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How bad is the pain

Posted , 14 users are following.

essexmad
essexmad

Waiting for a date for my hip replacement and just wondered how bad was everyone's pain after the epidural wore off.... On a scale of 0 to 10 what was yours how long did it last and what is offered as pain relief afterwards and does it make you feel ill.... Any input appreciated

1 like, 42 replies

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  • Amnesia3637
    Amnesia3637 essexmad

    Posted

    I think I've been really fortunate as I have had almost no pain at all even immediately after the surgery. I had a spinal and light GA which was fabulous. I wanted a spinal and sedation but was given the GA because with sedation only and lying on your side you may inadvertently move so the GA flattens you enough so this doesn't happen. I had a drug called Pregabalin as I can't take any opiods at all but only had this for about four days post op as it made me so sleepy and spaced out and I really didn't need it. So only on Paracetamol 8 a day and mainly for my rheumatoid as hip brilliant. Only found it sore when I've lain all night on my back in one position! So good luck and hope you're as pain free and mobile as I am two weeks on.
    • crissy_wissy
      crissy_wissy Amnesia3637

      Posted

      Told you you'd be fine....gets better and better from now on...I can now do 20 mins on a cross trainer pain free...no puff though!!!
    • Amnesia3637
      Amnesia3637 crissy_wissy

      Posted

      Fab isn't it!  So glad I had it done and thanks to you and all the other brill hippies on here with the advice and tips. Certainly none of us would have such knowledge about this procedure if we didn't all exchange ideas and generally prop each other up. This forum should be required reading and I feel sorry for all those who've never discovered it as the hospitals certainly don't provide all the advice we need pre and post op.
  • sue87388_UK
    sue87388_UK essexmad

    Posted

    Hi,

    Everyone has a different pain threshold.  When I had my THR's done I had a self monitoring pain relief for a while (through my canular), you just press a button when you start to feel uncomfortable and it administers the pain relief (you cannot overdose on this as it only allows you so much in a set time period).  After that it was oral medication, just make sure you ask when you start to feel uncomfortable and not wait until it gets really bad.  Try not to worry it will not be as bad as you are probably thinking it will be, good luck.

  • pjayne549
    pjayne549 essexmad

    Posted

    For me the pain was a lot less after than before! Even the lower back felt more comfortable.  Mine only felt like bruising and tender.  Bit of cramp and some pain on certain movements but so much better.   We are all very different!  I'll score my pain after surgery at around 3-4.  
  • christine2107
    christine2107 essexmad

    Posted

    the pain is "clean" pain if you understand me - sore but because you have had surgery and it feels like that. They will give you pain relief including oral morphine and paracetomal and the trick is to ask for it te moment you start to feel the pain Not when it sets in because the pain relief will find it harder to get rid of the pain. So soldering on is a stupid option. 

    I was tols that paracetomal improves the efficacy of other pain relief by up to 70% so dont feel as if being given a simple remedy is short changing you.

    The morphine helps you aleep and they may give it to you on demand and a small bottle to go home with. Morphine sort of removes you from the situation rather than kills the pain so everything feels foggy. I used it at home to helpe get comfortable to sleep so eekwd out the dosage rexommended over more days to get sleep. 

    Sleep is harder than pain management due to reatrictions on how to can lie and takes a dew nights to get used to it. Separate bed from

    partner is useful esp if you snore on your back

    If they also prescribe other paun relief its worth knowin in advance that you can tolerate it. I lose judgement and risk falling on tramadol and strong codeine and so could not have that after op due to injury risk.

    Finally all this pain relief will

    give you constipation so make sure thy give you help with that. Morphine and codeine mainly donthis to you.

    You may get a lot of very painful bruising right down the back of your leg which emerges days later and will be tender esp if sleeping on your back. Put a pillow under your knee - it works a treat.

    If tou continue to have non surgical type pain tell aomeone and keep badgering.

    Good luck - information above will help and in short the pain is not a show stopper and can be managed. 

  • christine2107
    christine2107 essexmad

    Posted

    sorry typing on phone means theres a lit of typos in my message - hope you can make sense of it.

    My consultant insists on GA as he does not want the distraction of patient awake. I whole heartedly agreed and found it was fine and no after effects. Mother in law had epidural and ineffective earphones and heard a lot of noise ...

  • patricis
    patricis essexmad

    Posted

    I am 6l years old and am having total hip replacement and also have hip dysplasia. My doctor will only give a spinal/eidural and not a general......I am TOTALLY stressed about this as  I know I'm not the type of person that can cope with seeing what is going on....can anyone give me some advice on how they dealt with this issue.....
    • ros007
      ros007 patricis

      Posted

      See if they will sedate you. I told my surgeon I wanted to either not remember anything or watch - I got sedated!  It was fine - they did the spinal in the anaesthetic room so I knew it was OK, took me into theatre and got me arranged on the table then they put the sedative into my hand and the next thing I knew it was all over and I was being tidied up ready for transfer to recovery where I had a few sips of water and a chat with my nurse before I went back to the ward, tired but totally compos mentis.

      I was a bit bothered about the spinal but the anaesthetist was lovely and very reassuring and all went well, just relax as much as you can and let them do their thing - mine was very pregnant and said she would be changing places with me in a few weeks time!

      I won't say don't worry - anyone who says they aren't concerned about a major operation is either a liar or a fool. But don't panic, most of us get through OK but try not to panic and look forward to a new and better life after a few weeks of hard work and some discomfort and inconvenience.

