Bilateral THR some help please!

[ijane]

I am due for a bilateral THR in July. I've got a first rate consultant, Sarah Muirhead-Allwood who recommended I do the bilateral op, but still have a few worries after reading entries on this forum: anyone got any experiences to share? I'm 63.

1. I am worrying about whether I will make it to the loo in time once the catheter is removed. I've got 8 days booked in a posh hospital and don't want to let myself down! Even at home if I get a commode near my bed, I'm thinking this still might be tricky!

2. Got quite a few stairs to negotiate to get upstairs in my house - am I going to be able to do that when I get home? I've got a really lovely hubby who is going to take time off work to look after me (lucky me eh?)

3. I haven't got pain, only a lot of stiffness and immobility. To give you an idea, I am a keen swimmer and can't do breast stroke leg kicking any more. I get a lot of back aches and can't walk that far these days without taking Ibruprofen. I'd love to get back to the golf course and get down on the floor to play with my young grandchildren. But I've put up with this for ages, and despite it all, am I going to wonder post op whether this is all worth while?

x ijane

 

[Poppet]

Welcome to the BoneSmart family ijane , it is great that you have joined us and I will try to answer your questions.

1 & 2
Before you are discharged from hospital your Physical Therapist will make sure that you are able to get to the bathroom and can shower yourself and they take you through a stair climbing exercise as well as other exercises. I had a catheter, and had no problem when it was removed getting there in time. Admittedly I only had one hip done, but we have so many bilateral members who will pop along and have chats with you about how well they are doing.

With regard to question 3, we all have that thought prior to surgery, but you will find that the stiffness and immobility will be eased as a result of the surgery and you will have a better quality of life and be able to play with your grandchildren.

We have an extensive library of information, which can be found in a drop down off the grey navigation bar at the top of the page.. Sorry, I am on my iPad otherwise I would pop a link to it for you.

I am also going to tag one of our star bilateral hippies to share her experience with you @djklaugh:

Once again welcome and don't hesitate to come back with any questions you may have, we are here to support, encourage and share your journey with you .
Sandy xx

 

[djklaugh]

Welcome to BoneSmart, Jane! And let me be the first to try to allay your concerns - I'm sure others will be along to add to this I'm exactly 5 months post Bilateral total hip replacements - and I just turned 65 -- and I am here to tell you ( In My Opinion) if you have two hips that are problematic, BTHR is the way to go!

1. I am worrying about whether I will make it to the loo in time once the catheter is removed. I've got 8 days booked in a posh hospital and don't want to let myself down! Even at home if I get a commode near my bed, I'm thinking this still might be tricky!

These days hospitals get you on your feet very soon after surgery - any surgery. And a nurse will be with you for the first (and second and third if you need the help) trip to the bathroom! Also most hospital rooms are quite compact - it's not more than a few steps to the bathroom. Usually the catheter is left in for a while after you get to your room so it may be the next day before it is removed. And since there is NO bone on bone pain and since your mobility will be much improved I don't think you'll have a problem - at home if you have a bathroom on the same level as your bedroom there also should not be a problem. You also will probably have a walker or crutches on leaving the hospital which will help with balance and getting use to having two working hips again.

2. Got quite a few stairs to negotiate to get upstairs in my house - am I going to be able to do that when I get home? I've got a really lovely hubby who is going to take time off work to look after me (lucky me eh?)

I too had stairs to contend with - but the Physical Therapists made sure I could go up and down stairs safely before I left the hospital. You probably won't feel much like doing stairs for a couple of weeks - but you can do them if needed. Just take it slowly - one step at a time. I was doing alternating feet up and down stairs within about 3 weeks of surgery For me what worked best right after surgery was to set up a sleeping place on the main floor of my house ( I don't have a bathroom on the floor where my bedroom is) - and quite a number of folks sleep in a recliner chair at first. You are indeed fortunate that your husband will be able to take time off to be with you!! That should make things very easy for you.

3. I haven't got pain, only a lot of stiffness and immobility. To give you an idea, I am a keen swimmer and can't do breast stroke leg kicking any more. I get a lot of back aches and can't walk that far these days without taking Ibruprofen. I'd love to get back to the golf course and get down on the floor to play with my young grandchildren. But I've put up with this for ages, and despite it all, am I going to wonder post op whether this is all worth while?

NOPE!!!! You are going to be thrilled with the outcome! While it will take some time to heal up the surgical wounds and get the muscles toned up, you will be able to get on the floor and play with your grandchildren, golf and do most any thing you want to do! Check out some other threads - we have folks who are avid hikers, bikers, golfers, dancers, motorcyclists, skiers, horse back riders, etc etc who have gone back to their favorite activity after hip replacements. I just came in from spending a couple of hours happily puttering around in my garden - getting down on the ground and back up again was no problem at all Since the hip problems have been developing for a long time, it may take you a bit longer to get your muscles back in shape - but slow and steady will get you where you want to go! Many people have also found that following hip replacement surgery the back pain they had previously has vanished - often times that back pain is from the strain on the back caused by having wonky hips.


I wish you all the best with your up coming surgery - and I look forward to hearing about your journey through this process.

 

[Josephine]

I am due for a bilateral THR in July. I've got a first rate consultant, Sarah Muirhead-Allwood

Can't do better than our Sarah! Best in Europe, let me tell you! Other hip surgeons call her "the Queen of hips"!

I am worrying about whether I will make it to the loo in time once the catheter is removed. I've got 8 days booked in a posh hospital and don't want to let myself down!

Oh for pity's sake, honey! :th_heehee: A hospital is a hospital whether it's St Elsewhere's or the Princess Grace Hospital! Even the Queen mother had to use a bedpan and probably had a dribble or two on the way to the bathroom in the early days! :hysterical: Please don't give it another thought. I've worked in the London Clinic and it was no different to working in the local general hospital.

Got quite a few stairs to negotiate to get upstairs in my house - am I going to be able to do that when I get home?

Read what Sandy said - it's just as applicable in the UK and you should get extra careful care in TPGH!

despite it all, am I going to wonder post op whether this is all worth while?

Without a doubt, for the first six weeks you will certainly question your decision with great veracity! And you will hate Sarah with a passion as well! But it will pass and after a few weeks more you will then come to realise it was the best thing you ever did.

 

[ijane]

Thank you so much, this was really helpful. You're all an amazing bunch. I will definitely keep in touch as soon as I can get to my laptop. xxx ij

 

[ijane]

I can't thank you enough for all this. I'll certainly keep in touch. xxij