Hip replacement surgery

Jillberrisford1

Hello, I have recently been diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my right hip and I am interested to hear about peoples experience of surgery. For example, waiting times, time to recover after surgery, success of the operation etc. I live in derby so I would be particularly interested in hearing from people who had the operation done at the Royal Derby Hospital. Thank you.

Sharon_K

Hello @Jillberrisford1

thank you for posting your discussion on hip replacement surgery. I know this doesn't sound helpful immediately but everyone is very different when it comes to recovery from surgery and waiting lists do vary from place to place. Having said that you might find these personal experiences useful to read.

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/55224/hip-replacement-tips

This information gives you all the basics that you need to know plus a personal story too

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/treatments/surgery/hip-replacement-surgery/

Lots of our members have had experience with hip replacements and I am sure they will share their immense experience with you

Best Wishes

Sharon

Bigguy

I have total hip replacement surgery in one week. I have OA and spinal stenosis simultaneously. I recently had four(4!) back surgeries to address spinal stenosis. While in there, they removed a great deal of arthritis. Unfortunately, the pain below my knee to my ankle has not resolved. Can anyone tell me, is there a chance this lower leg, ankle pain could resolve with my hip replacement?

PeterJ

Hello @Bigguy and welcome to the community. We are a friendly and supportive group and I hope that you find that as well.

I understand that you will soon be having hip replacement surgery and spinal stenosis and that you are experiencing pain below the knee to the ankle. I hope that others can help you who have had the surgery to let you know if it makes a difference. In the meantime can I suggest that you read the articles linked above from our website. You could also try

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/osteoarthritis-oa-of-the-spine/

Please do keep posting and let us know how you are getting on, especially after the surgery, and I am sure that others will connect with you to share their thoughts and experiences as well.

With very best wishes

Peter (moderator)

RogerBill

Hi @Jillberrisford1 It's now almost 11 months since I had my left hip replaced. Post operation recovery was quite rapid through the stages of using crutches to walking stick to no walking aids then recovery became more gradual. I fortunately didn't need many pain killers and nothing stronger than a few paracetamol and ibuprofen during the first couple of weeks.

Before and after the operation I spent a lot of time on doing the recommended exercises. After the op I gradually built up walking and was careful to stick to the rules re bending, etc. I believe these are the most useful steps you can take to help yourself.

My hip is dramatically better than it was before the op and I'm really happy to have had the op. I don't think I'll get back to the level of strength and mobility I had ten years ago, but I did have somewhat unrealistic hopes that a replacement hip would fix my long-term back problem.

At the time NHS waiting lists for hip replacement in my area was 12+ months and were expected to lengthen. I was incredibly fortunate in being able to afford a private operation.

Berni85

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/58267/hip-replacement-surgery

Berni85

Hi poppy Jane

I had a hip replacement in April. I n hospital overnight two nights.

Operation went well ,I chose to have the epidural.

I was given a light tranquilliser, except for a few ba ging sounds it was over before I knew it.

I live alone and thought I would need a lot of help ,but I didn't.

The pain relief was instant ,I could stand straight. I followed the instructions to the letter ,( that's me,not going through this again) had to wear compression stockings for six weeks .

I would be fully mobile but on the waiting list for a new knee !!.

Altogether it was a positive experience and very grateful.

Good luck ,nothing to worry about.

Ps im bit of hypochondriac, and was convinced during pre op they would find something dreadful😁 they never

noddingtonpete

Hello @Berni85 and welcome to the community. We are a friendly and supportive group and I hope that you will find that as well.

I am pleased to hear that your operation went well and that it been beneficial to you. Let's hope you get the new knee soon. In the meantime might be worth having a look at the following from our website.

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/knee-pain/

There might be something to ease the pain whilst you wait. You could also have a look at the following

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/managing-symptoms/managing-your-pain/

Please keep posting and let us know how you are progressing and I am sure that others will connect with you to share their thoughts and experiences as well

With very best wishes

Peter (moderator)

MaureenB

Re waiting times- your local NHS may buy beds in private hospitals. The operation will be done by a NHS surgeon. The advantage is that the waiting times will be less and you are less likely to have your operation cancelled due to emergencies taking priority, as of course they should. Usually the private hospitals take people with no other conditions eg heart problems, so they can limit your length of stay. And you may have to go out of area. I had my first replacement done under this system, an unexpected benefit was the great physio I got at the local gym run by the Nuffield. I am also due to have a replacement in another private hospital, time from referral from NHS orthopaedic triage to operation has been under 6 months. Phone your clinical commissioning groups ( CCG) and ask if they do this and what hospitals they use. Then you can research them on the internet, you get offered a list of hospitals to choose from.

Limpingandinpain

Hello 🙂 I live in the North East of England. I first saw my GP in August 2021 and he arranged xrays and blood tests. I saw him in September for the results which showed bone on bone and he said I needed both hips replaced, sooner rather than later, and referred me to an orthopaedic consultant who I saw on 2.11.21. He put me straight on the waiting list. I had a call just before Christmas giving me a date of 17.1.22 for my left hip.

I saw my consultant for a follow up in March 2022 and he put me on the list for my 2nd one which I has on 26.9.22. I feel extremely lucky to have had both done within a year.

I found the actual surgery day of my first one a lot better than the 2nd, I got home the same day. Recovery was steady over the next few weeks - up to the 3rd week was the worst. I was exhausted and had to nap every afternoon for weeks and it was hard still having such a painful hip on the other side.

Surgery day for the 2nd one was much harder because they didn't even try to control my pain afterwards. I had to stay because my surgery wasn't until 4pm, and the first night was so painful but it was because they didn't even attempt to get it under control. I was told she didn't want to give me anything morphine based because I was pale and clammy....that was because of the severe pain! I never had that level of pain the first time but I kept on top of the pain relief myself. Thankfully my GP had had me on liquid morphine and codeine for the arthritis though, because all they sent me home with the first time was 2 slow release oxycodone. That was it! This time I got 5 days worth of morphine and codeine.

This time the recovery has been so much easier. Having a good hip at the other side has made a huge difference. After 1.5 weeks I had minimal pain, I've only had to nap about 4 times in 3 weeks. I'm able to walk a little bit around the house with no aids, which is amazing - it's 15 months since I last walked unaided.

I can see why people say it was the best thing they ever did.