THR Time for Change^

[Scubedoo9]

Hi. I am scheduled for bilateral THR Sept 22, posterior approach. While I am feeling anxious and yet can't wait for new hips, I am interested and wondering how many days post surgery (for bilateral) were you able to

walk up and down stairs
Dress yourself in pants​

Also what type of pain Meds were prescribed, how effective were they, how long did you need them?

Thanks in advance.
Change is in the air!

 

[Jaycey]

@Scubedoo9 Welcome to BoneSmart! Well done on going for BTHR. You won't regret this amazing surgery.

In most cases you will not leave the hospital until you can go up and down stairs and dress yourself. They will teach you everything you need to know about moving around on your own before you go home.

Pain meds are a very individual thing. Some patients need heavy duty meds and others so fine with over the counter. Your main priority while in the hospital is to get your pain management cocktail just right. Work with staff on this.

You will know how long you need your meds when you start forgetting doses. You need to take your meds around the clock as prescribed just post op. Meds help you increase your mobility. But typically patients start to forget a doses several weeks out. This is the sign your body is weaning off meds. Always ease off however.

I'm going to tag my colleague @Mojo333 who had her BTHR in May. @Hip Hip Hooray! and @gaulsuerou might come and chat with you as well.

 

[Mojo333]

Hi @Scubedoo9 I don't know what led you to this surgery, but mine was degenerative osteoarthritis that had gotten debilitating and sleep depriving.
This surgery has changed my life. No more hip pain!!!!
Steps- I was practicing a few if those at hospital on second day...little 3-4 stepper.
I managed steps at home after 3-4 days but with help as there were no rails on porch steps, for practicing and one at a time like a toddler. One leg was stronger than other as one hip hippies are told up with good first, down with bad. One leg was harder to cooperate, affectionately known as log leg. Had to physically help it onto bed temporarily.
Honestly I could do most all include dressing myself albeit with obvious difficulty for first few weeks. After that, with plenty of resting, icing, elevating all became exponentially better day by day. Had to force myself to slow down. I made sure to do no more than just walking and above regiment for first 3 weeks and feel it gave me a real chance to heal.
I did very very well being independent. Just slower and more careful as I am usually a klutz.
This will give you your life back, so happy you will be on your way!!!

 

[Scubedoo9]

Jaycey and Mojo333, thanks so much for the quick, informative, and comforting replies. I've been "ignoring" and muscling through the pain for a long time now and since the pain hasn't improved (duh), I requested radiology from PCP (and then OS), to come to the diagnosis of arthritis.

The pain is worse with the Right hip however OS informed me both were very arthritic and eventually both would need THR. OS recommended a bilateral but I chickened out only for OS to ask again and confirmed I am a good candidate. So I agreed...still a bit anxious.
Thanks again!

 

[Mojo333]

I'm glad I did both. All done. Very scary...but the anxiety pre-surgery was way worse for me than the aftermath as I had all worse case scenarios swirling around in my head. Do you have help at home?

 

[Layla]

Hi @Scubedoo9
So...you will soon be joining the other brave souls who've experienced bi-lateral hip replacement.
You'll be so happy to be relieved of the horrid OA pain. It's truly life changing to be rid of it after it became your "new normal."
I was realeased 24 hrs post surgery and doing the steps was something I had to navigate prior to discharge.
I think that's pretty much the norm. I also continued to practice daily once back at home. This was through much coaxing from my husband. I didn't want to each time.. but I'd do it and realize afterward it wasn't a big deal. I would imagine with bi-lateral surgery it may be different.....not sure though.

Aside from fatigue, incision awareness and any other post op pain, you'll be on the road to recovery quicker than
you'd imagine. You'll lose the pain and get your life back. It's amazing, I'm excited for you!
Wishing you a great week, surgery and recovery. Please stay in touch.

 

[Hip Hip Hooray!]

Hi @Scubedoo9, Sorry, but I can't really answer either of your questions, because I don't have stairs, and I didn't wear pants. I think I climbed stairs one week after my bilateral surgery to take the bus. (Dial a Ride) It was just a couple of them, because they had a lift. I wore sun dresses and nightgowns during my recovery. I can't remember how long it was before I put on a pair of jeans.

As far as the pain meds, I was prescribed Percoset and Tramadol. Combined with ice, they worked perfectly. I followed the mantras here, and was very pleased with my recovery. It was far easier and less painful than I expected. It just took patience and time. I'm very glad I had bilateral surgery. I liked having everything over with at one time. I am that kind of person, though. I had both sides of my wisdom teeth out at once. (and drove myself home.) Keep us posted. You will find wonderful support here.

 

[Josephine]

OS recommended a bilateral but I chickened out only for OS to ask again and confirmed I am a good candidate. So I agreed...still a bit anxious.

You will be SO pleased you agreed to this!

I once had a 76 yr old neighbour who, local gossip informed me, was housebound because of an arthritic hip. Her GP had sent her to a rheumatologist who clearly knew nothing about hip replacements and never even suggested it, just telling here there was 'nothing could be done'! As I was at the time working with one of the foremost hip surgeons in the North London area, I managed to get her in to see him and she was finally admitted two days before Christmas. The morning of surgery, when he did his pre-op ward round, he said her other hip needed doing too and he'd do them both that day! I can tell you this lady never turned a hair. She lived in the third floor flat (no lift) but still did very well and within some months was back at her favourite afternoon tea dances!

