THR Thinking of Waiting Longer for THR

Lisa76

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I need a THR but am scared...I found out in June that I need a THR. I decided to put off surgery due to my age & some personal things I had to take care. The pain has gotten worse & my hip is "locking up" fairly often now. I had another Xray last week and things have gotten worse since June. My femur head & the hip joint are now oblonge shape. I have an appointment with a different surgeon this Thursday. I know I need surgery because things have gotten worse quickly but I'm scared of surgery & recovery. Any tips on overcoming fear?
 
@Lisa76 I was in the same space before my LTHR. My hip was SO painful and it kept locking and grinding. I waited 3 years due to the fear and due to the wait my recovery was long and complicated. Trying to limp around with a bad hip impacts so many other areas of the body.

BTW my femur was egg shaped and my hip finally collapsed. Believe me, you don't want to deal with that pain!

I found BoneSmart researching how to overcome my fear. Posting here and sharing the journey with others really helped. We will be with you all the way.

Please let us know how your appointment goes on Thursday.
 
Thank you! Things have gotten worse so quickly that I know physically it's time for surgery. But mentally, I'm not there. The thought of being put to sleep & the recovery afterwards are overwhelming. I will not have alot of help available after surgery because my sisters have to work and I have lost both of my parents in the last 2 years. I'm mentally a wreck about the unknowns, etc
 
I will not have alot of help available after surgery because my sisters have to work and I have lost both of my parents in the last 2 years
Many of us spent recovery time alone. You will not leave the hospital until you are moving around on your own including going up and down stairs.

With a bit of pre-op preparation you should be fine. Freeze some of your favourite meals. Put items used regularly within reach. Create an area where you will spend most of your recovery time.

Our Senior Admin @Jamie has just had THR. Here's a link to her recovery thread. I've also tagged her so that she can come and chat here.
 
@Lisa76 Being nervous about having a major surgery is totally normal! And worrying about unknowns is also normal. First identify which of the unknowns is most worrisome and get information to ease those worries. And here at BoneSmart is the best place (IMO) to seek that information. We've seen many folks your age and younger have hip replacements and return to their jobs, families, and hobbies/sports -- even some very strenuous activities.

While I was significantly older than you I do remember well the apprehension I felt when told that not only did I need a hip replacement but I needed 2 of them .... and the surgeon said he recommended I do both at once!

Here are some articles that may help you at this stage and do ask any and all questions that come up for you.

HIP PRE-OP GUIDELINES

If you are at the stage where you have joint pain but don't know for sure if you are ready to have surgery, these links may help:

Score Chart: How bad is my arthritic hip?
Choosing a surgeon and a prosthesis
BMI Calculator - What to do if your surgeon says you're too heavy for joint replacement surgery
Longevity of implants and revisions: How long will my new joint last?
If you are at the stage where you are planning to have surgery but are looking for information so you can be better prepared for what is to come, take a look at these links:

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 stories of amazing hip recoveries
 
Only you can make the decision, but my feeling is if you are here sharing your story its because you are second guessing your decision.

I had my THR earlier this year at the age of 36 yrs old. The downside of waiting for a new hip, is you risk damaging your good hip because it has to make up for the damaged joint you have on the opposite side(don’t take this lightly!). You are also still very young, and wasting quality life instead of getting a new joint. Also one BIG thing I had to deal with because mine was delayed(surgeon was very reluctant to do mine because of my age-I actually found at 35 that I would need a new hip and it was delayed by almost 2 yrs to try injections). Waiting caused a lot of the muscles and soft tissues to really suffer and damage because the wrong muscle groups ended up coming about to try to support the damaged hip. My lower back was affected as well(bad posture and bad walking gait which took a tole on my back).

The surgery sounds a lot scarier than it is. You will read over and over again how patients wished they had done it sooner. Coming out of surgery you are instantly out of pain and can begin your recovery. You will be in a lot less pain post surgery than you are now, the pain now is what you should be afraid of(more than the surgery).

Best decision I have ever made, and I still count my blessings at how lucky I have been to have been able to get it.
 
Hi, @Lisa76.....I'm so glad you found BoneSmart and decided to join our community. Please lean on us with any questions or concerns you may have about your upcoming hip replacement. Do you have a date yet? If so, post it and we can get a signature made for you and sign you up for one of our monthly surgery teams. This really helps because you'll automatically have a whole group of people going through surgery and recovery right along with you. That can be very comforting. Of course, our members and staff are always available for you as well.

It's quite common to have doubts about both the surgical procedure and the recovery process. I've been with BoneSmart for almost 15 years and believe it or not, I experienced those doubts myself! It's always different when it's YOUR body and life being impacted.

But this is wonderful surgery that will restore your hip to pretty much normal functionality. You are mobile when you get home, so it's not like you're stuck in bed for weeks on end. I suggest you talk with your surgeon about setting up Home Health for yourself. That will give you the benefit of a nurse, occupational therapist, and physical therapist that will come assist you at home until you are strong enough to do some outpatient therapy, should you desire to do that. Hips actually heal pretty well on their own, so some folks opt to just walk as their primary therapy during recovery. That plus your normal activities of daily living (once you are able to resume them slowly) can offer a great recovery for most patients. Full recovery will be approximately a year, but after a couple of months, you'll be steadily increasing your activity levels, so it's not like you will be incapacited for anywhere near that long.

