Hip replacement pre/post operation pls

IPadGrandma no one was interested in my furniture measurements, it’s strange there is so much difference in treatment. I do remember the national joint registry form, think we all have to sign that so they know what sort of implant we have in case of future problems. Anything you missed you can double check with us, we have become experts in this procedure and if it helps I didn’t do any exercises before my operation, and to be honest not so many post op either, though I walk quite a bit.
Glad you are getting closer to an operation, it can’t be long now. All I can say is apart from the days following my operation, it has all gone ok and I am happy I had it done.

I am waving back to you all, FannyCornforth and thank you for the thought.
I do hope your pre-op appointment went well.

Not much to report from here over the last couple of weeks but I have been following all your updates closely, and enjoying them. So thank you everyone!

My phone appointment with Surgical Rehab at the hospital lasted 50 minutes and I was completely exhausted at the end of it. One of the problems was that I had to ask the young woman to keep repeating what she had said as I couldn’t quite hear what she was saying. It turned out to be my ‘hip school’ appointment, explaining what to expect, what I could not do after surgery etc. I had had to measure chair, bed, toilet heights etc. And they asked for the measurements in inches!

Yesterday I had two forms in the post from the hospital. One was asking for my consent for details of my surgery to be recorded on The National Joint Registry. The other an NHS Hip Surgery Questionnaire with 27 questions - why do multiple choice answers never include the one you want to give? There were also a few sheets of post-op exercises, to be completed four times a day. That really worried me as I can’t imagine being able to do them so many times a day. I think I could manage three times! The lying down ones require going upstairs to a bed don’t’t they, or have any of you managed to do them on a sofa?

I’ll keep you posted about my appointment next week.


Next week I have my third pre-admission appointment with a nurse by telephone. I can’t imagine what more information they need from me!
Still no exact date for surgery yet, but it can’t be far away now can it?

Thanks Aveline, me too.

I had no follow up at all apart from a telephone appt with the surgeon after 8 weeks. I'm just glad all was well.

Oh suppose I was a bit disappointed about having to keep to the 90 degree rules.

It’s ok Fanny I wasn’t disappointed, I was surprised but quite happy to have an unexpected extra check.
Hope all your questions are answered today and you get a date.

Good morning all; and thank you so much for all of your kind thoughts about Gracie.

I’m sorry to hear that you were disappointed yesterday Silverlining , and that you are still uncomfortable.

Gracie does have a problem with her cruciate ligament.
She is going to be referred to an orthopaedic surgeon, just like her mummy!
It’s going to cost £££, but I am extremely fortunate in that I have got top notch insurance with Pet Plan (Phew!)

Getting ready for my pre op appointment at 11 o’clock today.
I shall return!

If she is reading, a special wave ? to ipadgrandma

I was surprised too Susie, didnt expect an X ray today and certainly not an appointment in 6 weeks with another xray. Totally unexpected.

I didn’t get and x-ray or follow up date ?!!

That's all good then Silverlining48... Everything is going in the right direction. Again it was reassuring to know the leg difference will settle down. I can sleep on my side...I must have done it accidentally at first and it did hurt but now I find I am sleeping on one side or the other for most of the night but with my knees bent which I think stops my leg falling forward. I do still wake up a few times though as everything seizes up a bit but as you say in the scheme of things it's easy days still . Enjoy being able to drive again too...Freedom again!!!!
Fanny I hope Gracie is back home now having a cuddle.

Am just back from my 6 week check. Had an xray prior to seeing the doctor. It is still in the post op position so thise few times i may have overstretched have done no harm. Scar us healing but still wants me to follow the strict precautions so no bending less than 90 degrees. I didn't ask about sleeping on my side as the physio has said i can, but i use a pillow between knees and like Grannylaine am not overly Comfortable. Thank goodness i have my sleeping tabkets which do help.

It seems that 6 weeks is still early and it may be 3 or more months before things can begin to heal properly. I told him one leg is now slightly longer and he said it shoukd settle and shouldnt affect other parts of the body. What i can do is drive now.

He wants to see me again in mid July with another Xray, I really thought i would be fully signed off today.

