

 

[Going4fun]

Welcome @lotusbuds, yes, the desire to be pain free is a huge element that drives folks to get past their fears and undergo the surgery.

I'm a little past three months since my surgery, and I was at the gym today ... I can do stuff in the gym that used to cause pain ... that does not now cause pain. I'm still healing and we're early on ... One funny thing when I look back on my decision was that I got SICK AND TIRED of debating whether or not to have the surgery. Really sick and tired of thinking about the possibility of having the surgery.

My first thought after surgery ... waking up ... and being in the room with my sister, who came from out of town to be with me ... the first thought: I was so proud of myself for having the surgery, for going through with it! I could have put it off and put it off ... I'm so glad I gave myself this opportunity to really LIVE in the future.

Welcome ... this is a fantastic site ... incredible on the emotional side of surgery ... and on the technical side of the surgery.

 

[lotusbuds]

Thank you so much!

At first I was afraid I would die on the table. I haven't had surgery ever except getting my tonsils out. My surgeon is going to do a spinal with sedation so that made me feel better. I'm no longer afraid of that but will be very nervous the night before. Having said that I also feel glad I finally made the decision.

I have severe arthritis in the right hip. The surgeon after seeing the xrays said "it's bad" and he couldn't believe I was doing as well as I am. First I tripped over some computer cords at work and fell on my right knee ending up with a torn meniscus and something else. It took 10 months to heal and did.

I was back doing stairs and went on a trip. All the walking had me starting to limp and with a month my hip started hurting. Two years later it is only getting worse. I do swim 2-4 times a week and do water aerobics 1 time a week and that helps. It doesn't take the pain away but I feel stronger everywhere.

So just went on another big holiday and my mobility was so bad that I knew I have no other choice but to do the surgery as I have tried everything else. I won't even talk right now about the amount of pain I have and meds I take to deal with it. I never took painkillers before except on occasion and now can't get through a day or night without. Thanks for the support.

That is so great you are at 3 months post surgery and back in the gym!

 

[Going4fun]

@lotusbuds, I also had meniscus surgery earlier this year ... not the huge "repair" ... but the partial meniscectomy, the snipping of loose cartilage floating out there irritating the bone ... I guess this was my year for surgeries ... In fact, I decided to go with both surgeries back in January of 2018 ... one day caught myself spending hours on Amazon looking for extra padded orthotics and shoes to cushion my aches ... realized you know there is a direct path to easing the pain ... it's time ...

Have you selected a surgeon? I think I channeled a lot of my fear into choosing a surgeon I really liked and who seemed widely recommended by a variety of sources, patients and various magazines, etc. In the two years before surgery, I took painkillers like I had NEVER taken them before! I remember coming back from a dance and making an emergency stop on the road to buy Alleve and water. I couldn't make it home ... home was only about 45 minutes away. But I had to stop. Pain was that bad.

Spinal with sedation is the state of the art these days in hip replacement. The spinal has a painkiller effect even after surgery briefly and fewer complications than the full anesthesia ... and fewer bad side effects like nausea and fatigue and brain fog.

 

[Bionic]

@lotusbuds
You have definately made the right decision. Spinal with sedation is what I have had for both of my hips and it works a treat.
No doubt your friends have given you lots of good information so you already know what to expect. Look forward to that awful OA pain disappearing.
I will be having my knee done around the same time as your hip so we both have March ops to 'look forward to'

 

[Mojo333]

Welcome to Bonesmart
Glad you will soon get rid of that terrible hip pain.
Hang in there...and I hope your holidays are Happy.:candle:

 

[lotusbuds]

Thank you! There is still so much I don't know so am loving this website. I have been reading for awhile but didn't want to comment until I felt closer to my date. I am not sure how to change my birthdate year as I typed it in wrong and can not edit it. Is it possible a forum advisor would be able to change it to 1951?
Thanks
I am so looking forward this awful OA pain to be gone one day.
Happy Holidays everyone!

 

[kernsac]

hello and welcome. I had my right hip replaced yesterday, and it wasn’t too bad. The hardest part for me now is being afraid of the new hip end up doing something wrong, but so far everything is going well, I have very little pain, and I am so glad I had the surgery. Again, welcome, and happy holidays. .

 

[Jaycey]

@lotusbuds Welcome to BoneSmart! We are with you all the way through this journey. Do spend some time in the Library (top of page under the blue bar). Tons of information there for you - both pre and post op.

Here are a couple of links that might help you prepare for recovery.
Recovery Aids: A comprehensive list for hospital and home
Pre-Op Interviews: What's involved?

Be sure and let us know when you have your actual surgery date so that we can update your signature for you.

 

[lotusbuds]

Thank you everyone! @kernsac Congratulations on your first day of recovery.
Thank you @Jaycey for changing my birthdate year and welcoming me.
My surgery date is March 01 2019.

