Hi all, I just cancelled my RHS hip replacement op (scheduled for 2 weeks time) as I cant justify the risks of the complications, foot drop, infection, etc. I am in pain in both hips which does affect my daily life, but I would rather put up with the pain than face the op at this point. What medication helps with pain, I'm currently taking Naproxen and Codine, which doesn't really help. Planning on having the op(s) once I get to the stage where I can no longer walk.
THR Pre op pain control
- Thread starter Timo50
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Oh, @Timo50
I really hate to hear that you decided to delay your hip surgery but obviously it is your body and your decision to make.
I believe the percentage of hip replacement recipients who suffer an infection is 1 percent and the patients who experience food drop after THR is slightly less than that.
On the pain meds, best I can say is I hope you have better luck than I did.
Both my hips were bone on bone and there isn't alot to be done for that.
Tried all opiod pain meds, muscle relaxers, analgesics, and TENS therapies...at best some took the edge off, but overall a heating pad seemed to soothe my bad hips to some extent.
The meds along with my worsening physical condition and lack of sleep ...sank me into depression and restricted all the joyful things in my life.
It also affected my overall health as mobility decreased.
I had both hips replaced simultaneously in May 2017 and now have my life back.
I hate to hear you will suffer this way until you can no longer walk.
@Jaycey one of the administrators on this site suffered a hip collapse before her hip could be replaced and that certainly leaves no options.
I know you are asking for medication advice, not to be told you should go ahead with the surgery ...but I really wish you could override your fears of the what ifs....
Nothing in life has guarantees for sure, but a good surgeon who you can trust can certainly make your life good again.
I really hate to hear that you decided to delay your hip surgery but obviously it is your body and your decision to make.
I believe the percentage of hip replacement recipients who suffer an infection is 1 percent and the patients who experience food drop after THR is slightly less than that.
On the pain meds, best I can say is I hope you have better luck than I did.
Both my hips were bone on bone and there isn't alot to be done for that.
Tried all opiod pain meds, muscle relaxers, analgesics, and TENS therapies...at best some took the edge off, but overall a heating pad seemed to soothe my bad hips to some extent.
The meds along with my worsening physical condition and lack of sleep ...sank me into depression and restricted all the joyful things in my life.
It also affected my overall health as mobility decreased.
I had both hips replaced simultaneously in May 2017 and now have my life back.
I hate to hear you will suffer this way until you can no longer walk.
@Jaycey one of the administrators on this site suffered a hip collapse before her hip could be replaced and that certainly leaves no options.
I know you are asking for medication advice, not to be told you should go ahead with the surgery ...but I really wish you could override your fears of the what ifs....
Nothing in life has guarantees for sure, but a good surgeon who you can trust can certainly make your life good again.
I wish you had found us before you cancelled. There are risks to any procedure but they are rare. You probably see more risks mentioned on this board as that is the nature of this type of forum. For every member with a complication there are hundreds of members who left the board and got back to living life again.
Please rethink this. If you get to that stage the recovery is very long and complicated. As Mojo says - I had a hip collapse pre-op LTHR. Believe me, you do not want that pain. And my recovery took over one year.
Unfortunately there is no medication that addresses pre-op pain. You can try a TENs machine. But in my experience they only take the edge off and you can't wear them 24/7.
Perhaps if you discuss your concerns here we might be able to help you get to a more confident place about surgery. Do you trust your surgeon?
hopnfox
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I almost cancelled mine as well but now that I've read this forum, and done additional research, I think it's totally worth it! My surgery is in 3 weeks, and yes I'm anxious, but I've been on pain meds, injections, PT, and nothing is working. My family has suffered, I've suffered, and if the OS can fix this, than I'm all in. It's about quality of life at this point, and I've been depressed for months, and now that the ball is rolling, I feel the weight lifting.
