THR THR January 2024

Megalodon

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I am having THR on May 17. I am having a lot of problems with my balance and back pain. Is this normal for a bad hip to cause these problems?

Randy
 
@Megalodon Hi and Welcome!

I started a pre op thread for you so you can get some feedback on your questions above.

While I have a knee replacement, not a hip replacement, I do believe the balance issue and back pain could indeed be because you need a new hip.

Best wishes for your upcoming THR in May!

Here is some pre op information for you:

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?
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 the posts and threads from other BoneSmarties provided in this link:
Stories of amazing hip recoveries
 
Hello Randy and Welcome to BoneSmart! Which hip will you have replaced?
A deteriorating hip can interfere with your balance and mobility and cause back pain. I dealt with back pain episodes in the years leading up to my THR and thankfully since my surgery it's resolved. I hope you experience the same. Stick with us as you prepare for your upcoming surgery. I believe you'll appreciate the information and support you find here. Thanks for joining us!
@Megaldon
 
Hi Layla

I am having my right hip replaced. I have decided I need the surgery and the recent increase and frequency of pain has confirmed my decision. I am 71 and not very active in recent years. But I can’t get very active with my current hip. My wife is not supportive and thinks I should try PT and such. My primary care doctor says he can get me into PT which my Ortho doctor did not suggest. I have not moved forward with the PT.

I have been trying walking which is about all I tolerate. Hip and back pain are limiting me. I am unsure if the back pain is due to the hip or due to inactivity due to the hip. Probably some of both.
I feel that I don’t have any choice but surgery at this point. Any advice would be appreciated. My wife fears that I will be incapacitated for weeks after surgery and she will not be able to help me. I don’t think that will be the case but I can’t prove it to her.

Randy
 
Does your doctor say you need a new hip? I knew for decades my hips needed replacement, so it was no surprise but nothing I'd want to do on a whim or a guess.
Recovery is months long, you won't be incapacitated, but there will be a lot of things you won't be able to do for some time. This isn't a simple deal despite the fact they do it as outpatient now.
 
I have the same question as, Eman, above. Has your hip been x-rayed and diagnosed as bone on bone?
If your OS recommended THR surgery, I'd definitely go through with the surgery so you can get back to life in the fullest without pain. While there is a healing process, I believe both you and your wife may be surprised at how much you're comfortably able to do soon...on your own! Unless she has some serious physical limitations herself, she should be able to offer assistance when you need it and that may only be necessary for the first couple weeks. Some members recover on their own! Yes, they do! I can't imagine it, but many have no other option and manage alone with someone checking in on them once a day or so.

I tried PT in an effort to avoid THR and unfortunately all it did was confirm that I did indeed need the surgery if I wanted to regain mobility and a better quality of life. I have not regretted the decision.

I wish you physical comfort and mental clarity as you weigh out options and make decisions. Good Luck!
@Megalodon
 
It's realistic of your wife to be concerned about caretaking. It's not an easy thing, & it's one of my concerns going forward. Never mind compassionate, some people are good at it & some people are not suited for the caretaking role & most are somewhere in the broad spectrum.
Based on what I've read here & heard elsewhere, the 1st week or 2 are likely the most difficult for everybody. Perhaps you can work out hiring someone to help then with chores you usually do, or a helper for a few hours to give her some time off & out of the house.
 
@Megalodon and @nasruddin Many folks have had this surgery and recuperated with no help other than some kind neighbors checking in on them. No you won't be "incapacitated for weeks!" You will be able to walk, climb stairs, get into and out of a car, and attend to your usual activities of daily life. Yes you will be doing those things a bit slowly and carefully at first.

I had both hips replaced at once .... had my cousin with me for a week after surgery. After that I was home alone during the day until my renter returned from his job. And managed just fine! So reassure your selves and your wives .... you will be fine!
 
Hi Layla

I am having my right hip replaced. I have decided I need the surgery and the recent increase and frequency of pain has confirmed my decision. I am 71 and not very active in recent years. But I can’t get very active with my current hip. My wife is not supportive and thinks I should try PT and such. My primary care doctor says he can get me into PT which my Ortho doctor did not suggest. I have not moved forward with the PT.

I have been trying walking which is about all I tolerate. Hip and back pain are limiting me. I am unsure if the back pain is due to the hip or due to inactivity due to the hip. Probably some of both.
I feel that I don’t have any choice but surgery at this point. Any advice would be appreciated. My wife fears that I will be incapacitated for weeks after surgery and she will not be able to help me. I don’t think that will be the case but I can’t prove it to her.

