Hip replacement pre/post operation pls

Hello hipsters!

Well done Susie, you are making excellent progress.

Sorry to hear that you’ve had such shoddy pre op treatment ipad. How silly, and how annoying.

Eleven days to go for me!
I’ve been thinking about anaesthesia etc.
I thought that I’d have a choice - but I’ve been told that I’m being sedated and having a spinal block.

Can you tell me how you got on with this side of things please?
Just how sedated are you?
Can you hear stuff? It’s not like the dentist is it?
I was hoping to know nothing at all about it!

When I had my last knee replaced I was talked into having a spinal block and I slept like a baby, hearing zilch. I also did not want to hear saws etc at work. I made it very clear to the anaesthetist I did not want to hear a thing- not even the music played in theatre!

Thank you Charley, that’s very reassuring.
Did you speak to the anaesthetist at your pre op? Or on the day?
I was told that I’d get to speak with them at my pre op, but it didn’t happen.

Fanny Cornforth I too was unsure but trust me, the spinal / sedation combination is awesome. They laid me down as soon as the spinal was in, legs feeling lovely and warm. I remember the anaesthetist saying " I'm just going to give you some sedation now, then we'll turn you on your side and cover you with a warm blanket........" I remember thinking 'Ah, Midazelam and a BodyHugger' and the next thing I knew I was being taken back to the ward. I don't even remember them wheeling me into theatre. I neither heard nor saw anything at all. It was like the loveliest sleep with no after effects at all.

Fanny, both the surgeon and the anaesthetist came to see me on the morning of my surgery, before they started the list.

Oh Laine! That’s brilliant to hear!
Thank you ?

I had the spinal block after sedation and wasn’t aware of anything after that. Woke quickly while still in theatre but it was all over by then snd saw surgeon and anaesthetist prior to surgery. I saw nor heard anything operation wise over the whole period.
Not long now Fanny.

Something on my mind. I have a partial denture, will I have to remove it before operation does anyone know. No one has ever seen me with out it. Vanity I know but it worries me.

I don't know. I don't remember being asked. Nothing went in my mouth anyway no need for intubation. Just had spinal block and blissful sedation sleep. Midazolam- lovely! I had an oxygen mask on when I came to but it's was only over my mouth and nose.

travelsafar I think you will probably have to remove it but do ask on the morning. To be honest, it will probably be the least of your worries.

travelsofar you must remove it because it could become dislodged and choke you when you are anaesthetised. Please forget about vanity.

Fanny every hospital is different but I spoke with the anaesthetist in the anaesthetic room. No pre-op injection to relax me was given so I was able to discuss what I wanted.

Thank you everyone for your reassurance, much appreciated.
Yes, travels, I was asked about my teeth at the pre op.
As Charley and others say, you will need to remove it

Yes you will need to remove it , even though you are having a spinal. Just in case anything goes wrong and you need to have a general. I have one contact lens( cataract op in the other) and I had to remove that.I was also asked about crowns etc in my mouth .

* silverlining* just a quick question , I think you said you are sleeping on your side now - I tried last night but found it tricky still . Are you on the operation side or the other? I found that if I was on the opposite side I couldn’t get the operation side in a good position. But if I tried it was painful on the operation side. I’m desperate to get sorted !

Hi Susie I was told only to lie on the operated side.
The nurse explained that if you lie on your ‘good’ side, there is a possibility that your operated side will flop over and forwards. Which it seemed was happening to you last night.
(I hope that makes sense!)

If lying on your side you must have pillows between your legs and possibly one at your back for comfort. Many years ago this was not allowed until at least 6 weeks and sometimes 3 months.

Please do not rush back to normal, it is major surgery and believe me, you do not want the hip to dislocate so go gently, please.

Good luck to all those who are on the ‘list’ and those who are recovering. I know this thread about hip replacement, but I’d like to have some feed back on knee replacement, as sooner or later, I will have to have one. Best to start another thread I guess..

I think Charleygirl is right, you are expecting too much too soon. !3 weeks on, I'm still not totally comfortable on either side and pillows don't help one jot. I can lay on my front comfortably and that's usually where I end up. Logically, it's not about what we shouldn't do as the 'rules' don't seem to be the slightest bit consistent do they?
Listen to what your body is telling you: if it hurts. its not ok

crazyH I think there's already a knee replacement thread. Scroll back or check the forums list.

Susie I sleep on my good, ie unoperated, side with a pillow between my knees so my operated leg is kept fairly level and doesn’t drop down.
I havnt slept on my operated side. Dare not!
Fanny dont think it’s right to sleep on operated side.

Aveline - thankyou so much x

Think I’ll carry on on my back till I see physio next. Just thankful I sleep alone - I woke myself up last night with my snoring ! I enjoyed my gentle water exercise session yesterday, I wish it was more often than weekly . Also think I may try and try and find a Tia Chi class as my balance is even worse than it was. Terrified of falling over and ruining all the good work ….

We are away and had a dreadful nights sleep last night, in fact didn’t sleep at all. Or so it feels. Thank goodness fir the world service. Always interesting but usually sends me to sleep.
About to start packing, and tonight I will have my own pillows.

Glad you are getting from hydrotherapy Susie and @gree that we seem to be given different precautions we just need to take note of our own pain.

Have a Hippoty hoppity day, all.

Snap silverlining I was still awake at 4am listening to a pod cast on meditation !! I think I may have dropped off about then so have had a few hours, I will do my best not to drop off this pm and hopefully will sleep tonight . I never had any problems sleeping prior to the op?x

Hello all!
I hope that you both managed to drop off silverlining and Susie
I recommend listening to LBC during the night,
I’m also bumping the thread, because there is a lot of interest in hip problems on another thread, and I thought that some posters may like to join in here.