THR Right hip replacement

[HopalongCassidy]

Hi All
I'm due to have my right hip replaced on 7th August. Bit new to all of this so I'm glad to have found this forum.
I've been waiting two and a half years for this so in one way I'm looking forward to it whilst feeling nervous at the same time. I live a two hour drive by car from the hospital so the return home bothers me a little. My wife will be driving but I'm 6'3" so getting into the car without bending more than 90 degrees will be difficult.

 

[benne68]

Hi @Hopalong Cassid and welcome to BoneSmart! Congratulations on your surgery date.

It's perfectly normal to be anxious prior to surgery. But you I'm sure you are eager to get it done after having to wait so long!

Since you still have a little time before surgery, I will share some tips from BoneSmart's helpful guide.

Score Chart: How bad is my arthritic hip?
Longevity of implants and revisions: How long will my new joint last?
Recovery Aids: A comprehensive list for hospital and home
Recliner Chairs: Things you need to know if buying one for your recovery
Pre-Op Interviews: What's involved?

And if you want to picture what your life might be like with a replaced hip, take a look at the posts and threads from other BoneSmarties provided in this link:
Stories of amazing hip recoveries

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery. While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.

 

[Eman85]

I was 2hrs from the hospital first time, a little further second. Spent the night before in a motel so I could be there for early surgery. I did spend the night at the hospital and then my wife drove home. We do have an SUV so getting in and out was OK. Just have to sit then pivot in, use a plastic garbage bag if the seats aren't slippery, practice now. We stopped to eat on the way home both times and also for me to get out and walk a little with the walker.

 

[Layla]

I'm 6'3" so getting into the car without bending more than 90 degrees will be difficult.

You'll sit down, rear in first, with both legs still outside of the vehicle, feet on the ground. Then if you've placed a large trash bag on the seat, it will remove any friction allowing you to swivel into front facing (windshield) position. It really is easier than you imagine. I stressed about it a bit, but used this method and along with the bag...slam dunk!

At one time we had a video on this for a clear visual. You can google "accessing a car post THR", or something similar, and you should be able to find one to view.

Also, you may want to plan on a stop halfway home so you can stretch, especially at your height, and also walk a bit because the car isn't very comfortable early on due to the tight confines and inability to stretch your legs much at all.

Only one week to go. I wish you lots of comfort as you wait and hope you'll join us on the healing side once you're post op.

 

[HopalongCassidy]

Thanks Layla, that’s really helpful and encouraging. Good idea for the halfway stop and stretch. I’ll be with you for a while…

 

[HopalongCassidy]

I was 2hrs from the hospital first time, a little further second. Spent the night before in a motel so I could be there for early surgery. I did spend the night at the hospital and then my wife drove home. We do have an SUV so getting in and out was OK. Just have to sit then pivot in, use a plastic garbage bag if the seats aren't slippery, practice now. We stopped to eat on the way home both times and also for me to get out and walk a little with the walker.

Thanks, that really helpful. I find these smallish issues can really take over in the absence of information. This forum really makes a difference for me

 

[HopalongCassidy]

Thanks for the welcome and the tips - I’ll be reading them today.
The positive stories are great for helping me see the future. This is such a supportive place!

 

[nasruddin]

The 90-degree thing depends on the approach & the surgeon's advice, but you probably have that info already.
I was fine getting in & out of the car - not as tall as you, but had to stuff myself into/out of a Prius. My leg actually worked better after the surgery than before. You will need the walker ready to support you as you exit.

Your pre-op is probably different but mine had a sneaky little surprise. I got an early morning arrival, 545 AM - that was good, pretty likely out the door in the afternoon - but I had to get up at 345 AM and drink a sugar beverage they required! (Finish 1:45 before arrival!)

 

[HopalongCassidy]

Wow! 545 am is something I might struggle withThanks for sharing your car experience, I'm much less concerned than I was thanks to the responses here.
I'm also interested to hear how people coped with sleeping on their backs. As a lifelong side sleeper I think I'm going to find that difficult.

 

[djklaugh]

@Hopalong Cassid An additional tip: If you have not already done so, go buy new shoes! When one has a deteriorating hip and limps because of that, the wear patterns on shoes reflect that dysfunctional gait. And after surgery that old pattern is NOT good for new hips!

