@Mumof4 Welcome to BoneSmart! It is hard to predict when your surgery will be schedule but I would guess if you've just had your pre op exam that it should not be too much longer before they get you into surgery. In most places the pre op exam is done with in 2-3 week prior to surgery as the surgeons want to be sure you are in good health. The waiting really is a major annoyance! And I am sure your poor hip is telling you in no uncertain terms it is time to get this done. Best of luck to yu and do let us know when your surgery is schedule. and feel free to ask any questions you may have ... and read any threads here and over in the hip recovery section.
I am going to leave you both our pre op list of articles and suggestions AND our post op list too so that you can get a comprehensive idea of what to expect following the surgery. A busy Mum of 4 needs to know these things.
Hip: pre-surgery considerations
If you are at the stage where you are planning to have surgery but are looking for information so you can be better prepared for what is to come, take a look at these links:
Recovery Aids: A comprehensive list for hospital and home
Recliner Chairs: Things you need to know if buying one for your recovery
Pre-Op Interviews: What's involved?
And if you want to picture what your life might be like with a replaced hip, take a look at the posts and threads in
stories of amazing hip recoveries
Hip Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary.
2.
Control discomfort:
rest
elevate
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)
3.
Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.
4.
PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these
BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy
5.
At week 4 and after you should follow this
Activity progression for THRs
6.
Access these pages on the website
Oral And Intravenous Pain Medications
Wound Care In Hospital
The Recovery articles:
Pain management and the pain chart
Healing: how long does it take?
Chart representation of THR recovery
Dislocation risk and 90 degree rule
Energy drain for THRs
Pain and swelling control: elevation is the key
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?
BIG TIP: Hips actually don't need any exercise to get better. They do a pretty good job of it all on their own if given half a chance. Trouble is, people
don't give them a chance and end up with all sorts of aches and pains and sore spots. All they need is the best therapy which is walking and even then
not to excess.
We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.
While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice