THR January Op

[Sukuma]

How do I join the thread? My surgery is planned for next week 11th Jan - I am SO nervous.., so looking for support.

2023 January Jackpots - Are you having hip surgery in January?​

 

[Jaycey]

@Sukuma I can get you added to the January thread. Which hip is being replaced?

Of course you are nervous. No one like to face surgery. We totally understand. Just keep posting here - it does help ease the nerves. And on the day tell every member of staff you meet that you are anxious. They will do everything they can to help you stay calm

 

[Sukuma]

Thankyou. It's my left hip.

I have been looking through the forum's information pages and find them very useful. There seem to be one hurdle after another to get over. It took me three years to accept that I need to have surgery , the pain was to much to handle and interfering with my day to day activities, never mind waking up at night in pain. Once I got over that hurdle, it was then getting over the panic of surgical risks and gaining acceptance without thinking I am going to die due to anaethesia or deep vein thombosis. Now I have got to the point of accepting those and calming down, I am now panicing about the pain and recovery period. It seems mentally I am having to go step by step trying to accept that this has to happen and how to best deal with it, without bursting into tears or feeling overwhelmed.

I have had my pre-op assessment and made my house as ready as possible for my return. I wake up during the night with my hip throbbing, reminding myself this is why I am going through this, long term to get rid of the pain and be able to walk my dogs again for miles. It will just take a few months to get there.

 

[Jaycey]

@Sukuma I delayed my first THR for 3 years too. Just couldn't get my head around the surgery and how I would deal with recovery. The truth is, this pre-op period is the worst part. Your mind goes wild with all the "what if".

Keep reading in the recovery forum. Lots of happy hippies getting back to living again. That first step post op is amazing. No more bone on bone pain.

It will just take a few months to get there.

It can take up to one year for full recovery. It all depends on how your body reacts to the procedure and how long you have been limping around pre-op. The slow and steady approach to this recovery works every time.

Just remember - surgery is a big deal for you. But your surgeon and their team do this every day, several times per day. Relax and let them do their day job!

 

[Sukuma]

Hi All,

Just saying hi to all those who have taken the brave steps to put yourself forward for surgery and to wish you all the best in a speedy healthy recovery. I have been counting the days down ever since I made that fateful decision and each day seems to be so long , to get to the point of getting it over and done with. I have spent the last couple of days preparing everything in the house, removing rugs off the floors, tidying up round the house so I can walk around with crutches and every day following the exercise regime to strengthen the hip muscles as much as possible. It's a habit now to watch something on Netflix, while standing next to a chair, moving my leg around. I am even standing in post office queues or shop queues, waving my leg about - must look a bit silly! It's almost an obsession! I will miss my 3 times a week swimming, but look forward to being able to get back to it. Also been looking for things to keep me amused while unable to do much to keep any bordom or depression at bay. Does all of this sound familar to you?

 

[Mojo333]

@Sukuma

There are lots of what-ifs that can take over when we are waiting for a procedure...and I had a few years of red flags...and over 2 years of horrid lower back and hip pain as my diagnosis was a bit elusive.

I was so sleep deprived and depressed by the time I had BTHR in May of 2017 that I wasn't as afraid of the procedure as I was that it might not "work".
I am back to a happy healthy life and am ever grateful for my new hips.

Lot of support and good advice here! We are rooting for you.

 

[Gray Horse]

Hi All,

Just saying hi to all those who have taken the brave steps to put yourself forward for surgery and to wish you all the best in a speedy healthy recovery. I have been counting the days down ever since I made that fateful decision and each day seems to be so long , to get to the point of getting it over and done with. I have spent the last couple of days preparing everything in the house, removing rugs off the floors, tidying up round the house so I can walk around with crutches and every day following the exercise regime to strengthen the hip muscles as much as possible. It's a habit now to watch something on Netflix, while standing next to a chair, moving my leg around. I am even standing in post office queues or shop queues, waving my leg about - must look a bit silly! It's almost an obsession! I will miss my 3 times a week swimming, but look forward to being able to get back to it. Also been looking for things to keep me amused while unable to do much to keep any bordom or depression at bay. Does all of this sound familar to you?

Yes waiting for that surgery date may be the hardest part...I'm having to go through my third "opening up" as a revision I had done a year ago was a failure. It's a tough pill to swallow, pretty sure I have PTSD from the last surgery as my surgeon did not give me enough medication to manage my pain. This time, new surgeon and I will be staying in the hospital to manage pain.

 

[HollyNY]

@Sukuma my experience was so similar to yours. I knew that I had a slipped l4/l5 disk so I thought that caused my back pain

I had never had so much as a broken bone, never been in the hospital for any reason. It was hard to accept the idea of the hip replacement.

