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Hi Everyone!

Posted , 10 users are following.

briskwalk
briskwalk

It's the first time I am writing here...I am going to have a hip replacement on June 1st. Who is in the same situation?

Bes twishes

 

1 like, 37 replies

37 Replies

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  • richardcole39
    richardcole39 briskwalk

    Posted

    Hi,

    I am just waiting for my date. I have to go to joint school on friday of this week and have been told my op will be sometime in June.

    Good luck.

    • briskwalk
      briskwalk richardcole39

      Posted

      Thank you for your answer, I had my joint school on April 23 , soon after that I got the letter with the op's date.

      Good luck to you too.

    • briskwalk
      briskwalk richardcole39

      Posted

      They gave me long crutches, I am practicing at home. In hospital they also give you on loan a  raised toilet seat, pincher etc. but I bought mine from the Argos catalogue.
  • linzh1974
    linzh1974 briskwalk

    Posted

    I'm awaiting my date, just had a perching stool and a tray on wheels, I had already got a grabber and a shoe horn and some ice packs.

    Linzi x

  • jan24212
    jan24212 briskwalk

    Posted

    If they don't give you a slide sheet. Try and get one. It is so useful getting in and out of cars, and also when doing your exercises it makes it easier in the early days. They also gave me a seat for over the bath to help getting in and out to have a shower. A grabber up stairs as well as down is easier and finally my V pillow has been a godsend at night when it is impossible to get comfy.

    Hope the op goes well. For me that was the easy bit, the hard work starts afterwards. 3 weeks post op and doing ok here.

    • briskwalk
      briskwalk jan24212

      Posted

      Thak you jan24212. Wrere did you buy your slide sheet? Can I use a pvc table cloth? I have a shover cubicle, so I don't need to use the bath.

      I have a v pillow , an long shoe horn and grabbers.

      How do you wash your hair in the first weeks after op, when you cannot bend over 90 degrees?

    • jan24212
      jan24212 briskwalk

      Posted

      You can get anything online on one of the disabled or nursing sites. But I guess a pvc tablecloth would work as long it is very slides!!! They are used all the time in care homes and hospitals for moving patients with limited mobility around. I wash my hair in the shower so no bending involved thank goodness. Take all the help you can get us my advice.
    • pam031060
      pam031060 briskwalk

      Posted

      Hi Briskwalk,

      just harping on on about your question regarding hair washing.  It depends what your surgeon allows, some will allow showers pretty much immediately, unfortunately mine won't and the hair washing has been the most problematic area for me.  I have very greasy hair but have had to limit washing to every 3 days ...... My husband washes it in the sink for me,  I can just about get away with not breaking the 90 degree rule.  If anyone has any other suggestions I would also be interested ...

      good of luck with the operation and a speedy recover

       

    • annedi
      annedi pam031060

      Posted

      Hi Pam, I have had someone wash my hair too. I couldn't do it sitting on the perching stool as there was too much bend so I stand up hold on the the sink and just bend my head over it. That  has been working fine.

      I was told two weeks before a shower but I can't use mine anyway as it is in the bath and i'm not allowed to get in the bath until 6-8 weeks after the op. I'm doing strip washes and getting someone to do my feet and change the compression socks!

    • pam031060
      pam031060 annedi

      Posted

      Nightmare isn't it Anne.  I am having strip wash too and hubby doing my feet in the bidet! Stitches out on Wednesday and hoping I can have a shower, I am very lucky to have a walk in shower - what are you going to do, how long will you have to wait for a shower, are there no aids to help you get into the bath? 
    • annedi
      annedi pam031060

      Posted

      Lucky you with a walk in shower. I have a friend who has one but she's away for 3  weeks. I am just going to continue  to strip wash. I haven't any bath aids and I just can't get my legs over the side without breaking the 90 degree rule! So I will just have to wait. I've got my follow up appointment with the surgeon on 9th June so am hoping that from then I will be able to bend!

      To be honest I'm more bothered about the pain going and having a good night's sleep than showers. Roll on the day when I can sleep on my side!

    • rosie86947
      rosie86947 pam031060

      Posted

      Hi Pam

      Have you tried dry shampoo? I haven't used it since the 60s but my daughter assures me its much improved so I have bought a can to try - my op is at the beginning of June. I have also had my hair cut VERY short!

    • briskwalk
      briskwalk rosie86947

      Posted

      Dry shampoo...

      what a good idea, I have tried it recently and i's very good.

    • pam031060
      pam031060 rosie86947

      Posted

      Hi Rosie,  yes, I have the dry shampoo, believe it or not, my hair is so very greasy that it just forms clumps and I look worse then ever - stitches out tomorrow so I am hoping I can get into the shower - can anyone confirm that I will be able to shower once stitches are removed?  Can't wait.  Good idea to get your hair cut short, I'm sure you will be fine with the dry shampoo!  Good luck
    • pam031060
      pam031060 annedi

      Posted

      Hi Anne, yes, I appreciate that I am very fortunate and completely understand about lifting your leg, I wouldn't be able to do that at this stage either.  I concur re good nights sleep.  I took some advice from the forum and put two pillows long ways under my knees and down to my toes, I have managed to get two nights with 3 -4 hours unbroken sleep, makes such a difference!  Give it a try if you can.
    • annedi
      annedi pam031060

      Posted

      Funnily enough I added an extra  pillow under my legs last night. I think about three hours sleep is the maximum I've had in one go. I'm getting up at 6 as the pain killers have  run out and so   take some more have a leisurely breakfast and then have another couple of hours in bed mid morning!
    • pam031060
      pam031060 annedi

      Posted

      We all find something eventually that helps us cope with the lack of sleep.  I zonk out every day whilst trying to watch Loose Women.  Wake up about 3 p.m.  I have never slept during the day before but I guess your body will do what it needs in the end!  Had my first physio session this morning which went well.  Seems they are happy with my progress and I have been given a few more exercises to complete.  Just need some shoes which will fit to enable me to get a bit further afield outside.  Bought some deck shoes but even they are far too tight with all the swelling and bruising I have.  Anyone else with severe bruising? Even my toes are black and blue!
    • annedi
      annedi pam031060

      Posted

      Glad your physio went well - I don't know if i'm going to get any. 4weeks still to my post op appointment with the surgeon. I suppose I will find out then. in the meantime I just have a sheet of 4 exercise to do given to me in the hospital.
    • pam031060
      pam031060 annedi

      Posted

      Morning Anne,

      the fact that you dont get community Physio is terrible! Have you called your doctors to see if you have community Physio in your area ..... Really annoys me that standards are so different around the country.  Don't get me wrong, the Physio will not be with me every day but she was reslly helpful and showed me some good techniques which should speed my recovery, she is coming again in a couple of weeks when she is hoping to get me onto a stick.  Ultimately a little time now is worth prolonging Physio a few weeks down the line.  Try ringing the GP it may be that they don't advertise the fact that this service is available but if you pester you can get it? Good luck ....

    • annedi
      annedi pam031060

      Posted

      I think like you say you probably have to ask for it. I saw the physio in the hospital who gave me the exercise sheet and I'm still working hard on those exercises. After my previous op I asked for some because my knee was wrenched and had no problem getting it then so will probably ask after I've seen the surgeon again if I need it. I don't want to do anything til they've given me the ok that the replacement is fine.

      How many weeks post op are you? Have you had a difficult recovery? I know in the hospital the physio and occupational therapists thought I was doing really well so perhaps they didn't think I needed any extra support. I'm 18 days post op now and can get up and downstairs well and just use 1 crutch around the house.

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