Both hips need replacing

well Eileen all I can say we are all different.I am aghast at how some people on here literally take up thine bed and walk soon after so we really are a varied species.! For my part, a relatively fit 56 yr old, it has been 8 MONTHS before I am starting to get out of pain and feel normal ! Good luck x

Afternoon Eileen! That question is hard to answer as we all are different in our circumstances and healing. For myself, I had rhr in July, 3 weeks later I find I dislocated my hip and had to have a total hip revision. 6 weeks non weight bearing, no hip exercises and no flexion past 80 degrees. I'm now almost 10 months out and still struggling. I'm still limping, I'm dealing with nerve pain and discomfort. But there are those on this forum that are doing great right after surgery!! It just depends on you, your surgeon, and how things go. As for me...well....I never thought I would be where I'm at now and my outcome. It's been difficult, I've been depressed, angry....but I'm getting there. SLOWLY BUT SURELY!! I've wanted to give up but my family keeps me going. Be sure to research the surgery, your dr, and Know this forum is here! The folks here are great! Very supportive and understanding. So let us know how things are going for you!! Hugs 🤗 LD

Hi Eileen, Everyone is different, but the paperwork I got from the hospital said it would be 3 months before you feel more like yourself, but a year before you get back to normal.  It's been almost 2 weeks for me, post op, so I have a long way to go.  But, I've graduated to a cane, from a walker.  I try to do the exercises twice a day and walk my driveway, when weather permits.  It's a little daunting, reading about all these other issues that you all are having!  I worry more about dislocation of the new hip, so try not to put too much stress on it!  Good Luck to you as you go forward!  Let us know how you are doing.  

Eileen

I had both my replaced in 2014 2 months apart. You just have to wait and see how you feel !! I did mine so I could exercise my replaced hip. My left hip hurt so bad I couldn't walk enough to exercise replaced one so told dr to go for it !! You will know when you can do it. As everyone will say everyone will be recover differently !!!!

I'm 64 yrs young !!!!

Good Luck

David

Hi Eileen

I am gonna give you the same advice as everyone that every person heals diffrent. I can only tell you about myself l had my first hip done in dec 2015 and l was walking fine 4 weeks later and driving. I was desperate to get my other done so had it done begining of feb 2016. I to heal quick. I was 42 at the time. I then went on to have my knee replaced in august that year. It was a bit harder to recover from. I need my other knee replaced to but decided to have a break and went back to work part time it lasted 6 months and my ankle got arthritis to and had my ankle fused last month so am now in a moonboot. But l have to say getting my hips done were the best thing l ever done to get rid of pain. And they feel brilliant now. If only arthritis would stop going to ever joint. Go for it.

Lors

Hi Eileen 

Well there's a question!

The answer is not a simple one - it depends on so many different factors - your age, your level of fitness, any other health issues, the surgeon, surgeon's experience, surgeon's preferred operational approach (i.e. posterior, anterior, lateral).

I can really only tell you about my own experience.  I'm in my mid 50s and had to have an unexpected THR last year.  My surgeon observed that I had severe osteoarthritis in my right hip resulting in bone-on-bone and that my left hip wasn't far behind.  The upshot was I had my right hip replaced in June of last year, so I'm just coming up on my first anniversary.

The operation was a complete success, BUT my new hip isn't as good as the original one.  It complains for no apparent reason - doesn't like hot weather, or damp or cold weather (bit of a bummer living in England).  It doesn't like waking at the same time as the rest of me and complains for no apparent reason.  The upside is that I no longer have that awful and constant bone-on-bone pain and even knowing what I know now I would still have gone through with the operation.

I had hoped to be able to postpone my left hip replacement for 2 years, but my surgeon wasn't happy about that and strongly advised that I should have the replacement done this year (he actually wanted to do it 6 months after the first one, but I persuaded him to wait until a year was up and I am pleased that I did).  As it has turned out, my surgeon is correct and I need to have the second one done this year, in fact I see him in a couple of weeks and will ask to go on his operating list then.

I would be lying if I said that I'm not concerned about having another op - sometimes ignorance really is bliss.  However, the end result is worth it.

So, to summarise from my experience:

Allow at least 6 months to heal after your first operation.

Make sure that you do all the post op exercises as instructed.

Don't expect the replacement hip to be a good as the original one.

Good luck.

Hi Eileen I was 66 going on 67 when I had a left hip replacement 11 months ago now, unfortunately I had severe damage to nerves in my left leg from knee down.  If you take that out of the equation I was feeling normal at six months, now I am still struggling with loss of motor nerves to foot but managing very well.  Suggest you have one side done and see how u go before booking second one.  Lots of Physio as well will help u back to recovery as well.  

Regards Dot

Hello Eileen

You hit the nail on the head when you said everyone was different.

I had my left THR when I was 54 and this required a plate as well as screws, due to spurring. I was back at work after 3 months with no pain but felt the heaviness / weight of rod, shell and ball did not disappear for two years.  I had my right THR when I was 56 but prior to that, as my surgeon knew I needed the right one replaced I had a steroid injection which saw me through to the second one. My surgeon wanted my first THR to have a good chance to support the second one so suggested this. Once again I was back at work within 3 months, no pain but again the heaviness of the rod, shell and ball took around two years to feel part of my body, not alien.The pain you have prior to surgery is horrific and it is amazing that this type of pain is gone instantly after surgery but of course replaced by the healing pain.  It is worth the surgery and I hope your recovery is good. All the best.

It was six months before my new hip felt strong and solid and one year before I felt completely one hundred per cent.

If I were you I would aim for six months. If you do them both too quickly you might find it abit of a struggle, as others on the forum have mentioned.

It is right that everyone heals at different speeds, and no two recoveries are the same, but by six months you can be sure to be feeling well and strong again after the surgery. (I was 40 at the time so quite young and fit) but I have seen the same recoveries as mine in those over 75 so age it is not a big indicator, more the level of health and fitness before surgery.

Best of luck and stay on the forum for support and guidance, you will find out everything you need to know here (I could not have got through my THP without this forum!)

Hi Eileen,

If there is no hurry to have them both done similtaneously, I would strongly recommend you wait 4-6 months before having the second one done.  By that time, your operated side will be able to accommodate the extra weight (burden) of the second operated side.  Keep in mind, this time frame is IF everything goes well.  If there are complications, which sometimes occur with a surgery like this, you may want to have the second replacement closer to a year apart. 

I didn't have any issues at all, and the above is my personal opinion

Best of luck!