Hip replacement pre/post operation pls

I had knees done at different times and on each occasion put clingwrap round knee when in shower.A Godsend. Also flannel can be used as mini towels if necessary.

Good to hear from you SusieB50 but sorry that you've had a bit of a difficult time. You sound as though you are getting it all sorted now, each new day brings a bit of progress. When I look back, the first two weeks were definitely the toughest. Just keep looking forward and be gentle with yourself

Hello again all,
Thank you all fo4 your kinD thoughts and good wishes. Much appreciated . .
I had my operation on Wednesday afternoon, it took about 90 minutes and didn’t feel see or hear a thing. Was discharged yesterday morning even though I feit dreadfully weak and had been sick It was the hottest day of the year I was frozen and shivering, By the time I get home I was really cold, and a bit clammy with a high temperature. Swollen feet too. Still have swollen feet, they are currently in a bowl of cool water. .
Happy to say am Feeling bit better today but am very stiff and when I Sit it feels like I am sitting o n something really sharp. and pointed, walking is painful too of course, especially down stairs but it’s early days so have to be a patient patient.
It’s a Struggle to get into bed, getting out is easier. clearly no upper body strength but using a thin plastic bag which helps me to shuffle and slither across.
It’s quite painful and an on a quick wirking type if morphne fir a limited while which doesn’t seem to majectoo much difference but it’s only day 3 so expecting that, and hope that by this time next week I will be properly on the mend. Hope we all are.
Asked not to have the ted stockings as they are so awkward to put on, and have been given injections which I do myself every day. It really doesn’t hurt.
The good thing is at last I am on my way to recovery and normal life @hd fir that I am very grateful.
My best wishes to all fellow hipsters , it’s so nicecwe can get such support from each other.
This iPad s really playing up or maybe aI am tired, probably both so will sign off now til next time.
Enjoy the sunshine x

So glad to hear from you silverlining48: I remember all those discomforts so clearly, especially that weird feeling of sitting on something a bit pointy. I had a swollen leg and foot for a few days but had been warned to expect it.
Great result with negotiating about the elastic stockings, there is no way on God's earth I would have managed to wrestle those b****rs on. The blood thinning tablets / injections are much more effective at preventing thrombosis. Take lots of time to recover, each day things will be just a bit easier. I'm just over seven weeks post op now and sometimes find myself forgetting about my new hip altogether. My son called round yesterday and was watching me go upstairs. He's a man of few words but when I came down he said "Mum, having that new hip has taken twenty years off you!"
And he's right

Naughtyneine hope all went well with your surgery on Thursday, come back and tell us how you are when you feel up to it

Thanks fir the reassurance GrannyLaine re the strange feeling of sitting on something uncomfortably pointy, my imagination was rather running away with me.... phew that’s a relief.
So pleased to hear you are so well recovered . It gives us behind you hope.
Naughtyneine look forward to hearing your experience.
Fanny, are you any closer to a date yet? Hope so.

Glad you are home Silverlining. Each day will show improvement. Keep up the exercises and you will be tangoing in no time. ??

It’s obviously different consultants with different ways of working . I couldn’t negotiate the stockings even though I said I have no one at home ! Also I’m giving myself anticoagulant injections every night too. So belt and braces approach. The actual pain is really not too bad 5th night tonight and I have just come to bed and managed to get my leg in without help ?. So a small success , tomorrow I will be on my own with son doing meal runs . How are all of you living alone managing to prepare meals? I’ve got some ready microwave meals but think I will have to stand at the work top to eat them as no free hand to carry plates to the table!

Susie Consultants vary with their precautions and though mine has 6 weeks rule mine didn’t take much persuading about stockings, I just said they are hard to put on.
I just have the injections and think as long as we move around regularly it should be fine.
I managed to get in bed for the first time at 4 am this morning and felt very proud of myself.
My dh is here and calls me Milady and he of course is Carson. He is really good, cooks lovely meals and is always on call ( when it if he hears me) and can’t imagine how awkward it is for people on their own to cope, it’s not easy.

I had little in the way of aids but dd contacted community OT and yesterday was delivered of equip fir toilet snd a bed handle thing which is what allowed me to get into bed on my own at 4am, it hurt but I did it! Am feeling quite pleased with
Myself.
All good wishes

silverlining Consultant has said he will review the stocking situation after 2 weeks when I have a joint appointment for consultant , clips out, and physio progress . I’ve moved into the back bedroom as the bed is slightly lower but still can’t manage that last leg lift each time, so an Amazon hunt this morning for a bed handle thing . I’ve also got a strip of rubber (used for exercises ) that I might be able to flip round my leg and pull it up . Breakfast challenge now ….. ! Also need to get organised with my small back pack to carry things around “hands free”

Given the length and depth of the wound i dont have stitches or staples but those little plasters they use for small wounds.
If you need help with aids contact your surgery for an OT and an order can be placed. Mine was delivered the day after ordering.
Certainly the toilet rail helps me get up and down. Don’t struggle, if you need help it is out there.

SusieB50 I used a dressing gown belt to loop round my foot to lift my leg into bed. Worked like a charm. Its such a difficult thing to begin with and then suddenly -wow!- its no longer a problem as those muscles heal.

I didn't have staples. I insisted on no staples after my knee replacements!
Re getting in to bed: I hooked the handle of my stick round my foot and lifted my leg in that way.

silverlining you will have an 'invisible' subcuticular stitch below the skin surface to hold your wound together. The little steristrips on the surface just keep the skin edges neatly apposed so it doesn't gape

That’s a relief GrannyLaine, little starry strips don’t seem to be sufficient on their own.
I will try the belt stick method if getting into bed.
Still in bed with a cuppa but will get out shortly as dd who lives abroad us visiting. It’s been a long long time.
Washing all a happy Easter.

Sterry not starry

Wishing not washing...oh dear.

You been on the Oromorph again silverlining?
Glad you've had a good lie in

GrannyLaine

Good ideas everyone I will have a go this eve with the dressing gown belt. The elastic band didn’t work - too stretchy . I can’t believe some of you only had steristrips , amazing . I have a line of about 15 clips and a dressing . All good though not causing me any problems . Lovely friends and family have visited or phoned . The DGC had a little Easter eggs hunt , think this will be the last year for them unless they are with their younger cousins. DS has made a flask of tea for me and will return with a meal . He insists on staying over again tonight , so maybe one more night then big girls pants on ! Strangely I can’t concentrate on the TV , so will listen to the radio on BBC sounds and catch-up .,

One thing I found a godsend with my cracked pelvis was a small apron with pockets, so that I didn’t need to carry things while managing a walker or stick. Oh and a big ring cushion that the carer lent stopped the feeling of sitting on a pointy thing. I’ve only just managed to give that up.

Good luck to you all, this thread has been a great help and morale booster for me and it’s great to read of the return to health of others.

SusieB50 the trick with the dressing gown belt is to wrap it round your foot so that you get a good grip rather than just passing it under tour foot IYSWIM?
Re the steristrips, see my post at 10.54

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Susie and silverlining sorry to hear that both of you have had a bit of a tough time, but it does sound as if you are both improving now which is good to hear.
It can be tough at first. Even though the original hip pain has gone the pain from the surgery can be quite severe for a short while. I was also on morphine in hospital but I would guess it was quite a low dose as it didn’t seem to do a lot.
Anyway things do improve quite quickly once healing gets well underway, and then there’s no looking back.

Hope you all continue to make good progress. These lovely sunny spring days make us all look forward to getting on with our lives pain free!