Hip replacement surgery

[PERSonalTime]

Has anyone ever had hip replacement surgery? If so, can you please talk about the recovery process. Did you go home right after surgery or did you go to a rehab center?


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[braumeister]

A friend recently had his second hip replacement. The first one, 4 or 5 years ago, had him in the hospital for two days. The recent one, early this year, got him home the next morning.

There was a piece in the WSJ earlier this year about same-day hip replacement where you don't even spend the night in the hospital.

From what I've read (interested because I'll need it one day), you can generally expect a complete recovery within six months, often within three. The experience level of the surgeon seems to be the key factor.

 

[Moemg]

Has anyone ever had hip replacement surgery? If so, can you please talk about the recovery process. Did you go home right after surgery or did you go to a rehab center?


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Usually you are sent home unless you live alone then they send you to a rehab facility . Several of my friends and My Mom all had it done and all bounced back pretty quickly . My Mom was in her late 80's when she had the surgery .

 

[Dawg52]

A neighbor just had it done. He went home a couple of days after surgery and is getting along great. His doc gave him some exercises to do at home and won't have to go in for out patient therapy. He's 65 and married.

 

[haha]

I had it almost 3 years ago. I went to my girlfriend's place. She was very supportive, and also her building was ideal with elevators, etc. Her neighborhood is flat, unlike my neighborhood which would have presented more challenges.

I am returning the favor to her now, as she is having some outpatient surgery tomorrow. It will be better for her to stay with me than to try to go home alone.

Ha

 

[Wilkop74]

Just joined the forum today. Who would have thought my first post would be on hip surgery. Have had both hips done. One in 2008 and the one that was left, and it was the left, in 2013. Both went very well. Better to schedule surgery early in the day if you can. In both cases spent a couple of nights in the hospital and then home for recovery. Rented a hospital bed for home which worked well. Up walking day after surgery. About a 5 - 6 week recovery at home, doing prescribed exercises and regular walking. Then back to work in a 2nd floor office (25 stairs and no elevator).

 

[aja8888]

Six years ago I had a total hip replacement. In hospital on a Monday, surgery done that afternoon (Anterior procedure). On my feet that night. Two days later went home and was walking the neighborhood with a walker. Ten days later, had the stitches out and was driving. I didn't do any structured PT, just walked the neighborhood for a few weeks.

 

[PERSonalTime]

Hey folks thanks for your responses! Now I feel a little bit more optimistic.


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[donheff]

I had hip surgery with a rod and screws inserted eight weeks ago. The doc told me the recovery is typically quite a bit more difficult for this than for a total hip replacement so my recovery may be instructive of the hard case for you. I was in the hospital for one night post surgery. Getting out of bed was a bear - would have been much more difficult if I wasn't in good shape or had another 15 years on my 68. I had to navigate down the hall on a walker and get up and down a flight of stairs with assistance before they would discharge me. Pain was not bad while lying down or even standing up - only when moving. For the first week I stayed in the basement on a sofa where I had easy access to a walk in shower. I used a walker to get around and a bedside urinal to avoid the need to go to the washroom at night. A raised toilet seat with handles was a must as was a hip and knee kit ($30 from Amazon) that includes a sock tool, a long shoe horn, and a grabber. After about a week I switched to a cane and steadily progressed. At first I could only sleep on my back, then left side, now right side (with a pillow between my legs). I took Oxycodone (5mg) regularly for the first week and periodically for the next. (Be sure to use a good fiber laxative like Miralax when using opiods - start it before surgery if they let you). Other than a couple of nights when I was uncomfortable I have used nothing except Advil since about 2 weeks. Now sitting, standing, and laying down are essentially pain free. I still walk with a cane and get a dull ache in my hip when doing so. I expect to keep using the cane for two weeks to a month, primarily for balance when I get a surprise twinge. Doc says full (don't notice anything) recovery could take 6 months but I expect to be close to normal sometime between 3 and 4. As I understand it, if they can come in from the back to do your hip they displace far fewer muscles and you will have the best recovery. If they need to come from the side like they do for my post and beam construction more muscles are torn up and recovery is slow.

 

[eytonxav]

Six years ago I had a total hip replacement. In hospital on a Monday, surgery done that afternoon (Anterior procedure). On my feet that night. Two days later went home and was walking the neighborhood with a walker. Ten days later, had the stitches out and was driving. I didn't do any structured PT, just walked the neighborhood for a few weeks.

My friend had the anterior procedure as well and he told me his recovery was shortened by having the anterior surgery technique.

 

[Sue J]

I had a hip replacement in July, 2014 at age 59. I was in the hospital for 2 nights and then went home. Our house has a first floor bedroom and full bath and my husband is retired so I didn't have to go to a rehab facility.

The orthopedic hospital that I used has a pre-surgery "Hip and Knee Class" so I met other folks in my same situation, many of them had been through this before with previous joint replacements, so this was very helpful.

I took the opioids for maybe a week and I didn't feel like I needed them so I went to just tylenol. I had trouble sleeping, it may have been from dropping the opioids.

I was using a walker for 3 weeks, until my first followup with the doctor, then I graduated to the cane. I loved the cane and being able to be more independent! That's when I started taking walks and moving more. I started going to a indoor track and I could do a mile if I took a break halfway. A couple times I overdid it and I didn't have pain, I was just exhausted. My stamina was really lacking.

After surgery a physical therapist was coming to the house weekly. It was very helpful and I did all the exercises, none were strenuous. My doctor didn't send me for further physical therapy, probably because I told him I was walking a mile at the track. I would use the cane for a while and then walk without it just to see how that felt.

I continued to use the cane around the house but I knew I was outgrowing it when I would forget it in another room! I did use it on stairs for a while longer.

Looking back, the hardest parts were maneuvering in our small bathroom for getting in and out of the bathtub and using a seat in the shower. We couldn't close the bathroom door with the raised toilet seat contraption in place! But that raised seat sure was helpful.

Overall the recovery process for me was an intense first 2-3 weeks, then feeling like I was making great progress and feeling quite good. The bending restriction is very limiting, you learn to work with it and get by.

I'm very glad I had it done as my whole world was limited by my hip pain. It was expensive and took a period of time but it was worth the investment.