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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 Tue 12-Apr-22 19:45:21

Thanks for explaining FindingNemo. So, not hip fractures as in sudden traumatic injury but degeneration of osteoarthritis causing bone on bone deterioration if I'm understanding you right?

Charleygirl5 Tue 12-Apr-22 19:34:51

Dear husband-SIL is son in law. It can be confusing but just ask.

Naughtyneine Tue 12-Apr-22 18:51:07

Hi All... I'm new to the site and loving it but I don't know what the initials mean... Can you give me the low down on DH etc.

silverlining48 Tue 12-Apr-22 18:50:07

Disconcerting

silverlining48 Tue 12-Apr-22 18:49:11

Me too Charley, given the backlog in nhs operations. An almost empty hospital, a bit Marie Celeste. It doesn't make sense but perhaps the nurse who told me is mistaken. I hope so, as its discincerting but will know more tomorrow.( If i dont return to report, best organise a search party. ) confused

FindingNemo15 Tue 12-Apr-22 18:16:34

GrannyLaine As I said before my DH has had osteoarthritis for many years and gradually they have worsened until one day the hips just shattered. He seemed to deteriorate over night, one day he was doing DIY, gardening, etc., and the next could hardly walk.

CharleyGirl When I phoned the woman who discharged DH she did not even show any sympathy, apologise or admit she had made a mistake. She is supposed to be looking into what will happen next and get back to me. I am still waiting.

Charleygirl5 Tue 12-Apr-22 17:25:26

Naughtyneine would it be possible to move a bed temporarily to the ground floor or at the very least close to a loo? Negotiating all those stairs is not going to be easy although you will be shown.

Finding Nemo15 I realise it is not much consolation but heads should roll with your DH being readmitted so soon after discharge, Hospitals used to be fined if somebody was readmitted as an emergency with the same complaint if having been discharged within 28 days. I do not know if that still happens.

Does anybody actually care nowadays?

Words fail me silverlining. I would not have thought it was financially viable to keep the place open for so few patients.

GrannyLaine Tue 12-Apr-22 16:52:55

Naughtyneine welcome to the hip hop hipsters & the best of luck with your surgery on Thursday. It sounds as though you will have some challenges after your house move!

silverlining48 its lovely to hear that you finally feel calm as you approach your surgery tomorrow flowers

FindingNemo forgive me, I'm not quite understanding how your husband's hip fractures were sustained. It would normally take quite some kind of force to break both hips? And yes, they certainly won't want to operate where there is such active infection.

silverlining48 Tue 12-Apr-22 16:34:42

Thanks Whiff. I am very calm today and looking forward to being able to live without constant pain. It’s been a long time but the day has come, the hip hop hasn’t been cancelled thank goodness and life as I knew it will begin again.
I hope Susie is ok and look forward to hearing her news,
Greetings to all x

Whiff Tue 12-Apr-22 16:22:57

Silverlining get a good night's sleep and go into hospital with a positive frame of mind. The pain will pass but you have been living with pain for a long time. Look forward to a pain free summer. And moving about freely. ???

silverlining48 Tue 12-Apr-22 16:03:38

Welcome naughtyneine not long for you too. My operation is tomorrow. Sounds like you have a lot going on, do you think you can manage alone all day.
Hope all goes well fir all who are going through this. I am as ready as I am going to be and look forward to being able to lead a normal pain-free life as soon as possible. Keep in touch, we can all help each other.

Naughtyneine Tue 12-Apr-22 15:04:21

So glad I found this thread. I'm having my op this Thursday and have been worrying about post op as we have just (2 weeks) moved to a Victorian Cottage on 4 floors. The bedrooms are on floors 3 and 4 and the stairs are quite steep with a right hand bend on them. I'm hoping I'll be able to manage them. We live about 3 and a half hours away from the hospital so am concerned about the journey too. I will be on my own from 7.30 to 6pm each day too. That said I cannot wait to get rid of the pain in my hip..knee.. groin (labral tear) and back and get back to a more normal life. Thanks for all your success stories.

FindingNemo15 Tue 12-Apr-22 14:21:57

Silverlining DH has had six lots of antibiotics, two by drip.

JenniferEccles I suppose because his hips deteriorated over the years due to osteoarthritis it is not classed as emergency.

If they had operated sooner his legs would not be so bad. I am now expecting to hear they cannot operate due to his legs which will hinder his recovery.

