Hip replacement booked

distantshores

After many years of OA of the hip which I have managed I am now (reluctantly) booked to have the op at the end of November. However, I am now having second thoughts - just the thought of the op sends me into a panic.

I have been booked in for 2 nights and told I would need to arrive at the hospital at about 12 noon on the day of the op so the op will be in the afternoon and stay that night and then one night after. I live on my own and am absolutely terrified at the prospect of coming home and managing so soon. I do not think it is long enough. My bathroom is downstairs so I have decided (if I go ahead) that I will sleep on the sofa as there is no way I am going up and down stairs for several weeks.

I don't think it is right or good practice to send people home such a short time after the operation. When my mother had her first hip replacement (over 30 years ago) she was moved from the surgical ward to a rehab unit in the hospital where she stayed for a couple of weeks. How times have changed.

How do people going home such a short time after the op especially living on their own? Any advice? Thanks.

shacklock25

Hi. You definitely shouldn't be on your own for the first two weeks as you can't do meals or, for the first couple of nights, lift your leg to get into bed. I would look into staying at a community hospital for a two week period. A friend of mine who lives in Kent did that as she lives alone. She was in a rehabilitation unit at a local community hospital for two weeks. After that she went home but still needed help with her shopping. Of course you can order food on the internet, and ready made meals are a good help for a week or so even after the two weeks if you live alone. Do have a couple of grabber sticks in the house,cas you cannot bend down to pick anything up for some time. I am eight weeks post hip operation now, but it is definitely worthwhile having it done. Mine was bone on bone and I could hardly walk about. Now I can walk unaided in the house and for a short distance outside. The rest of the time I use one crutch. Three days after the operation I was off all pain killers. I had a spinal anaesthetic and a light sedative during the operation. I had it done early on a Sunday morning and was home by 7 pm on the Monday. So don't be worried about the operation itself. I wish you well.

Trish9556

Hi @distantshores

It is standard practice now to have two nights in hospital post hip surgery - some people only stay in for one.

I had two nights and came home, admittedly I had my husband to help me but I was taught how to use the stairs with my sticks/crutches, how to get in and out of bed and the physio said they would not let me go home until they were confident I could do the basics.

You may qualify for a care package as you live on your own, if you have no family/friends to help out for the first couple of weeks. Speak to your GP about this, otherwise you could pay for your own if finances allow?

Sleeping on the sofa is not a good idea post hip surgery and I doubt if your surgeon/physio team would approve. Most sofa's tend to be quite low and narrow and you need to be able to sleep on your back, flat with space to manoevre to get up down off the bed/sofa. I used 3/4 of my bed to get to the right angle to get in and out of bed.

Stair rails on either side are a godsend and because I have one on either side I could use sticks instead of crutches when I first came home. Much easier. Keep a spare stick at the top and bottom of the stairs if you have two handrails.

Shoulder bags/back packs are good for carrying things up and down stairs.

You wont be able to get into your bath or shower until stitches/staples are removed and if you have a shower over bath it could be longer before you can manage to get in the bath. Good old fashioned strip washes are the order of the day and I used water wipes as opposed to baby wipes and a long handled back brush.

You will be provided with things like toilet seat etc if necessary - being less than 5' I didn't need one but I did find low steps useful for getting in and out of the house, available from online selling sites.

Elastic laces and a long handled shoe horn are worth their weight in gold for putting your own shoes/slippers on along with a gadget for picking stuff up off the floor when you drop it.

Once home, you will adapt to doing things for yourself and grouping things that can be done together at the same time.

Microwave meals are perfectly sufficient for a couple of weeks.

There are lots of posts on here detailing hip replacement recovery and help -suggest you go through those.

The most important thing is to tell yourself that this surgery is the best option for you and afterwards you will wonder why you didn't have it done sooner.

Trish x

distantshores

@shacklock25 They are looking into a community rehab unit for me but I think there is only one in my area and also for me recovery would not be helped if I had to be in a ward with other people and share a bathroom so I think it's a no no for me. The operation is being done in a private hospital on the NHS - unless of course they find any problems which might mean I need intensive care after (hopefully not!!) Mine is nearly bone on bone but there is minimal pain and I can still walk and do exercise classes which is why I haven't had it done before but it is now putting everything out of alignment which is causing other problems. Shopping won't be a problem as it is easy to do online so I am not worried about that.