Don't be scared of this - rejoice you have been lucky enough to get such a great and compassionate surgeon who is going to sort you out in one fell swoop! Woo-hooo!

 

[gaulsuerou]

Hi @Scubedoo9
I had bilateral surgery on July 6 of this year, I spent two nights in the hospital, one night on my sofa and on my second night home I climbed 13 stairs to my bed, not very gracefully but I made it and it was less than a week after that I was stepping step over step not doing it like a toddler. I lived in my soft PJs and nightgowns for a few weeks, my jeans were a little snug but within three weeks I was back in pants. I had a super fast recovery, was riding horses after seven weeks, now at 10 weeks I am walking 2 miles every day, and after doing that, I Bicycled another 7 miles today. Then we just put in 50 bales of hay. Your recovery will surprise you I was the worst preop patient in the world, but I have turned some kind of a corner I don't even think about the fact that I had surgery, I have no pain, had very minimal pain after surgery, & no swelling. Every recovery is a different road but the destination is the same you will feel so much better. Best of luck to you, you are having your surgery the day after my birthday


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[Scubedoo9]

Hi All. Everyone is making me feel like I made the right decision...but...I keep conjuring up the what ifs!! Oh dear. While traveling recently, I paid serious attention to both hips, the discomfort, when I had to sit and stop to rest, which hip was paining me, etc. and specially after reading everyone's reply I now know I'm ready for BTHR. And I really appreciate the stories of everyone's recovery. Now to review the 90 degree rules. Thank you!

 

[Mojo333]

Don't what ifs!
I did it...not helpful.
Now
what if I can bend and tie my shoes with NO HIP PAIN
What if. I can sleep all night. NO HIP PAIN
What if. I have given myself a chance to live the life I want to live. NO HIP PAIN

 

[susan12369]

I didn't do bilateral, as my surgeon doesn't do them, but did mine 6 weeks apart. I was in the hospital two nights each time, and was able to go up a full flight of stairs on my first night home. My dad followed me up the stairs and asked about my pain level and honestly it was so much less than the night before surgery!!!

I was putting on pants while in the hospital.

As for meds, I was on Tylenol every 6 hours and oxy as needed, up to 10 mg every 3 hours. I took only 5 mg at a time, about 4x a day. I was off it about 2 weeks after each surgery.

I'm still taking Tylenol twice a day, morning and PM before bed.

Good luck to you, it really is amazing the difference it makes!!


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[Hotrod97]

Glad to find this site. Scheduled for bilateral THR on Oct 23rd. Only 47 and have been putting this off for 5 years and after years of struggling to put my socks on and tie my shoes I've decided to take the plunge. I've been a runner and cyclist and it's too painful to do either any longer. Glad to read all of the positive comments, a lot of negative info online is quite frightening regarding dislocations and having hips repaired a second time.

 

[mcopt]

Hi brave decision , I am going down much the same path as you I have booked a bilateral Birmingham hip resurfacing procedure procedure with Mr McMinn for November as long as the anethasist is happy with me during op he has no problems doing bilateral. It is daunting but the thought of only having to go through one op with one perhaps slightly more difficult recovery is so much more appealing than recovering then having to go through it all again. I wish you all the best and look forward to hearing about your sucessful recovery. This forum is so comforting you realise you are not alone with this.

 

[Scubedoo9]

Received a call from the surgery center yesterday . Surgery is set for noon on Friday. Im almost packed (still adding comfort items) and I hired a house cleaner! What a treat. In prep for coming home post surgery, I've moved belongings to the main floor. I figured I'll live downstairs for a couple of weeks. My husband doesn't want me climbing stairs, he knows me all too well, I'm not the most compliant patient. I've also purchased a sock aid, clothes aid, grabber, and long shoe horn. Am I missing anything?
And I love the what ifs. What if I can walk without pain? Thanks everyone.

 

[mcopt]

Here's wishing you all the very best for Friday.
Couple of other things you may like to get ice packs to put in freezer I believe icing is important during your recovery, a shower seat and possibly a toilet seat height lifter and also walking sticks worth having a few to scatter around the house. Sounds like your life is about to get a whole lot better

 

[Mojo333]

Yay. You will soon be on your way. Think rough first days, exponentially better very soon. I had a two wheeled walker, light aluminum folding. Will admit never tried to use crutches and hated the look of a walker, but don't know how bilateral gets along especially at first without it. Also great for stability...walk walk, rest...lean...walk walk...
After a week only used when didn't have natural leaning posts, counter, back of ouch, wall, etc and when I was outside on porch I used for support in case if light headedness.

 

[Mojo333]

You're gonna do great..My BTHR was May 1...absolutely no regrets. We are rooting for you. It is super scary to think if, but you will be getting your life back.

 

[Mojo333]

@Scubedoo9 Today is the first day of the rest of your life.
I'm sure you are anxious...and feeling uncertain.
Some quick thoughts...
Think TEMPORARY these first few days.
All temporary. You are going to join the great success stories of bilaterals like Irish Joe, gaulsuerue, myself, and many others I can't seem to muster up this morning.
If you were able to read our recovery threads there should be one common theme prevalent...NO REGRETS.
I am thinking of you today...and send you healing wishes.
See you on the other side lady. It's gonna be fine then- it's gonna get great.

 

[Jaycey]

You really won't need to live downstairs. You will be going up and down stairs before you leave the hospital.

All the best - see you on the other side soon!