Hip replacement pre/post operation pls

Naughtyneine how wonderful to have slept. It’s on my wish list but so far evades me. Sounds like you have had so much go8ng on in your life so please take it easy,
I am full of pride and joy as just back from a walk, I went past the post box which is as far as I have made it so far ( and it was exhausting to get there) but hoping to get to see the bluebells on the Heath, and am thrilled to say I made it and they are lovely, but double the distance to the box, just under 3000 steps, and am now resting. Hoe I don’t regret it but it’s helped me feel more positive.
Greetings to all x

Naughtyneine glad you managed to sleep, take things slowly! I am on something called the Enhanced Recovery Pathway which gets you up and mobile asap, and have absolutely no other pre-conditions or stress. I still had to build up from 2 x 5 minutes.
I’m still OK, aches in my knees and ankles last night and I think it’s because my chairs were raised a little bit too high for me to put my feet flat on the floor. I’ve consulted the internet and made a few adjustments.

Activerelaxer. So you can bend less than 99 degrees, twist round, sleep any way you like?
As I just bent forward to pick up this iPad I thought omg, have I bent too far in. Will the world come crashing down on me....? Talk about stressful.

90 not 99

I wonder if maybe more should be said about how tough things can be for a week or so after the operation?
Like most people who’ve had it done and are past the early stage I am always eager to be encouraging to others who are contemplating whether or not to have surgery, yet maybe I’ve been guilty of glossing over just how sore and painful the hip area is after the operation.
We all quite rightly stress how the original hip pain disappears straight away, but maybe play down the surgical pain for fear of putting folk off having what is after all a very successful procedure.

Hello Hipsters! ?
Apologies, I still haven’t read the thread properly.
I’ve got the attention span of a gnat due to all of the painkillers that I’m on.

Anyway - I have finally got a date!
It’s Friday 17th June! ?

I will try to catch up with all of your news now.
Sending you all good wishes

Well! I’m now up to speed!
It’s great to see that this thread has gathered up so many us.
Silverlining congratulations on your walk today!
I honestly can’t imagine what it’s going to be like to be able to walk again. It will be like a miracle ?

JenniferEccles I must say that I didn't play any pain down after my hip op. I'm very lucky that it really wasn't bad at all. Perhaps though, it was because it was such a contrast to my recovery from knee replacements? I don't know.
I suppose it's all relative and there are so many variable factors involved.

Good day to all fellow hipsters ! Day 14 and clips out and it feels much more comfortable already. I am definitely going back to my own bed tonight . A bit of a standoff regarding the white TED stockings though .The nurse spoke to the consultant as he was there today , he said at least one more week ?. I explained that some of the carers don’t seem to be able to get them on properly and they end up digging into my legs which I’m sure is worse than having none ! Nurse showed me just where the square area needs to be so maybe I can relate this to the carer…..
I do find walking on uneven ground ( our pavements!) very tiring so haven’t walked very far but potter around the house and garden most of the day . Still needing a rest in the afternoon to catch up on disturbed nights although I think my sleeping is improving . Trouble is I wake up and lie there thinking “do I need the loo?” Of course I’m not going to go back to sleep unless I do go, so why do I prevaricate ?
Still taking paracetamol during the day and paracetamol and one 8mg tablet codeine at night . Quite happy to continue todo that if it helps the discomfort . Up until this time last year I probably took 2 paracetamol a month ! It is in fact exactly a year that all my back, groin and hip problems started, so can’t really complain too much .

Aveline apropos of nothing… are you the lady with the Maine coons?

Yes

Silverlining48, no I’m not allowed to do any of that, and I have to go up stairs both feet before I get to the next one - I’m still using a crutch for that.

I do forget and find myself in the wrong position from time to time and I get out of it really slowly and carefully, The physio told me it was snapping back out of a bend or twist that was most risky.

I’m fairly sure the aches and stiffness I do have are from not being able (allowed) to stretch properly, but no complaints really, I’ve been so lucky!

Think we are the same stage activerelaxer. My op was 13 April.
I am going upstairs with one stick one at a time. Up is easier than down ( left hip hop) so have to concentrate. I am walking with one stick indoors but 2 outside, and can cross the room without a stick. So a few steps.
I only take paracetomol 3 or 4 times a day, have stopped the other stronger pills.
Have no after effects from walk this morning but am not doing exercises religiously as they are just turning up my toes and bending my knee. I have a hospital appt on weds fir the dressing, and first physio Friday. Will discuss.
Managed to get into bed for the first time last night without help. Not easy but I did it.
Have been looking fir a cleaner, it’s harder than I thought.
Was shocked that some agencies take as much as 50% off the cleaners cleaning fee, I would rather pay the cleaner direct but it’s proving hard to find one as none of my friends have them, and nor had I.

