topic Re: OT~~ Hip Replacement Help Please in Beauty

OT~~ Hip Replacement Help Please

donor — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 02:06:42 GMT

Sorry for OT post but this is the best place I have ever been to for information, compassion and sharing..... I have replacement scheduled for July 29 but am chickening out. I have had several opinions and scans, many injections, you name it. I am not crippled by this or walking with a cane but it has really affected my life and the things I love to do. Also has taken a toll on my mental health I think....Just hoping some of you wonderful women could do a little hand holding or sharing of your experiences? I am 59, on the small side and in pretty decent health despite a painful hip. A few years ago I got differing opinions on the necessity. Two years later and now pain is now starting in the groin and outer aspect of joint. I am thinking I might need another opinion and to take the pain meds everyone has been telling me to, but I've been avoiding. Also perhaps pushing out the surgery a little bit. Hubby does not agree. Does anyone have any wonderful words of wisdom? I've had several surgeries in my life (all I have struggled with deciding on) and am not a baby but for some reason this one has me paralyzed. Thank you all in advance for being such a caring group and again, sorry for OT posting.

Chris

Re: OT~~ Hip Replacement Help Please

gazelle77 — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 02:11:03 GMT

Go to the website BoneSmart.org. They have a whole community just for hip and knee replacement. You can join and ask questions of other people who have concerns and or who have been through it all ready. There are doctors and nurses on the site who monitor it. I had both knees replaced a year ago and the site was wonderful!

Re: OT~~ Hip Replacement Help Please

Mustang Shar — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 02:14:48 GMT

Chris, I put mine off way too long- don't do that! The reason I did, was financial. I'd be off on short term disability from work at only $200 a week. I'd be off three months. I woke every hour in excruciating pain and finally scheduled my surgery. I was totally bone on bone and a few days before the surgery, I could hardly walk! Had to stop work immediately. Because I waited, I believe my recovery was longer. Yes, it's a difficult surgery, but they've made more improvements since 2007. Get it done and start enjoying life. Good luck to you and hugs!

Re: OT~~ Hip Replacement Help Please

Tigriss — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 02:16:49 GMT

You need to get this done when you are young enough to fully recover from it to be an active older adult. My grandmother broke her ball joint at 76 and has taken the better part of 6 months to recover but still isn't as full speed as she was, though she isn't a spring chicken any more. Her mother broke her's around age 80 and never recovered, needed a walker, and was in pain for the rest of her life. Pain meds are not fun things to get reliant upon. I don't blame you for not taking them to deal with it, but choosing surgery to get it taken care of permanently! It is s serious surgery, as is any surgery, so you need to be health as you can going into it and after. Use this time to plan your recovery at your home, moving furniture so you can navigate, remove all rugs to prevent tripping, get your bathroom cleared out so you can shower/bath without issue. Find a good sitting spot, chair/couch, and make sure that you have a firm enough spot for you to be able to lift yourself up out of it, soft chairs and couches are not good for that, so you many need a piece of plywood under the cushions to firm it up to get up more easily. Move things in your kitchen that you use, but are on high shelves that require lifting and can be awkward to lift so you don't strain yourself. Move items in the fridge from the bottom so you don't have to stoop to get to those frequently used items, the same thing for the pantry. Don't worry about polished floors because they can be slippery. Do some general cleaning as you won't be able to do it once you have surgery. Don't be afraid to ask for some cooking/cleaning/laundry help and go ahead and line people up to help you with them.

I can't think of anything else to help you except you will appreciate those little things you don't think about more often, as the little things become big things when you can't easily do them anymore. Get the surgery done ASAP, while you are young, healthier, and more able to recover more fully!

Re: OT~~ Hip Replacement Help Please

donor — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 02:17:05 GMT

Thank you both, I just went to Bone Smart.....did not know it existed! Hugs!!

Chris

Re: OT~~ Hip Replacement Help Please

Mustang Shar — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 02:17:20 GMT

Yes do go to that site! I book marked it in preparation for my next one.

Re: OT~~ Hip Replacement Help Please

Mustang Shar — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 02:19:33 GMT

Excellent advice tigriss!!! And get some spray dry shampoo for your hair, very nice to have.

Re: OT~~ Hip Replacement Help Please

Tigriss — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 02:30:54 GMT

Don't forget body bath wipes.....feeling clean is a major part of recovery!

Re: OT~~ Hip Replacement Help Please

Annabellethecat66 — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 03:04:22 GMT

I am going to have to have knee replacement. I was totally opposed to all of it because I saw several people who were still in so much pain.

Then I started meeting people and people who had family who were doing wonderfully and started hearing, "It was the best thing they ever had done".