    • patricis
      patricis ros007

      Posted

      Thank you very much for your supportive words...at my preop I will try to sway them to give me a sedative...but I know that between now and my surgery date I will be glued to the computer seeking any reassurance I can get!!!!  Also, maybe you can help me with this one...I will be coming home in 2 days but have no one at home to help at all, but they said I will be fine...I'm guessing I will sleeping on the couch for awhile?
    • kaleani75551
      kaleani75551 patricis

      Posted

      I live alone too and had no help when i came home, you can do it.  Just go slowly, put everything you need in reach, on counters, tables etc..make sure you have enough grabbers, i have several of them i ordered from amazon, different sizes.  The first 2 weeks or so you will not be able to get in the bathtub anyway so just relax and take your medications and call for help (neighbours, friends or other..) to get your groceries and your mail..

       

    • christine2107
      christine2107 patricis

      Posted

      you should request help. stupid things like taking embolism stockings on and off to wash your feet is impossible without help. Its tricky putting kettle on and making simple meals when on 2 crutches. Buy a few sets of the grabbers and leave them around the place - dont be fooled into thinking you will carry them round attached to your crutches. 

      Your pain meds will require food too. Its worth planning out food and preparing drinking tea and coffee. I spent the first week not very mobile on the sofa with help.

      This may not sit comfortably with you but its better to get help organised before you leave hospital than once you get home and if you are anxious and perhaps you should be then let it show in the ward. i fell over once or twice as the other hip gave way when i bent down using the correct method and needed help.Don't be afraid to ask or say if something is not right for you

      Good

      luck 

    • ros007
      ros007 patricis

      Posted

      You can manage alone but it will be tough - there is a thread on living alone after THR on this group if you hunt.  I wimped out and paid for myself to go into a Care Home for 2 weeks. Not all homes do it, and it isn't a perfect solution. The one I went in was about £700 per week but it included laundry - possible but difficult - as well as food and personal care. There was also a trained nurse who did the odd bit of wound care and bp testing which would have been done by the Community Nurses.  I'm going in again after my TKR. I am fortunate, I have savings which I could use and the cost per 2 weeks is similar to the holiday which I haven't been able to take this year.  If you can find the right place for you and afford it then I recommend it, if only for the peace of mind. I dropped a crutch between the loo and the wall one night early in my stay - grabber in bedroom - and I needed both crutches to walk. At home it would have been a big problem. There, I pulled the cord, smiled apologetically and someone came, picked up crutch and made sure I got back to bed safely.

      I understand that some of the home care you may be offered is means tested (not the nurses) and doesn't include cleaning.  Make sure you see the OT and you will NEED a walking trolley when you go home as carrying liquids is very difficult - steel thermos flasks if you have to plus tupperware type gear if your house isn't suitable (internal steps for example).  Most of us cope, neighbours are often helpful for odds & ends and see if any local shops do delivery - some of the convenience stores will do it for a small fee and some supermarkets do internet shopping. Organise your fridge and freezer so you can get at things without bending - forbidden. And if you haven't got a microwave then try to get one because you won't be able to use the oven on a cooker for a few weeks.  Think about what you are going to wear - slip on shoes (no bending!), not at the back and bottom of a cupboard, things you are going to wear in top drawers not bottom ones etc.  Once you've got the house organised you'll feel better. Think about walking practice - not too hilly, no cobbles, what if it rains. Doing the exercises and walking practice is worth it in the long run.

      Good luck

    • Amnesia3637
      Amnesia3637 patricis

      Posted

      Hi. You will need help however good you are in hospital it's quite different on the outside if you're on your own. I am too and prepared my house with the precision  of a military operation beforehand (see Ros' post on this thread with all the tips) but you're weak and not organised on discharge and it's a really good idea to organise something like Home from Hospital through the Red Cross if you have no family or friends to at least be with you for the first few days. I am fortunate and was looked after by family and friends in their houses (taking all the equipment with me!) for the first two weeks. I am now at home on my own just over two weeks on and managing fine but everything takes a very long time and a lot of effort whilst you're on crutches and you have to learn to think ahead all the time as to where you're going and what you're taking with you. A wheeled trolley is an absolute godsend - the OT dept should lend you all that sort of equipment. I really wouldn't be too keen to rush out of hospital after two days. This is major surgery and however organised and strong you feel you'll need a bit of pampering and someone to give you practical help for at least the first week. Very good luck to you - it's well worth having done and much less scary than you think.
    • Jackie_k
      Jackie_k patricis

      Posted

      I had made my mind up I was having a general, then the anesthetist came in and said oh no, we like to do spinals here wherever possible, this was 10 minutes before I was due to go for surgery, my family had left and I had minutes to make my mind up, I was so worried about being able to see or hear anything but she reassured me I would be sedated as much as I wished so I asked for heavy sedation and have no memory of anything after the spinal was put in, in the pre op room, boy am I glad I chose right, no sicky after effects from a general, pain free for ages after, I will always choose this in the future, good luck x
    • julie16341
      julie16341 patricis

      Posted

      My house has 3 floors with 2 flights of stairs.My bed was too high. The couch was too low to sleep on. I slept in a chair for the first 2 weeks, then discovered "chair risers" on a mobility web site.amazing things. I could sleep on the couch with my legs straight out. Bliss. Now I am stronger I can get on the bed to sleep, the raisers are now under my armchair.My daughter set up a Tea
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