 

[Jaycey]

Surgery date added to your signature for you.

Of course you are nervous. Keep posting here. There are plenty of members who have already been in this space. Posting does help ease any nerves.

 

[EL11]

I am excited for you! I had both done, just past three months for the second. I still have some discomfort at night, but I am back at the gym now, walking at my old pace, and so grateful that I made this decision. Also had spinal with sedation btw, and honestly remember nothing of either surgery. The forum is very helpful in many ways, one of which is that you realize every healing is different, and you can read about how others have managed their pain meds, done or not done physical therapy etc. Welcome, and Happy New Year/New Hip to you

 

[Mojo333]

Hi and
Getting rid of the neverending hip pain is such a blessing!
Lots of supportive folks here!

 

[Josephine]

@lotusbuds I've been a theatre (OR) nurse for most of my life and every patient I've ever dealt with has been scared, anxious, terrified, just before their surgery. Even I was and I had 5 surgeries in the past 9 years! But there is another point to take into consideration: physiologically, there is little difference in the experiences between anxiety, fear and excitement or anticipation! Both illicit the same bodily reactions in terms of feeling jittery, having a rapid pulse, some sweating and other symptoms. It's all called STRESS!

 

[lotusbuds]

Thank you @Josephine @Mojo333 @EL11. I appreciate it.
Its amazing so many people have 2 surgeries so close together. Wow! I am impressed at how well people do. And thank you for the words that anxiety and excitement are really adding up to stress and the same thing. I am scared but know it will be the best thing for me.
I am having a hard time sleeping on my right side for more than 5 minutes anymore without a lot of pain and on my left side for more than 20 minutes even with a pillow between my legs. When I have the pain I go back to my back and do some stretches till the pain is gone. I have trained myself to sleep on my back and can now do 3 hours at a time.
I try to swim 3-4 times a week which I did all summer but now am only doing 1-2. I have no pain when I swim the crawl but when I am out the pain is still there but I am more flexible all over. I have upped my OTC medications and do it a bit different every few days. I usually take 4-6 Tylenol as I know you can't go over 6 per day and was taking one Meloxicam but some days it barely helped. I did take 3 Advil over the course of a day recently with 4 tyenlol (in a 24 hour period) and that was amazing. But I try not to take Advil as I heard its not good if you are over 65 for your heart. I also have tramadol for sleeping and pain and have taken it 4 times in the 2 months since I have it. It really works though makes me really spaced out. So when I use it I do around 7pm. It lasts maybe 6 hours. I'm using it sparingly as I don't like how I feel on it though there is no pain.
I say all this as I am struggling with the pain more than I did a few months ago. I am bone on bone and have 2 months till my surgery. Its getting the pain under control daily that is hard for me.
I never used to take anything. I am so grateful they work but its a challenge. Any thoughts?
Thanks for listening and all the support here. Its so nice to have a place to go to.
Grateful...

 

[Jaycey]

Its getting the pain under control daily that is hard for me.

Unfortunately there is no medication that controls pre-op pain. You can try ice or heat. A TENs machine might also take the edge off. But the best advice I can give you is to try and stay off that hip. Are you using any walking aid? A crutch or cane might help take the weight off that sore hip. For now baby hip!

 

[lotusbuds]

@Jaycey thanks for your suggestions. I do use a heating pad most nights and some ice in the daytime. The days aren't too bad as I take tynelol and meloxicam. I do some days without the meloxicam as I am not sure if it is helping and I try to not use it or ibuprofen too much. I find the last week I have been cutting tramadol in half and taking it at bedtime so I can get some good sleep. Its all such a daily challenge. I only used the tramadol 4 times in 2 months since I was given it but am taking it the last 3 nights to at least get some sleep.
I use a cane or one trekking stick when I am in a lot of pain. Sometimes I don't need it at all. The pool I swim in is closed this week so will go back in a few days as that helps immensely. I just bought a recumbent bike and will start real slow just to strengthen the hip before surgery. I will only do 5 minutes to start and maybe thats it. I used the Tens machine when I had a torn meniscus in my knee at PT but it doesn't seem to help these days. I didn't use to have pain sleeping but now I do on my sides and that is the worst for me. The nights...I know I could take the whole tramadol and would sleep all night with no pain but it makes me so groggy in the morning and I am an early riser and not sure if it will get renewed so am only taking as needed.

 

[lotusbuds]

I have a question. Someone has posted on their own thread about something that I want to ask them about.
Where do I ask it? here on my post with an @xxxx or on the thread they talked about it?
Thanks for all the support and information.

 

[Jaycey]

Someone has posted on their own thread about something that I want to ask them about.

You can either ask the question here on your own thread tagging them with the @user_name. Or you can ask the question on their thread without the need to tag them.

 

[lotusbuds]

Thanks @Jaycey!