Glad you have a date Fanny. You will be expert by then.

Susie you must be so pleased to have the staples out. You are 2 days ahead of me I think. I was under the impression that if you are mobile stockings aren’t necessary and injections or tablets are sufficient. Hope so I jab every evening and have two full boxes still to use . Not getting used to it but preferable to struggling with Ted.

I am at hospital weds so hope to be able to talk to someone.
I have had very little medical input bar the actual operation.

I am so pleased that this thread has taken off because it’s helped me enormously.

silverlining if you have a local NextDoor you could advertise for a cleaner there but it is easier to put online how long you want the cleaner for, the average is 3 hours a week and what you will pay each hour.

I live in London so there is no problem here- many are looking for work.
I am an old hat at it!

So good to hear of everyone's progress & great news to hear that you now have a date Fanny. I've been thinking a bit about your post JenniferEccles & had to go back & check that I hadn't inadvertently given too rosy a picture! I don't feel that I did, but for the first couple of weeks I was taking quite a hefty combination of analgesics which pretty much managed any pain.
silverlining I hope you have some luck with finding a cleaner. It occurred to me the other day that I no longer have any excuse to avoid some chores. Only a matter of time before Mr L realises too ?

Oh I really don’t want anyone to think I was criticising anybody on here for not saying how difficult things often are in the early post-operative stages.
Actually it was my own posts I was thinking about, so I’m sorry if my comments came across as anything other than that.

Everyone seems to be making good progress which is good to hear, and Fanny I see you now have a date for yours. Great !

@JenniferEccles - I didn't take it as criticism, you made a really good point there. I did just need to check though! This thread has been really supportive and has given all of us Hip Hop Hipsters a lot of food for thought.

The thing that perhaps I glossed over (and really hadn't considered) was coming OFF the opiate analgesics which I'd been on for a couple of years prior to surgery

Hope those who are struggling had a better night last night.

Good morning all. Another poor night sleep for me, hope you all had better. Just can’t get used to sleeping on my back.
I think we have to give our own experience of this operation, for some it’s more straightforward than others, we all want to encourage but warn too that it not a walk in the park.
I had a lovely long walk yesterday and saw the third year of spring bluebells since COVID began and was grateful. At day 13 feel I can start to see some light at the end of the tunnel.
It’s day 13 and tomorrow I am going to the hospital for my dressing to be removed I think. Another step forward and will allow me to ask about that dratted golf ball which I can still feel when I sit down. It’s still a mystery,
Talking of sitting down one of my best bits of kit is a plastic bag not A shopping bag but thin Plain white piece of plastic which is whizz at getting me to slide into and across my bed.
Havnt been in the car yet so will try it tomorrow Simples.
Will report back tomorrow.
Greetings hip hoppers

Charley girl don’t think we have next door here but am in the busy south east corner so it shouldn’t be hard.
What would you say is a normal hourly rate if using an agency or an Individual? I am half mile outside London border and don’t have a clue.

silverlining48 take that thin plastic bag with you as it helps to sit on it and spin round into the car.

I will indeed Aveline.

Getting into the passenger seat is one of the things I still find a bit awkward: Bum in first then a neat 90 degree pivot with knees together. Yet I can climb into the drivers seat with absolute ease as my left (unaffected) side goes in first.

silverlining I have been in the same position and found I could not afford to pay an agency as well as the cleaner. My last cleaner charged a tenner an hour and my present one £12.50 an hour. My max would be £13 and I certainly would not pay £15+ as some are asking for.

You have had major surgery and you will naturally feel exhausted for 3 months post-op. It takes around a year for you to feel and enjoy the benefits of surgery.

Thanks Charleygirl. I rang a couple of local agencies. We arent a wealthy area so was surprised they were all over 15 or 16£ Also wanting me to have 3 hrs when i want two and still only paying the cleaner £10. Would rather cut out the agency and give more direct.
I put something in a local group and have had a couple of possibles so am feeling quite chipper. Trouble is the (clearly young) woman ends all her short mails with at least half a dozen kisses! I dont do that fir my best friends xxxxxx