 

[Gloucestergal65]

@Hopalong Cassid - as a recovery position sleeper, half on side, half on front, I was nervous about back sleeping and I tried without success to practice beforehand. In the end, I had no problems. I surrounded myself with pillows to snuggle into, had one between my legs like the hospital wedge, a spare one for under my knees for when my back ached or under my heels when they hurt a bit and it was fine. My sleep patterns were a bit disrupted to start with - all that fluid they fill you with to keep your blood pressure up, but I just let myself nap when I needed to. At 7 months I still sleep part of the time on my back and the rest of the time on the non operated side with a pillow between my legs. My operated side (lateral) is still a little bit tender and so I’m not yet using that side. A lot if the things I worried about beforehand turned out not to anything in the end. Good luck.

 

[Gloucestergal65]

@Hopalong Cassid - that was a breeze with a plastic bag and some explanation.

 

[HopalongCassidy]

Thank you, that’s reassuring

 

[HopalongCassidy]

@Hopalong Cassid An additional tip: If you have not already done so, go buy new shoes! When one has a deteriorating hip and limps because of that, the wear patterns on shoes reflect that dysfunctional gait. And after surgery that old pattern is NOT good for new hips!

Thanks that’s really helpful to know.

 

[nasruddin]

@Hopalong Cassid An additional tip: If you have not already done so, go buy new shoes! When one has a deteriorating hip and limps because of that, the wear patterns on shoes reflect that dysfunctional gait. And after surgery that old pattern is NOT good for new hips!

I just got a taste of this. I have some sandals I didn’t use much that work fine, but yesterday I grabbed an old pair that I put many miles on before surgery - no good. Fortunately a short trip. Not cheap ones either.

 

[Eman85]

I'm also interested to hear how people coped with sleeping on their backs. As a lifelong side sleeper I think I'm going to find that difficult.

Yes, it will be difficult but it's not for a lifetime. It's all just part of the recovery which is all worth the effort. Like a lot of things in life it will make when you can side sleep all the more enjoyable.

 

[HopalongCassidy]

I'm also interested to hear how people coped with sleeping on their backs. As a lifelong side sleeper I think I'm going to find that difficult.

Yes, it will be difficult but it's not for a lifetime. It's all just part of the recovery which is all worth the effort. Like a lot of things in life it will make when you can side sleep all the more enjoyable.

That’s true, and the long perspective is the right one. Thanks

 

[MissFanny]

@Hopalong Cassid The back sleeping is kind of a bummer, but the drugs they give you for pain help to knock you out. Also, the surgery is an energy sapper, so you will be surprised how much easier it is to sleep on your back than you think. I slept with my feet elevated. That seemed to help a lot. I also got up about 5 hours after going to bed to take a bathroom/painkiller/walk around break. I am 3.5 months out from my THR and can sleep on my surgery side now! Feels great to be able to sleep on either side without pain now.

Best of luck to you on Monday! You will have a few challenges—like back sleeping—but it will be worth it in the end.

 

[TiredOfLimping]

I am a very sound sleeper and I sleep on either side, changing positions often while asleep. Before my surgery, I worried about rolling over onto my op side while asleep and doing damage to my new hip. I found these wedge pillows, a set of 5 different shapes, on Amazon that I used and they were really great. This is what I used: Betterhood 5 pcs Orthopedic Bed Wedge Pillow Set.

It is adjustable memory foam, post surgery foam for back, neck and leg pain relief, acid reflux, snoring, reading, sleeping, sitting up,

I slept so good with this set of pillows, I didn’t even try side sleeping until around 4 months post op.

 

[HopalongCassidy]

@Hopalong Cassid The back sleeping is kind of a bummer, but the drugs they give you for pain help to knock you out. Also, the surgery is an energy sapper, so you will be surprised how much easier it is to sleep on your back than you think. I slept with my feet elevated. That seemed to help a lot. I also got up about 5 hours after going to bed to take a bathroom/painkiller/walk around break. I am 3.5 months out from my THR and can sleep on my surgery side now! Feels great to be able to sleep on either side without pain now.

Best of luck to you on Monday! You will have a few challenges—like back sleeping—but it will be worth it in the end.

Hi MissFanny, thanks for this message and your good wishes. This is such a supportive group - I’m so glad I found it