@Trish9556 I do have people who are willing and able to come and stay for the initial period and friends who would be able to come in and help. I will ask about staying a third night (my sister was allowed to stay a third night last year after hip op) I could pay to go into respite care but I don't really want to spend what amounts to a lot of money unless I really have to The sticking point for me is going up and downstairs (I have a railing on both sides).

The surgeon didn't seem to think sleeping on the sofa is a good idea but I have just thought of another possibility. I could buy a single bed and have the sofa moved into the spare room (newly decorated and nothing in it) and have the bed in the lounge. That wouldn't be too expensive and when I can go upstairs again the bed can go upstairs and the sofa can come back down. This seems to be a reasonable solution. Don't know why I didn't think of it before.

I only have a shower in the bathroom with just a small step up to it - had the bath taken out several years ago - I prefer a shower anyway.
I have a grabber and they would probably give me another one so that should be OK. I have several pairs of slip on Skechers so that should be OK. I can buy a shoe horn. I know that they will supply the raised seat for the toilet which I will probably need. I have just bought a new armchair for the op so I expect they will need to give raised blocks for that.

I will cook some things and put in the freezer before the op and also order some vegan meals from a company I order from occasionally (healthy ready meals).

I am sure it will be OK and I know that it has to be done before all the other joints are severely impacted but as I said because I haven't really been in pain as such and have continued to do more or less what I want including quite a lot of long haul travel which is my thing then I have been able to avoid the op but it is time now. I will read through some of the posts to give me courage.

Thanks for the responses

Trish9556

Hi @distantshores

You don't need to to into respite care, there are many good care companies that will come into your own home to help you during the day and if you have to pay, you can always split the hour to half an hour am and evening to help you get dressed and ready for bed. Speak to your GP but I am sure you will be fine. :)

We all worry but realise that once we are home things are easier than we thought :)

trish xx

KC1

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/726778#Comment_726778

Hi, it sounds like you’re starting to find solutions to some of the issues you raised in your first post.
I can only speak from my own experience - the operation is transformational in so many ways. Yes it’s scary, the unknown always is, yes there are things to overcome but you’re already working on that but if you read the various diaries and posts from ‘hippies’ you’ll see most, if not all, wish they’d had it done sooner.

@trish9556 has mentioned various things that can help as you adjust and recover so I won’t repeat here.

Only you can decide what’s right for you - the things that helped me were

• will this get better on its own? Answer - no
• Does surgery become easier as I get older? Answer no
• Could other joints become affected if I do nothing? Answer yes
• Has my world shrunk? Answer yes
• What’s holding me back? Answer - me

Post Op I’m so very glad I’ve had it done and am now getting on with my life again.

Janlyn

@distantshores as @KC1 says you are beginning to find solutions.

I live alone and found that two nights was all I needed in hospital although I appreciate we are all different. If there was a reason they thought you shouldn't go home I am sure they wouldn't discharge you. I had my son or daughter in law pop in briefly each day for the first few days but actually I had got myself prepared beforehand and could have managed. I did have neighbours I could call if I needed to, and although I didn't need to, the thought that I could helped.

It does sound as though this is the right time for you and I'm sure you'll be off to distant shores again in the new year. I like my train travelling and after THR last December I was off around Greece by train in July and Scandinavia in August. It was good to be back out again.

Take care.

Nurina

Things are much easier than what we think before the surgery. In an ideal world, we should have more toilets but if your toilet is downstairs and you have to sleep on the sofa for a couple of days, put pillows under the sofa cushions to lift the seats. It's just for a couple of days until you feel confident enough to climb up and down stairs which will be easier than you think. My toilet is upstairs and I was two days in my bedroom near it until I eliminated the anaesthetic with a ton of water and I felt confident to climb down and up the stairs which are very sloped and terrifying. My bedroom is big enough to walk around with the frame so I was moving and doing the exercises. I'm having my second THR next month and I'm going to do the same. I had my sons and my husband with me which was very helpful but, after my experience, I think I could manage if I had to be on my own.

