Gransnet forums

Health

Hip Replacement

(54 Posts)
cupcake1 Sat 09-Jun-18 13:49:57

Well its official, I am old! I'm 67 and just been told I have to have a hip replacement due to arthritis. The pain has been getting progressively worse since Christmas and inhibits normal daily activities most of us take for granted. My DH and I planned to do so much in our retirement and although I know there are a lot of people far worse off than me I cannot help but feel cheated of what should be 'our time' to enjoy the benefits of retirement. Have any of you lovely ladies (or gents) had a hip replacement and if so what are your experiences?

peaches50 Sun 10-Jun-18 10:19:06

..and don't forget Prince Phillip at 96 (today's his 97th happy birthday Sir!) had a hip replacement and less than 2 weeks later went to harry and Meghan's wedding - no stick and standing tall. I know exactly how you feel as being immensely active and sporty wore out my knee and had a total replacement. Not as good as new but so much better than it was - work hard on your exercises and take heart from all the good news stories.

gerry86 Sun 10-Jun-18 10:28:17

I know a few people who have had hip replacements, including my brother in law who was in his late fifties and they are all happy they have had it done. Just make sure you follow the after op instructions of what to do and what not to do.

mabon1 Sun 10-Jun-18 10:51:42

For goodness sake you are not dying!! Get over it. Have it done and you will be fine

Polly50 Sun 10-Jun-18 11:07:44

Hi Cupcake,
I am currently just over 3 weeks post hip replacement having suffered with knee, thigh and finally hip/groin pain for years. All that pain is now gone and I just have aching and stiffness around the (clean) wound site, controlled by paracetamol by day and co-codamol at night. I was very apprehensive before the op, especially after being given the NHS list of risks, but tried to be positive and remember that hip replacement is one of the most successful operations and think of all the people who say they wish they had done it sooner - now including me!
Good luck - it really is a new beginning.

annodomini Sun 10-Jun-18 11:09:37

The only drawback I've found from joint replacements is that they set off the alarms at airport security. I am so fed up with being scanned and patted down. Still, it's a small price to pay.

annodomini Sun 10-Jun-18 11:09:37

The only drawback I've found from joint replacements is that they set off the alarms at airport security. I am so fed up with being scanned and patted down. Still, it's a small price to pay.

cupcake1 Sun 10-Jun-18 11:16:59

Thank you again for your kind words and messages of encouragement. I do my pre op exercises daily and find they do help so as advised I will continue to do them post op without fail ! Grannynise good to hear you are doing well after your op smile Blondie49 Hope you feel better soon flowers I had shingles back in March whilst in South Africa down my face and in my mouth so know how you feel. Keffie Sincere condolences for your loss flowers Kim19 Thank You ! sarahellenwhitney Sending all best wishes for your op and speedy recovery [flowers

Canuckywoman Sun 10-Jun-18 11:23:05

My dad is 88 and had both hips and knees replaced a couple of years ago (and his eyes lasered!). No regrets. He's still driving his taxi cab full-time back in Canada too.

Jane43 Sun 10-Jun-18 11:39:24

I haven’t but DH has had three, the first when he was 65. All have improved his quality of life and of course freed him from pain. The first one just wore out hence the third one. For the first two he had a general anaesthetic and was only in hospital three nights. For the most recent one which was just over a year ago he had an epidural and sedative which made him recover from the operation more quickly. Although the procedure was twice as long as the first two as the surgeon had to remove the old hip first he called me at 3pm on the day of the operation and sounded as fresh as a daisy; he was only in hospital for two nights. The people whose lives are improved vastly by a new hip by far outweigh the people who experience problems so don’t worry.

Jane43 Sun 10-Jun-18 11:42:12

Annodomini yes the airport security is a pain. You can get a card which says you have had the procedure and DH did get one after the first op, however the security staff weren’t interested so he didn’t renew it.

ExaltedWombat Sun 10-Jun-18 12:28:19

It would be dishonest to pretend there isn't a risk. But it's probably one worth taking, if being physically active is important to you.

FlorenceFlower Sun 10-Jun-18 12:36:11

My aunt had one of her hips replaced aged 89 and was back with her walking group later that summer.

My father, her sister, has had both knees replaced, one when he was 87 and the second when he was 92. Both made a good positive improvement to his life.

Hope your op goes well, do the physio properly .... my father, who of course knows everything (!), tried to do his daily exercises in one fell swoop which didn’t really help!

?☺️

Millie8 Sun 10-Jun-18 12:46:43

When I was nursing in the 70's hip patients had to be on bed rest for 2 weeks half sitting up in bed wI think a pillow strapped between their legs!!! It would take another 2 weeks at least before they could go home so you have nothing to fear these days. I'll need my knees done before I'm much older. Good luck ànd let us know how you get on.

