Knee, hip, cataracts

Glad it's done now. Wish you a speedy recovery.

Thanks, folks! When I got the last date (put forward, actually) I thought I wouldn't tempt fate an announce it until it actually happened.

So glad it has all gone well for you.

Oh well done Ariadne - I was thinking about you only yesterday and wondering if you had made it to the operating theatre.

You are now North Devon's own Bionic Woman! Hope the exercises aid a swift recovery. Meanwhile keep warm indoors whilst this horrible cold snap is with us.

At long last Ariadne. I was beginning to think that you had been put on the back burner until the worst of the winter was over but at least in your favour are the dreaded targets!

Glad to hear that you are home and enjoying the comfort of your own bed. Just take it easy, do the exercises and hopefully all will go well for you. Enjoy the well earned rest!!!

Well, after two cancellations (which I completely understood but which were so disappointing) I finally had my hip replacement last Friday, and came home yesterday. I am feeling good - a bit battered as you do after an operation, but the pain is manageable and I have started the exercises gently.

All praise, as ever, to our brilliant NHS! Though I am enjoying my own bed.....

I'm in favour of anterior approach for hip replacement surgery . I'm not so sure if this type of surgery is common in the UK ? Does o e has to go privately as opposed to NHS???h

Definitely climbing 5 flights of stairs is one of the many questions that I would be asking.
Once I have my 1st pre op assessment, i suppose things might be a lot more clearer.

6 weeks on now from my second knee replacement. We have just been for a walk ( around a mile). My knee is still a bit stiff and is aching now but the awful pain that I had before is gone and I can see a little improvement every few days. My right knee which was done in June is working well and there is no pain or stiffness at all. Before I had them done I couldn't even walk around the house without a lot of pain.

I've had three! It's my ankles that are my current problem. Hips are easy. Just make sure you do your exercises and that the hospital is aware of your home situation

Danlon you really should tell the hospital your situation regarding the stairs... are you living alone? its going to be a mountain to climb if you have to go up 5 flights on your return from surgery.

Danlon - are you living on your own? You might need to talk to the hospital about how you will manage, especially with all those stairs - do they know you will have you do 5 flights to get out? They do check that you can manage stairs before you leave, but I guess 5 flights is a bit much and you may be stuck in the flat a bit for a while.

I am not a good person to talk to about hip replacement as I am still in pain after 13 weeks - it seems that a nerve has been irritated and it may take up to 9 months to regrow and stop hurting. This is not what I had expected and indeed not what has happened to all my friends who have had the surgery, so I am feeling a bit hard done by; but I guess it is the luck of the draw. I also react badly to pain killers so am managing on paracetamol. Most people get over it very quickly and there is no reason why you should not.

I hope that it all goes swimmingly and that you get all the help at home that you need.

I had a total hip replacement 2 weeks ago tomorrow with a sedative/spinal block. Everything seems to be going well.

Please don't be anxious danlon. i found it all quite manageable.

I can even sleep on my back and inject myself in the stomach every evening.

If you have any specific questions please feel free to PM me.

I have posted this elsewhere, but then this thread reappeared! Still here, as the op was postponed until 7th Jan ; I was a bit sad but completely understood that emergencies take precedence, and have had a lovely time over Christmas, with a second wave arriving tomorrow!

Hey ho....

I'm having THR next month. My 1st pre op assessment is two weeks away. Currently I do swim and walk 4 miles a day to build up my muscle but I'm anxious as I do not know what to expect.
Can anyone who has a first hand experience enlighten me??
my other concern is that I live in a flat with no lift and I am not sure how I will manage to go up 5 flights of stairs.

Yes, quite painfully but I think it helps that I know from the first one how much better it will be eventually. The bending exercises are definitely the worst! I. Am glad you are now doing well.

Ginny, how is your knee now, the first two weeks for me were very painful.

Ariadne. If you got through the knee op OK, the hip will be a breeze. having had both I can assure you that the hip is much less painful. The pre op exercises will help a quick recovery, I just used the exercise bike twice a day for 30 min to build up my leg muscles.

The big difference is that there is no restriction on using a knee, but the exercises are very painful to get it to move (and still are) . There will be strict limitations on the movement of your hip for some while, but there are no really painful exercises, just those to build up the muscles that will keep the joint in place.

One tip, get slip on shoes or elastic laces, you will not be able to bend to reach your feet for some while.

Ariadne Very pleased you have had a positive experience.

I had my second knee replacement on Tuesday ( first one was in June). I too have found everything efficient and all staff friendly and helpful even whilst it is obvious they are run off their feet.

Horrible when things do go wrong but pity more of the positive side is not shown.

Ariadne Given how well you managed your knee I hope the hip goes as well.

The good thing I have, as a result of having bad back problems for 33 years is good strong thigh muscles. I can still crouch down and stand up again quite easily. I just don't bend in the middle.

Oh, thank you all! You have really cheered me up. I do thnk, though, that having had cancer helps me keep stuff in some sort of perspective. Well, it must do. (That was eleven years ago, but you don't forget!)

Yes, I have been doing the exercises - they really made a difference with the knee.

Yes - I did some pre-op exercises too:

Lying in bed.....

- push knee of op side down into bed - count to 3 then release; repeat 10 times
- squeeze buttocks together as above
- bend knee up whilst keeping foot sliding along bed as above
- straight leg raises - but I abandoned these when my back started to hurt

Tegan yes there are. You need to get your quadriceps and your gluteal muscles as strong as possible. When standing, squeeze your buttocks together for maybe 10 times. For quads exercising, you want to be able to lie on the bed and straight leg raise, again 10 times each leg.

Also lying on the bed- you should be able to abduct each leg while straight, one at a time, outwards. Again maybe 10 times each leg.

Sorry if I have not explained this very well.

You mentioned special exercises before you had your knee done Ariadne. Are there special exercises before you have a hip op? Only asking so I can start now! [hips and knees both dodgy at the moment].

Ariadne you really do meet these life events with panache! I'd love to be like you and face these operations with your 'let's get on with it' attitude. Bravo!