👯‍♀️ 👯‍♀️ 👯‍♀️ 👯‍♀️ Hips and knees part 6 👯‍♀️ 👯‍♀️

Ditto with my knees, and if I ever have a hip replaced, I will ask for the same to happen again, as there was no pain for me, as there was zilch to remove.

The inside of my garden shed resembles the Red Cross, with two Zimmer frames, one for upstairs and the other for downstairs, a variety of crutches, the commode, the sloping chair, and who knows what else.

My hip was also glued but wasn’t told I could shower straight away. So I didn’t.

My loft has all the hip aids I bought in preparation for the operation, am certain they will come in useful again.

This day 3 years ago I was really stressed about my hip hop op the next day. I don’t know why I was worried, but it was the unknown, as I had only had one day care operation previously.
I was so grateful for the advice and support from my hipster grans. It helped enormously. Thank you all. Xx

I was told I had clips but then I was told not to…then was told had disoluble stitches …really cross that nursing staff say different things - I’ve still a stitch in - district nurse couldn’t remove ..said it would probably grow out

After all my phone calls, now have been told a GP will do home visit
Monday 😊 the GP who I spoke with Friday said there had been communication issues ..not great for a person living alone recovering from surgery…my faith in the services has been knocked…

I was surprised by the long reversed L shaped scar ..Still feeling bit frozen/tight in this area and nurse was kind - but my kneecap is enlarged and has kept me awake all nights get despite meds but bruising on end of toes looking better …
💐

Bea, the tightness lasts longer than you expect. I had me knee done on Christmas Eve and it still feels tight in some areas and numb too in places. Swelling and nerve injury during surgery will take time. Up to 12 months someone on here has said.
I was glued and stapled!

I went to the hospital 30 miles away to get my stitches taken out, the nurse dug around a bit only yo find I had been glued. You would have thought it shoukd have been written on the operation notes.
So I came home again. A long and unnecessary journey.
Bea having a gp home visit is almost unheard of.

silverlinng48 am disabled with complex medical issues so there should have been an Alert on my GP records..

Have felt very invisible so 🙏u and others GNs on past few pages hangin in there with me … feel very needy ATM

Bea lock your front door until your GP has removed the one stitch, although he probably does not have the correct equipment. One stitch can, but does not always, cause problems. It is more likely to "grow in" than out and may cause problems then.

I cannot believe how you have been treated, and nobody appears to care too much.

We are here if you need any more help.

I hope the doctor can reassure you Bea. These things take time, numbness and tightness are to be expected for a while but every week that passes will bring improvement. Think it’s only 2 weeks post op, so very early days. Try not to worry.

Do you have anyone around you can call on/ have offered help? If not don’t worry alone, one of us is always around.

Bea no worry is too small or weird for us, just feel free to unload. We will all take you seriously, no-one will laugh at your anxieties - and that goes for you, too, sealover if you’re still with us. And five months on, the area around my almost invisible scar still feels a bit odd, numb and tingly in parts. I think the nerves in this area really took a hammering, literally, so are going to take ages to recover. I was convinced that one staple had been left in, such was the soreness and pain I had right at the top end of the scar, but no, nothing, just the underlying tissues repairing themselves. Your body is quite clever in the long run, that’s why it’s a shock when it actually does let you down.

grammargran, yes, I'm still with you all! Emotions are like a helter skelter, one minute excited, "this will be a new experience for me, all this care just for me," etc followed quickly by palpitations, nausea and fright! I can cope when I've slept, had some chemical help last night and am going to ask the GP for something. I want to get to 10th May feeling rested, as fit as possible physically and mentally in order to get through it and work on the rehab as well as possible. Not be a worn out, frazzled wreck. I am a chronic insomniac anyway, in normal times manage it reasonably well, easily thrown off kilter though.

