👯‍♀️ 👯‍♀️ Hips and knees Part 5 👯‍♀️ 👯‍♀️

Oh Sealover you’ve certainly come to the right place and your post has hit so many chords with me as previous posters on this thread will know. I had my TRH 14 weeks ago today, November it was and I was terrified like you. Never had a single operation before in my life but, unlike you, I am 85 - you, at 69 are a spring chicken. Your consultant was right to tell you of the risks, he has to (but very unkind to refer to chisels and saws, that was totally unnecessary!)

Try to put the risks at the back of your mind, you will have a pre-op assessment anyway which will find any problems which might arise, that’s the whole point, instead, think of the new life that lies ahead of you. Your pain will go, along with your old hip, the first few weeks won’t be pleasant but they will pass and you will be recovering in the summer. I went private because to put it bluntly, time wasn’t on my side, and now I’m so very nearly out the other side. I, like you, just couldn’t believe what others were saying on this thread that things will get better, but, you know what, they actually did! Stay with this forum, I beg you, I’ve had so much support and advice from those I now consider online friends. Good luck, I hope this has helped. Please stay with us!

When I went to my doctor's she was the same saying how painful the operation was and did I really want to go down that route? You are lucky to have been given a date in July. I have now seen a consultant , who gave me a choice of doing nothing, having corticosteroid injections but they would only last 2 months, or a hip replacement. I said hip replacement, he thought that was the right decision to take but he wanted it to come from me. My x-ray was over a year old and it was me who went to the doctor to get referred as the groin pain is getting worse. The waiting list is just under a year here.

I know several people who have had a HR and all except one are now pain free. They did emphasis it was important to do the given exercise before and after the operation. I am 74.

Welcome Sealover, you have found the right place to answer any questions you will have, because we all started out just like you, needing support and advice.
I started this thread almost exactly 3 years ago as I was waiting for my new hip following severe groin pain.
It was my first operation ( apart from gallbladder day case 2 years prior) so the first time I spent a night in a hospital other than when I had my children 45 years before.
Honestly this is a brilliant operation, the pain goes almost instantly though obviously it’s takes a few weeks to recover as it is a big operation but one that is done frequently.
So have a look at a few posts, there are a few grans who are fresh from their surgery and have had very recent surgery who will answer anything you want to ask,
You will find a wealth of knowledge, experience , support and kindness on here. Always happy to help.

The time I took typing my message means others slipped in. We are always here for each other, it’s a great thread but if you can’t find us n the Active thread, and you won’t very often, just go to the health forum and look out for the dancing girls 👯‍♀️

Hello Retired it’s a funny thing about groin pain being an indicator of hip problems. I was walking a coastal path in Cornwall when my groin suddenly started hurting. Completely out of the blue. I apologised as I was holding a woman behind me and mentioned this sudden pain. She told me it was my hip and she was right. She was quite a bit younger than me but she had had her hip op a year or so before and was jogging along this uneven path without a care.
I think July is a nice time to have an operation but you coukd ring the hospital and say you are available if a cancellation arises, it might work. I rang and got an earlier date. April 2022. Such relief.
As for injections, I had one and it only helped first 8 days before the pain intensified x10. I suppose I was just unlucky.
After the injection and the increased pain I rang my local hospital only to be told they didn’t have a referral for me and I needed to return to the gp and be referred again and Woukd then be at the back of the list. I was furious and ended up in a private hospital via the nhs and from first appointment to operation it was 17 weeks wait.

He then went on to tell me about the possible complications of which there seemed to be loads and the trauma of the surgery, "we use saws and chisels." I am aware that they have to inform the patient of potential risks, I am trying to keep distracted but am feeling terrified.

Good heaven's, Sea;over. What a horrible consultant!

Do not be terrified. I was very apprehensive when I had my THR last August. I had a nerve block + a sedative, I knew nothing after that until I woke up just before being taken to the recovery room. No banging and sawing to be heard

The relief from the hip pain was (once the nerve block wore off) was immediate.

Of course there is pain from the operation site and wound, but you know that that will be gone after a few weeks. There are also some objections from the muscles which are being used again after being relatively inactive for so long, but ads long as you do the exercises and use the operated leg they soon get the message that they're supposed to work again.

I'm 74 and reasonably active, I walk with the local ramblers, like gardening and rode until it got to be too painful; I think I recovered well. I was driving again after 3 weeks, back at pilates after 6 weeks and on a horse again by mid October.

I have days now when I forget all about having a 'spare part' and nothing causes any problems. I do think you have to be quite determined at times not to let discomfort discourage you (and I mean 'discomfort', not pain...)

Stick with this group, they are great support.

Oh, and try and see if you can get a cancellation and get it done earlier than July. I'm sure you wouldn't regret it.

Oh, fat fingers. I meant to say Sealover

Hello sealover. Another one who had a hip replacement 14 weeks ago, I had already had my right hip replaced at the end of 2023, and had the left one done in November 2024. The consultant has to tell you about all the possible problems with the operation, but they are quite rare. I had a spinal block and a sedative, the anaesthetist is with you throughout the operation and will adjust the sedation so you can’t hear anything. The pain from the hip goes immediately and although you get pain from the op itself, you are given pain relief to enable you to walk soon after the op.
14 weeks on and, as grammargran says, life is more or less back to normal, I pruned some shrubs today, but it was very cold!
Good luck with the operation, I hope it goes well.

I was discharged from hospital, 36 hours post hip surgery, and as a parting gift was given a laxative. Not the most sensible idea…as I had a journey of half hour. Ten minutes away from home I knew I would need the loo …. urgently. .😦
I got indoors, saw the stairs, didn’t hesitate , scampered straight up, as fast as I could, just in time. Phew! 😥 ! My dh and dd couldn’t quite believe their eyes. I couldn't believe it either.
Far TMI I know, but wanted to illustrate that my brand new hip didn’t stop me from reaching my goal in double quick time.

Welcome sealover as others have said, we will help here as much as we can.

May I suggest that you get your house and body in working order before you ask (nag!) for a cancellation? Once you do that, you will find that mentally, you will feel better.

Any question will be answered fairly rapidly you will find. I have had both knees replaced and need a hip, but the rest of my body is crumbling, so it will have to wait.

Do you live on your own?

You have already had plenty of reassurance from this forum Sealover but I will just add my own.

I had an xray over 3 years ago and saw the Orthopaedic surgeon. That
consultant was rather brusque. He asked me whether I wanted a hip replacement. I said I would rather not have surgery if possible.
He said it was up to me but my pain would get worse so yes or no?
I asked him what he would do. I would have the op, said he.

I had a 3 year wait and the pain got worse. I went to escape pain classes and my activities became restricted.

Then in October, after phoning to find out where I was on the list, I was invited to an assessment at a hospital the other side of Scotland. There I had another xray, a very nice consultant and I was called in for the operation on New Year's Eve!

That was 7 weeks ago and it was exactly as I was told. I was only one night in hospital with hardly any pain. I was able to walk and climb stairs with walking aids immediately.

There are so many hip replacements It is routine. I am 76 and live alone.

I am driving again and almost back to normal. I am due to have a video call with the hospital after 12 weeks. My only complaint is I don't sleep well which is why I'm wide awake at this hour.

You will be all right.

So glad I posted, thank you all for your reassurances and kindliness. Charleygirl5, I don't live on my own but have a long suffering husband! I am very fortunate. It's our Silver Wedding year and my 70th, we had lots of trips planned, mainly walking which we have cancelled, there is always another time. I am a chronic insomniac at the best of times, am mostly managing it until this arrived. So, not looking forward to 'sleeping' on my back for 6 weeks. Surrounding myself with positive friends, planning some shorter trips where walking isn't a priority and trying to embrace this as a new experience I've not had before! Will keep reading these posts. Many thanks.