JenniferEccles Tue 12-Apr-22 13:23:03

The more you write about your poor husband’s situation FindingNemo the worse it gets.
I don’t know what the answer is as it appears you have explored every avenue.
What I struggle to understand is that when a person is involved in, say, a bad car accident and both hips are broken, they are taken to hospital and operated on. Your husband is in the same situation with two broken hips so I can’t for the life of me see why he wasn’t treated with the same urgency. And you say this has been going on for a year.
An appalling situation.

silverlining48 Tue 12-Apr-22 12:18:43

FindingNemo*Cellulitis is awful and needs strong antibiotics. No doubt he is on a course of these. Keep an eye out that the redness doesn’t get any bigger. I marked mine with a pen.

silverlining48 Tue 12-Apr-22 12:15:06

The hospital just called, and for a moment I thought they were cancelling. So knew then how much I want to have a shiny new hip, but all was well, a courtesy call, to say my pcr was negative. Which I already knew smile

FindingNemo15 Tue 12-Apr-22 12:13:43

DH also has cellulitis which has got worse since his last admission and carpel tunnel due to using his walking frame.

I think I mentioned before as he did not fall off a ladder, trip up or was in a RTA he is only classed as routine.

I am totally confused by all this and feel as though I cannot do any more from my side.

GrannyLaine Tue 12-Apr-22 11:56:12

FindingNemo15 can understand your frustration completely. Does your DH have other complex health needs that are causing the falls? I'm guessing right now he would be quite frail for major surgery? Lets hope his recent readmission will trigger some extra support for you flowers

silverlining48 Tue 12-Apr-22 10:25:27

FindingNemo that is dreadful your poor dh and poor you.
I really can’t understand why this is happening.
My sympathy and best wishes to you both flowers

FindingNemo15 Tue 12-Apr-22 10:17:01

Thank you for all your support suggestions. PALS were not able to help us, the GP is not interested now we are on the hospital list, I have spoken to the Consultant's secretary who said it is a waiting game and the MP has gone off the face of the earth now.

The whole situation is exhausting and depressing. To be honest I had not seen my DH for a month as he had another fall and was in hospital for six weeks with the added complication of him getting Covid twice. Luckily he was not on a ventilator and was isolating.

Against my wishes he was discharged on Friday and managed three hours at home before he fell again and after waiting nine hours on the floor the ambulance took him off to A&E.

I am still waiting to hear what is going to happen as he is not safe at home. The ambulance crews were horrified that he had been discharged and were so kind.

JenniferEccles Tue 12-Apr-22 10:08:47

Great to hear from you Susieespecially the same night of your op! So pleased it went well. It does appear that anaesthetists vary in whether they fully sedate patients or not.
I also had the spinal block and a sedation which meant I was aware of nothing until I came round in the recovery room.
It’s a lovely feeling when it’s all over isn’t it, and although there is discomfort from the surgery, we are aware pretty well straight away that the hip pain has gone.
I didn’t have the pulsing device on my legs just then compression stockings, which I’m afraid I did away with soon after I got home!

Best of luck to you for tomorrow silverlining.!
I’m sure you are nervous which everyone is but the feeling of relief knowing there is a shiny new hip ( which is how my lovely surgeon put it!) in situ is a wonderful feeling.

silverlining48 Tue 12-Apr-22 09:11:51

Thank you Charley and Libman. smile
I will be in a small private hospital on the nhs which is closed over Easter. Assume there will be a skeleton staff...shock Only about 4 other patients. It’s bizarre, no wonder I amNervous.

iPadGrandma Tue 12-Apr-22 09:09:57

Glad it went well, SusieB50, and best wishes for tomorrow, silverlining48.

Helpful planned telephone call from my consultant yesterday, to explain the procedure.

Libman Tue 12-Apr-22 08:59:46

silverlining48 sending best wishes for tomorrow and before you know it, it will be tomorrow night and it will all be over. ??

Charleygirl5 Tue 12-Apr-22 08:57:55

Susie the worst is over- it can only get better.

silverlining I agree, have a word with your anaesthetist. I heard zilch after my last knee replacement. It is more than possible to achieve.

All the very best for tomorrow but please do not leave without a usable raised loo seat. Tell the staff the minute you are admitted you want to see the Occupational Therapist to get it sorted.

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