Reassurance

I think the fear and dread before the operation is the worst part, the stress of it all. Six weeks on for me and the op itself is a distant memory. Best Wishes Tony

I had my surgery in May and I was 53 and never had a surgery or in a hospital over night. All went well, everyone was very nice I was there 3 nights, had a lot of PT in the hospital  and very little pain medicine, because I really had no pain after the surgery, a few aches, and a bit stiff, but everyday I became stronger.

I think you'll be fine. Prepare your home and get ready to be a bit needy for a few weeks. Good luck.

The op is by no means scary. Are you having an epidural or a full anaesthetic? Either way, you'll be given pain medication and you've probably heard the advice to 'keep ahead of the pain, not behind it.' That means that you take the pain medication so that any pain you might have is really quite bearable. If you have help at home you are lucky and take advantage of it to get back on your feet, literally, slowly.Honestly, there is nothing to be scared of. This is a routine operation although obviously not something to take too lightly. You will be well looked after in hospital and provided you take the ordinary precautions of not bending, twisting, or sleeping on your side etc. there is not reason why, within three months but probably earlier, you won't be nearly back to pain free normality. Don't think about it too much. There is no advantage in being terrified. You are having the op now just enjoy Christmas and you'll be through to the other side before you know it. Good luck and happy Christmas. You'll be fine. 

Well im still waiting for my thr (its after Feb apparently) but at 19 years of age and onto my 12th op i can gladly give you reassurence. Tbh i think the thought of it is worse than anything else. Once your there and get settled and once you wake up from op unaware on anything that happened and drugged up on meds you tend to think to yourself "what was i so worried about?". Obviously its a big operation so its normal to be scared but hopefully you will have many people to care for you and wait on you hand and foot and even get presents if your lucky. I hope i do hahahaha

Believe me, the fear now is all ok, i was a wreck, but once the op is done the relieve is just amazing, the pain is no where as bad, the relief is is overwelming, and as the days after turn into weeks you will sit back and think why was i so frightend, you will have your life back, i am now 6 weeks and even though i still have a long way to go, i can see the light at the end. Have a great christmas, try not to think about it, just think you will start 2016 a new person.

sue xx

I also had never been in hospital for any operation, and was similarly worried.

Take advice from the people here - they know.

One thing I did was extract a large sum of money before going in, so my wife could pay for things that I would normally have paid for - just to give us both peace of mind.

The best advice is keep ahead with the pain medication, take notice of what the physios say (but listen to your body), and take it easy.

Best wishes

Graham 🚀🚀🚀💃

Toto - welcome to the best place on earth for help and support for hip replacements. You have come to the right place for honest and open answers.

I had my hip replacement on the 1st. I was vomiting with fear, and shaking like a leaf for weeks before. How I wish now that I had not got so stressed. It was nowhere near as bad as I feared. Being frightened is natural - it is a big operation - but is so routine and so successful.

You have nothing to lose, already in pain with no life worth living the only way is up.

The hospital team will take great care of you, are highly skilled and will fix you for good. You just need to get through the operation nerves, and you won't look bad.

The pain isn't bad, it really isn't, I am allergic to opiates so I found out and so took paracetamol routinely. That's all. But they will give you morphine initially, and as much pain relief as you need. If you need it. You will be amazed at your progress, and by the time you get to this stage you will be bored more than anything, longing to try out your new hip on a mountain or in the countryside !

I can't completely reassure you - as you will only feel true relief get bit is over in my experience but I can say I was a bag of nerves! The first two weeks are quite tricky, and you will need support and help, but every day you will feel better and stronger.

Come back with any questions / we are all here to help you through this. Take care and make sure you get your house kitted out with loo raiser, frame, grabber and plenty of fresh juices and someone to help you for a bit. Good luck

Hi Toto, today I was thinking about last year on December 21st the hospital called me with a date for my TRHR which I had in February. I was out Christmas shopping that day , as I was today. The difference though was that today I had a great time. Shopped till I dropped. Walked miles and NO PAIN. Last year was so different I could hardly move and when I did I was bent to one side somehow (hard to explain). I'm 54 now and I have my life back. I was terrified and I won't pretend it's not hard and you have to put the hours in to get better BUT it's so much harder living half a life. You take care. X

Hello toto

I promise haveing had one hip done and going in for my second. Yes it is scary. but I do not regret it and I can't wait to be oout of pain and get fit again.

You will be fine.x

Toto...Try not to be scared.  I was petrified and that was when I first found this forum.  It was the week before my op in September and I had backed out and cancelled an earlier op.  I asked my GP for valium,not something I normaly take, but was given it to take daily and on the morning of the op.  I was crying on a daily basis (and am a 67 year old independant women!!).  I was worried about life imed after op too...as am widowed.  I am now 14 weeks on and still look to this forum for advice and support.  The hospital staff will know how nervous you are , and we all were,..once you have got to the theartre and are sedated or whatever you and your consultant have discussed, the next thing you will know is waking up in your hospital bed.  So relieved it is over and being offered a cup of tea and toast!  I was told all this by lovely hippies on this site, whose names I see and  are still replying to anxious pre and post op hippies..  Keep posting and look for your replies and let us all know how you are getting on.

Chin Up.

​Alice...

Hello Everyone

Thank you all so much for taking the time to reassure me, I am amazed at how kind you have all been and how brilliantly you have all coped  with post recovery. I will keep up with the forum as it is good to know that I won't be alone during recovery.  I also thought I was unique being reasonably young for this type of surgery but many of you are my age and younger.  Wow Sarah at 19 you have certainly been though a lot and I admire your positive attitude, you are an inspiration.

Take care everyone