THR Anxious

Michael1000

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Good Morning
I appreciate how thoughtful and helpful everyone seems to be. I am going soon for Hip Replacement. The Dr said I should not wait any longer because it has been bone on bone for a while. He said it shouldn't be a problem but waiting could make surgery more difficult. Just hearing that added horribly to my anxiety. I am not in a lot of pain but definitely very stiff and I am having some balance issues. I walk with a cane. I did read an article about man in his late 50s that waited a long time before doing it and it all worked out fine. If I could wait until the Covid issues were more under control I would but now I am anxious about doing it and anxious about not doing it. Any positive helpful comments would be appreciated but please nothing that will make the anxiety worse. At this point, I can't change the situation but if someone else waited for a long time and had a positive outcome it will help to hear about. Thank you very much.
 
Hello Michael, Welcome to BoneSmart, thanks for joining us!
I‘m sorry you’re struggling with pain, anxiety and uncertainty.

If you’re going to have your hip replaced and it sounds like you definitely plan to, there is no time like the present. With the ups and downs of Covid and no end in sight, they could cancel all elective surgeries again at some point. You can also look at these crazy days we‘re all navigating as a great time for recovery because we’re all doing less due to closures and restrictions. Why put off the inevitable? It’s easy for us to find excuses in our anxiety and we all felt it to varying degrees. I was extremely anxious myself and gained courage through reading and posting here, so I’m glad you’ve joined us.

You can continue on the way you are, possibly getting worse, or embrace the brighter future awaiting you. No matter what you decide, we’re here for you now and through your recovery, so stop back often.

Wishing you comfort and peace of mind in your decision making.
@Michael1000
 
@Michael1000 I was just your age when I had my hips replaced ... that was almost 9 years ago and I am daily glad that I had it done! Now I rarely even think about having artificial hips ... until I log in here. As Layla said "why wait?" You mentioned you are having balance problems and walking with a cane and I'd venture to guess your activities have been getting fewer and more difficult as time goes on. Getting a new hip will be a positive life change!

Yes the thought of surgery is anxiety producing but your surgeon and all the nurses and staff are professionals and have your best interests at heart. They do these surgeries frequently and are thoroughly professional. For me the hardest part was waiting to actually get the surgery done.

Post op pain is easily managed with medications - discuss that with your surgeon. Then icing and elevating the leg helps too. A few months of recuperation and you'll most likely be able to get back to enjoying all of your favorite activities :)

Best of luck to you and keep us informed on your progress - this really is the best place for helpful, accurate information and support!
 
Thank you, Deb. I am hearing exactly what I need to hear and I do appreciate it. I probably won't delay surgery, although I might have to for at least a couple of weeks because the hospital is under restrictions right now because of the increase in Covid cases and limited bed capacity. ............When I heard him say that too much wear with bone on bone can make the surgery more difficult is when the anxiety really increased. I know someone that had a hip replaced several years ago and the surgeon told him that the bone was almost welded against into the hip but he didn't mention that that made anything more difficult. ...and then his surgery has been fine so I guess mine will be too. Unfortunately, once we get anxious, I think it takes on a life of it's own and I have a tendency to concentrate too much on any little thing I hear. You and Layla have been the best. Again, thank you.
 
You'll let us know your surgery date when you get one, won't you?
 
@Michael1000 At the time of my hip replacements one hip was fused - bone of head of femur growing into pelvis. My surgeon said the surgery was more difficult from his perspective (aka more work - carpentry metaphor applied in spades according to him - don't think about that too much)--- but no more difficult in terms of recuperation for me. I was very fortunate in that I had a relatively easy recuperation. Though I did spend about 9 months doing physical therapy. Hips really do not need PT but if you've limped for a long time (I did for nearly 3 years) the muscles around the hips may need extra help getting back to proper working order. Just for example - it took me 3 months to get left foot on to right knee and 6 months to get right foot on to left knee) though walking, stair climbing, etc was doable right after the surgery :)

If you are interested the link to my hip recovery thread is i my signature ... also go over to the recovery side and read any threads that catch your eye :)
 
Anxiety is quite normal and you are right it tends to feed on itself. One way I dealt with it is to concentrate on what I will be able to do without discomfort or limitations. Some of the things I was looking forward to was decrease in discomfort/pain; walking without a cane; better balance since not worried about hip hurting or giving out; sleeping better, ease of getting chores done, vacation trips and walking to see new things (this is on hold now due to Covid but this too will pass), mowing the lawn without discomfort/pain, etc.

