Total Hip Replacement Questions Please Posted: 02-02-07 20:32pm
Hi everyone, I am a 53 year old going soon
for my first total hip replacement, as its
bone on bone now and given me shear hell.
Some days I am not to bad but others I
can't walk with out extreem pain.
I have done a lot of research on the net
about th replacement, one artical I found
interesting was the birningham hip
resurfacing, I asked the surgeon about
this and he said seeing I am a big person
there is a lot of pressure put on the
femur and said it would probably fracture
and you would have to go back in again to
fix it.
He wants to do a metal on metal thr, he
says thats my best option, any thoughts on
that ?
Also I have read that they inset a urinary
catheter, is this true on all thr patients
?
Thanks
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julz67
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 03 Feb 2007 Posts: 21 Location: Scotland
Hip Replacement Posted: 02-03-07 09:14am
You sound like me!!!
:d
i had a total hip replacement (thr) in
november last year...Much the same a syou,
I was walking in severe discomfort...Bone
on one, 2.5 inches shorter than other
leg....
I agree with your surgeon, bone
resurfacing will only work when the hip is
not under so much pressure or
body-weight... I have a metal hip joint
with a metal cup...And it's brilliant....
Just nearly 3 months post op, and I am
already walking with no pain, I can do so
much more and the wee changes I can see
are just amazing.... Your doctor knows
what you need...Trust him.
Catheter wise...Yes I had one but it was
optional..... It wouldn't hurt for you to
have one...What pain relief are they
giving you?
I had an epidural, and though it was good,
I wouldn't have another!!! The morphine
that was being injected also caused me to
pass out, when trying to stand!
Go for it....Please let me know how you
get on!
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Leslie101
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 02 Feb 2007 Posts: 2 Location: Melbourne
Re: Hip Replacement Posted: 02-03-07 17:21pm
julz67
wrote:
you sound like me!!!
:d
i had a total hip replacement (thr) in
november last year...Much the same a syou,
I was walking in severe discomfort...Bone
on one, 2.5 inches shorter than other
leg....
I agree with your surgeon, bone
resurfacing will only work when the hip is
not under so much pressure or
body-weight... I have a metal hip joint
with a metal cup...And it's brilliant....
Just nearly 3 months post op, and I am
already walking with no pain, I can do so
much more and the wee changes I can see
are just amazing.... Your doctor knows
what you need...Trust him.
Catheter wise...Yes I had one but it was
optional..... It wouldn't hurt for you
to have one...What pain relief are they
giving you?
I had an epidural, and though it was good,
I wouldn't have another!!! The morphine
that was being injected also caused me to
pass out, when trying to stand!
Go for it....Please let me know how you
get on!
thankyou for your reply,
sounds like we are very much alike, my leg
on the bad hip side is shorter too, and
i've lost a lot of muscel as as well as
its been a life time problem started off
as perthes disease when I was a child but
didn't bother me until I was around 25
years old and got worse and worse, so I
won't know myself to be able to walk
without pain, it will feel strange.
I have a steriod injection script I have
been hanging onto since november, as I
have had 2 in 6 months and the second one
didn't last to long at all, so the risks
of steriods are worrying to say the least
I am trying to go with out it if I can,
otherwise I take trammadol sr 200 mg for
another med problem but it doesn't help
the hip one bit.
I am going through the public system here
in australia, its not to good but I have
cut a few corners and self funded the
initial ortho visit and seen him privatly
which cut nearly 2 years off the waiting
just to see an ortho at the hospital,
sounds like they are going to do it soon
going by the orthopedic surgeon who has a
lot of power in at the hospital.
They too are saying metal on metal joint
is the best option.
I have had problems breathing after
general anesthetic in previous ops, so I
was hoping for a spine block, as I am a
smoker I believe general can give big
problems, I have read that you are awake
but sleepy when having a spine block, did
you find that ?
So it was optional were you are having the
catheter, i'am not to keen on that myself
but I don't know what they do here yet.
Anyway thanks a lot and all the best with
your new hip.
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julz67
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 03 Feb 2007 Posts: 21 Location: Scotland
Re: Hip Replacement Posted: 02-04-07 04:38am
Hi...
I'm lucky in that as well as having
asthma, ga don't bother me...The morhine
however did make my whole body very
itchy...Apparently it's a common side
effect...
I didn't have a spinal block, and it
depends on how long the op will take... I
was told by my anaethetist that a routine
hip replacement does only last about an
hour, so a spinal block with either
sedation or a light ga will be used, but
in my case (i had reconstruction work too)
took much longer..Of course it will depend
on your fitness..The fact you smoke, your
weight...Amonsgt other factors on what
they'll be able to offer you. You've
probably heard this before...But is there
anyway you could cut down/stop smoking
before your op? It would give you a
better chance to heal properly after, and
may not have breathing probs after having
the ga.
Trust me..It will feel brilliant to be
able to walk without pain!!! I tried so
hard to imagine it before the op..And I
couldn't, but it's just fantastic!!
Don't know about the steroid
injection...But do know that over a period
of time, the steroid although will help
the joint/pain.It will also weaken the
tissue around it... We don't have that
option in the uk.. You can get the jag
for other joint problems, but the hip
joint is so big... Personally I don't
like them! Have they not had you on any
anti-imflammatory tabs, such as
diclofenac/diclofenac retard? Or
naprosyn? I found naprosyn very good...
Though i'm not sure you can mix these with
tramadol...You could ask your doctor.
:d