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Lovely Hippies I need your advice about christmas please.... :0

Posted , 16 users are following.

rose0000
rose0000

I have a dilemma....please advise if you have a moment...

My consultant has said I can have my hip replacement at the beginning of Dec (as my three month wait is up after the steroid injections) but will it completely ruin any chances of me enjoying my christmas with my baby girls? I will be approx 3 weeks into it all, so not sure how I will be. Every christmas is precious when they are young... but I will have plenty of support over christmas from my husband will be home and friends and family who will all be on holiday and around (thus making it easier)

Or

Do I keep taking the morphine, even though it isn't working so well this week and I am back to being up alot in the night and now need to increase my dosage. I am worried the pain relief after the operation won't work as well if I need to keep taking more and more morphine now. I will have the op in Jan, but won't have the same level of support....

What would you do?

 

1 like, 100 replies

100 Replies

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  • dalmation
    dalmation rose0000

    Posted

    I can only say from my own experience - from the day of operation the pain in my hip was gone. I was stiff and sore from the op but it was nowhere near the pain I had been in.

    first week or so at home felt a bit as if I had a tummy upset but that was (I think) getting used to blood thinning meds still not in a great deal if pain though.

    by week 3 I was feeling ok not sleeping brilliantly but then I wasn't before so no change there 

    I can only say that if my surgeon offered to do my second hip 3 weeks before Christmas then YES I would have it done

    to be pain free is marvellous xx

    • rose0000
      rose0000 dalmation

      Posted

      Thank you Dalmation, I am desperate to get it done, but don't want to spoil christmas for everyone. Maybe I will be in a better place for christmas with a replacement, I hadn't thought of that! 
  • colinTN17
    colinTN17 rose0000

    Posted

    Have the op. Sounds like you won't enjoy Xmas if you don't with the pain you have. After 2 weeks you will probably be getting around on 1stick or crutch and have minimal pain especially if you do the exercises. Get off the morphine based drugs as soon as you can.

    Having your husband around will help especially putting on the TED stockings--they're a pain.

    In the first week out after op you may need a bit of help getting in and out of bed but other than that you should be able to get around if you take care.

    • rose0000
      rose0000 colinTN17

      Posted

      Thank you Colin, it is a quandary as really keen to get it done but the timing isn't great with christmas so close! My cooking is terrible so maybe everyone will be (secretly) relieved!
  • sarah1996
    sarah1996 rose0000

    Posted

    Well if it was me id take it because if you give uo the chance you may well be waiting again for a very long time. I also think it would be an excuse to spend christmas day having breakfast in bed and making the most of christmas pain free and happy with your family. Im still waiting for my operation and wish it would just hurry uo. But thags my personal opinion. You do whatever is right for you
    • rose0000
      rose0000 sarah1996

      Posted

      Thanks Sarah, yes I know that feeling of just wanting to get it over with. I don't want to ruin everyone's christmas though! I suppose it will be very relaxing ~ I hadn't thought of it like that!

      Have you been given a date yet? How long have you been waiting? 

    • sarah1996
      sarah1996 rose0000

      Posted

      I dont think you will ruin anyones christmas. And what could be better than being ran around after on Christnas? And technically speaking iv been waiting for this op all my life. But they put me on the list 2 weeks ago and said it would be up to 5 months but because im a priority case they hope its earlier. Im just waiting for info now. I hope its soon though because the pain is unbarable
    • rose0000
      rose0000 sarah1996

      Posted

      I hope you get a cancellation Sarah. So sorry to hear you are in so much pain. What pain relief have they given you? Five months is a long time if in the worse case you have to wait that long, and in my experience you have to get your pain under control and fast. 

      If there is a cancellation, take it, because if you don't accept it they put you to the bottom of the priority list which is nice of them! It sounds like you are desperate for a date so no chance of missing an opportunity.

    • rose0000
      rose0000

      Posted

      Lets really hope a date comes up. We are going into the winter, so maybe some people will cancel with coughs and colds x
    • sarah1996
      sarah1996 rose0000

      Posted

      Iv never been given pain relief and all over the pain killer i can buy do nothing to ease my pain. It makes everyday life virtually impossible at the moment. And ill be take an appointment that is thrown my way no matter when it is.
    • rose0000
      rose0000 sarah1996

      Posted

      Sarah, I was like you, it is awful. My GP gave me morphine patches as nothing else touched the pain. I must tell you they really work. I hate the idea of taking morphine but it really does work, and you really will feel better. Perhaps an app with your GP would be really helpful in getting you through the wait. The pain is really too bad not to have anything. 
    • sarah1996
      sarah1996 rose0000

      Posted

      Im going to phone uo anyway so i might ask about it tbh. But on the other hand i wouldnt really be able to afford the medication being a 19yr unempolyed person because hospital told me to leave my job becaue it was unsuitable and left me crying on tbe floor. Wasnt good hahaha
    • rose0000
      rose0000 sarah1996

      Posted

      Where do you live Sarah? As prescriptions are free in the UK, so maybe you live elsewhere. It is a basic human need to have pain relief so I hope someone can help you with this.
    • sarah1996
      sarah1996 rose0000

      Posted

      I live in england. But last time the doctors gave me pain relief i had to pay for it
    • rose0000
      rose0000 sarah1996

      Posted

      This time you won't have to, as you are unemployed. You sign a disclaimer at the bottom of the prescription. Patches have changed my life, not ideal,  but such a godsend. I hope they can help you.
    • sarah1996
      sarah1996 rose0000

      Posted

      Its odd iv never heard about them before. A bit annoying to be honest
    • Gaby21
      Gaby21 rose0000

      Posted

      Prescriptions aren't free in England unless you're of an age?!
    • rose0000
      rose0000 Gaby21

      Posted

      I am not totally sure, but thought you could claim free prescriptions with job seekers allowance? I might be wrong, which is not unsual and no doubt the government have made more cutbacks! 
    • sarah1996
      sarah1996 Gaby21

      Posted

      Pardon? I think once your over 18 you have to pay for prescriptions depending on if your not on benefits or other things
    • sarah1996
      sarah1996 rose0000

      Posted

      I think you can claim free medication on job seekers. Ill have to see
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