Woodstockhip
senior
I, too, hope you will reconsider. your chances of a smooth recovery are much better than you think, particularly at your young age. I just got home from a THR yesterday and am already feeling lots more human. Maybe read some of the stories here and you’ll feel a little more confident ?
leejaa
Former BoneSmart staff member
All I can say that nothing worked for my hip pain with either hip. I was on anti inflammatory medication and that did nothing. I took Tylenol and it maybe took a tiny edge off but not really. Lack of sleep and constant pain with movement was not living. I chose to go for quality of life and it has been worth it.
You state you are taking strong anti inflammatory and pain meds and they are not helping. I don't think there is anything that really touches the bone on bone pain. Waiting till you cannot walk is your choice but my question is how much can you walk now? Can you do anything you want or enjoy without pain? Do you tailor your activities because of hip pain or do not do things because you know it will hurt? What kind of life am I having now?
Just thoughts to consider especially since you then might have a long wait to get on a surgical schedule. These are some of the questions most of us answered for ourselves as we decided to have surgery or wait.
You state you are taking strong anti inflammatory and pain meds and they are not helping. I don't think there is anything that really touches the bone on bone pain. Waiting till you cannot walk is your choice but my question is how much can you walk now? Can you do anything you want or enjoy without pain? Do you tailor your activities because of hip pain or do not do things because you know it will hurt? What kind of life am I having now?
Just thoughts to consider especially since you then might have a long wait to get on a surgical schedule. These are some of the questions most of us answered for ourselves as we decided to have surgery or wait.
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Hello, Welcome to BoneSmart and thanks for joining us!
I am sorry to read this. Please reconsider your timeline. You’re in good company here as far as the fear and anxiety you’re experiencing goes, we understand. We all experienced anxiety to varying degrees and questioned our decision to embrace surgery...some right up until being wheeled into the OR.
Waiting until the pain is unbearable is a waste of time and life. Two weeks from now you’ll still be in pain with the realization you could instead be in recovery, beginning to heal and looking toward a brighter future without pain and the limitations it brings.
The nagging, unrelenting pain affects every area of our life from our personal relationships to the odd behaviors we adopt to limit our pain. Turning down social invitations, calculating the shortest, easiest route you’ll take while on foot. Avoiding stairs, looking for the closest spot to the door in parking lots. Worrying about the how the meds, OTC, or prescribed, may affect your health or vital organs with long term use. Basically, you are not living life to the fullest. If you’re limping, you‘re also throwing off your gait which may only bring you more physical pain and possibly long term issues in regard to lower back, knees, feet.
The odds are in your favor that you’ll do well with surgery / recovery. The great majority do and those are the stories you’re not reading here because they’re back living active, fulfilling lives. Sometimes we take a chance in hopes of a better life. No one goes into this surgery without fear, anxiety, or reservation. No one wants to lose their natural hip, but your deteriorating hip is hindering you. You can allow doubts and fear to rule while suffering discomfort, or you can commit to a procedure that will most likely bring you better quality of life. Joint replacement surgery is one of the most prevalent surgeries performed worldwide. The outcomes of these surgeries have become excellent based on a number of techniques changing over the years. The implants are durable and long lasting, with longevity much greater than before, offering an increase in the likelihood you’ll never have to experience this procedure again.
You mentioned infection risks, if that frightens you, consider researching all you can do through diet, exercise and supplements to ramp up your immune system. With a focus on being pro-active, your confidence in obtaining the best possible outcome may increase. The choice is yours. You can continue to struggle physically and emotionally, or bravely move forward holding a brighter future as your focus.
Wishing you comfort, mental clarity and peace of mind as you weigh out all options.
We’re here for you.
@Timo50
I am sorry to read this. Please reconsider your timeline. You’re in good company here as far as the fear and anxiety you’re experiencing goes, we understand. We all experienced anxiety to varying degrees and questioned our decision to embrace surgery...some right up until being wheeled into the OR.
Waiting until the pain is unbearable is a waste of time and life. Two weeks from now you’ll still be in pain with the realization you could instead be in recovery, beginning to heal and looking toward a brighter future without pain and the limitations it brings.