My mum too had the same surgery 30 years ago and she had to be in bed sleeping with the triangle between the legs for weeks. Things have changed massively.

distantshores

@Nurina I don't think I will be able to sleep on the sofa. I have ordered a single bed and will get the sofa taken upstairs and stay downstairs for a few weeks. The surgeon didn't think sleeping on a sofa was a good idea. My sister has had two hip replacements and also didn't think I would be able to sleep on it.

@Janlyn I will see if I can request another night in hospital. I have just come back from Greece - the only bit that was slightly problematic was getting on and off the ferry to go from one island to another and I had to ask for help but it was better in the warmer weather.

Of course the op may not happen as I have an ongoing problem with urinary tract infections which sometimes disappears for months but then comes back and is very hard to get rid of so if it is still ongoing when the op is due then I don't think they can do it. Maybe I should ask to see if anyone else has had this sort of problem.

Janlyn

@distantshores for your own peace of mind it might be best to ask about your uti, just so you're prepared. It's awful to be all prepared and then it gets postponed.

Nurina

@distantshores

My surgery has been postponed 2 weeks for an unknown reason and I'll be with you at the end of November.

ItsjustLisa

@Nurina I'm so sorry to hear that, I know you've been struggling. Have you at least got a firm date for the end of November?

I'm in on Tuesday and I'm terrified!

Nurina

@ItsjustLisa Hi. It's terrifying, I know, but every thing will be over very soon. I can't believe I had my first surgery 9 months ago!

About my surgery appointment, I received a letter if it's that a firm date. When I opened it for a second I thought it said 26th October, so next week! But no. It's on 26th November 😔 Anyway, it's not far but I'm struggling more and more and I don't know if it's real or just the stress of the anticipation 😉. I'm currently attending the Prepare for surgery program in a leisure centre and I'm noticing some improvement standing from a chair or climbing up stairs. It's so sad to see there are too many people managing to live in pain day by day. That's a big toll on our mental health.

Good luck Lisa and keep us updated, please. X

ItsjustLisa

@Nurina I'm pleased to hear you actually have a date, time seems to fly but stand still when we're struggling. 26th will be here before you know it, you'll be doing the wash thing and getting better ready for Christmas ❤️.

Thank you so much, reading your bionic account pushed me to get myself fixed and here we are.

I've read everyone's recovery diaries and they've been so helpful, I'm unsure whether to do one of my own, I really want to pay it forward for the help, support and encouragement I've had here so I think I will.

In 72 hours I'll be on the other side and know the pain I have will eventually get better where the pain I've struggled with for over 10 years now would've just gotten worse.

I'm so very grateful for you and everyone here, this platform Versus has given us and everyone taking the time.

Have a lovely Sunday, take good care of yourself and I'll see you on the other side 😊 xx

distantshores

@Nurina You have the same date as me 26 November if it goes ahead.

@Janlyn I will ask about uti at the initial phone assessment.

I also have a diagnosis of osteoporosis and requested a bone scan which was done a few weeks ago. It shows more loss in the spine and also right hip which is the one that is being replaced. I hope I haven't left it too late to have it done as someone told me the other day they have a friend who has been told she cannot have a hip replacement due to osteoporosis. I don't take bisphosphonates but take a lot of supplements and do a lot of exercise. The surgeon knows about this and was not given any indication at the appointment that it was too late so I assume it is not.

I am very good at burying my head in the sand about all these things and hope they will go away if I ignore them! Even though the hip is stage 4 osteoarthritis it doesn't cause me any pain just mild discomfort and I can still do my exercise classes and managed OK on my own in Greece recently - it's a bit strange but I am not complaining. I will be going ahead with the op as I realise it will cause more damage if it isn't done soon.

@ItsjustLisa I am also absolutely terrified!! Good luck with your op

ItsjustLisa

@distantshores thank you. I've buried my head too for 5 years or more now. I'm in lots of pain so know it's me holding myself back. We only get one bite at it, this life, and I'll be 55 this year and I want the old me back.