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Hip replacement pre/post operation pls

(1001 Posts)
silverlining48 Mon 14-Feb-22 09:25:47

Cutting a long story short I have (at last!!) been given a date for a new hip. It will be my first proper operation so feel relieved and happy but nervous ?, All I was told at the hospital was it would be a 48 hour stay.

I don’t know anyone who has had this done and wonder if anyone with experience has suggestions or advice about what they found helpful either before or after the operation or useful aids, or anything about the whole process.
Thanks ?

GrannyLaine Sun 08-May-22 14:39:52

@silverlining I'm thinking you meant that for iPadGrandma but yes you're right, provision isn't at all consistent. I found my long handled shoehorn (one upstairs, one downstairs was a real help in putting on knickers and trousers: just put the hooky end thought the leg hole to hold it in place then step into it.

SusieB50 Mon 09-May-22 15:37:09

Hello hipsters , hope you are all improving day by day . I had slightly worrying weekend . Along with the return of my groin pain I have developed a hot hard red area around the wound site . It got worse on Sunday evening and I was considering going to our notoriously busy A+E but I took my temperature which was normal so decided to stay put and had a restless anxious night . At 8am to the second I called my GP . I was number 26 on the call line ! 50 minutes later I was given a telephone appointment despite my saying that I need to be seen . Eventually the doc rang and asked me to come to the surgery ?. I now have yet more antibiotics and the GP has emailed the consultant’s secretary to see if I need to see him . I feel a bit under the weather but it’s the pain in the groin that is bothering me …. So frustrating to say the least as I have been so careful with the wound site. I’m wondering if there maybe a staple left behind … ?‍♀️

Aveline Mon 09-May-22 15:40:43

Oh dear. Sorry to hear that. Hope it's all OK and the antibiotics do the trick.

silverlining48 Mon 09-May-22 22:11:14

Thanks GrannyLaine, I did mean iPadGrandma of course.

Susie so sorry you are having problems, and hope you get an early appointment with the surgeon, as otherwise it will still be a couple if weeks. My 6 week appt is 26 May, sometimes it’s one step forward and two back, other times the reverse. Try not to worry but do keep an eagle eye on things. The anti biotics will help.

GrannyLaine Mon 09-May-22 22:34:38

SusieB50 hope those antibiotics soon kick in so you feel better and that that wretched groin pain goes away soon. ?

silverlining48 Tue 10-May-22 10:57:51

Back last night from just a one night break by the sea, happily seemed longer as we kept busy. Just so nice to get a change of scenery.
I walked a lot, both days, on the flat, without pain, but am resting today in case I overdid things, yesterday did over 4 miles and maybe 3 on Sunday. Painfree, less than 4 weeks post op. I have minor issues but generally very happy, certainly about mobility. Won’t go into the other stuff....suffice the ‚golf ball’ is less apparent...
Wishing you all a great result, patience may be required but we will all get there in the end.

FannyCornforth Tue 10-May-22 11:31:01

Four miles! Wow! I’m seriously impressed!
Susie I hope that you are feeling a bit of an improvement now with the antibiotics thanks

FannyCornforth Tue 10-May-22 11:31:32

I’m glad that you had such a nice time silver

SusieB50 Tue 10-May-22 12:02:14

I had a phone call early this morning and have an appointment to see the consultant Thursday , so I am impressed with the efficiency. I saw the physio today and he understands my slowish progress as this pain has really set me back. More exercises to do and another appointment . Apparently I can have up to 6 so that’s good . I was considering having extra private sessions but hopefully after 6 I should be OK . The antibiotics seem to have kicked in , but the returned level of pain unfortunately has not reduced . Pretty fed up really ?

silverlining48 Tue 10-May-22 12:27:33

I bet you are fed up Susie, I would be too. Usually stuff like this goes wrong with our family so am relieved to be ok this time. Hope the appointment on Thursday will reassure you,

Tea

silverlining48 Tue 10-May-22 12:28:27

Tea? Oh ok then smile

FannyCornforth Tue 10-May-22 12:31:58

Don’t mind if I do! brew

Keep your chin up Susie

travelsafar Tue 10-May-22 17:00:30

So sorry to hear of your issue Susie hope the pain starts to go very soon. It's a knock back to your recovery you can do without.

iPadGrandma Wed 11-May-22 07:51:02

SusieB50 I do hope that you will soon be feeling better. I have found your posts so interesting as I await my hip replacement surgery, with no date as yet.
I have received another telephone ‘preadmission’ appointment for 31st May. I telephoned Orthopaedics to find out what this might be about as I had had two preadmission appointments in February. I had to leave a message and was phoned back shortly after by one of the medical secretaries who was very helpful. The preadmission phone appointment is for the Hip School, to explain everything, or something like that.
I think these Hip School appointments took place in person at the hospital pre Covid. Has anyone else ‘attended’ one before surgery? I have found lots of helpful information about them from various hospital trusts around the country on the internet. Must be getting nearer my surgery date!
Thank you all for sharing your stories which I am following with interest.

