having my hip replacement on August 24th

Oh Karen, you have come to the right place. I can hear the desparation in your words and can relate totally to where you are. My own pain nearly drove me to madness and my GP even dished out some anti-depressants.

Believe me - this pre op time is the worst bit. I was at a point that if they said they were going to chop my leg off I would have agreed.

I you have got this far then you can get through the operation and then that hip will start to feel better almost immediately. I had mine done 5 weeks ago and wow, what a difference. Like you I have the other hip affected, my back and knees and will have my 2nd one done after Christmas.

I am now okay with everything  now knowing what advantages the op brings.

I can't take away your fear but will advise you to sit and read through as many of the discussions on this site. People will tell you as it is and you will see that we were all neighbours in Pain City and have all moved on. 

3 weeks, Karen and your life is going to start to change.

Love and light

Kate

Dear Karen ....

Aww .. I am so sorry you feel so bad ... 

Welcome to this wonderful forum of loving, supportive and compensionate fellow hippies ...

Most of us have all been there where you are right now ... or are still going through these emotions .... I found it a very lonely place until I found this group, which was 3 weeks post op ... 

They scared the hell out of me with all these restrictions - I live alone and actually was more afraid of post operation time than the surgery it self - is that the case with you too? 

Are you taking pain medication? I know, at some point it doesn;t seem to work anymore ... 

Yes, there are restrictions - however, my experience is that it is not as bad as it reads ... you will find out once you have the surgery done ..

One thing for sure is that this awful pain you are feeling right now will be gone - yes, there will be some pain from the surgery for which you get medication for - 

there will be emotional periods as well - a roller coaster ride, and we will all be riding a long with you !!

I wish I have words to comfort you and ease your pain ... 

Please come back here anytime, okay ... you are not alone,sweetheart ... 

warm hug and be oh so gentle with yourself ..

renee

Good Morning Karen.

Welcome to the forum

First of all. You are right to feel scared. This is a major thing to go through. I was scared having the first one done and I mean REALLY scared like you and still am scared and I have another to go through in september so it will be two hips done in 5 months. Please understand that going through this will worry you. But to be out of pain is so much better. Yes there are rules to follow. But just think in a year you should have your life back and be able to enjoy it again. Don't put it off.I promise as some one who hates hospitals and has also had many operations and was scared of each and every one of them,. it is totally worth it.

Hi Karen

You remind me so much of myself 6 months ago. I was practically suicidal with the pain & several misdiagnosis of what was causing it. I finally got the go ahead to have THR & I was terrified. 

Honestly, it was the best thing I have ever done. It's pretty hard for the first few weeks but it's a different pain & you know that it will eventually get better. 

I went to USA after 15 weeks, hiking swimming - all the things I have struggled to do for the last few years. I finally have my life back.

Try not to worry about the op, it's thing to be scared of. I'm a real coward & I did it. Concentrate on preparing for your homecoming & look forward to a pain free life.

Good luck - keep us all updated - we will be here waiting.x

 

Karen welcome! You're in the right place to have people to talk to and relate to you. Without that it can get you down, I too suffered badly mentally last year and was offered anti depressants but ended up having counselling instead. I couldn't understand the level of pain I was in (my OA was undiagnosed at that point) with supposedly 'just' a slipped disc.  I too had sciatic and back pain.  My world was getting so tiny being stuck at home and off work and my friends in their 20-40's couldn't relate.   I'm 44 and found the eventual diagnosis of severe OA needing LTHR left me mouth agape.   I've had it done now and it DEFINITELY leads to a healthier mental state, less medication and no gnawing, grinding OA pain.

I want to give you a hug as its horrible to feel so low, but the THR is the way out of this. And this Forum is so helpful and supportive. I joined it a couple of months after my op and wished I'd found it sooner.

Sending you good vibrations

Juliet x

I want you to hang onto two words, and two words only.

are you ready?

TWO WEEKS

Those are the two words.

Almost universally on this forum people report that the first TWO WEEKS are rough, hard, BUT SURVIAVABLE, and after TWO WEEKS you go back UP again. 

You.Go.Back.Up.Again

I'm not gonna lie a few RARE people have a blip during recovery that Need's to be addresses and DOES get addressed, but even with that after TWO WEEKS practically every person reports that they are way much better than before the surgery, even the ones who have a post surgery "issue."