So, not looking forward to 'sleeping' on my back for 6 weeks.

That was the bit I was dreading, Sealover because I have never slept on my back. But you really don't have to do it. You can sleep on your side, operated leg on top, with a cushion, pillow or large pad between your knees.

I had this advice from the hospital from the word go and you'll see that others have said the same. Not that it makes sleeping particularly easy for the first few weeks, but it wouldn't be easy however you slept. It passes and you'll soon be back to normal.

Keep pestering your consultant's secretary for a cancellation and get the op done earlier than July😆

If you have regular insomnia Sealover you might think about getting some lightweight sleeping pills, either prescribed or over the counter. They help before or after your surgery. Exhaustion is exhausting.
I take one 10 mg phenerghan when necessary.

The sleeping is a real pain in the early weeks sealover. I’m not a natural back sleeper but an added complication was/is I’m a terrible fidget, and I just felt trapped! (Consolation was DH slept blissfully throughout ….) I’m still using my heart shaped wedge as mentioned earlier (to keep my operated leg aligned in the earlier weeks) now it’s just habit.

grammargran I am amazed there is sufficient space for DH with your abduction pillow and any more you have "just in case". I believe in one against my back when on my side.

Some surgeons categorically say no to sleeping on one's side until 6 weeks.

Hi everyone, been in touch with the hospital today where I'm due for THR in July. My pre op appointment is 7th May, they know I'm up for a cancellation after that appointment. I enquired about the waiting time if I was self financing, "choose your date", I was told. I just hope I won't be bumped on 7th July if a self financer facies that date! The NHS are hardly paying the private hospital peanuts? As for my insomnia, I was referred to a sleep consultant in Newcastle 3 years ago. I take a very small dose of Mirtazapine, sometimes it works, sometimes not. Have found that watching stuff on my phone usually sends me off to sleep, sleep hygienists would balk at that! My GP has prescribed Amitriptyline for the nerve pain down my legs, buttocks and back, also should have a sedative effect. It has helped with the pain, not sleep. Feel full of chemicals, what the heck, hopefully not for ever.

sealover I can promise you that you will feel like a new person once the early post-op pain subsides. You may even feel that it is not as bad as the previous pre-op pain!

At least you will have the odd cup of coffee brought to you.

Please practise getting in and out of bed and out of an armchair.

I have a bad habit of leaning forward to get out of an armchair, which is a no-no. You must keep little things like that in mind.

Charleygirl, the heart shaped wedge I’m using isn’t that big, fits very neatly between my thighs and keeps my knees apart. That’s all I need. Once I’m on my side, I don’t seem to roll back. I think I started turning over at around six weeks and on to the operated side a couple of weeks later. It’s still not the easiest of operations, not as smooth as pre-op, but a definite improvement. On a different tack, I am finding my stamina levels have fallen alarmingly since the op. Has anyone else experienced this?

That is normal. It is major surgery but you are treated almost like a day case and have to fend for yourself in my opinion too early.

I was around when you had 2 weeks of convalescence to prepare you.

grammargran I’m turning over more easily now, almost back to normal. I felt stronger today too, which I’m pleased about.
After two hip replacements in 11 months, I have got used to sleeping on my back, although now I’m comfortable on my left side again, I do prefer that!

I am bumping this up now in case I forget later because an early night beckons

Morning hipsters and knee knockers
I saw a physio the other day and I have a referral for X-ray on my knee.
Unfortunately I seem to have picked up my dh cold cough throat etc etc and now feeling quite poorly.
He us recove ring and I had hoped for a few days out as it’s a little less cold at present, but now it’s me who isn’t well .
Hope everyone is doing ok and not stuck indoors with a big box of hankies at their side.

silverlining You could well do without that.

At least it is warmer, although it has rained steadily this morning. It is so dark that I have closed the curtains.

Are you sure there is a Spring?

Don’t think we had spring last year did we.