I'm new 😳 . THR in 11 days . I'm 35 , bit worried

I had a full hip replacement 7 wks ago. I didnt want a general , so I opted for epidural and am I glad I did.

Swift recovery, instead of having to deal with recovery from a general anastethic as well on top of everyting else. I was initailly worried but to be honest, it was fantastic. All I recall is getting drowsy from he pre-op injection and then the epidural...then I heard; "Okay , we can take her into recover now" It was all over.

I felt great immidately afterwards, The first 2 nights in hospital went well. You get encouraged to get up on day one after surgery, and start walking with a zimmer frame. Then you start with the crutches.  You must do small movements, in bed and out of bed. Yes, its painful, but hey; its meannt to be; they have cut your thigh up..LOL!!

This doesn't last hat long.  Thetighness/ pain across the scar decreases each week. I'm now 7 wks past surgery and back to work. I have had 2 follow up physio meetings so they can give/show/teach me more exercises.

I massage the scar each evening with bio-oil. I have stairs at home so I get plenty of exercise. Just to recall how I started my walking after surgery.

On day 7 after surgery I walked with crutches around the block. It took 12 minutes. I did this each day and after 10 days I used a walking stick and then my walks had increased to 30 min daily. I can now walk normally without a stick; and have done for 2-3 weeks.

 Im back at gym and pool since 10 days ago. I walk in the pool back and forth and I use some of the resistance exercises with equipment in the gym area.. You need to pace yoursel in the beginning, of course. Your body will tell you when to lie down and rest. And I did, every PM. You need to.

The hardest was sleeping on the back, as you will not be able to be on the side for a while. But this will pass. Patience patience.

If I can give youone advice: Go for the epidural. General anastethics are a bit hard to get over, at least in my opinion..I now have to do a lot of stretches as I feel very tight in and around the hip. My hamstrings are tight and I need to get the new hip into a good flexion after not being able to do this for at least 2 years due to the arthritis..This will take time, but that's ok.

Best of luck.

Hey bobbie

I have had both hips replaced 8 weeks apart and like everyone else has said its up to you what you get l got offered the spinal and sedation but l chose GA both times l watched a hip replacement on u tube before l got my 1st one done that was enough for me l did not want to know or hear anything. And yep you do wake up and your leg feels like you are never gonna move it as its so heavy. Pain wise they kept my pain score low as they asked all the time how l felt and gave me plenty of pain meds and morphine. They also give you laxative medacines so you won't need your own. I also found that prune juice does the exact same as senna and movicol that l was prescribed. And in the uk the don't give you a cathater in most hospitals so it was the lovely bedpan for the 1st night and once you go once you need it every half hour. Its not pleasant at all l think that was the worst part for me so as soon as the PT had me up on my feet l was so releived. February was my last hip replacment and since then l have had my 1st knee replaced same sort of thing as hip replacement but so much more painful and harder to recover. I would take a hip replacement any day over a knee. I still have to get my other knee done but l have chickened out of it and decided to take half a year or as long as l can manage with the knee. Am going back to work in 2 weeks. I am only 43 and in 1 year l have had these 3 ops. Honestly bobbie the hip replacement is the best thing l have done. I can't even feel most of the time that l have knew hips but the knee is a totally diffrent case it will be 6 weeks on tuesday since my knee and 4 of them have been awful compaired to my hip. You will be so happy you have had it done as l spent a year in agony with OA before l found out it was OA l had in both hips and knees. I went to work everyday and used to cry getting dressed in the morning and getting in and out my car l thought l had pulled a muscle in my groin for months until l found out.

And yeah no flip flops they tell you to wear shoes that have backs or slippers that have back so they dont get your way when you are learning to walk again. They want them secure on your feet. And as for anything else phone and charger ad whatever you fancy doing if your bored. I had a tv in my room so l was fine. And if your taking your sleeping tablets in you will need to give them to the nurses and they will decide if you get them. They took my painkilllers off me and used there own.

You will be fine bobbie l was desperate to get the other hip done 4 weeks after my 1st as l felt so good. My hubby helped me change my ted stocking that you have to wear for 6 weeks after ever op l have 2 days left to wear them with my knee yipee.

Good luck but you will be fine l love my new hips

Laura x

Hope it all goes well for you. Loads of good advice already, I'm just adding, definitely have the epidural, with sedative, then you don't hear or feel anything. I was having lunch an hour later, and walking with a frame , going to the loo on my own the same day. (Nobody in my ittle ward had a bedpan) Drink plenty of water, choose food that will help you go to the loo, lots of veg, beans, sweetcorn etc, because they won't let you out until you've been! I took prunes in with me! They will give you laxatives. I wasn't in pain, they give out lots of pain killers. I learned to walk on my crutches, and go up and downstairs, and I was out on day 2. As others have said, wet wipes are v useful. I wish you all the best.(I'm 58, had my op about 9 weeks ago, whole hospital experience really positive.)

Bobbie - should have mentioned shoes, nothing will fit for the first few weeks, as the swelling even affects your feet, horrible horrible horrible.

I ended up after my first THR wearing crocs with the heel strap tipped over, not the brand name crocs, just the cheap version, they have a little dish your feet sit in and are just the thing after a THR, as you cannot bend to adjust shoes in any way, so the slip on works well.

Hospital nurses when they saw my crocs said, oh that works well, and you are not going to slip out of the side, in england in the cold maybe not so good, but if you have a helper a pair of normal socks over your tight stockings, not a good look I'm afraid.

I still wear my crocs in the garden, taking out the rubbish, doing the washing etc, I was not a fan previous so am a convert to the comfort.