I'm 4 weeks out from my hip replacement tomorrow and it's a celebration day for me. I have a rather conservative surgeon and he wanted me on a walker at 50% weight bearing for 4 weeks. Tomorrow I get to switch to a cane and I'm pretty excited about that. I live alone and have been able to completely take care of myself (and my puppy dog who came home from the kennel a few days ago) with no problems. I have friends who have assisted when I needed some fresh things from the grocery store or a ride to a doctor appointment. My hip actually felt super from Day One and my post-op issues ended up being non-hip things like constipation and a general "bad" feeling as effects from the general anesthetic I required because of an arthritic lower spine. But those issues have passed now and it's full steam ahead for recovery.

Please don't hesitate to ask about anything that concerns you. You're going to do just fine. We're here for you!
 
Thanks so much Jamie! I have talked to my insurance company & they will cover in home care, if ordered by the surgeon. So that helps with one of my worries! I know that I have to get " out of my head" about things and think of the benefits. My mother had both knees replaced & waited alot longer to do so than she should have. If she was still here, I know she would tell me not to put it off. My appt with the surgeon is this Thursday. I've got a list of questions to ask. I am going to keep praying about it and listen for God's instruction. But it would be so nice to walk normally again, not be in constant pain & and have my leg straightened out!
 
My mother had both knees replaced & waited alot longer to do so than she should have. If she was still here, I know she would tell me not to put it off.
Good to know your mother had success with both knees. And remember, technology has come a long way from when she had her ops.

Keep your eye on the prize - walking without pain!
 
As my ICU nurse wife said to me. You don't die in surgery!! Go get it done:)))
 
I am going to keep praying about it and listen for God's instruction.
I can relate, I did the same! I was also very fearful and uncertain of my decision. I prayed for a roadblock, clear enough that I couldn't ignore it, to stop me if the time wasn't right. It never happened so I trusted and plowed ahead. We can relate to the anxiety involved. We all experience it to varying degrees. Please know this -
Joint replacement surgery is one of the most prevalent surgeries performed worldwide. The outcomes of these surgeries have become excellent based on a number of techniques changing over the years. The implants are durable and long lasting, with longevity much greater than before offering an increase in the likelihood you’ll never have to experience this procedure again. I'll say a prayer that you experience clarity in your decision making and peace of mind with whatever you decide. Stick with us, we're here for you!
 
Thank you so much!!! Prayers are greatly appreciated!!!
 
@Lisa76 happy that you've joined us, the support here is fantastic. I was much like you, though older, when my hip started to deteriorate and badly. I had done therapy, pain meds and steroid injections. I finally just couldn't take it any longer and that's when I stumbled upon this forum.

The folks here were so helpful and patient with me, answering my questions and sharing their experiences. I finally got up the nerve to go back to my surgeon and schedule the surgery. I have quite a bit of arthritis and degenerative issues with my spine, have a fusion at L5/S1. I couldn't believe how much better I felt right after surgery! Stick with us and we'll help support you through this. :wave:
 
I have my surgery date set for October 12th.
Well done @Lisa76 ! You have come a long way from when you first started posting on BoneSmart! Soon you will be on your recovery journey and we will be with you all the way!
 
Hey @Lisa76 Your ordeal is oh so similar to mine. I too delayed delayed and delayed my hip replacement for two years!! Oddly enough, I'd previously been through a knee replacement with absolutely no problem, and that's supposed to be the most difficult of the two. Go figure!
My concern was, just like yours, not just the surgery but even more so the rehab. I'm ridiculously overweight, been on crutches for 2+ years, my other hip is worse (per xray) and thanks to the crutches my shoulders are shot, oh, and I'm terrified of dislocation. Trying to make the decision for this surgery has been a very long process that continuously shakes me up. Sound familiar? Bonesmart has been a great resource & support system. Nothing like talking to those in the same boat. I'm still nervous. You probably are too. But I'm also looking forward to getting rid of this horrendous hip pain. And more so, CRUTCHES! So you and I are in very similar situations and oddly enough our surgeries are on the same day, October 12th. Maybe that was fate! I look forward to talking with each other on the painless side and also hoping our words shortly afterwards are like so many others I know, "Why didn't I do this sooner". Hang in there @Lisa76
 
Congratulations on getting your surgery date, @Lisa76! Just a few more weeks and you will be on the healing side.
:flwrysmile:
 
@Lisa76 -- well done, you! Now that you have made the decision to have the surgery, congratulate yourself on a very self-loving act. By now you've seen that we ALL go through these bouts of fear and doubt. Even after pep-talking others, I still get blindsided by that fear every now and then. I guess we can all remind one another that we're all doing the best thing we can to make our future years happier. I'm still kind of amazed at the fact that before too long, I'll be pain free.
 
Great news, @Lisa76 You've navigated one of the biggest hurdles like a champ. Just a few more weeks and you'll be on the healing side of this hip journey. :yay:
 

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