Another new member

[mvo]

Hi there – greetings from New Zealand

I read through this useful site before my surgery and have had a “catch up” reading session today. Many thanks to all of you who have contributed – I had two small worries, that “sitting on a wallet” feeling and the “twinges” in my new hip – seems both are perfectly normal.

I had my total hip replacement surgery last month (9 September). I am 45 years of age and have hip dysplasia. I looked into Birmingham hip replacement but the femoral head wasn’t in great shape. After a lot of research I settled on a ceramic ball and polyethylene liner implant. My left hip was replaced, and the right one does not look too good on the x-rays but I get only the occasional twinge there, not like the awful pain my left hip had been giving me for years.

If anyone is “putting off” surgery, please re-consider – I can’t believe the lack of pain from surgery and the relative ease of recovery. I was in hospital 6 days and stopped pain medication (it was only Panadol) a couple of days after that.

At the moment I am still on crutches, but today I have only used one crutch – that feels like a milestone. I do not have a leg length discrepancy.

My question is – how long was it before you walked without crutches? The only documentation I have from my hospital is to be walking for 45 minutes after 6 weeks (not sure if this is in one go or in total during the day) and it is unclear if I should still be on crutches then. I don’t have any structured physiotherapy sessions, just a set of exercises to do at home and I can do them quite easily now.

Thanks in advance for any comments,

Monica

 

[mvo]

I meant to say, above, that my sister, (5 years younger) had the same surgery, with the same implant, within an hour of mine, but in Perth, Western Australia. We were also discharged within an hour of each other. Her surgery was a bit of a surprise for her. I emailed her my research (she also has dysplasia) and suggested she check with her surgeon about hip resurfacing. She did, but one look at her x-rays and her surgeon had her booked in for a THR, first her left hip and her right one to be done in a few weeks time. Needless to say we have been phoning and texting and comparing notes!

She had a minimally invasive approach and has very intensive physiotherapy sessions. She also has a leg length discrepancy (one inch). We both went into hospital healthy, and not overweight (I am 5 ft 10 and 154 pounds, sis is 6 foot 1 and a bit lighter.) We seem to be progressing at about the same rate, but both feel we are slow!

 

[JudyS]

Hi Monica

Welcome!! I had my right hip replaced on June 6th, posterior incision with all the restrictions. I think at about 4 weeks I switched to a cane. I still used crutches if out in public for a little longer. At that time I was walking for about 20-30 minutes slowly outside in the neighborhood. I used crutches or a cane.
By 6 weeks I was aid free, still slow, but able to walk continuously for 45 minutes.
I still had quite a bit of soft tissue pain and went to physical therapy for a month.
By 3 months I was back to hiking my local mountain trail. It is pretty steep and about 3 miles round trip to the stream. About 2 hours total for me at that time.
Oh, I also started swimmming laps at 4 weeks. Again started very slow and in a few weeks was up to swimming 1 mile about 5 times per week.

I am 51 and had pain in my hip for years (16) It took a turn for the worst at the end of 2007, and needing a hip replacement was a shock for both me and my doc!!
So glad I did it.

That is so amazing that you and your sister had hips replaced at the same time.
I also have ceramic ball and poly cup.

Judy

 

[Tommy Utah]

Crutches for 2 weeks, cane for 2 weeks after that, RTHR age 53. LTHR 12 days ago, both all metal components, down to one crutch, short term no crutch around home. Still have "wallet" effect on new one though.

 

[clwhit]

Welcome! We're glad you're here.

~Carol

 

[mvo]

Hi Judy,

Many thanks for your post, the information gives me some good yardsticks to go by. I think that being able to do a hike after three months is great! And your swimming build-up also sound good. Before my operation 30 minutes walking on flat ground caused a lot of pain, it will be good to do longer walks again. I’ll get back to some swimming too, but at the moment that is on the “Check with your surgeon” list and I wont see him until the end of the month. I am looking forward to going back to work, but want to be quite mobile first.

I plan to do more outside walking this week – weather permitting. It is spring here and raining at the moment. I am walking reasonably slowly; at the hospital they jokingly called me “Speedy” as I was slower than any of the other patients. My sister said it was the same for her, so we will both blame our lack of speed on longs legs – that is our story and we’re sticking to it ;)

Yesterday was my first day with just one crutch and I think I overdid things a little. It was great to have one hand free so I walked more than usual putting away washing, general tidying up etc. In a way it is quite good to have that slight muscle ache, it at least shows that something got a bit of a workout.

Thanks again for your comments. I hope to be able to go and help out my sister when her right hip is done (late Nov or December) – my mother went over this time but she may not be up to another tour of duty.

