Hip surgery

[Normynoo]

I'm due to have a hip replacement but nervous because I have paroxysmal A Fib. I' m on Edoxaban and have bisoprolol as a P I P, told to take after a few hours if it didn't resolve, but haven't had to take it . Would welcome some reassurance 😊

[Jalia]

I had hip replacement over 2 years ago and had Bisoprolol as a PIP as well as anti arrhythmia drug and of course an anticoagulant. Warfarin in my case.

This should all be sorted out at your pre assessment . In my situation, with a long and chequered AF history, the anaesthetist would not go ahead until I had a consultation with a cardiologist and echo. This was duly done and all OK. I noticed that instructions were given to the team should I flip into AF during the operation.

Hope this gives you some reassurance. Good luck with the op. Are you having spinal anaesthesia? It really is the way to go.

[Normynoo in reply to Jalia]

I'm not sure, I had spinal the last time so hopefully yes! Thank you 🙂

[BenHall1]

I had a partial knee replacement in Nov 2015 and was on Warfarin at the time. Bisoprolol too. Had to stop Warfarin for 6 days before surgery and got my INR down to 1 ...... no sweat. Just before surgery the Anethetist came in for a chat, I assurred him I had not had an AF event for quite some years before this and don't expect one now. I was given a gen. anesthetic - their choice not mine. At the time I was 71. Everything went brilliantly and no trouble ever since with the knee. I am told knee replacement is a much more challenging op than hip replacement ............ these were back in the day before Edoxaban and the other NOAC's became fully available as they are today.

As a matter of interest I have spent 4 months on Edoxaban last year and it was a disaster in terms of side effects and have since gone back onto Warfarin.

John

[wischo in reply to BenHall1]

Can you tell me the side effects you had with Edoxaban please.

[BenHall1 in reply to wischo]

..... dreams and nightmares ........... started off with more vivid dreams than I was used to. These worsened to become the most unimaginably vile, grotesque nightmares ...... ever, to the point my night sleep was just so disturbed it was fast becoming the drug from hell! Eventually I abandoned it and wrote a letter to my GP which I hand delivered to my surgery for my GP explaining the situation.

My GP had for about a year been trying to get me off Warfarin onto a NOAC. I tripped over our cat one night and damaged my left rotator cuff. My GP prescribed pain killers for the accompanying pain and said at the time she would prescribe Edoxaban which would be a better mix of drug for the pain killer than my long standing Warfarin. Hmmmmm !!

After receiving my letter she phoned and we agreed to more NOAC's ........ would revert to Warfarin. I self test with my own Coaguchek device my INR levels and we carry on now with no NOAC's but with my ever faithful Warfarin ......... and happily so.

John

[wischo in reply to BenHall1]

Thank you for your reply, no nightmares but hives and bad tummy ache from them.

[Thomas45]

A few years ago I had a pain below my right ribs. I saw an out of hours doctor on a Saturday morning who diagnosed it as a grumbling appendix, and after a phone call arranged a bed for me in a local hospital.I arrived at the ward at 2.30pm on Saturday and my INR was tested, ( I take Warfarin). It was 2.6, so they gave me, intravenously lots of vitamin K and antibiotics. They knew I had permanent, though asymptomatic, AF.

At 2.30am on the Sunday I was wheeled into the operating theatre and the senior anaesthetist told me that if my heart didn't like the operation I would be kept under anaesthesia after the operation. It turned out that the appendix removal took about an hour, but my heart rate rose during the operation so that they didn't wake me up until 4 hours after the end of the operation at which point my heart rate was over 190 bpm. During the next 2.5 days it dropped naturally to 75bpm and I was discharged.

Because my AF was at the time, and still is, asymptomatic I didn't feel anything untoward.

[Morges]

hi. I had a hip replacement on Monday 17 June and am now home after 2 nights in hospital. Great care was taken with me by my anaesthetist who was fully aware of my current diagnosis of asymptomatic but permanent AF. My cardiologist gave written consent that I was fit enough enough to have the surgery. At the pre op assessment I was given clear instructions about stopping Apixaban - which was 5 doses before the op. Then clear instructions about restarting at a half dose for 7 days then back to full dose.

i was monitored throughout the op and my anaesthetist told me my heart rate dropped to 30 before the surgeon started so I was given ephedrine to get the rate up. If I hadn't responded they would have aborted the procedure.

From my point of view the worse thing was being given codeine as post op pain relief. I've not taken codeine before but I got all the listed side effects and felt terrible as well as the constipation problem. I was sent home with 2 boxes of codeine but I've not touched it and manage with paracetamol 6 hourly and ice packs. Getting up and moving is the best way to ease the pain.

Hope all goes well for you with your planned surgery. Good preparation is the key and I am happy to share what worked for me if you wish to know.

[Normynoo in reply to Morges]

Thank you so much for that , I'm doing the exercises I was given before my last op , ( pre AF! )and have been keeping myself active .

[Morges]

You're very welcome - you will be well looked after, the anaesthetist is the main man looking after your condition and what he says goes. The surgeon relies on him/her to keep your condition stable during the operation. I'm sure you will be fine.

[Auriculaire]

I have had both hips replaced with no problems from my afib. I had to see my cardiologist for an echo before the first op. I did have an episode 10 days after each op but that might have happened anyway.

[Normynoo in reply to Auriculaire]

Thank you 😊

[Patient007]

I have AF and on lots meds and I had both my knees replaced and both times I had spinal anaesthesia. I would have opted for that anyway. Much easier and safer.

[Normynoo in reply to Patient007]

Thank you , reassuring to know 🙂

[Woodymet]

I had hip surgery in August 22, I take diltizam, doxezon, sotalol and ramipril along with pradaxa. All these medications help to keep my afib in check. The only medication I was asked to stop was pradaxa for 48 hours before the op. Everything went well no afib during or after op, they gradually introduced my medication over the next 2 days and was given a lower dose of anti coagulant to take for 10 days (by injection into stomach). Everything ok but remember to follow all the restrictions you are given after op and do your exercises as directed. Good luck

[Normynoo in reply to Woodymet]

Thank you so much 🙂

[AFnotworked1981234]

I just want to wish you a speedy recovery. I don’t know if this will help but my mum had a heart attack 2 days before I was born and she had a C-section under a general and was fine and broke her hip after a fall and she was fine. My sister’s father had 3 heart attacks and he had a bypass and a few years later he had bilateral hip replacements and he sailed through. I am sure you will be fine and I just wanted to wish you luck

[Normynoo in reply to AFnotworked1981234]

Thank you so much 😊