?‍♀️Hip Replacement #2 ?‍♀️ (Knees Welcome!) ?‍♀️

I found this thread this morning after a visit to consultant yesterday to discuss knee replacement surgery - both knees needed! I’ve got medical insurance so will eventually get costs covered but I will be paying for the initial consultation and the X-rays taken ( outpatient costs not included unfortunately)

The consultant was really nice, very reassuring and answered all our questions, I had my sister with me for moral support! I am incredibly anxious as my father in law died during his KRS but my family have been nagging me for ages to get sorted out. The X-rays show extensive damage, both knees are bone on bone, so the consultant has agreed to do the surgery on one knee followed by the other fairly soon afterwards.

I now need to do some serious dieting to reduce my BMI then in three months or so, I will see the consultant again. I knew my weight was going to be a problem but the guy was so nice and reassuring that I wasn’t upset by the delay.

I’m going to keep reading this thread and hopefully got some tips about how to cope post surgery as I live alone so will need to find out what support I will need.

Do all your physio, walk, even if you feel sore. Begin walking as soon as allowed. I had knee replacement and am happily back walking 8-10 miles a day. Part of my 'alone time' with the dog.

Welcome Teacheranne, glad you had your sister fir support, sometimes in these situations it’s better to have two if you listening.
Good luck with the weight thing, I know how hard it is, but it will help with your recovery. Certainly you will need help post op. Some manage alone but it’s awkward. Have a look at the old first thread and this second one fir information, most us fir hips but woukd be relevant to knees too, especially after care,
You are very welcome on this thread, keep an eye on the Health forum because often posts do not appear on the Active list.

Welcome Teacheranne and good news that you are going to get some relief from that awful chronic pain. If you have time, do read back upthread and maybe also follow the link given early in this one to the previous thread. Some really good advice and discussion, especially from those contributors who live alone. Having my hip replaced has been a huge success, its taken 20 years off me.

Teacheranne if you haven't already then check the Bonesmart posting forum. It's real people's actual experiences (like here but more of them) plus experienced moderators who interact in a personal basis. It gave me great confidence when I needed it.

Welcome Teacheranne.. Loads of good advise on here. Bonesmart is as advised worth looking at.

Had THR just before last Christmas and Hip done 10th Aug.. Can't believe I'm pain free. Got to the stage I didn't know what hurt worse.
Completely screwed up my life, over the last year.
I had to wait for a Ref to see Consultant due to the backlog after Covid but only waited once seen 5 months for my knee, but he wanted to wait a good 6 - 7 months post knee for Hip. So I had a better recovery after x2 major ops. Ended up 8 months after knee.
Now waiting to see Consultant post op due in 2 weeks so I can get cracking on my rehab.
What is so nice, not taking any painkillers, that makes you feel better.
Any problems post on here, I have had some excellent advise, your not alone ♥️

My operation is in a private hospital but via the NHS, so there is a mix of private and NHS patients.

I did call back and apparently it’s allocation by cases and they are dotted around the calendar depending on the surgery and which staff are available so it’s complicated.

They only do 4 to 6 major operations a week on a Monday and Tuesday and then minor ops on Wednesday with appointments held the rest of the week.

They have said that they will leave a note for the consultant to let him know I am willing to take a cancellation.

It’s just I am worried about recovery as I was doing fine until week 12 when the left hip degraded and as a consequence the right is quite bad now because of uneven movement and weight.

It’s a shame but thousands have been cancelled including cancer treatment so in that respect I feel lucky. The two ops were close together based on need and concerns about the right hip worsening but there is little I can do about it really.

Dizza its always worth a call to ask. My original date was a month later and I too was in a lot of pain.
I rang and asked if there was a cancellation list ( there wasnt) but they brought my op forward a month, which reduced my waiting time there to 17 weeks.
This helped a lot as my local nhs hospital referral had been 'lost' and i had already waited 8 months and was then expected to start the whole process and be back at the end of the nhs list. AGAIN! I was incandescent!