Sheilasue Sun 10-Jun-18 15:09:04

Hasn’t stopped me, mine was an accident, I fell over.
I soon got back on my feet physio etc, had to have a stick first but now I am fine. If h and I go for a walk in our local woods still use my stick, because of uneven paths or if we do a country walk I use it.
You will be fine, age is just a number.

Bijou Sun 10-Jun-18 15:30:51

Had mine replaced thirteen years ago and was gardening six weeks afterwards. Friend was playing golf six weeks after hers. Have heard of some going horribly wrong. Luck of the draw.

tiggers Sun 10-Jun-18 16:34:50

I am awaiting my second one later in the year. First one done two years ago. As I love dancing and walking, it will be good to be able to do both without the current pain I suffer.

Wishing you all the very best for an active retirement post-op "cupcake1".

Pat609 Sun 10-Jun-18 16:35:55

Don't feel old. Once you have it done you're on the road to recovery. I had a knee replacement 6 months ago and now get very little pain from that knee ( the pain can last for a couple of years but after that I should be reasonably pain free). I'm now actually looking forward to having the other one done, a new lease of life i wish I'd had it done years ago but kept putting it off. The prognosis for a hip replacement is very good and the recovery time quite short. I have a friend who had hers done at the age of 55 and did a 10 mile walk a couple of years later. I do feel very lucky to still be in one piece, everyone suffers from something as the get older at least it's repairable, when I get a bit fed up and feeling sorry for myself I think of a younger friend who had to have her leg amputated at the age of 48, so please stop feeling sorry for yourself, have it done ASAP and look forward to a pain free existence.

Fennel Sun 10-Jun-18 16:49:40

Don't worry - you'll have a new lease of life. As Pat says above.
It's a very routine thing now TG.

LadyKathleen Sun 10-Jun-18 18:12:57

This is my first post on Gransnet though I have followed the daily blog for quite some time. I live near Seattle in the United States. I'm 71 years old and have had two hip replacements, the first in 2005 (at age 58) and the second in 2011(at age 64.) I was born with hip dysplasia and didn't know it. Both hip replacements were successful--no more pain, and I am able to enjoy long, regular walks with my husband--often reaching my goal of 10,000 steps a day. Please don't tell yourself you're old. After your surgery and physical therapy, you'll be better than ever!

yogagran Sun 10-Jun-18 20:27:05

I had my hip replaced last August and I can honestly say that it was one of the best things that I've had done in recent years. It has totally removed the pain that had been getting increasingly worse and I am now back to walking miles with the dog, swimming twice a week, yoga every week and I've just started walking netball. I no longer wake up at night every time I turn over and I have no limp at all. I was up, out of bed and walking again within hours of surgery.
I do stress that you MUST do all the exercises and more that you are given otherwise you won't get full mobility back again. The surgeon does an amazing job but once you're back on your feet again the main work of recovery is down to you.
Good luck with the surgery. Positive thoughts bring positive results

Sararose Sun 10-Jun-18 21:57:08

I had a hip replacement in 2011 when I was in my mid sixties. It took about 3 months to get back to normal and now I do Pilates, Callinetics and Zumba as well as walking miles every day. Mostly I completely forget that I have an artificial hip!

lindad186 Sun 10-Jun-18 22:34:22

I had a right hip replaced 5 years ago when I was 66. I had been limping for 18 months, hip not in pain, but referred pain in my left knee. My hip just went one day and I was in abject pain, on strong pain killers, could not walk without support, could not easily get in and out of bed and could not drive. I went back to my consultant and he told me I had to wait 18 weeks for an op. I changed my consultant and had the op a month after. Never looked back, no probs with new hip, had a speedy recovery, all on NHS. I keep active and Pilates has really helped!

lindad186 Sun 10-Jun-18 22:35:50

By the way never set any alarms off at any airport!

leemw711 Mon 11-Jun-18 09:41:12

Was at a doctor’s appointment at my local hospital last week and was stunned to be asked by the young, male doctor when I had my last period! Pointed out that at 65+ I no longer menstruate and it’s now many years since I did. He seemed baffled by this - surely I kept a written record of all the periods I ever had? Well, no! Just plain weird I think...

yellowcanary Mon 11-Jun-18 18:11:17

I had my hip replacement last year at 55 nearly 56, best thing I did. Am going to have the other one done at some point, on waiting list which I expect to be over 18 months but at the moment I am fine. I will take with me/use a stick if I am going for walks or into large crowds but that is mainly for security because of uneven ground and lots of people.

My brother-in-law has had both done and he is only 47 now, due to rheumatoid arthritis - and he gets around fine with his son on the golf course smile