Help!!!!

[Spirit09]

Hello everybody! I am new to this website and I have enjoyed all of the posted messages very much. I am 55 yrs old and I will be having total hip replacement surgery in September. I am a little worried about it, especially about the recovery process. Well, I guess about the level of pain too. I previously had radiation to my left hip due to liposarcoma on my pelvis. Needless to say, the radiation treatment damaged my hip bone and now I have avascular necrosis and need to have the surgery soon. I would really appreciate your input about your own experiences, surgery, pain level, recovery and the activity you are able to do now.

Thank you!:flwr:

 

[Texas]

Hi Spirit Welcome I am a knee so I wouldnt to advise you but Im sure others on here can hep you will your questions. I see alot of hips, I think you will do just fine and we will all be here to help you..good Luck to you.....

 

[Josephine]

Welcome, Spirit! Welcome to BoneSmart. You know, if you've been reading around in the threads in the After Hip Replacement - Recovery Discussions you'll be able to find lots of information to answer your questions. I recently did a little project for the boss and came up with these great quotes from various posts

1. Had Right THR 3 weeks ago and I'm shocked to say that I feel pretty darned good! I can walk fairly normally unaided around my house. I can play with the dog. I can get up and down the stairs with no pain and relative ease. Just wanted to let anyone know that there really IS light at the end of the tunnel!

2. I had my left hip done 11 months ago and the right one 4 months ago. I don't even notice them

3. I was able to drive at 4 weeks after both surgeries and had no problems with braking or accelerating.

4. I am exactly three weeks post op and I am off to the store, walking every day, doing house keeping, enjoying my family and friends, and feeling SOOOOO much better than before surgery.

5. I can't recommend hip replacement too strongly. For me, after having both THRs this past year 9 months apart, it's been nearly a miracle. I am pain-free in my hips and able to do things I could not do for years.

6. I feel great! I should have done it sooner!! Although I'm still in the recovery process I feel awesome!

7. Completed week 4 today and it's hard to believe that two weeks ago I was in such terrible shape. Already planning 3rd rim to rim of Grand Canyon for 2010...doc said go for it. (aged 70)

8. Just completed week 5 and the world has suddenly become a place of: driving a car, going out to dinner, shopping, and enjoying life again. Prior to THR life wasn't a lot of fun and certainly very little pleasure. I now feel alive again...

9. I had THR 8 weeks ago and feel FABULOUS! I didn't realize how much pain I was tolerating until now! I feel hopeful about my life.

10. Thanks to my fitness, I breezed through the surgery, setting a record for shortest hospital stay for bilateral THR (2 days), and recovered faster and easier than expected. I have been able to return to everything I want. I have also returned to horseback riding, after a 25 yr hiatus, and now own, love and show a lovely Hanoverian mare in eventing.

Hope these help some.

The op (for you) will last about 10 seconds! If they give you a spinal, they'll also give you a knock out med which will keep you sound asleep for the duration and then you'll wake up in recovery.

And don't worry too much about the pain. At the start you'll have a IV with a morphine button that gives you a dose on command every 5 or 10 mins. After that, you will have good strong pain pills and they do a pretty good job provided to stick to the 4hrly regime.

The biggest bug-bear is the restrictions you have to comply with to avoid the possibility of dislocation. The PT or the surgeon will explain these to you in detail and as long as you keep to them you won't be in danger. The rule that you cannot bend your hip more than 90 degrees (right angles) is a bit of a nuisance as you will be unable to put on your own socks or stockings, wash your feet or cut your nails. But once the restrictions are lifted, you'll be fine and able to do almost anything you want. I say 'almost' because it will take you around 3-4 months to really recover from the surgery and the anaesthetic, and that's mentally and physically. You need to bear this in mind and plan plenty of rest time as well as activity. Plenty of both but both in moderation!

You'll be fine!

 

[Nancyo]

Hi Spirit and welcome!
Jo has covered just about everything possible to cover in a short post. I just wanted to add that you will have many helpful friends on this forum and we all care. Keep us informed and post anytime and very often. Let us know what's happening with you. There are plenty of folks on here who have been through your very same experience and we all love to share ideas and support. Don't worry, everything will be fine and you'll be so happy with the results. Hope to see you posting soon!
Blessings to you!
Nancyo

 

[DianeC]

Spirit,

I'm 52 and had a RTHR a little over 7 weeks ago.

I had general anesthesia and was queasy for about 5 days which wasn't fun.Initially my leg felt like it weighed a ton and it was hard to get in and out of bed. For 2 weeks, whenever I was out of bed my leg would swell all the way down to my toes. I spent a lot of time reading in bed with my feet elevated, and taking naps.

I used a walker for a week, then switched to crutches (or a single crutch) for another couple of weeks before I felt secure enough for a cane. I stopped using the cane about 3 weeks ago and feel great. I am still taking naps almost every day, but that may be because I like to stay up late.

I'm seeing my OS next Tuesday and am hoping my hip precautions will be lifted.

I haven't ever regretted having the surgery. Even when my hip gets achy, the pain is so much less than before my surgery.