Silverlinings — I agree it’s not really too bad re time considering how long some have to wait.
That’s a shambles that a referral can be lost, I had my GP practice mislay my hip form and call me 2 weeks later to ask why I hadn’t completed it!
But again, nothing like 8 months, that’s awful. I’m not surprised you were incandescent . I would have been too.

Teacheranne
I have sent you a PM.

How long did you continue exercises after HR. I'm starting to get bored with them. I can kneel, walk without a stick but still can't bend my leg to put on a sock or shoes. Getting concerned as my winter boots and shoes are lace ups and living alone this will be a big issue.

I am now 5 months post surgery and only recently started to put my sock on. It helps to put your foot on a stool.
There are also simple gadgets which might help but patience is required,
I didn’t really exercise other than walking but still can’t sit on the floor/get up or use the bath so need to work on that.
Your op was recent travels and you still need to take care. Physio told me yesterday that about the 3+month point is when you can start to safely extend movement.

I honestly can't remember when I started to be able to put my socks on. I had such an excellent device for this that I'm sure I kept using it long after I had to. Also I specially bought slip on shoes that I could easily put on with the aid, if necessary, of my long shoe horn.
Sorry I'm not being very helpful. I would say to be cautious. I just heard yesterday about an unfortunate acquaintance who had dislocated her hip for the second time. Don't rush things!

Should say though I would like to be doing more the physio is pleased with my progress and has now discharged me.

Travelsafar it may be difficult to put your boots on under 3 months post op but for the shoes, may I suggest you buy a pair of elastic shoe laces. No doubt the infamous Amazon can help.

Travels assume you have the very useful long handled shoe horn? Am still using mine.

As usual hip posts are not put on the active list, nothing changes!

silverlining we obviously do not matter. I thought I would bump this up for 5 minutes.

Charleygirl It not even showing at the end on Active this morning. Nothing, nada.
It happens all the time. Let's give this another try.....

travels I’m 5 months post op and have just removed my elastic laces from my trainers and can at last get my socks on without the gadget , so be patient it does come ! Apart from walking I just swim and do gentle water exercise. I haven’t got the hang of the resistance bands but can kneel and get up with the aid of a nearby chair !

Both 5 months post op Seems we are at the same point of recovery Susie. That’s reassuring.

Seems our thread is only for those on the know as it hasn’t been on Active once today despite regular activity on it.

Hello everyone, my new hip will have been in for six weeks on Wednesday. Does that mean I can sleep on my unoperated side with a pillow between
my legs safely? I certainly hope so!

I can now walk well with one crutch but am still a little shaky walking unaided indoors and don’t feel at all confident. I think this is because, after Septic arthritis in April 2021, I had not been able to walk unaided for the last seventeen months, until my hip replacement in August 2922. I think it will take a little longer to walk unaided but I am great on one or two crutches and pain free! My NHS physio is making her last visit tomorrow, then says I will be discharged. That’s a little worrying as I am not walking unaided quite yet. I am probably worrying too much I know.
Did anyone use a private physio for extra help/support after their NHS physio had signed them off? I don’t want to end up walking with a limp for example. Any advice welcome, thank you. I hope everyone is doing well today.

Hello ipadGrandma congratulations on your first 6 weeks of recovery.
It’s good you are mobile but understandable you are cautious given the pre op problems.
What did the physio say about sleeping? I don’t think I was sleeping on the new hip side at 6 weeks but it may be ok.
Did s/he feel satisfied that you are progressing well snd don’t need further appointments ?
I am 5 months post surgery and have this week been discharged by my physio though my appointments were more spaced apart.
I have also Self referred to local hospital fir hydrotherapy. Might that be worth looking into. ?

I didn’t do the exercises rigidly but walked as much as I could, my leg is slightly longer but as time goes on I don’t notice and I don’t have a limp.
If your physio is happy to discharge you I think you are doing well. It will take time to recover as this is s fairly major operation. It’s still early days and you seem to be doing well, but we are here if you need support.

iPadGrandma I personally would not sleep on my side with a pillow between my legs until the physio or a medic had given me the go-ahead. You have been to hell and back already, what is another couple of weeks or whatever?

Not every hip is the same, I personally would go cautiously.