Lots of information and support here to help with anxiety and questions. I spent a lot of time here before and after all my joint replacements.
 
If you are anxious about the COVID, I can tell you what my experience was. I had decided to have surgery right before COVID hit and then everything shut down. They told me to keep doing my exercises so my muscles wouldn't deteriorate (as much as possible).

As soon as it opened up in late April, I scheduled my surgery for June 9. I had to schedule it several weeks out because my surgeon had a significant list of things for me to do before the surgery.

I was very nervous about COVID, but I gotta say, I think I might be better off than if I had had the surgery during normal times. Everyone was super careful about sterilizing and keeping safe. There was only one other patient on the orthopedic ward, so the overnight nursing staff was very attentive-- one nurse aide told me she was glad I was there because she had been getting bored.

At any rate, the experience was much more personalized and I felt totally safe. Hope this helps!
 
I remember how scared I was when I finally decided hip replacements were necessary for me. I am so glad I had them done, and it's such a joy to be able to walk and move and exercise without being in pain!
 
Good morning @Michael1000 :wave:

The pre op nerves and worries are tough on a person. I think most of us went through a huge range of emotions as we waited or while deciding. Then our surgery day arrives and most of us are exclaiming "why didn't I do this sooner?"

My sport doctor was the one who helped me make my decision by telling me that I was currently in good health and in decent shape, so why wouldn't I want to do it now? I had no answer for him, but it spurred me into action. Fast forward 5 years and now both of my hips are replaced. Life is good.
 
You have all been great and I am thankful that I came upon this site and that you are all so willing to put the effort into responding to me. It is helping but I will admit that last night I had a fever and a headache. I do occasionally get a low grade fever. Years ago a Doctor told me that I am 'very aware' and so I suspect that most people have this experience and it means just fighting off allergies or some small thing that we probably all get occasionally. Anyway, that then led to more anxiety and the headache intensified and lasted through to this morning. (Could also be from stress?) All of that said, this morning I was reading these comments and it helped. I am having a talk with myself now about putting it in perspective. Driving in the car has some danger, but I do it all the time. :) ...that helps to think about but everyone's support and comments help even more. Thanks again.
 
Hi @Michael1000 and welcome! I know how those minor symptoms make me anxious! I hope you're back to normal now!

I'll pass on my "surgery during Covid" tale. Back in the fall I got a little hernia where I'd had some incisions 40+ years ago. In January it was advised that people who get them fixed before they become an emergency are generally better off. I decided to think about it a bit. By the time I'd worried myself into deciding to do it now as elective rather than in the winter as emergency but Covid would have overwhelmed the ER's by then... there were no elective surgeries! Restriction lifted in...May?, and I got on the schedule for June 4. It was quite scary because of the general anaesthesia, but this particular hospital had a very good Covid track record. I made it through, am 6 1/2 weeks post op, and am So Glad I sucked it up and did it.

You have a diminished life right now-- it it were I, I'd get on that OS's books so fast your head would spin. Your hip will not regret it one little bit!
 
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Thank you, Zauberflote. That helps, I feel pretty good about the covid issues at the hospital but I am coming home alone so I need to be very careful who I invite in for either Physical Therapy or other help.

I have to learn a little better how to navigate this site. I hope to do that in the next day or so. I am having trouble responding to posts after they have passed. Maybe that is the way the site it set up to avoid too many replies back and forth? ....Anyway, again, thank you all.

djklaugh - I appreciate your information as I waited a long time too and that is what has added to my concern. Your 'fusing' situation along with how well it went helped. I tried to follow your link to your recovery but it seemed mixed in with a lot of other stuff. I will try again later today. Thanks again.
 
:wave:Hello and a Happy Tuesday to you, Michael.
I just edited your post above by adding the (@) symbol in front of djklaugh. This will guarantee she sees your response next time she visits the forum. She will receive an alert, otherwise she’d only know you responded if she came back to check on your thread. The forum can be confusing initially but once you learn your way around it’s pretty easy peasy! Following is a link that should help -

Stop by with questions, comments, concerns at any time and we’ll do our best to help.
I hope today is a good one for you! :)
@Michael1000
 
@Michael1000 I won't tell you how long it took me to learn that I can indeed figure out this forum. :rotfl:

Depending on what device/browser/the app you are using, if you're lucky, each thread you've visited will land you at your last-read post when you next visit. That makes it easier to keep up. There is also a bookmark function, for threads and for posts (I think!) but I was never able to find where I'd put them for safekeeping; story of my life!

And, it was actually June 4 that I had the hernia repair, but now I can't edit that post!
 

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