hip replacement worries

[helenjoan]

i am new to this site so hello everyone i am due to have a LHR done next month or sept i have had many problems with my other leg many surgerys the last one being a knee fusion 5 years ago i am worried about the hip op as i havnt really got a good leg or one that can bend i am in so much pain so really need the op but am so worried any advice please

 

[ronniesloan]

Hi there you have come to the right place, I am due to get RTHR at about the same time. There are plenty of well informed people who have gone through it all, believe me they help a lot. Good luck:thmb:

 

[Texas]

Hi Helen Welcome Im a knee, but there are plenty hips here. Im sure they will get up and post soon ...lol......good luck on your surgery. After you have this surgery you will have some pain but atleast this pain will go away......You said one had an knee infusion, will that one need to be replaced...There are plenty of people on here that have had their hips done. MDakota just did, and she seems to be doing fantatic. At least that will give you one good leg to stand on. Then maybe get the other fixed and none will be able to catch up.........Post anytime with any questions we have all beed thru it one way or another.......Good luck to you........

 

[JudyS]

Helenjoan
Welcome. I just love my new hip. I've had a little surgery marathon going on, but the hip shines above all the rest:wub: The most important thing is having a good surgeon. It really is a perfected surgery. I can do anything with that hip and could never tell there was anything different in there, just no pain.
It is awesome
judy

 

[Jamie]

Welcome to BoneSmart, helen. So glad you decided to join the forum. There are a bunch of caring folks here available to help and support you through your surgery and recovery.

Hip replacements have a fabulous success rate and I hope that it makes a positive difference in your life like it has for so many of our forum members. Given the difficulty you've had with your other leg, recovery might be a little more involved. But I'm betting you can get through it just fine.

Will you see your doctor again soon? Maybe you could chat with him to discuss his plan for your recovery. Write out some questions so you don't forget to talk about something that is important to you. And if you have specific questions.....post them here. Many people have had unique situations that they dealt with quite successfully in recovery. Our forum nurse, Josephine, is also a GREAT resource!

I do have a question, though. You mentioned having your right knee fused 5 years ago. Can you tell me a little more about that and your other surgeries? It would help to know more about what's been going on with your right leg. And do you have any of the same issues with the left one or is it only the hip that needs replacement?

 

[Josephine]

Knee fusion? In 2004? Gosh ... do tell us more

 

[mdakota]

hi there welcome.
this is the best place you could be right now. i'd go for the thr. dont be worried to much. i'm not a candidate for fusion because i'm bilat so i understand your worries. my right was just replaced and stairs are very challenging for me because of the left not being good, it will take a little more time for recovery i'd think but the occupational therapist is the one that needs to be doing the worrying for you. there are people on here that have had both done simultaneous and the post op would probably be alot more like theirs. i'm not very knowledgable about national health care but is it possible for you to see the physical and occupational therapist pre op. they might be able to set up something that could really help you. the surgery part well its not really as bad as you'd think especially after just having a fusion. there you lost something here you will be gaining something. it makes it different. i love my new hip. the joint pain is gone, just gone. yeah i have aches i'm only 21/2 weeks out but i can stand longer then i have been able to in a year. these aches dont even compare to the pain pre op. i'm also with jo i'd like to know why fusion? it sounds like alot more then just a hip problem going on.
good luck
monique

 

[kangaroo]

Hi Helen,
I've had stupid hip syndrome for ever and now just 10 weeks on, I'm doing really well.....even if the rest of your joints are dodgey, the pain will be gone in the hip....thats one pain less!.....fear of surgery is an issue....but living with pain for an entire life is a much bigger issue.....
Rachel

 

[helenjoan]

thankyou for your messages of support

i have had problems with both my knees both with unstable kneecaps they would dislocate all the time and I or someone else would have to push it back. I had an op on my left knee in 1980 a patella tendon transfer which was successful though I have arthritis in that knee now. My right knee was first operated on in 1985 which was ok for a while then started dislocating again so I had more surgery. A lateral release in 1989 and 1991 but this still didn't make it stable. It kept dislocating so I had another patella tendon transfer in 1992. This did not work at all.

I was left with a kneecap that dislocated every time i moved my leg so had to wear splints after that to keep my leg straight when I was moving about so to stop it dislocating. This was still a problem for 2 reasons as, when I took splints off, the kneecap was still moving about causing intense pain and inflammation in the joint. Also in 2001 i had cellulitus, a severe skin infection, was in hospital 6 weeks having antibiotics and on bed rest so I wouldn't have to wear splint.

When I got home I was limited when I could wear splint as infection took nearly 2 years to clear completely. After this my surgeon said fusion of the knee was the only option as my joint was so damaged and that would mean I wouldnt have to wear the splint. That was done in 2004 and I now can't fully weight bear on that leg, it is too painful still. The surgeon says there is a lot of scarring and inflammation causing the pain but I can get about on crutches but now it's my hip. I hope this explains why I am so worried about the hip op. Thank you again for your support.

 

[Troweltalk]

I will leave the medical advice to others far more well informed than me; but I will offer some things I learned along the way with my own hip surgery.

If you smoke, stop now and get it out of your system, you will heal faster later on.

If you have the ability, get at least one second opinion. It's not that you may not have a great doctor, but hearing about the same diagnosis from two different and unaffiliated ones tend to have a calming effect on your nerves, as we all get nervous about this so-called "elective" procedure.

Think ahead. Make arrangements for care the week or two after returning home; trying to do too much all on your own too soon can have negative results. Sleeping in a bed can be a bit uncomfortable, so think of an alternative, I bought a nice soft Lazy-Boy recliner for my bedroom, best investment I ever made as it gave me options when I got tired of just laying flat on my back or sitting upright in a chair. Find out what equipment the hospital will issue and what it won't, and get it ahead of time, i.e., raised toilet stand (I preferred the whole frame type with handles over the donut thing), walker, cane, etc.

Sign up for any pre-surgery education or orientation classes that your facility may offer; these answer alot of your questions about how the hospital stay will go, what equipmnet will be used in your care, etc.

If your hospital isn't really close to your home, research alternatives to out-patient physical therapy so you won't have to travel as far during your initial rehab.

As soon as the doctor said i could get into a swimming pool, I did. It is great low impact exercise. Research to find one near you and see where they may offer classes in some form of water arobics or stretching. I actually began with a water arthritis class (I'm 52, and I was the "kid" in the class. I had several "grandma" and "great-grandma" types ask to see if I was single because they had a divorced or widowed daughter looking for a husband...). Most water exercise classes are ideal for people to work at their own pace.

Check back in with us on a regular basis; sharing what's going on with you and reading how others have dealt with issues ranging from "first bowel movement" "sleeping on your side" "weaning off of pain meds" we've all been there and are here to help!

 

[Josephine]

That's some story with your knees, Helen. And sadly a familiar one. But the celullitis, I had that a few years ago and must have been very lucky. Mine was from the toes all the way up to mid-thigh! And I refused to go in for chemotherapy so they treated me with tablets which took around 6 weeks but, praise God, they worked! To hear that your episode took two years to clear even with the chemo, I'm amazed and totally understand why you had to have the fusion (arthrodesis).

I think it is going to make your rehab a little problematic as you'll need to be compensating for both situations. However, it shouldn't be an unsurmountable problem in that you'll not have known of any other options so my guess is that you'll just get on with it!