Hip replacement, 15 months post 4x CA... - British Heart Fou...

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Hip replacement, 15 months post 4x CABG…any experiences , anything i need to prepare for?

DWizza profile image
18 Replies

Hi everyone, I’ll be back in hospital on 17th October 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻 having a new left hip, about 15 months after 4x CABG. Just wondered if anyone else has had a hip replacement post CABG , how it went , any tips for post surgery /rehab ? Grateful for any experiences shared . I can’t wait to get it done .. they are gradually rebuilding me 🤦🏼🤣

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DWizza
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18 Replies
Lowerfield_no_more profile image
Lowerfield_no_more

From my wife's 3 x hip procedure experiences. Listen to your physio's instructions, as far as your recovery exercises are concerned, and do them religiously but certainly don't overdo it. Get mobile as soon as possible. Concentrate on recovering your correct gait. Rest when appropriate. In the first week or two if on crutches be aware of any undue strain they may place on your upper body and respond accordingly. When your wound has sufficiently sealed, help soften the scar with an appropriate oil e.g rosehip oil. Hope all goes well

DWizza profile image
DWizza in reply toLowerfield_no_more

Thank you buddy 👊🏻👊🏻👊🏻, your wife is a hip veteran!

DodgyTickerMum profile image
DodgyTickerMum

Sorry to hear you’ve got another big op coming up. My cousin’s Hubby (aged 49 at the time) was back up (with his crutches) watching rugby at Twickenham 2 wks post hip op - so anything’s possible!

What does your hip Surgeon and your Cardiologist have to say about the risks following your heart surgery? I’m 16 months post valve replacement, was very sick post op due to all the drugs and managed to give myself an umbilical hernia. The surgeon won’t touch it on the Cardiologist’s advice because of the infection risk to my heart. Maybe it’s different for valve surgery? 🤷🏼‍♀️

VelvetSky profile image
VelvetSky in reply toDodgyTickerMum

Hi, I had my umbilical Hernia repaired under local anaesthetic a few years after a HA with stents. The surgeon wasn’t prepared to do a full anaesthetic so had it done privately, which lowered the risk of infection substantially. It was interesting to be awake, the surgeon chatted away to me. I had no pain, a bit disconcerting to be told, this is a bit of an iceberg, meaning it was a bit more complicated than first thought. The incision was stitched and then sealed with some sort of rubber. I went home after a few hours. I had no infection and it healed well. No heart problems from it.

DodgyTickerMum profile image
DodgyTickerMum in reply toVelvetSky

Thank you, for your reply. Unfortunately, it was a private surgeon that refused to do it. He said I would need a hospital with I.C.U facilities, even if I had the surgery performed whilst awake - as the risk to my heart re infection, would be the same. He said the op as it stands at the mo, would be very simple, the hernia could just be stitched and wouldn’t need mesh - which lots of patients can struggle with. But unfortunately he still won’t do it.

Our local NHS hospital isn’t performing private operations currently due to the huge patient backlog. My fear is, that it could strangulate (which you just know will happen when it’s least convenient), then I could end up being admitted as an emergency - to a hospital that aren’t familiar with my cardiac history and the complications I experienced post O.H.S last year. It’s all very frustrating, but at the moment - my Cardiologist says ‘No’. 😔

DWizza profile image
DWizza in reply toDodgyTickerMum

Thank you , I’m looking forward to getting it fixed . 👍🏻

PinkKizzie profile image
PinkKizzie

Wishing you well DWizza for the 17th. Take care.

DWizza profile image
DWizza in reply toPinkKizzie

Cheers PinkKizzie, 👊🏻👊🏻👊🏻

pasigal profile image
pasigal

Good luck mate! I'm due for a new hip in the next 6 months so please post a follow up

DWizza profile image
DWizza in reply topasigal

Cheers Pasigal, I will update 👍🏻👍🏻

Murderfan58 profile image
Murderfan58

My brother had a socket replacement for his previous hip replacement . Because of his heart he had a spinal block and sedation. He slept through the 3 hour op. Out of hospital in 2 days . It's important you do all the exercises not matter how painful and go walking every day. My brother found 400 was almost he could manage for the first 3 days then increased it by a 100 every couple of days . When he had his appointment to see the physio 2 months after his op they discharged him as they said he had done everything himself. And he could go back swimming. He swims for a hour every morning at 6.30 and walks 10,000 steps a day or more.

He lost 8 st before the op over 18 months .. Has put a stone back on but his muscles have built up . Muscle weights more than fat . He can still wear the clothes comfortably so knows it muscle not fat.

Good luck with your operation and my brother cried doing the exercises but he was determined not to have a limp or loss any movement in his hip or leg. But he said it was all worth it to be pain free.

DWizza profile image
DWizza in reply toMurderfan58

Glad your brother is through that procedure and not in pain . That’s my goal 🙌🏻🙌🏻. I’m so looking forward to being rid of the white hot sharp pain that catches me out 10 or so more times a day , plus the general ache and throb down my leg behemoth I’m resting . I’m pretty fit , a lifetime of training and sports. Muscle doesn’t weigh more than fat, a kilo of muscle weighs the same as a kilo of fat , muscle is denser than fat so it takes up less space , hence you can weigh the same as a fatter person but look slimmer 👍🏻. Sounds like your brother is in a great routine , please pass him my congratulations on turning things round , great work by him 👍🏻👊🏻👊🏻👊🏻

BrackenBT profile image
BrackenBT

I had a total knee replacement 6 months after an aortic valve replacement , 12 months later a hip replacement, both of these were done under a spinal block. I have also since had an inguinal hernia repair and a pacemaker implant all of these in 3 years. I had struggled to properly complete heart rehab due to the knee but once that was fixed I improved greatly, the hip replacement went easily. Most of my post op exercise was completed on a static bike at home. 3 years on I'm totally back to fitness and back to my work as an outdoor instructor. The main advise is to persevere with the exercises and avoid at all cost crossing your legs for at least 6 weeks as this puts the new joint under stress in the wrong direction. Keep mon top of pain relief.

DWizza profile image
DWizza in reply toBrackenBT

Wow,,you’ve had a journey ! However,,it all sounds well worth it 👍🏻👍🏻. I will be taking my rehab seriously and intend not to cause any regression. Thank you for sharing.

Driver11 profile image
Driver11

Hi I have ICD so had to go to special hospital that had Cardiac facilities The op is fine and you be walking with no pain but listen to the physio

Good luck

Qualipop profile image
Qualipop

My mum with heart failure had her hip done with a spinal injection. She was out of bedthenext day and doing stairs 3 days later.

If you have an option, go for surgery that goes in from the side between the muscles rather than the front where they cut the muscle. Recovery is far quicker but not many surgeons do side entry because it takes more skill and more time.

Carsry profile image
Carsry

All the vest with your op mate.....keep us posted on your progress 😊

bluemoon572 profile image
bluemoon572

My wife had 2 hip replacements and did very well with her brief physical therapy, but both times she had to admonish the therapist about over exuberant stretching of her hip in the rather immediate post-op phase. This stretching left her in considerable pain and we felt it was totally unnecessary.

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