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

Bea I was given special body wash to use for showering every day five days before my op, but not on my face. This happened to all my friends who have had fairly recent THRs, is this something which has arisen since Covid? Travelsafar, it’s really very early days for you, the swelling will go down, my knee, foot and ankle on my operated leg were particularly bad. However, I certainly am only talking from experience not expertise and if you’re worried, then ring the hospital. The very fact you’re worrying is impeding your recovery. Although I’m walking unaided pretty well now after four months, I’m still feeling quite stiff around my new hip and back and still trying to build up my stamina which has plunged. I’m guessing you are comparing, quite naturally, your last experience with your latest, and it doesn’t always work that way. A different surgeon may have made a huge difference! Sending you a big hug. Things will improve - really they will!

Bea I was given some sort of antibacterial wash to use for a number of days prior to my THR, both in December 2023 and in November last year. I was told to wash it off, then use ordinary shower gel etc afterwards, and to use my normal moisturiser.
travels I thought that my recovery from the second op was slower and more painful than the first one. Whilst it was possibly more painful, it was actually only a day or two slower. I’m fine now.
silverlining my friend has lived in a number of places around Folkestone and Hythe. The house we could see France from was in a road called Danton Pinch, which was demolished when they built the channel tunnel and is now under one of the car parks! I don’t think it was actually in a village, but was on a hill. It had to be a sunny day to see the white cliffs in France, but sometimes at night you could see car headlights.
I’m doing ok thank you, have a follow up appointment with my consultant on April 2nd, when I should be discharged. My back will always be a problem and I will probably always have to use a stick when walking more than about a hundred yards. I’m still doing muscle strengthening exercises in the hope of improving it.

Hi Redcar, glad you’re getting on well. November seems a distant memory now. If only I could get some stamina back, I’m trying to lose a bit of weight as well as I’ve piled on a few pounds during my period of “hibernation”. Thank goodness the Spring seems to have finally sprung!

Goodness silverlining, just read your post properly! I certainly wasn’t given a pre op clear out, thank goodness, but did have the nose gel. Why on earth don’t they all sing from the same hymn sheet?

Oooh 😦 you are right, the pre op clear out was for a colonoscopy .
Apologies to Bea, my mistake. Oops! 😬

Hahahahaha silverlining. The last time I had clear outs was before giving birth and I don’t think they do that any more!!

I was given antibacterial wash and nose gel to use before my THR last August. It was meant to be used for a week prior to the op but they boobed over my pre op (forgot to book me in for it) and I only had three days to do the 'cleansing;.

I think it is primarily to guard against MRSA infection, which is a nasty bacterial infection which doesn't respond to antibiotics. I believe it has become quite prevalent in hospitals in the past decade or so.

When my DD gave birth my grandson, 10 years ago, she tested positive for MRSA (which you can be a carrier of, even though not infected) and was kept in a room on her own after the birth.

I seem to recall that I was directed to wash my hair with the wash, as well as the rest of me. Then to put on clean underclothing and make sure my night clothes and bed linen were clean.

Sorry to hear that you're struggling, travelsafar, but it is only just over a week since your op. I'm sure it will soon improve.

Hope all goes well on Tuesday Redcar.

I don’t know the road you mention, how sad it’s no longer there, it must have been a great view.

MaizieD

I was given antibacterial wash and nose gel to use before my THR last August. It was meant to be used for a week prior to the op but they boobed over my pre op (forgot to book me in for it) and I only had three days to do the 'cleansing;.

I think it is primarily to guard against MRSA infection, which is a nasty bacterial infection which doesn't respond to antibiotics. I believe it has become quite prevalent in hospitals in the past decade or so.

When my DD gave birth my grandson, 10 years ago, she tested positive for MRSA (which you can be a carrier of, even though not infected) and was kept in a room on her own after the birth.

I seem to recall that I was directed to wash my hair with the wash, as well as the rest of me. Then to put on clean underclothing and make sure my night clothes and bed linen were clean.

Sorry to hear that you're struggling, travelsafar, but it is only just over a week since your op. I'm sure it will soon improve.

Yes, they test for MRSA, amongst other things, at the pre-op but the pre-op could be up to 5 or 6 months before the operation a cording to the nurse who did mine! In the meantime, you could catch anything.

Bea65

My THR is on Tuesday…I’m day 1 using the Hibiscus body wash and nasal gel…sounds silly but did any of you receive this treatment to use for 5days pre-op as, when they say to use around hairline do I wash it off ? Keep reading the instructions but still not sure…🙏

I had special wash, but only three days and directly on my knee/leg. Good luck with your TKR. Go straight to physio.

grammargran I know I haven’t got my strength or stamina back, but still working on it. I’ve also put on a few pounds over the winter, too much food and not enough exercise! We’ve had a few family birthdays in the last few weeks, so too much cake!
bea yes, you do wash the gel stuff off.you can put your usual moisturiser on afterwards too. You’re supposed to use it post operation too but I didn’t. Every hospital says different things.