Then I also found out that all of these people went to REHAB right after the surgery. Those who weren't happy were the people who went home after the surgery.

So, i will probably have at least one knee done and am going to go directly to rehab (the thought of being away from home for 2 or 3 weeks puts me in a panic) but I think that is the best decision.

I hope you go through it. I know several people who had hip replacement (and my son-in-law's Father does the surgery (and the surgeon had to have it done to him) and all are doing well.

Everyone says you MUST do the work after ward to do the theraphy. Those that don't do the theraphy are the one's who don't recover well.

Re: OT~~ Hip Replacement Help Please

Sandree — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 03:41:43 GMT

My husband has had both hips replaced during the past 2 years. His incisions were in the front, anterior replacement, I believe it was called. His recovery was remarkably quick. I can only tell you that he does not regret the surgery, even a little. The surgery was a breeze compared to the pain he was enduring. He was in the hospital only parts of two days, was sent home with an "ice" machine to hold down swelling, those doggone TED hose and NO physical therapy afterward.

Also, with this type of surgery there are rarely problems with dislocations.

Oh, btw, the surgeon said he had never seen a hip as bad as my husband's left hip. If they can fix him they can fix anyone. Know your surgeon, know the type of surgery and what to expect and get on with your life, pain free! Best to you.

Re: OT~~ Hip Replacement Help Please

Annabellethecat66 — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 03:46:27 GMT

Sandree, that was wonderfully written. I know hip is somewhat different (both bones) than my knee surgery.

I do know you gave good advice and it was well written. Thank you.

Re: OT~~ Hip Replacement Help Please

2zbeach — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 03:46:28 GMT

I volunteer for orthopedists that are very well-known across the USA. Annabelle is correct. After surgery,go directly to rehab. Many hospitals have rehab available right there. Your hospital stay will most likely be 3 days. Basic therapy will start the day after surgery. It will include basic things like getting in and out of bed,chair,etc. best bet....get a pair of sneakers with Velcro. Your bending will be limited for awhile and you must follow thru with your exercises once you get home. If there is anything I can find out for you,please ask. I have never met anyone who has regretted getting the replacement and I have met lots in my volunteer position. Best wishes and you go,girl!

Re: OT~~ Hip Replacement Help Please

september — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 03:50:31 GMT

Please don't rely on pain meds, in order to postpone this. I assume you're talking about meds like Aleve or Advil? There are so many side effects when you're taking these daily.

I had my last hip replacement about 11 years ago, and was in my early 40's at the time. A year later, I was more active than I had been in the previous 20 years. Once you're pain-free again, you'll be kicking yourself for not having the surgery sooner.

Re: OT~~ Hip Replacement Help Please

Annabellethecat66 — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 03:55:40 GMT

september good information. I will always have to take pain meds for other reasons. Some of my problems cannot be fixed. However, it is a constant battle to use the less amount to control as much of the pain as I can endure.

You give good information. Drs don't always give good advice. It is too easy to pop a pain pill.

Re: OT~~ Hip Replacement Help Please

goodstuff — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 03:58:17 GMT

I haven't had hip replacement, but I've had both knees replaced, one in 2012 and one in 2013. I didn't want to do it, kept hoping they'd get better on their own, and hobbled around in pain and partial disability for years before I finally did what needed to be done. From what I've heard, knee surgery is more challenging than hip surgery, but I did fine and am so glad I finally went through with it. No, it wasn't easy; it didn't make me 25 again, and I haven't suddenly become athletic, but I can now walk without pain, do my shopping, errands, and housework, and live life like a normal person. The fact is, if the cartilage in your joint is wearing out and breaking down, the process isn't going to reverse itself. You need surgery to get a functional joint again.

Be sure you find an excellent, experienced surgeon and medical center. If the surgeon or hospital offers an informational class for joint replacement patients, go. Ask questions and learn about the surgery and the recovery process. Know that you'll need to go through physical therapy and a rehab process after surgery, and commit yourself to that work. If you're healthy and have someone at home to help you, it's quite likely that you'll be able to come home right after the surgery. The physical therapists at the hospital should help you get the assistive equipment you'll need at home during recovery (a potty seat with arms, a shower chair, and a walker, most likely). They'll be sure you can move around well enough to get along at home before they send you there. Your doctor can arrange for a visiting therapist to come to your home for the first few weeks. I had the PT three times a week for about three weeks, which was wonderfully helpful, and then I graduated to outpatient PT. If your doctor feels you'll do better spending a few weeks in inpatient rehab, he can order that, but honestly most people do very well at home with in-home PT, family support, and the right equipment.

