Advise PLEASE

[pszulik]

I have an appointment scheduled with a surgeon to have a hip replacement...I am 58 and scared,,,,It sounds foolish but I have never had any surgery on my body. I have been diagnosed as having Avascular Necrosis. The pain is now radiating down to my knee, Heat seems to help but in the long run pain killers and the heat are not the answer.
I guess I am looking for advice,
- What to ask the surgeon?
- What can I expect as recovery time?
Seems silly but what do I need to know? or ask my surgeon??

 

[Josephine]

First of all, welcome to BoneSmart. You've come to the right place with your queries.

Secondly, there is no such thing as silly questions. What you are asking has been asked many times before, so don't fret!


I have an appointment scheduled with a surgeon to have a hip replacement...I am 58 and scared,,,,It sounds foolish but I have never had any surgery on my body.

It's not at all foolish and everyone feels anything from anxious right through to down right terrified! It's perfectly natural whether you have had surgery before or not! It's a BIG issue going through any surgery or any kind of hospital treatment. For a start it requires you to put absolute trust on people you don't know and have never met before. That's not easy and it's certainly not something we normally do! Then you are facing a journey where the crucial bit is something you have no knowledge of, cannot envisage the procedure and therefore cannot prepare yourself. It happens to EVERYONE! Truly!


I have been diagnosed as having Avascular Necrosis.

Do you know what avascular necrosis is? I can explain it to you if you like.



What to ask the surgeon?

I made a nice post in the top of this forum that deals with that very subject. It's called How to choose a surgeon and a prosthesis Click on that link and it will take you right to it.


What can I expect as recovery time?

Well, as you might suppose, it does vary some from person to person but overall, you can expect to be fairly dependent upon your carers for around 1-2 weeks and then find increasing independence. For six weeks you will be required not to bend you operative hip more than right angles (90 degrees) so you won't be able to wash/dry feet, put on socks or shoes or pick anything up off the floor. For this latter, you will find a Helping Hand tool, or picker, invaluable. You won't be permitted to drive until the 6 weeks are up. This is because over-flexing the hip puts you at risk of dislocating your new hip.

You'll also be on a walker or crutches for the first 1-3 weeks and thereafter find increasing dependence. If you work, you may find it will be 6-10 weeks before you can return.


Seems silly but what do I need to know? or ask my surgeon??

I'm sure the other members will soon chip in with suggestions and comments.

Also - you should read around about other options than a traditional total hip replacement such as minimally invasive surgery or hip resurfacing, However, while attractive alternatives neither of these have the long term data of good outcomes that the traditional does but they are gaining credibility and seem to have quite a few satisfied customers thus far.

Do make sure you read a round this whole forum - there are several sections, not just this one, and you'll find a lot of discussions covering all of this and more. A veritable cornucopia of information!

 

[pszulik]

Thank you for your quick and informative reply. Any information you can give me during my nervous time would be appreciated. The only thing I know of Avascular Necrosis is that the bone is dying due to reduced blood flow....I have always been fairly active, am 6'3" tall and weigh 170 pounds. Any advice you can provide will be gladly welcomed

 

[Josephine]

You got it in one! Would also be useful to know if you are male or female. From your first post I assumed female but 6' 3"??

I found this site which explains the condition well - saves me writing it all out again, eh! There are many others if you do a Google search. I also did a search of this hip forum for you (broken link removed). You will find a list of posts and if you click on the title that's in bold letters above the poster's name, you'll find yourself taken to the thread. I really must go through and update the tags under the threads for this also gives you a useful link to items of interest.

Hope this helps - plenty of reading for you to do!

 

[jessie]

What she said.

I'm also new to the forum and love it so far. Just be prepared. Your grocery bill will go up as will your waist line. I hope you like cornbread.

 

[JudyS]

pszulik

WElcome. You are not alone in being scared. We were all there. I am 3 months post a right hip replacement today.
For the surgeon, check out the site Josephine gave you,her thread. I would suggest also asking what type of incision he will make. Some require more time with precautions.
The first week for me was the worst. I would say day 3 and 4 I would have loved to skip.

I used crutches after 1 day with the walker. I already had them and the pt let me show her How I could use them. I was experienced.
The hospital should have a joint replacement class with plenty of explanations.
Let us know how your apt went. I am heading to my 3 month apt today.
Judy in socal

 

[ceci1957]

Pszulik, welcome to the forums. You've gotten a couple of replies from Josephine and she always helps us feel better, and better informed. I had my second hip replacement in 8 weeks on Aug. 18. Right now, I'm sitting in my walker's seat. It's not too comfy, so I won't take long. I'm glad I had my hips replaced and would encourage you to have it done as soon as possible. I feel so much better. Also, I have lost about 10 pounds since the first surgery on June 16. I've not had much of an appetite and when I do, I try to rein in my portions. I hope you don't gain weight.