I haven't yet got a date for my hip replacement yet, although I have recently been for the pre-op assessment where my height, blood pressure and weight was measured. Swaps were taken and I had an ECG. I was given some High energy drinks, 3 bottles of Nutrica Fortsip compact, strawberry flavour, to be drunk the day before my operation and two bottles of Nutrica pre-OP to drink on the day of my operation.

Anybody any suggestions of what knickers to wear after having a hip replacement? Is it best to wear nighties in bed with knickers? Can you wear trousers after having a hip replacement that first week? I was thinking wearing skirts or dresses would be easier but what about keeping your legs warm? I suppose it all depends what time of year you have a hip replacement.

For various reasons I no longer wear skirts or dresses so I would have to get used to wearing trousers. You should practise putting on knickers and trousers using a gadget to help.

I personally would not wear knickers in bed with a nightdress as I would like that area to "air" and not be constricted.

Retired65 if you’re going to wear knickers with your nightie then go with Bridget Jones and get large comfy ones, you don’t want anything that grips too tightly. I rarely wear skirts or dresses, only for formal occasions, I wore baggy jersey joggers into hospital and the same out. I was given a goody bag to come out with which consisted of a long handled shoe horn and a gripper. The latter was/is extremely useful with the putting on of knickers and trousers. I have to confess I was self funding so I don’t know whether the NHS provide these but I also doubled up and bought both on Amazon for upstairs and downstairs in the early days. I also bought a gadget to help with socks, that’s brilliant. Honestly, you won’t believe how innovative you will become! Wishing you well ….

I wore a dress at first after my hip op with leggings but they are not tight leggings.
It's now 11 weeks on and I'm completely back to normal apart from a backache if I stand too long.

Sorry you aren't doing too well travelsafar Sending hugs 🤗

[Charleygirl5] ? What century was consultant born in… don’t understand your comment….

[grammargran] the body wash made back of head very itchy so am not going to use it thru hair and just do around the hairline. I agree about wearing nighties which I’ve bought as I’m a leggings and T-shirt girl…but have to wear big knickers as have mild prolapse and use Abena..this also concerns me …and think will be catheterised… which I suppose is better than having accidents 🙈..
Have been thinking I should wear wide leg trousers and not leggings to and from hospital for easy access re the loo..
Re food 48hrs before..instruction guide suggests light protein meals and will start today as do have on/off constipation problems with current prescribed medication… so much to think about….

bea I wore nighties and big knickers after my operation. I also wore elasticated waist joggers which were quite wide legged. (Not at the same time as the nightie!) My legs were very swollen after the op, and they were easier to put on than leggings. I had a gadget which looked like men’s braces, which clipped to the waistband of knockers, trousers, which made them really easy to pull on. It came from Amazon but can’t remember what it was called.

I found dresses and night dresses much easier to put on and take off much easier than any sort of trousers.
Slippers with backs indoors and trainers outdoors. Long handled shoe horns, picker uppers and plastic bags for easier access to cars seats.
I was given was a raised toilet seat and two sticks by the hospital. There was a lot of focus on seating and 90 degree angles which I tried to keep to for the first weeks at least l, but being short found the chair I had bought second hand very uncomfortable.
Each surgeon seems to have their own ideas about these things.
There’s lots of experience here so most questions can be answered quickly if confused.
Wishing you all the very best for Tuesday Bea.

Bea my apologies, I was being a tad flippant and amazingly you cannot read my mind.

In the early 70s, it was normal to wash with whatever lotion and potion you were given. For many years, it stopped, but I did not realise Covid had brought it back into use again.

Grammaretto you’ve done extraordinarily well for 11 weeks as, at four months, I still get very stiff if I sit for too long and backache with standing. I do two exercise classes a week & armchair yoga’s next on the list. I do suspect, though, you’re somewhat younger than I am!

Bea try not to over think things too much, although I’m a fine one to talk. I spent the nights before my op lying there just thinking “what if this” and “what if that” and do you know what? None of it happened! However, do be prepared for the constipation because of the painkillers, esp codeine, but the hospital give you a goodly supply of laxatives (mine came in the form of sachets to be mixed into a drink). As silverlining said, loads of experience on here, don’t be afraid to ask anything.

Anybody around to say hello so we can start another chapter and forget about it all for a while?

grammargran it is very rare we are stumped for words here.

You’re so right charleygirl. It’s just as well it’s virtual chat, no-one would get a word in edge ways!

We are very close to our sixth iteration.