The nagging, unrelenting pain affects every area of our life from our personal relationships to the odd behaviors we adopt to limit our pain. Turning down social invitations, calculating the shortest, easiest route you’ll take while on foot. Avoiding stairs, looking for the closest spot to the door in parking lots. Worrying about the how the meds, OTC, or prescribed, may affect your health or vital organs with long term use. Basically, you are not living life to the fullest. If you’re limping, you‘re also throwing off your gait which may only bring you more physical pain and possibly long term issues in regard to lower back, knees, feet.
The odds are in your favor that you’ll do well with surgery / recovery. The great majority do and those are the stories you’re not reading here because they’re back living active, fulfilling lives. Sometimes we take a chance in hopes of a better life. No one goes into this surgery without fear, anxiety, or reservation. No one wants to lose their natural hip, but your deteriorating hip is hindering you. You can allow doubts and fear to rule while suffering discomfort, or you can commit to a procedure that will most likely bring you better quality of life. Joint replacement surgery is one of the most prevalent surgeries performed worldwide. The outcomes of these surgeries have become excellent based on a number of techniques changing over the years. The implants are durable and long lasting, with longevity much greater than before, offering an increase in the likelihood you’ll never have to experience this procedure again.
You mentioned infection risks, if that frightens you, consider researching all you can do through diet, exercise and supplements to ramp up your immune system. With a focus on being pro-active, your confidence in obtaining the best possible outcome may increase. The choice is yours. You can continue to struggle physically and emotionally, or bravely move forward holding a brighter future as your focus.
Wishing you comfort, mental clarity and peace of mind as you weigh out all options.
We’re here for you.
@Timo50
Eman85
big-cheese
Well I'm the guy that waited, but I didn't wait until I couldn't walk. As far as pain control I used Aleve and Ibuprophen mostly. In the late stages of my right I used a lot of pillows to get comfortable and restrict movement while I slept as moving would trigger a pain waking me.
I'm not going to tell you to go get it done, it's not my place and not my decision to make. Everyone's life and situation is different. The one thing I'll pass along is what my GP told me that led me to do it, he wasn't pushing me at all. He told me that I was in good health and probably the best health I'd be in for the rest of my life. He said that my good health would go a long way towards me healing better and getting to enjoy my new hips. If I waited until I got down recovery would be much tougher.
I'm not going to tell you to go get it done, it's not my place and not my decision to make. Everyone's life and situation is different. The one thing I'll pass along is what my GP told me that led me to do it, he wasn't pushing me at all. He told me that I was in good health and probably the best health I'd be in for the rest of my life. He said that my good health would go a long way towards me healing better and getting to enjoy my new hips. If I waited until I got down recovery would be much tougher.
All I can do is echo what’s been said. I got very close to not being able to walk or work or exercise at all by the time my diagnosis and surgery rolled around. I wouldn’t have endured that if I could have had a choice to have had the surgery earlier. All day was agony. All night was agony. I was beside myself and my family was too not knowing what or being able to do anything to help me. No meds or PT or stretches could touch the pain or help me get better. My recovery was longer because I was so delayed getting to surgery but I would do it all again in a heartbeat even knowing all the risks. Please think hard about this and reconsider. You may have to wait longer than you might want to when you finally decide later. I wouldn’t wish that kind of pain and torment on anyone. Best wishes to you.
As Eman says, you're probably in your best health, you're never going to be any younger than you are now. As Layla mentioned you have to take into consideration what the medications can do to your health, long term. I can tell you that I have Stage III Chronic Kidney Disease from years of naproxen, ibuprofen, Motrin (military M&Ms) and the various other non-steroid anti inflammatory meds.
We get that it's your hips, your decision, but we're trying to share our experiences so you get a better overall picture. I was to the point I would drive 45 minutes to work, work my 8 hours which was usually really 9 as I was in too much pain to leave for lunch, then I would drive 45 minutes back home. I would take care of my cats, grab a shower and crawl into bed where I stayed until I had to drag myself out to do it all over again. It really wasn't much of a life.
We get that it's your hips, your decision, but we're trying to share our experiences so you get a better overall picture. I was to the point I would drive 45 minutes to work, work my 8 hours which was usually really 9 as I was in too much pain to leave for lunch, then I would drive 45 minutes back home. I would take care of my cats, grab a shower and crawl into bed where I stayed until I had to drag myself out to do it all over again. It really wasn't much of a life.
Timo50
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Thanks all, yes there are loads of positive outcomes here and elsewhere, and that is great. My job is health & safety, so I guess dealing with risk is part of my job, and I'm not 100% happy with the risks with this surgery. I did speak to the surgeon regarding nerve damage and drop foot and he did reassure me, but I actually stumbled on this site looking into infection risk, reading the stories on infection here pretty much was the decider for me, I couldn't take loads of time off work dealing with an infection. I'll stick around though, as I'm sure at some point, I will have no choice but to get it done.
This is what my doctor told me, too and it made good sense to me and helped me move past the fears and worries. My first THR for righty was 5 years ago this week and is the "forgotten hip" lefty is now about 15 months post op and is doing very well, too.
I did find that using copious amounts of ice helped my pain quite a bit. I iced whenever I could throughout each day and night. Some days were decent, but then I'd walk on uneven ground or some other activity and the pain would scream at me.
Good luck, it's a tough decision and when you are ready you will know.
Eman85
big-cheese
Interesting about the drop foot. I guess it's almost 25 years ago I was seeing a local DR. He had some hip problems and I told him about mine and how I didn't want the surgery just yet. My reasons were a lot like yours @Timo50. He decided to go ahead and have his done and he unfortunately ended up with what you would call dropfoot. He always said he should have listened to me and waited. I was very aware of the risks but over the last 25 years it just keeps getting better and the risks get less riskier.
Thanks for sharing, I think
As you say , moving up from a quarter of a century ago...things have certainly gotten more refined and much has been learned about hip replacement technique.
zauberflöte
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@Timo50 I am sorry you are in such pain. I'm surprised you are able to get codeine freely! The UK must have different rules than the US. I understand your career field leading you to wait, but chronic pain took some very important years out of my young motherhood. I was given a hysterectomy (same degrees of risks) and was a new woman after the surgical pain cleared. Because of that surgery at 37, I eagerly awaited both my THR's. I knew what they could do for me-- and they did and have continued to do just that.
As mentioned, trusting your surgeon and their record is paramount.
I'd also like to say that a positive attitude is very helpful to healing and outcome, including how the immune system works. Hoping you will read enough good stories here that when you finally get them done, you can go in hoping for the best rather than expecting the worst.
As mentioned, trusting your surgeon and their record is paramount.
I'd also like to say that a positive attitude is very helpful to healing and outcome, including how the immune system works. Hoping you will read enough good stories here that when you finally get them done, you can go in hoping for the best rather than expecting the worst.
Timo50
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Hi all, so, I'm back on the waiting list, looks like it may be around the end of the year, still not 100% sure about doing this, guess we'll see towards the time. The consultant said that he doesn't understand how I manage looking at my X Rays.
Well done! Sounds like your hip is more than ready. Please baby it for now even to the point of using a crutch or cane. With wait times as long as they are you certainly don't want to be dealing with the pain of a collapse.
This is exactly what my LTHR consultant said.
Hope you get a date soon! Please keep us updated!
So glad to hear this. Let’s hope for sooner rather than later. It’s good to be informed but I’ve been guilty on more than one occasion of “analysis paralysis.” There comes a time when you finally realize that the only way to wholeness is to push through the fear and surrender to the path that wil bring healing. We’ll be following. Blessings.
So happy you are back on that list. I limped for years and when the pain was constant and barely controlled by oxycodone in March of last year I made the appointment. COVID came and it was another 10 month wait. It is a longer recovery when you wait as long as I did but it is already 100 times better than pre-op. Get your support system in place!