I was and probably still am, similar to you Sealover and asked my gp for help to sleep both pre, during and post op sleeping on my back period.
I have recommended these before because they work for me. I take one phenerghan 10mg. They are not addictive and I hardly use them now but know they are there if required.

silverlining48 I'm sure phenerghan works for some people, I'm on a small dose of Metazapine, for insomnia, as prescribed by a sleep consultant I was referred to in Newcastle. It doesn't always 'work' but I can generally manage, listening to podcasts, watching something on my phone, not recommended by sleep hygienists but it works for me. Now is a new time for me, never faced surgery before so it does tend to dominate my thoughts, day and night. I try to do all the distraction things. I slept really well last night and had a completely different mind set today. Used a different med last night and am going to request more to see me through the next few weeks.

It's amazing the difference a good night's sleep makes

That upcoming surgery can dominate your thoughts day and night is never mentioned but I know exactly what you mean Sealover. I had it for 18 months waiting for my knee and now it’s in my mind waiting for my hip. I hope it’s not another 18 months!

Nannytopsy Are you calling the consultant's secretary to say you will be free if there is a cancellation?

I agree, a good night's sleep works wonders on body and soul.

I am bumping this up or we will be off totally.

Had GP visit - very young person who started off by telling me he/ she didn’t have experience in orthopaedics..well that’s not reassuring…. But checked my foot pulses on the still bruised foot and swollen knee…thinks am in an OA flare up…
Explained that I can’t get past two hours sleep a night and can’t get comfortable at all…have been prescribed stronger pain relief which I could do with immediately but will have to chase pharmacy for delivery …this can take 3 days…
Was reassured that I don’t have a DVT which was primary concern so that’s good news….everything is amplified when living alone and you can’t sleep…
I’ve had 2great friends pop in with flowers and chocolate ..they know me well..but 🙏🙏to you GNs on this page as who else would I share with at 3:15 am 😊

Sorry to hear you have been suffering Bea.
3 days for urgent pain relief!!

I was sent home from hospital with enough drugs to become a dealer.

I'm glad you have been reassured a little by your baby GP and that your friends are visiting. I relied on mine.
I left my back door unlocked all day and people just dropped in, after a warning text or not.
I hope you can grab some more sleep 😴

Not very professional of your GP to say she has little knowledge of orthopaedics. You are having a very rough time through no fault of your own.

When sitting down, keep exercising your legs, including your ankles, because DVT is something you do not want.

Oh Bea, I feel for you, not what you need in this very emotional period post op. It is frustrating to have the experience you have had with a young GP. Hold onto the fact it's not a DVT. I do feel very saddened that these days the old style 'family dr' no longer exists. I understand why but so much has been lost, continuity, consistency and the fact your GP knew you. I'm a long standing insomniac, usually manage it with some low dose meds which sometimes work, I use my phone to listen to podcasts or even watch something on a TV app, can feel heart rate lowering and the old anxt about not sleeping goes. I had my pre op assessment last Friday, argy bargy between hospital and GP regarding my BP which the hospital felt was too raised, possibly delaying THR scheduled for 10/5. In an absolute state over the weekend, didn't sleep at all. Saw on our Health Centre web site that my lovely GP who had retired 2 years ago was back doing a locum so asked for him to deal with my issues. He rang me, calm, sensible, yes, need to have some Amlodipine for BP and yes, script for Zopiclone, to be used as and when I need it just short term for the next few weeks. Aa example of him knowing me, knowing I won't abuse the sleep meds. A good night's sleep last night, can conquer the world! (that sounds awful, perhaps Trump is a really good sleeper!). My thoughts and prayers with you Bea, you are not alone, keep sharing, surely the reason we are all here is to help each other. I've benefitted so much from GN and will definitely need hugs as I approach 10th May. Lots of love.

Sealover I totlly agree. We will be behind you on the 10th of May.

Here as well Bea and Sealover, although reading my posts I do come over a bit of a know-all. Pre-op I would’ve dragged both of you down into the gutter! Bea only bit of advice today is the same as Charleygirl, keep moving your legs, wriggling your toes and ankles at the very least. Flowers for you both

Zopiclone, ah, my all time favourite sleep aid, but addictive, so gp is reluctant to prescribe, but if I can persuade her I only get about 12 of these little wonders.
I eeek ( so) them out for when I really really need them.