Randy

Hi Randy,

It can be difficult for relatives to accept that the surgery, which of course comes with risks, is what you need. You are the one living in your body however, and even if you have better weeks, once the balance is tipped over too much towards pain, you know yourself then that the next best step is to get a new hip.

You mentioned that you are not so active recently. This was the case for me as well, and sometimes it gave me a false feeling that my pain was not horrible enough. That was because I kept limiting my activity. You want to do the surgery before it gets too bad, from what I read it gives you a better chance at a smoother recovery.

I just had mine yesterday, and granted, I am a bit younger than you, but I definitely don't feel bed bound.The first 24 hours at the hospital can be a bit all over the place since the staff will need to adjust your medication, but then you only go home once this is managed, and they will prescribe you just enough to get you moving and so that you are able to start your recovery at home.

Wishing you all the best, whatever you decide on!
 
I have the same question as, Eman, above. Has your hip been x-rayed and diagnosed as bone on bone?
If your OS recommended THR surgery, I'd definitely go through with the surgery so you can get back to life in the fullest without pain. While there is a healing process, I believe both you and your wife may be surprised at how much you're comfortably able to do soon...on your own! Unless she has some serious physical limitations herself, she should be able to offer assistance when you need it and that may only be necessary for the first couple weeks. Some members recover on their own! Yes, they do! I can't imagine it, but many have no other option and manage alone with someone checking in on them once a day or so.

I tried PT in an effort to avoid THR and unfortunately all it did was confirm that I did indeed need the surgery if I wanted to regain mobility and a better quality of life. I have not regretted the decision.

I wish you physical comfort and mental clarity as you weigh out options and make decisions. Good Luck!
@Megalodon
My doctor did document bone on bone in the xrays. Pain has intensified since my diagnosis.

My wife would not be able to lift me but I don’t believe thst will be required. Our bedroom is on the first floor and the only steps are five coming in from the garage. Getting into and out of bed will probably be the hardest.

I think my walking and balance are pretty bad and the back problems are a result of my hip.

Thanks for your support!
Megalodon
 
@Megalodon and @nasruddin Many folks have had this surgery and recuperated with no help other than some kind neighbors checking in on them. No you won't be "incapacitated for weeks!" You will be able to walk, climb stairs, get into and out of a car, and attend to your usual activities of daily life. Yes you will be doing those things a bit slowly and carefully at first.

I had both hips replaced at once .... had my cousin with me for a week after surgery. After that I was home alone during the day until my renter returned from his job. And managed just fine! So reassure your selves and your wives .... you will be fine!
Thanks for your encouragement! I believe you experience is a great example of how my recovery will be.

Still planning to have surgery in May!

Megalodon
 
Hi Layla

I am having my right hip replaced. I have decided I need the surgery and the recent increase and frequency of pain has confirmed my decision. I am 71 and not very active in recent years. But I can’t get very active with my current hip. My wife is not supportive and thinks I should try PT and such. My primary care doctor says he can get me into PT which my Ortho doctor did not suggest. I have not moved forward with the PT.

I have been trying walking which is about all I tolerate. Hip and back pain are limiting me. I am unsure if the back pain is due to the hip or due to inactivity due to the hip. Probably some of both.
I feel that I don’t have any choice but surgery at this point. Any advice would be appreciated. My wife fears that I will be incapacitated for weeks after surgery and she will not be able to help me. I don’t think that will be the case but I can’t prove it to her.

Randy

Hi Randy,

It can be difficult for relatives to accept that the surgery, which of course comes with risks, is what you need. You are the one living in your body however, and even if you have better weeks, once the balance is tipped over too much towards pain, you know yourself then that the next best step is to get a new hip.

You mentioned that you are not so active recently. This was the case for me as well, and sometimes it gave me a false feeling that my pain was not horrible enough. That was because I kept limiting my activity. You want to do the surgery before it gets too bad, from what I read it gives you a better chance at a smoother recovery.

I just had mine yesterday, and granted, I am a bit younger than you, but I definitely don't feel bed bound.The first 24 hours at the hospital can be a bit all over the place since the staff will need to adjust your medication, but then you only go home once this is managed, and they will prescribe you just enough to get you moving and so that you are able to start your recovery at home.

Wishing you all the best, whatever you decide on!
I am still convinced that surgery is right for me. I will be as active as I can be to build up my hip muscles. That is all I can do.

Thanks for sharing your story with me. It inspires me to move forward!
Megalodon
 
@Megalodon Sorry but I have to disagree with your wife's suggestion. If you are already bone on bone with that hip PT will only make it worse! In fact you need to baby that hip until your surgery. Don't make the mistake I made! I was in the gym everyday trying to work through the hip pain. My hip finally collapsed. Believe me, you don't want that pain!

