I need feedback about hip replacement I am due to have one Oct.31,2013

I am having a left hip replacement Oct 31st. I need both replaced but am having the left then right done. Has anyone here had a hip replacement due to OA? Any helpful hints with recovery would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you,
Bayfoxnw

Thank you Judy2. I do thigh strengthening exercises as that is the only way I can get up in the morning. I guess I am getting a bit nervous after this last year with the up coming surgeries. After having the back fusion, laminectomy and reshaping my facet joint I went a year with no NSAID as my fusion took a full year to complete. Right after the surgery I reported increased pain in my back and legs,hips and knees. My surgeon chose to ignore my questions as to why. He sent me to a rehabilitation doctor who stated there was nothing wrong with me and told me I needed gait training. She insisted i try waking with out my canes and swing my arms. I almost fell and never went back to that doctor. I have been through hell and back. I reported pain in my upper right back when I went to my neuro and he dismissed it. I went in with emergency surgery for a badly infected gallbladder 2 months later. The gallbladder that was the size of a grapefruit with a huge gallstone. He told me the pain was in my head that I had nothing biologically wrong with me. I trusted him and did not seek a second opinion of my upper right back. When I went into a new GP for a yearly physical. Now in the mean time I am also seeing a pain specialist refereed by the neuro under his mind body spirit program and I get the same treatment and quoted back again I had nothing biologically wrong with me. I did not fit his square ped after his surgery and I was the bad guy. Now I had told teh pain doctor, neuro ortho and rehab doctor I could not spread my legs and my knees hurt. Infact I had to draw where my pain has been for a year. I was told he was only dealing with the back surgery pain as he did not have time to worry about my other pains. Wel anyway the GP ordered plain old xrays and found the severe arthritis in my hips. I have had MRI upper back, lower back you name it I had it. I was sent to a normal orthopedic surgeon with out any mumble gumble about making new pathways to get rid of pain and he told me my hips joints are shot, gone nothing to do but hip replacements. Now am I bit nervous? Yes indeed I am. I was told for a whole year there was nothing biologically wrong with me and I should not be having any pain when in fact I have one of the most painful conditions you can have orthopedically. I do have a wonderful orthopedic doctor who is going to do my surgery and very well referred. I am a home health nurse and this doctor is good and I have seen his work. I was referred to a well known Seattle spine clinic which treated me horribly. But now I feel as though I have a chance to get my mobility back if even to the point I was before my back surgery I would be happy. I am letting go the year I lost and looking forward to my surgeries with happiness that I am not crazy, that their is sometime biologically wrong with me that can be fixed and not ignored. I feel I will have excellent result also. I am so glad you had a good doctor who listened to you and are now doing so well. It really does make having the surgery easier knowing there are those of you who have had similar but different surgeries and are better for it. thank you Bayfoxnx

Judy2,
It is good that you have this board to discus your issues with. I am glad I found this board. I too have a high pain tolerance. That is why my gallbladder got so bad. I had attacks but thought they we panic attacks. I had upper right back pain and pain in the center of my sternum.The last attack would not go away or I would of still had that infected gallbladder. I lost a pint of blood with that surgery. I cannot believe my hips are as bad as they are but I get along with 5mg oxycodone 3-4 times a day. I think I learned to deal with pain when as a child I had a compound fracture and almost lost my leg. I was 6 years old. They did not have pain meds and I took an aspirin for pain after I go home from the hospital. After seeing what tolerating a lot of pain can do to someone I do not think it is a blessing in the long run when it comes to chronic disease. I think maybe if I had been put on NSAID's at an eariler age maybe I would be able to work and walk.I am a strong advocate to never let someone say you have a little arthritis. If you have any amount of arthritis get it treated now and not later. Well my pups are calling me hope you have a good day. Anytime you need to talk about issues feel free to let me know. I hope to go back to work. I love nursing and I miss it terribly. Have a good day!
bayfoxnw

Today I went to my Orthopedic surgeon. I am having my left hip replaced as I stated before on Oct. 31st and my right hip done Dec 19th of this year.All my questions were answered and I am very optimistic about being on the right path to return to work. I cannot wait to get my mobility back. I talked to the doctor about having knee pain after surgery and what he thought about teh fact people do get and suffer with this type of pain. After my surgeries I am going to have my gait evaluated and othotics if needed. I am also doing pre op exercises. I am so happy I have such an empathic doctor. Oh, also Kitt, the phrase you have ending your post did you make that up or where did it come from? My sails are very adjusted right now again. Have a good night!

bayfoxnw said...
I am having a left hip replacement Oct 31st. I need both replaced but am having the left then right done. Has anyone here had a hip replacement due to OA? Any helpful hints with recovery would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you,
Bayfoxnw

I just celebrated my one year mark (Oct 5, 2012) of having my right hip replaced because of OA. I had waited a long time (10 years) for that operation. I was determined to walk normal again.

As soon as I was out of recovery, and awake I walked (with the help of a walker) to the rest room on my own. My nurse was helping me drag the stuff attached to me.

Once they removed the drainage tube, they couldn't keep me in bed. I had brought my own crutches. I participated in 3 physical therapy sessions before I went home, they were mandatory.

My advice is to get up and get moving as soon as you can. And while in bed at the hospital do the exercises often. I roamed the hall ways on the floor I was on using my crutches.

Make sure you have help at home, and that you rest. I stopped using the crutches once I got home and went back to my cane. It was weird re-learning on my on feet without a cane.

I'm happily back to gardening, hunting, riding on the BF's Harley and walking my pups.