Operations

I'm 10 weeks post op today and phoned my orthopaedic physio team two weeks after my op. I had telephone consultations but I had to organise and press for these. I still have clicking and popping going on but no pain. Are you managing to walk around the house with no crutches? Physio sent me some second stage exercise and these helped. You could phone your surgeon's secretary re follow up. Hope this helps.

The waiting game is really difficult. I've been waiting to have full bilateral replacement, and my doctor is running out of painkillers to offer me. It's been sixteen months up to now.

yes, Samantha I think I will have too. Hope you keep improving daily and they say longer your on crutches reduces chance of limping afterwards. 👍

wow, that is a pong time to wait. last year when i decided to have the 1st one done I only waited 6wks, and when I said I was ready to have the 2nd one in march, I got my pre op through within 4wks and then covid happened

this is good to hear.

had my first op in december and was due to have my other hip done in may, but they had to cancel my preop due to corona, but I've noticed it's getting alot worse and hoping will be back on pre op list again soon

Great news!

hopefully yes, if my pre op is ok. this is my second one, first was pretty quick back in 2018, but I thought this would be a long haul after seeing team in November. This one nowhere near as bad as first, but I didnt want to put it off too long as I want to get some kind of life back x

Wow you are lucky.

How did you get on with your operation ?

Hi Dale, it is this Sunday. Currently having kittens even though I know what is coming!!

Sorry, thought you'd said the 8th for some reason. Are you having it done at a private hospital ?

Hi Dale, it's at the Barlborough in Chesterfield, my surgeon works at Derby Royal, but they are using the centre at Chesterfield to clear patients as it has not been used for covid patients. it is a mixture of private and nhs, a little like Nuffield, which is where I had my right hip done

I'm in Edinburgh and I think it'll take the NHS a while to get going on joint replacements. I've had a consultation at the Spire hospital in the hope they can do it sooner. I believe Orthopaedic surgeons are desperate to restart.

Hope your op goes well.

Thanks Dale, I probably won't post here for a few weeks if last time is anything to go by, I felt poo, down, and sorry for myself, but hey ho, everyone is feeling similar at the moment, in society. Thanks for the good wishes, here's to the other side

Helen

quick update,, had covid test today, very unpleasant. so far op going ahead Sunday, gulp.

Helen

brilliant news.

fingers crossed everything goes well on sunday, which it Will!

cannot wait for you to give us update on how you got on. I was fine for 1st week after my 1st operation, but depression set in 2nd week and thankfully only lasted a week, but glad I had it done now as no pain in that hip, but the hip I was born with now isn't great and pain creeping in and movement lacking.

good luck

Thanks Vickie, op went ok, back home yesterday, not feeling too bad at the mo, staying on top of meds. got upstairs and down without the hubby, but have a neat trick as I saved one of my crutches from last time so I leave one at the bottom and the spare at the top so I'm not having to cart it about. Here's to the long haul, hope you get sorted soon

Helen

brilliant news Helen, but nice if you could give weekly updates too.

oh I was given 3 crutches on last op. to keep one upstairs and one downstairs and just use the one to get up and down stairs. think they should do this as the norm.

did you have pain before your op? if so what meds were you on? what meds are you on now? sorry for the questions, but find it so interesting how we are all different and how different hospitals are and recovery ups and downs.

take care, and use hubby as much as possible while you can.

Hi, stayed off meds as much as I could. Pain In this one was never as bad as my right but I didn't want it to get as bad. just on paracetamol, codeine and aspirin and anti acid. cannot take tramadol, doesn't agree with me. On the plus side this time, no bloody surgical stockings! so my marriage is saved

lol, oh my god those stocking awful for hubby's to put on us and I found very smelly... bet he is relieved...

yeah I'm lucky up to now not taking anything, with this hip, but last one I was on gabaprentin, co cocodamol and morphine and dont want to get to that stage again..

fingers crossed everyday you feel better too. have yo been stapled or stitched?

in this case, lucky again, only internal dissolving and glue, same as last time, although this time it's a larger scar and is under dressing, previous is only about 5 inches and was not even dressed. Different surgeon though

very lucky, I wish you could choose what you want. mine was stitches and about 10inch long.

well hope your managing to sit comfortably, and get as much sleep as you can.

keep us posted how your doing, ups and downs and remember to also tell hubby how your feeling too. hugs.

My surgeon actually asked what I wanted just before he sewed me up. I said dissolving although I had not got a clue.

I'm beginning to find it very strange that your surgeon was allowed to do a joint replacement procedure at this time. We have now been told that elective joint surgeries will be at the end of the elective surgery list. One important reason being that there is a 25-30% chance that if the patient contracts Covid 19 post op it could be fatal.

This article was in BBC Scotland.

Were you advised of the possible complication ?

Hi, yes I remember you saying. I told this surgeon that's what I wanted. 😃

Hi, the pre op was mostly covid related precautions, my hospital had not been used for covid patients, they only deal with cancer, hips, knees and other such surgeries. they admitted 4 per day and all went home next day bar 1. I have read from previous posters on here that Scotland waiting lists are ludicrous compared with England, 18 months is quick ?? Also full PPE for all staff, theatre and xray rooms totally deep cleaned after each case, hence only 4 ops, private rooms and distancing. Also husband and I had to shield for 2 weeks prior and post. All patients were from East Midlands hospitals, notts, derby, Chesterfield. Overweight, elderly and at risk patients will join the back of the queue , I'm 54 and 55 Kilos.

Waiting times in Scotland are supposed 12 weeks from consultation but in reality this rarely happens.

My first consultation was on 5 December, my pre op (at a different hospital) was on 29 January. Due to a mix up with my blood tests I wasn't actually added to the waiting list "til 26 March by which time I was so hacked off I'd seen a private consultant.

Bad timing all round. Fortunately, I'm 65, in good health and not overweight.

When will you get a slot for your op if you go privately?

Just after I had my consultation the private hospitals in the UK's facilities were handed over to the NHS for at least 14 weeks. The consultant says he'll get me in as soon as possible after they re open and are allowed to operate.

In Scotland the 14 weeks will be up in mid July, so, hopefully before the second wave of Covid 19.

According to my surgeon the 14 weeks has been extended, I am not sure where altogether , he did not know for how long though but reckoned two months. When I asked why he said he reckoned it was political, whatever that means!

Is your surgeon in England or Scotland ?

He is in England.

I read that there were moves afoot by NHS England to extend the contract with private healthcare. The Treasury was blocking the plan (on Thursday)

but may have been persuaded.

Interesting that you quote 12 weeks in Scotland, there was Billy on here and another lady based in Edinburgh who both waited over 2 years for surgery, suppose it may be different criteria but I remember poor Billy having to jump through hoops to get seen.

hi Helen,

how have you been getting on?

vickie