silverlining48 Wed 11-May-22 08:27:55

Would have loved the opportunity of hip school, I knew so little of what to expect about the whole thing prior to the operation and became nervous. Had no clue if I was going to be given aids and what these might be. I was given 2 sticks snd a raised toilet seat and back out of the door 24 hours after the operation with powerful opiates which I stopped taking after a few days and no one to call as the hospital discharged everyone and closed for Easter. The entire experience was bizarre.

silverlining48 Wed 11-May-22 08:32:20

I hope you get the information you need and a date to focus on soon ipadGrandma

silverlining48 Wed 11-May-22 08:38:59

It’s 4 weeks pay op today and am nearly finished with those dreaded stomach injections I
won’t be sorry. Two to go and I am done ✅

silverlining48 Wed 11-May-22 08:39:30

Typo Post op not pay

Aveline Wed 11-May-22 09:07:36

Time does fly. I remember looking at the packets and packets of blood thinners I was supposed to be taking and thinking I'll still be taking them at doomsday! However, at 6 weeks they were all gone. We'll done for doing those injections. I'd really have struggled to do that.

Aveline Wed 11-May-22 09:08:09

My phone always changed well to we'll!!

SusieB50 Wed 11-May-22 10:08:09

Finished the injections last night thank goodness , although the support stockings were far worse.
I would have loved a “hip school”
maybe I would have been more prepared.I feel a little better today although the groin pain is still debilitating. I dread being told tomorrow by the consultant that things are not quite right. Over 4 weeks today and I had hoped to be able to walk further than I am at the moment . I have gone down to one crutch both inside and out as I feel it’s preventing me from progressing. I’m usually a positive person but this experience has actually knocked me for six .

Naughtyneine Wed 11-May-22 11:48:21

Hang on in there Susie...it may well be some local infection that need the antibiotics to clear it up. It's really hard to keep positive when you are in pain but you have done amazingly and hopefully you'll be back on the up very soon. I was quite tearful on Saturday wondering if I'd ever get the limp under control and my DOH told me not to beat myself up as it's still early days and he was right...I am walking better now and can straighten both legs with my feet together. My consultant said my recovery would be longer because of my previous back surgery and pins to my pelvis and actually that's where most of the pain is now probably as I'm walking differently. I haven't had a problem putting on pants and jeans...I sort of dangled them to the right and put my operated leg in first but did by accident discover that if I sat on say the 4th step of the stairs (I was trying to avoid the dogs 'helping'me) and put my operated leg on the first step it was really easy to put pants and jeans on. I'm back to doing most things now (housework.. gardening..shopping) but if I overdo ( got stuck in M and S last week wondering how I was going to get back to the car as my hip made it very obvious it wasn't happy!!!!! ) I try and do less the next day. We are getting there ladies..Good Luck to all of you waiting... hopefully not long to go. Re hip school. I had to attend a zoom meeting where everything was explained in great detail. I also had to complete a very comprehensive on line form detailing previous ops...allergies .. lifestyles... medications. concerns (I was able to tell them I suffer from panic attacks sometimes and would like to be able to contact my partner if it happened in hospital). I was also sent videos that I needed to watch. This was in addition to my pre op assessment (in Epsom this is only valid for 3 months ago if you don't have your date within 3 months you have to attend for another one). Once all of those were completed I got my date within 2 weeks (for 4 weeks ahead). I hope all that makes sense.

Naughtyneine Wed 11-May-22 12:54:29

Eek....DOH has tested positive... Let's hope all those old wives tales about Covid post op are just that...in the meantime we are WhatsApping one another from different parts of the cottage....as Miranda's mother would say....Such Fun.....

Aveline Wed 11-May-22 16:43:23

Eek indeed. Hope he feels OK. I had it and had no symptoms and DH's version was a sort of snotty cold.

GrannyLaine Wed 11-May-22 22:51:03

SusieB50 hope your appointment gives you some answers tomorrow, its unsettling when something throws a spanner in the works isn't it?
Silverlining glad your break by the sea did you good, you're walking some impressive distances.
iPadGrandma can't quite get my head round the idea of Hip School via the phone. I've not heard of the concept so consulted Google which took me to YouTube. Interesting but I'm not at all sure it would have been useful for me. Everyone's experience and progress is so very different, I found it much more helpful to learn techniques for managing situations as I needed them.
Naughtyneine bad timing for your OH to get Covid. Hope you manage to swerve it & that he soon recovers.

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