Don't focus one the RARE, focus on the TYPICAL.

even the RARE eventually get their complication corrected. One woman for example got her femoral nerve damaged and it gave her pain all the way down to her toes, the doctors sorted it out and went in and killed the nerve. Don't focus on the RARE, focus on the TYPICAL, and universally everyone reports that you just hang in there and make it THRU the first TWO WEEKS.

KAYLY CAN YOU DO TWO WEEKS knowing what awaits you after six weeks is that almost all of us have recovered back to 90% of a completely normal hip and NO PAIN? CAN YOU DO TWO WEEKS?

Hi Karen please don't worry yurself so' I have both my hips replaced in 3 months they were bone on bone and Iwas on morphine etc for pain sores o9 8-9-10, I also have prolapsed disks so I feel I know your pain. Having my hips done was one of the best things i had have done, every where seams different but I could lay on my operated side, I was up the next day and released after 4 days, of course there is pain from the surgery as with any i am now 3 weeks from last op and to have no grnding pains from my hips is great, for those who have followed m thread with know that I did have quite an adventure on my second hip but that was not caused by the hip surgery moreto the combination of my drugs etc, if you would like to read it then its called BOTH HIPS DONE & DUSTED I understand that some of the people here have not had the same as me, but I can only coment on mine, would I go through it again, to true I would. I wish you wll Karen

Regards  RonC

Yes the thought of the surgery is very scary, but the thought of not having it done is even more scary. Post op pain is different from the horrible pre op pain but at least post op pain gets better and has a good reason. Yes there are restrictions but with grabbers, raised loo seats, raised seats and a high bed all is do able. If you can place most things you regularly use at wait height so no bending. Freeze meals in advance or get your honey to do the cooking. As others have said it is a rough couple of weeks after the op, but totally different from before. Plenty of pillows help the sleeping. 

Hi Karen, I had both hips replaced, 5 weeks apart, in 2010. I always thought my pain was coming from my dodgy back and put up with it for years. Couldn't cross my legs, put on pantyhose, etc, etc. I was bewildered when told I needed both done. 

I didn't freak out, just went with the flow. Best thing I've ever done! 

My advice for a speedy and successful recovery is to do your exercises diligently. They will get you out of bed the day after op and encourage you to move. 

Go on girl, you can do this and after a few weeks you will be crying.........with relief and happiness!

My thoughts are with you. X

Hello, I suffered simular to you with my hip. As with you it was my knee, back and leg sometimes it was difficult to where it was coming from it was so bad. I was offered a hip replacement and was so stressed and depressed I gladly agreed despite being frightened of surgery. So glad i did, had it done eight years ago and have had no pain since then. OK won't say it was easy there was some pain but i was given analgesic which worked well. Hobbled on crutches for a couple of weeks then down to one crutch, after six weeks got rid of them and the freedom of being pain free was wonderful.

As I was in the same position as you are now I just thought I would give you my experiance. But of course i can't advise you what to do that is up to you, but the outcome can be very positive and the pain relief is wonderful.

Karen, I know how you feel.  I saw my Mr man surgeon in April, told me I need eh done, totally devastated cried sId no cant have it got. 91 yr old mum with dementi! Bills to pay can't have 3 months off work, all I got from people was "I know someone who had it done Nd changed their life" well I found this wonderful family who convinced me it was the best thing to d, so with the. Incidence of everyone I went back in July and said yes, I did get it all explained but went totally over my head, but,through the wonderful people I have learnt so much about what happens, cried the other night knowing I may have to inject myself, but not on the list until October but I know that everyone here will help to answer.my questions. So Karen, read up what every one has said it really helps knowing what is going on.  Good luck Hun, sue xx

Hi Karen,

You've come to the right place for some support. Many of us are or have been in a similar situation. 5 weeks ago I was in the same situation. Pain all the time, working on crutches, taking narcotics. Since my new hip my life is changing and I can see a light at the end of the tunnel. 

I was was petrified about the surgery but when it came closer I felt calm....I knew there was no other option because I couldn't go on in pain with no life.

I remember how long those last few weeks are. The end is in sight, be brave and look forward to a better future.

🌈💌🌈💌

im 23 i had my hip replacement sept 2014, i had very very bad pain to the iont i couldnt walk and i lived like that for 10 years due to LCPD the hip replacement was awesome like the day i got the surgery i was up and walking i use to limp but that was no longer it was almost pain less but my doctors kept me well medicated, i think a HR is a great option for anyone in bad pain like me, i got my life back i can still chase after my 1 year old and i work in a warehouse, that might not be your case but the pain will be very little, youll be fine