He spent some time explaining 3 different sites/apps fir me to review him positively, which was a novel experience, as nhs doctors have never requested this.

So a bit disappointed I have to keep to the precautions, but will do as I have been doing, and heres to the next 6 weeks.
The best thing is I can walk distances again without pain, and I just must be patient. Onwards and forwards.

SusieB50 had my THR 12 weeks ago exactly and I'm still not all that comfortable lying on my side. It's early days.....

Good luck Fanny , hope all goes well . I did ask about lying on my side and was told I could with a pillow between my legs but found it was painful so I’m half on my back and half on my side supported by a pillow . It seems to be working so far ….

Good luck for tomorrow Fanny and also best wishes for your poorly mutt.
Along with you your husband and the dog how many problem legs are we talking about? ?
It reminds me of an old rhyme my mother told me when I was a child….
Two legs sat upon three legs with one leg on his lap
In come four legs etc!!

silverlining all I can think of is when can you lie on your side in bed and do you have to use a pillow whether you lie on the operated side or the other and if so how long for.

Perhaps ask about low seating- not in your home but in places such as banks etc. I stand because if I sat down I would not be able to get up unaided.

I am off fir my 6 week consultation shortly and doing a short list fir the doctor included in it is one about crossing legs, bending, weeding, driving, uneven legs....can’t think of much else. Any thoughts in the next half hour. Thankyou all.

Everything crossed other than legs perhaps....

FannyCornforth...keeping everything crossed for Gracie ...I feel for you re walking and pain ..I can't believe that 5 weeks ago today I was walking into the hospital on crutches and had to hold onto the arm of the anaesthetist when I went into theatre. The difference today is amazing... I'm not completely pain free but it's a healing pain if that makes sense rather than that excruciating pain of before the op. Hopefully you will have your op soon and you and Gracie will both be able to enjoy walking together again.

Thank you Silverlining and others for your post yesterday.

Today I am going to read the thread in it’s entirety as my homework before tomorrow’s appointment!

I’ll have a pen and paper with me.

Oh! And I’ve got to tell you this.
My dog, Gracie, is at the vets all day having an X-ray.
She has a poorly back leg.
Possible cruciate ligament damage, or maybe arthritis.

So there are now three of us (including DH) who can’t walk properly.
I’m so bad now, I can hardly stand up, let alone walk.

DH had to take Gracie this morning (usually my job) as I’m just not up to it.
Please keep everything crossed for my little dog ♥️?

silverlining48

Ship not shop!

I got your gist ?
There will be times when transferring out to an NHS Intensive care unit is exactly the right thing to do if serious complications arise, but a critical care unit for less serious situations is a real bonus. Fortunately I needed neither but it was reassuring to know that the major NHS hospital where I worked for many years was also just across the road.

Ship not shop!

My physio also said the difference in length wasn’t too much snd would improve or at least I would get used to it.
She spoke in mm not cm/s.
GrannyLaine I didn’t realise that Nuffield was not for profit and to have an intensive care facility is a big plus because most private hospitals don’t snd if anything goes wrong they shop patients off to the local nhs hospital.

SusieB50... Thank you for including what the physio said about timing (6 to 12 months)... that it can take for everything to settle down re difference in leg length. That's very reassuring. When I came out of hospital mine was 6mm which really worried me but it is steadily improving. I had a hybrid procedure so part of the new joint was cemented and the rest needs to allow the bone to grow around the new joint. I don't know which bit was which though...if I had to guess...the stalk that went into my femur was the hybrid and the ball cemented. Knowing what your physio has said now makes sense as to what's happening.

I guess different organisations will operate to different budgets and margins: mine was done at The Nuffield which is a not-for-profit organisation and has an 'outstanding' CQC rating. It also has a critical care unit which I felt was important. As the invoices have been coming in, I've been quite surprised at how reasonable the amounts seem to be honest.

I had to smile at the idea of your neighbour with three knees!

GrannyLaine my neighbour has had 3 knees replaced privately and says she had to buy her own aids.
I ended up buying most of my own, apart from sticks and raised toilet seat. Private hospital but nhs. I was quite stressed about it all before the operation because I didn't know what I might be given but it all worked out.