Thousands of people have joint replacement surgery, and although no surgery is risk-free, most of them do very well nowadays. Odds are you'll function much better and have much less pain with a new hip. Best of luck to you!

Re: OT~~ Hip Replacement Help Please

Running out of return$ — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 04:03:39 GMT

Sandree is correct. Check out anterior surgery. Quick recovery.

Re: OT~~ Hip Replacement Help Please

Carolm — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 04:09:52 GMT

Hi Chris - I would like to do my best to reassure you that this surgery is the best thing you can do for yourself. No more pain, no more limping, and normal movement again. I have had both hips replaced, the first in 2001, I was 59 and the second one in 2012, I was 70.

The first time I was in the hospital for 4 days and then went to rehab (at the same hospital --different floor) for a week. The second time was so much easier. I was in the hospital for 1-1/2 days and then returned home. I had a physical therapist and a nurse come to my house 3 times a week until I was able to go to PT after the initial healing process. NO PAIN, very little medication and physical therapy was a breeze. I had the same surgeon for both surgeries and he is wonderful. There's been so many advancements since 2001 and I regret waiting so long to have the second surgery performed. Prior to the second surgery, my doctor gave a class for his patients scheduled during that time period and talked about what we could expect, and answer any questions his patients might have. It is extremely important, in my view, that the patient has confidence in her doctor. When I first met Dr. M. I knew that is the guy I can trust to do this and I never regretted that decision.

Please ask any questions you might have and I will try to answer. Best of luck to you, and just remember, the sooner you have it done, the sooner you can get back to your life. You could be healed and ready to go dancing by autumn.

Re: OT~~ Hip Replacement Help Please

Danielle46 — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 04:13:09 GMT

My husband and I are in our 50's, healthy, in shape, eat healthy and exercise. My husband's hip got to the point where he had to stop doing the things he loved. He had anterior hip replacement about a year ago and got through it like a champ. He said the best thing he did was have the surgery. I have a friend also in her 50s and she had it done two months ago and is doing great. Like my husband she is thrilled that she finally had it done.

Pain killers are a bandaid. You need to address the problem. My husband was amazing the way he go through it. He was walking with a walker for the first couple of days, then a cane. The day he came home from the hospital (day 4) he was walking around our house outside with a cane. Our neighbors couldn't believe it. He was taking some pain meds for the first week then regular Tylenol. Once home, a physical therapist came to the house 3 times a week for a couple of weeks then he went to a local PT facility for 2 hours 3 times a week. You should see him now. He works out in the gym 3 times a week during his lunch hour, on weekends in the morning, he walks three miles and one afternoon over the weekend he goes on 25 mile bicycle rides. The recovery was not bad at all and the same for my friend - she is doing great walking around and driving up to Cape Cod with the Family for their vacation right now. The longer you wait the worse it gets and the more difficult the recovery.

Re: OT~~ Hip Replacement Help Please

september — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 04:24:07 GMT

I'm seeing a common theme here. Most people (and I was one of them), know they need to have joint replacement surgery done, but convince themselves that it isn't bad enough yet. Or believe that it might get better. Degenerative conditions don't get better. The only fix is to have the surgery done.

I've not seen anyone here say they regret having the surgery, Chris, so I hope this is encouraging to you.

Re: OT~~ Hip Replacement Help Please

Nikalette — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 04:34:02 GMT

You didn't mention what the condition is that is requiring hip replacement. Often it is for a fracture, or severe degeneration. If you have doubts, get another opinion. It is a big surgery. You don't fit the profile for most hip replacements, being so young and fit. For me, I am so reluctant to have surgery, I would tend to use pain medication until it was not effective, but that is just me. Also, if you were old enough for Medicare, you would qualify for free in home physical therapy at least for a whole after surgery. Your insurance company may pay for that. Also, what is your insurance company saying? Are they agreeing to oay for,the surgery and PT at home afterwards? I think you are wise to consider all your options. Surgery is no laughing matter. After my fractured bones in my left arm, I had to have surgery, and am permanently disabled, and can't play piano anymore. MOST surgeries have a good outcome, but there is always risk versus benefit. I was an RN for many years. If you decide to have the surgery, check out the surgeons you can choose from. If you know nurses, ask them, not doctors. I love my doctor, but referrals are often made for political,reasons. Pick an excellent hospital, with very low infection rates. You can get that information. Do a tour of the Ortho unit. You'll need a visitor's pass, but the hospital should be okay with it. Be your own advocate. And have your husband stay with you in a rollaway bed. If the hospital doesn't allow it, go elsewhere. I tell everyone never to be alone in the hospital. I had a horrible experience with my hysterectomy. I could have sued...wish I had.