differing information
Posted , 13 users are following.
Hi all I had my rthr on 5th November at Spire Gatwick Park and all has gone really well, I found this forum a couple of weeks after I went home and was amazed at how little pre-op info I was given. Because I luckily ad BUPA it was only a month between seeing my surgeon and the op in which I squeezed in the pre-op assessment but had to miss the pre-op physio as I was on holliday. So had done no research, when I went home I had 2 sticks which my husband had for his knee replacement and had been adjusted I had practised with them pre-op and although I had physio in hospital had no real instructions apart from 90 degree rule for 6 weeks and how to get up and sit down, no seat raisers or gadgets. I managed fine without but interested to know if it was down to me not asking or if its common practice dont ask dont get. Regards all Julie (surrey uk)
2 likes, 28 replies
susan47173 julia83198
Posted
julia83198 susan47173
Posted
When I went for the pre op I told them I would be away for the assessment so she explained a couple of things I had brought in my husbands sticks so she adjusted them so its my fault really however before Tony had his knee replacement I went with him to his physio assessment but it was 6 months before so I kinda remembered some of it haha Had physio 2 weeks after op for 4 sessions so I asked a few questions then but had already managed without too much. Good luck on your 6 week appt my surgeon showed me the xray said I was doing well lifted all restrictions and said he would see me in a year!
susan47173 julia83198
Posted
julia83198 susan47173
Posted
luvinlex julia83198
Posted
My LTHR was Nov 23 so we are a few weeks apart. I knew far in advance I was having this surgery, so I must have spent $1200 on "things" I'd need. A "grabber" a "handle that grips on the edge of your tub" "rolling walker" "New cotton nightgowns" "sportswear for when I go to PT" --- you name it. Then, I went on every website and wrote down all the things they tell you to do. 6 weeks out, 4 weeks out, 1 week, etc... I got a chair for the bathtub. Had a new shower head installed with a long flexible handle so I can do a seated bath, excuse me incision, shower thing. Long armed bath sponge, and a cane. SO MUCH STUFF! I used the walker for like a day, then used the rolling walker for 2-3 weeks, now a cane I don't use. So, I guess by saying all this, my answer is "yes". You have to prepare your house in advance, and as you can see, it's not cheap. Now, I'll need to find a place to donate this stuff. Or, find a nursing home but they make me sad...SELL Them! I'm sure if you wern't caught off guard, you'd have had all your ducks in a row. I've got sheets of home PT instructions if you want them emailed to you. Oh, and my surgery didn't have any limitations. Odd.
julia83198 luvinlex
Posted
Thanks for that I have been lucky with the physio had a booklet with the excercises and had pt from week 2 every 2 weeks for first 8 weeks then joint school once a week for 5 weeks I had bought a few bits when my husband had his knee op so utilised them too. Thats a lot of money you had to pay its certainly not so expensive in UK and think some are free!
Good luck with your continuing recovery I am back at work full time now and feel good my scar is about 5 inches long and under the buttock so it is a bit uncomfortable sitting and I still get stiff and limp when getting up from sitting x
lyn1951 julia83198
Posted
Here in brisbane, Australia. you get a book of about 20 pages.
You get handed this book in your pre-surgery day at the hospital, where they go through all of your pre-exsiting conditions, medications, you see jnr surgeon, anthestisit, physios, chemists, nurses who check you for bacteria with swabs, you get a lecture on no food or water in hours before surgery, and also no cuts scratches or bites, social workers, they check they have enough x-rays.
The book firstly talks about our hip bones, why they may wear out, then about implants, goes on to talk about anthestista, general, and spinal, surgery, and possible complications.
time in hosptial, and what to expect, getting up and about, in hospital physio, crutches, instructions on when to leave the house, go to the GP for dressings, what to do if you get infection, when you should be reaching some goals.
The equipment you are going to need at home to help you, any adjustements you need to make to furniture, the fact that somebody is going to visit your home to make sure all of this is in place.
At the end of book, all your post surgery exercises are laid out in diagrams, what to do and when to do it.
MichaelTN1UK julia83198
Posted
I went through a private hospital (as an NHS patient). The primary care was excellent but the secondary was less so. I had slipped through the net for the pre-op physio appointment - but was given one within 24 hours when I enquired. That was when I was told about all the equipment I would be lent.
Post op, the physio asked if I wanted the second session of the day or could she go as she needed to collect her children from school (what could I say). Instructions were minimal.
Also I had 2 physios in the same hospital: one said not to worry about 90 degree rule, and the other emphasised the importance.
So, in conclusion, I would say it is down to us to keep on top of them :-) They (private or public) are under great pressure to process us and yet we view it from another perspective.
Michael
renee01952 julia83198
Posted
You are right ... it is so random, or so it seems ... I am in Holland, had my surgery in a small regional hospital - I was given some general information in a booklet - why THR, what to expect, etc ... I would say that at that time I thought it sufficient - No OT here, but got advice from Home Health Service which I qualified for since I live alone ...