Thanks again for your comments,
Monica

 

[mvo]

Hi Tommy,

That sounds like rapid progress to me! The wallet effect is odd, I was very reassured when it was mentioned on here and seems perfectly normal
Monica

 

[mvo]

Hi Carol, thank you! This is a great site. It is useful to hear other people’s experiences, rather than just perusing medical articles

Monica

 

[Josephine]

Monica - welcome to BoneSmart!

All I have to say - apart from well done on your progress thus far - is to make each change gently and then get up to speed as you feel comfortable. Since you have got this far, I suggest you make the step to using a cane instead of the crutch but do it a bit at a time. Try around the house first, a few minutes here and there. As you gain confidence, go for longer and longer. Then after a few days, try some walks outside. Again, a few minutes here and there and then longer and longer. You'll be amazed how quickly your confidence builds up. Because it's really more a matter of confidence than anything.

Anyway, I think you should be well on your way with just a cane before your restrictions come to an end and before you see your surgeon.

 

[mvo]

Hi Josephine,

Thank you for that. My Dad has given his walking stick to me – he used it for a couple of weeks 12 years ago after his hip operation. I think he enjoyed the irony of the 82 year old “donating” his stick to the 45 year old! I am looking forward to getting outside, but the weather forecast is for continuous rain for the rest of the week. You are right about the confidence, I was quite amazed when I tried one crutch and it worked

 

[JoanneC]

Hi MVO,

You sound like your doing great!! Just one word of caution. I felt great because i stopped using the crutches about two or three weeks after I was home. When I went back to my O/S 6 weeks post op he told me off as he said I needed to give the bone time to mend properly without pressure. It may be different over there. I find a lot of stuff other O/S say conflicting with my own O/S advice and I now check what he wants me to do. I found at first I wanted to try stuff just to see it would let me do it because I wasnt in pain. He told me that I may only find out I shouldnt have done it when its too late, I know im probably rambling and talking rubbish but I think im just saying take it easy!!

Take care

 

[mvo]

Hi Joanne,
Thanks for that, I will take things easy. The weather has improved here and I have done a couple of short (10 minute) walks outside – still on the one crutch I will do at least one more excursion before bedtime. After surgery treatment and advice does seem to differ – my sister has intensive PT every second day or so, it seems (she is in Perth, Australia) whereas my instructions are to do a few exercises and slowly increase walking to up to 45 minutes a day by six weeks. When I make dinner I am on my feet for an hour or so – not sure if that counts in the daily total!

Thanks again for your help,
Monica

 

[jaz]

Hi Monica

Welcome from a fellow kiwi! Where did you have your surgery done?

The advise I had around using crutches was that you were better to walk well using both than hobble using one or none.

 

[mvo]

Hi Jaz,

I live in Hamilton, but had my surgery done at QE Health in Rotorua. Preston Moorcroft was the surgeon. I was very impressed with the care and procedures there.

I have been on one crutch for a week now. I tried my Dad’s walking stick today but that was definitely more of a hobble, so will stay with the crutch for now

Monica

 

[jaz]

I haven't heard of Preston Moorcroft but pleased all went well. I am in Auckland. The first was contracted out to Mercy Hospital (surgery and after care), the second was on ACC and done at Auckland. I missed my daily paper, sky tv and 5 o'clock bottle of wine at Auckland but thought the care at both was very good. The nurses at Auckland looked pretty flat out though.

 

[mvo]

It was all pretty quiet in Ward 4 at QE. Seems a lot of staff were at conferences/training so there were only about 5-6 patients at one time while I was there. No Sky TV or wine, but I didn't miss it, funnily enough! I was pleased to be at QE (contracted out) rather than Waikato Hospital. This winter Waikato was full to overflowing and a lot of elective surgury was postponed or cancelled, I think.

 

[jaz]

Exactly the same reason my first surgery and aftercare were contracted out to Mercer. We've had some nasty virus's circulating this winter which has filled the public hospitals to capacity. Procedure is to contract out the surgery then transfer the following day by ambulance to public hospital for aftercare. Auckland had no bed for me after the first which is why I stayed at Mercer. When I found out I needed the second (on ACC) the OS arranged for me to be admitted immediately then released on weekend leave so the bed would be there on Monday.

 

[mvo]

That is interesting. I am glad I got to stay at the one place. I think at Waikato if you are contracted out it is for the surgery as well as the aftercare – a package deal I am very relieved that everything worked out well. Until nearly the end of the pre-admission clinic I was unsure whether I wanted to go through with it at all! On reading this forum it seems such misgivings are fairly normal

 

[jaz]

I was unsure about having the first surgery until I started telling everyone I was booked in and they reassured me it was the best thing. As for the second, I was very frustrated at having to go back to square one but the recovery has been much much faster.