That was 1 year ago.

I am now bionic on right hip, cane free, back to work and back to a full night's rest.

You will get there !

 

[Jujubee50]

Having right THR on January 23, 2023. This is my 2nd hip. Left side was done July 14, 2021. The right one has been doing what the left has done at the beginning. X-rays and MRI state moderate osteoarthritis and cysts in the right and that was a year ago. Had 1 steroid injection and some physical therapy. I am not waiting on this one. Left one was so bad by the time I gave in and accepted the need for surgery. This time, I know what will happen eventually and I am tired of living my life either in pain or sitting on the couch. Sometimes I wonder if I am jumping the gun and should wait as there are days it feels perfectly fine. It scares me to think I will have 2 fake body parts too. I am 52 years old. I have gained 25 pounds in the last year, I elect to not do things with friends and family because I know I cannot walk long, such as going to the fair, etc. I want to get on with living.

 

[Jujubee50]

@Sukuma

There are lots of what-ifs that can take over when we are waiting for a procedure...and I had a few years of red flags...and over 2 years of horrid lower back and hip pain as my diagnosis was a bit elusive.

I was so sleep deprived and depressed by the time I had BTHR in May of 2017 that I wasn't as afraid of the procedure as I was that it might not "work".
I am back to a happy healthy life and am ever grateful for my new hips.

Lot of support and good advice here! We are rooting for you.

This helps me! Thank you. Had my left hip done in July 2021. Now getting the right done Jan 23, 2023. It is not nearly as painful or bothersome as the left had been. I only really have pain when walking for a length of time. No pain with sitting. I had a couple of really bad months this past year though, which brought me back to the orthopedic surgeon. We know this hip has moderate osteoarthritis and cysts so we decided not to wait for it to get as bad as the previous one. Really hard sometimes to get myself to be okay with the surgery when I have not had pain for a couple of days or more. Gets me second guessing myself. I have also been scared of having 2 fake joints. Not sure why. The first hip is doing really good. I am 52. I really just want to be able do do anything I want instead of sitting watching my life go by. Nice to see that you enjoy having both hips done.

 

[Jujubee50]

@Sukuma my experience was so similar to yours. I knew that I had a slipped l4/l5 disk so I thought that caused my back pain

I had never had so much as a broken bone, never been in the hospital for any reason. It was hard to accept the idea of the hip replacement.

That was 1 year ago.

I am now bionic on right hip, cane free, back to work and back to a full night's rest.

You will get there !

So nice to hear you also wondered about your diagnosis. I too had the low back pain, pain that was like sciatic, etc. I do get the groin pain though. My surgeon reassured me that is how he knows. Glad your surgery went well.

 

[PolarIce]

Just a few days away! woohoo! so excited for you! I don't know if I know a single person who was not nervous. Even those of us who have had many surgeries and time dealing with those issues, were all still nervous. It's a normal feeling to have and the good news is that there is nothing the a good anesthetic can't fix LOL!
Super thrilled for you! just 3 days to go until the beginning of a new life starts for you and your recovery kick starts! congrats!!!

 

[thepuckhead]

Hi, @Sukuma!

Absolutely yes to this:

It seems mentally I am having to go step by step trying to accept that this has to happen and how to best deal with it, without bursting into tears or feeling overwhelmed.

The mental preparation is real and it is a doozy. I had no clue that I would experience such a high level of anxiety and uncertainty. The surgeons can show you x-rays of the damage and (G-rated) illustrations of the implant and the PAs/coordinators can give you nice pamphlets with pictures of grey-haired people enjoying a hike, but they don't show you a picture of your brain all lit up trying to make sense of the shock and uncertainty.

And then we start getting anxious about being anxious. And the anxiety will grab onto any (and I mean any) perceived problem.

One piece of advice I found helpful was to treat your anxiety like an overprotective parent or scared child. It wants your attention. Ask why it's worried or scared and then listen to the response. This helps the overwhelm because now there is a specific concern to consider.

I would sometimes find myself saying, out loud, in exasperation, "What NOW?? Jeeeeze!"

Tears are OK, too.

I think all of this will make you mentally strong and prepared - anxiety is one voice on this journey and learning how to incorporate it/use it/address it will provide a tremendous coping skill for the difficult days when they happen.

Take care!

 

[Layla]

Tomorrow is your big day. I hope you have your recovery nest set up and you are ready to get on with process. You're going to love the result this surgery brings! Please join us on the healing side once you're resting comfortably at home. We'd love to follow your progress. All the best!
@Sukuma