The worst part about the surgery is waiting for it. Spending time reading about other people's experiences really helped me before my surgery, so post any questions or concerns you may have.

Diane

 

[mvo]

Hi Spirit,

I was very lucky with the post-op pain - I didn't have any. I got the basic quota of meds dished out at the hospital, but didn't take any pain meds when I got home. No swelling either. But my mind did go quite "mushy" - it was day 9 or 10 before I even wanted to open my laptop, whereas some on here have posted very lucidly a day or so after surgery - no way could I have done that!

By six weeks I was back fulltime at work (in hindsight, easing in part-time at that point would have been wiser). By three months I was bouncing around, good as new and able to look help out my sister with her second THR.

The absence of joint pain is just great, you wont regret the surgery at all

All the best!

 

[NanaPat]

Spirit,

I had RTHR 7 weeks ago - anterior approach, so I didn't have the 90 degree precautions...I'm 61 and overweight... if I can do it - you can too!:hehe:

Definitely do your PT, that helps immensely. I'm still using a walker, (never used crutches) but have starting working with a cane this week...still feel wobbly tho. I don't seem to need naps anymore and we get out for some shopping every other day or so. My PT is twice a week for 2 hours, plus I do them at home daily....doesn't take two hours at home since I don't have the machines.

Good luck, keep in touch with BoneSmart....everyone is very helpful.

NanaPat

 

[JudyS]

I had my right hip replaced last summer. A walker in the hospital for 2 days, then crutches, at about 3-4 weeks a cane for a few weeks. At 3 months I was back to hiking and anything else (except running is kind of banned forever) Great awesome surgery, no more hip pain. I love my new hip
judy

 

[aussie]

Welcome Spirit,

My hip replacement was a while ago now, about 20 months, and truly it's all a distant memory already. Life has just gotten better and better.

Best wishes to you, and hang in there, you will really appreciate your new life.

 

[TBONE]

Spirit--best thing I ever did, but I should have done it at 45 instead of at 51. Pain levels, for me, were modest (about a 3/10). I was on a walker for 6 days and a cane for 6 weeks, and I stayed on prescription pain meds of some sort for about 7 weeks, and even now take an occasional non prescription med, but much less than before surgery. I can now do just about anything. I work out at a gym. I have joined a local masters swim group, I can walk whenever and wherever I choose, and I can stand forever. I have some flexibility issues which I still work on ( I even continue with PT) and I have not played basketball or run with regularity (and probably won't) but I honestly feel like I can now do that too.

 

[Josephine]

Well, he/she was in the forum about 4 hrs ago. Wonder why they never posted?

 

[shilohplace]

You will do great. The surgery is amazing. You will be amazed at how fast you rehab.

 

[Jamie]

Hi, Spirit. Welcome to the BoneSmart family. You'll find all the support you need here from people who have been through the surgery or are facing it just like you are. Please continue to post whenever you have a question or concern. And....use the link Josephine provided to do some reading in the older threads. Lots of information there for you!!

 

[loghaula]

Hi Spirit, Am a newbie myself and had LHR end of May. Epidural worked great; woke up in Recovery with all pain gone. Was told it would come back when the painkillers wore off. It did not; quit using painkillers when I was unhooked from them at the hospital. Have continued to have some swelling in my leg down to my toes, but no soreness in the hip, just some discomfort. Upon return home, I found my biggest help was using a bed with no footboard. That way, I didn't have to have help getting in and out of the bed when I needed to go to the bathroom, etc. I could keep the "fixed" leg straight, and use the other to scoot myself up and down the bed. As you will note from the messages, it seems up to the individual how long it takes to recover and how much discomfort. I am going back this Thursday to have RHR and am so looking forward to it. The pain you have now only gets worse, so don't delay. And best of luck for the future; there is no need in putting our bodies through so much misery when there is such a quick and wonderful remedy.

 

[kangaroo]

Hello everybody! I am new to this website and I have enjoyed all of the posted messages very much. I am 55 yrs old and I will be having total hip replacement surgery in September. I am a little worried about it, especially about the recovery process. Well, I guess about the level of pain too. I previously had radiation to my left hip due to liposarcoma on my pelvis. Needless to say, the radiation treatment damaged my hip bone and now I have avascular necrosis and need to have the surgery soon. I would really appreciate your input about your own experiences, surgery, pain level, recovery and the activity you are able to do now.

Thank you!:flwr:

Hi Spirit,
I had THR on 28th April. Ive had virtually no pain at all, at any time except on about day 10 when I really overdid it,,,, i paid for it, but it recovered within 24 hours.....
i went bushwalking today, about 2 km track, down into the valley and back out again, with lots of stairs....not a problem. I took my stick because I thought I should and on the uneven stairs I was glad I had it, but if i hadn't I'm sure I would have managed....

Try not to worry....I was too but the thought of living with this stupid hip was a greater worry and occupied too much of my thinking and energy...now I'm too busy living life to think about the stupid hip! To be frank mostly I don't notice the hip at all now, Im just getting on with stuff....
Rachel
Rachel