And you will be fully mobile and moving around on your own post op. They won't discharge you from the hospital until you can mobilise and go up and down stairs. Your wife will never have to lift you.

You are definitely doing the right thing. Get that hip replaced and get on with living again.
 
Hi Randy and welcome. Barring any complications, you will have a rough first week as you sort out the pain and how to move around, but after that should start to see steady improvement. You are never really “incapacitated,” just “diminished” due to not being able to walk around normally. But you can get from A to B with a walker or cane. After a month. You will wonder why you waited so long as all those pains are gone and you can move forward with your life.
 
2 bits of advice from the Dr Hull books I mentioned in another thread
"Don't back yourself into a chair" (the disease process tends to make us more and more inactive, & it's how we justify not getting surgery because "it's not that bad")
and
try out a cane/walking pole (use it on the opposite side from the bad hip).
I always thought of the cane as a post-surgery thing but I've been trying it out. It does seem to help - gets some relief for the good leg! It may help, or it may hurt, back problems - you'll just have to experiment.
It may help a little with the former problem. I'm going to have a long wait, so I hope it helps keep walking.
 
Welcome, @Megalodon ! I’ve had both hips replaced (both knees, too) . Unless there is a very serious issue, your wife will not need to lift you. Most likely, you’ll be up with either the nurse or physical therapy not long after you get out of recovery. PT will work with you on how to walk and with what walking aid (walker, cane, crutch). OT (occupational therapy) will work with you on such things as showering, getting off the toilet etc.

If you have a low toilet, you can get a toilet riser to put on top of it or you can replace your toilet. I put grab bars in my shower. An ice pack will be very handy for swelling.

What type of replacement are you having?
Ask your questions and we’re happy to help!

Marie
 
Hi, @Megalodon . Will you have access to care at a rehab center for a few days, or will you be tossed back home a few hours after surgery?

I ask because I was out of surgery at 9 and home by 11:30. My sister stayed for 4 days, and without her I'd have been in terrible shape because the meds made me so drowsy and weak. By day 7, I was on my own and just fine, though. Of course, no two recoveries are alike.
 
I wouldn't spend too much time building up your hip muscles at this point. The surgery will traumatize them no matter what you do so you'll be starting from scratch. If you want to build strength build it in your arms and chest as that's the strength you need for lifting yourself from a chair and the toilet. You won't need anyone else lifting you.
 
Hi Layla

I am having my right hip replaced. I have decided I need the surgery and the recent increase and frequency of pain has confirmed my decision. I am 71 and not very active in recent years. But I can’t get very active with my current hip. My wife is not supportive and thinks I should try PT and such. My primary care doctor says he can get me into PT which my Ortho doctor did not suggest. I have not moved forward with the PT.

I have been trying walking which is about all I tolerate. Hip and back pain are limiting me. I am unsure if the back pain is due to the hip or due to inactivity due to the hip. Probably some of both.
I feel that I don’t have any choice but surgery at this point. Any advice would be appreciated. My wife fears that I will be incapacitated for weeks after surgery and she will not be able to help me. I don’t think that will be the case but I can’t prove it to her.

Randy

Hi Randy,

It can be difficult for relatives to accept that the surgery, which of course comes with risks, is what you need. You are the one living in your body however, and even if you have better weeks, once the balance is tipped over too much towards pain, you know yourself then that the next best step is to get a new hip.

You mentioned that you are not so active recently. This was the case for me as well, and sometimes it gave me a false feeling that my pain was not horrible enough. That was because I kept limiting my activity. You want to do the surgery before it gets too bad, from what I read it gives you a better chance at a smoother recovery.

I just had mine yesterday, and granted, I am a bit younger than you, but I definitely don't feel bed bound.The first 24 hours at the hospital can be a bit all over the place since the staff will need to adjust your medication, but then you only go home once this is managed, and they will prescribe you just enough to get you moving and so that you are able to start your recovery at home.

Wishing you all the best, whatever you decide on!
Hi, im 10 weeks post hip replacement on my right hip and I'm more than mobile, granted not as active as if like yet but i need to build my strength and stamina up, i had my LHR last year, hope all goes well for you
 
I decided to delay THR until Jily 32 so I can get stronger and more flexible. PT has shown me I have no muscle tone in my lower back and hips. I need conditioning to help with post-op recovery. Old age sux! I am getting the muscles moving again and should have a better outcome after THR.

Megalodon
 

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