stupid worry on scale of things..

Hi, I live in North London, had a spinal anaesthetic for hip last July. I didn't have a catheter, or any drains etc. I drank masses of water, and went to the loo on my own, using a walking frame about 4 hours after my op. It was all fine. Good luck!

Thank you so much for taking time to reply. Samantha I read your posts over last few days and read you were on the other side. It must be such a releif and you can start recovery. Glad to hear it all went well and you are home already. I feel quite reassured i wont likely have a catheter. Fingers crossed. I do hope my appointment arrives soon. Thanks again everyone. Very supportive. So glad to have contact with people who have been thru.x

afraid so in my case two yrs since last surgery, I was on continuing spinal block for the first 24 hours post surgery, I am in Queensland, even the next morning when phsyios arrived it was an exercise to get me on my feet, with all the extra tubes, drip pole with computer attached, leg pumps to keep my circulation going, and cathelter, but staff used to dealing with these things.

i did develop an infection but more antibiotics dealt with that.

probably developed an infection because of immunine suppressing drugs I take for systemic arthiritis, there was always that fear with me, but Dr's said they had dealt with it before and would this time as well.

Grandson was so curious, when he came to see me followoing day, asked lots of questions about what was this and what was that, just completly honest with him, and he accepted that instead of using toilet, Nana was using a bag. If we had tried to cover anything up there would have just been more questions.

He was so lovely, soooo amazed that I still had both legs, I think he had some idea that Nana was going to be missing a leg, again explained to him in the hospital, tapped the bed frame, and said its made of steel, yes he nodded, well the new part of nans leg is now steel because bone was rotten, that seemed to satisfy him, he then looked at my crutches, and said when can I have those, that raised a laugh from all in the room.

I had a catheter after my THR, and it was a good thing, too. I had a difficult time post-op, and couldn't walk to the bathroom, even with walking aids, for 3 days. And I was in pretty good shape before the surgery. They took the catheter out after one day, and then I used a commode by the bed for a day, and then they had to use a device (I forget the name) to get me to the bathroom after that. I was in the hospital for 4 nights. I didn't feel it coming out at all when it was removed, and it's presence wasn't obvious for that first day. I was so out of it, that I didn't notice much of anything.

I requested one for my second hip surgery, which was to repair torn gluteal tendons, 15 months after my THR. Again, I had a difficult time post-op (in the hospital for 5 nights) and was very glad that I didn't have to get up to go to the bathroom right away. Standing by my bedside was enough activity for me. Also, I had a compression fracture in a vertebra a couple of months before the second surgery, and my back was very iffy. I couldn't have handled having a bedpan put under me.

I loved my catheters!

Yes, that one worries many people.  I had a THR Oct 2015, and revision Jan 2016. Didn't get a catheter either time, except that following the revision I coul not pass water (very painful), so had to ask to have one put in.  Very embarassing for me to have a lady doctor and female nurse I can tell you, but of course so routine for them.  

Sure, having the bag was a slight inconvenience for about 24 hours, then they took it all out again.   I think it's all in our heads really - it wouldn't bother me if I ever had to have one again.   The relief from the pain was well worth a couple of minute's embarassment.  It made it so much easier, I didn't have to keep getting up every hour of the night, and for you ladies must be so much easier than using a bed-pan.

Best wishes

Graham - 🚀💃 🤸