Additional information was given at the pre-op presentation -
Maybe they just :"forgot" ????? or, possibly, you would have gotten more info at the pre-op physio ....
How are you getting on these days ?
Big warm hug
renee
julia83198 renee01952
Posted
Well considering I went into the op quite blindly and in a way think for me that was best as I may have chickened out, I have done extremely well, I am now back at work full time have been walking without sticks for 5 weeks back at pilates and generally feeling good, I still get tired and find it difficult sleeping and my lower back aches from time to time. My scar is still tender and stings sometimes and its in an awkward position under my right buttock!
I find this sight invaluable and look every day, not contributing so much as some but feel like it is one big family and that I know you all haha
Love Julie (Surrey, UK)
renee01952 julia83198
Posted
I think that you are doing extremely well -
I would like to go to Pilates classes and was wondering when it would be good - I had 2 THR surgeries and am sooo stiff - Scars are tender and sometimes I feel a pulling sensation - All part of the healing process that will continue ... amazing isn't it?
warm hug
renee
julia83198 renee01952
Posted
My pilates class is a fairly easy one most of the ladies are my age (60) and older so the teacher doesnt push us, she is aware what I have had done and if there are some movements I shouldnt do she tells me. She also offered me a chair if I needed (which I didnt) When I went back to the physio on Wed for my last class she gave me some excercises that I would be doing at pilates. I definitely think you should give it a try it really helps strengthen up your core muscles which will help with walking etc,
My scar is tender still so massage it with bio oil with frankincense which helps,
Let me know if you try out pilates and how it goes
hugs Julie
Rocketman_SG6UK julia83198
Posted
julia83198 Rocketman_SG6UK
Posted
Yes mine was too and I have only just stopped the physio classes this week. I think mine was more down to not asking questions before and they were probably unaware I hadnt gone to the pre op physio so assumed I knew it all haha. I have learnt so much more on this site and just relieved that things I was doing which maybe I shouldnt. havent had any ill effects.
Glad to see you are doing well after your 2nd op and hope you get it all sorted have been checking out website too.
Regards
Julie
luvinlex julia83198
Posted
susan47173 luvinlex
Posted
lyn1951 susan47173
Posted
The only advice he gave me was to go and get your hair cut, you won't notice it as much, he did also comment when he examined me, he said you have alot of new hair coming through at the roots, even the hairdresser commented that i had alot of new hair coming through, and she asked had i had a nasty shock.
Yes I had surgery, she said that will do it.
luvinlex susan47173
Posted
First. The websites. The Livestrong site has an article titled "Hair Thinning From Stress" - Then on Wikihow there is an article entitled "Prevent Hair Loss due to stress" - I won't put all the dot c*ms and things in there. I'm sure you can find them and they are super educational and very interesting. Especially when your hair is falling out. I first experienced this when my mother died. I had to care for her in her home and took care of he daily until I went in and found her dead. Nothing will ever make that image leave my mind. I was also not eating well because I was nauseated and on top of that, wasn't getting any sleep because I was always listening to the baby monitor for her breathing. Anyway... about 2-3 months after she died, maybe sooner. My hair just started coming out by the fistfull... You normally lose 100 hairs a day, this was horrible. a large pile of my hair, and it would happen again and again until finally at some random time it stopped. Little fuzzy new baby hairs started to grow. That means it's all over. I didn't see a professional but looked online and attributed it to my mom's death and the trauma and stress it caused me. Not to mention all the weight /sleep I'd lost. Live goes on. Then, my THR was in late November. In mid January or so, I again started having my hair come out in bunches. This time it seemed to be one large pile that came out...I kept coming and it kept coming out until I had this huge pile. I'm still losing hair but not like at first. This time I contacted my "joint nurse" who had never heard of it. Then my GP, she told me, it's from the stress and trauma you've gone through. A nurse friend told me that this surgery looks like you've gone through a car accident from hell, and it's the most violent, aggressive surgeries she's ever seen. Under that incision, they not only replaced the femur head and acetabulum, they tore up all the tissues surrounding it, down your leg, muscles, tendons, nerves.. and that when you are going through what I'd call a "significant event" the body stops growing hairs. The body shuts down the growth of hair. The follicles are filling with dead hairs. They lay dormant. Then, when the hair starts to grow back, it pushes out this hair that stopped growing and that's where all the big pile comes from. Of course there are other things, crash diets, thyroid problems, hormone problems, that can cause it but since it happened to me before, I pretty much knew it was not any of those. It WILL grow back. I can post a couple of photos, one is before I went in for a cut and color and the after. I had to cut it above my shoulders to get rid of that stringy thin hair. I know this was a long post, but I think I'll copy and paste it into a document so when someone asks, I'll have the answer ready. ;-)
susan47173 luvinlex
Posted
MichaelTN1UK luvinlex
Posted
Michael