Hip replacement.

[thebuzzard]

Anyone out there with any experience of this? I have chronic spinal problems and am wondering how difficult this will make my recovery. Also, is it really worth checking up on my surgeon to see his success rate for this op? Help!

[Bananas5]

Well you have come to the right place - I was thinking about starting a run down on David who underwent his op om 3th October!

He too has serious injuries to his spine toggther with 2 degenerative diseases and CPOD.

His hip pain started about 5 years ago and over the following years he was monitored, scanned, had assorted injecrions and finally in August the surgeon decided he was ready Fortunately the anesthetist was also his pain consultant and together with surgeon made a damned good team.

Because of his lunhs they decided not to give a GA but sedation and epidural. Apparently the anesthetist asked David if he was in pain and when he replied yes - a low dose GA was given towards the middle of the op.

One of our biggest concerns was how much more pain relief would he need after the op? He was hiven a morphine clicker with iramorph as required. This he only took once.Yhe op was a complete sucess although he does have one leg slightly longer than the other. Surgeon says this will settle down.

Ward had him up the day after, using his rolator. Would was bleeding badly where drain had been removedand poor las was wetting the bed cos his aim to th bottle was a vit wobbly!

You can find out all about aftercare, walking with crutches, showering ec on line.

So good op, good aftercare and now visit fom OT to show him how to manage at home. This was where it all fell apart. She showed him how to put underpants on with grabber, and rjjam bottom. No sicks. No trousers. Nothing about showering. Just off you go and your wife can help. Ha!

He has been given no phusio either and his non op leg is completely dead from spnal injury. So.....make big point of making ward staff, OT, physio if you see her that tou have spinal porblems nd mobility probs.

Oh and no driving for approx 6 weeks plus. Get friends or family yo rally and stock up!

I don't know how you find out surgein's track record. Maybe records are kept at hospital? But as I said ut is as much the ward that must be made aware of your other chronic pain.

And yes - So far Davud has no regrest. Hip pain free for the first time in 5 years but rest of him struggling to keep up.

Sorry this us long! I'll tell my side as a carer another time¬

Pat x

[thebuzzard in reply to Bananas5]

Thanks ,Paton. Don't I know you from the pain support site? I'm Annie from there. I've yet to see the ortho surgeon. But its all been a bit quick - just xray to decision! Lots to think about though. Yes, let me know how you cope with caring and I can let my david what's expected! I was hoping to go down the epidural route too. I must ask if and when I have to remove my Butrans patches so I don't get withdrawal symptoms. Keep me posted?! Annie x

[Bananas5 in reply to thebuzzard]

Hello Annie. I thought this was the pain concern site? I don't do any others! Have enough trouble with thus one.

We went to a joint replace,mt class about 2 months ago. There was a surgeon, nurse, OT etc all to answer our questions. They couldn't answer any of ours!

Davud went into surgery wearig his fentanyl patch and came out wearing a nre one. Well I guess it was a bit grubby!

Let me know when you get a decision and I can guve you any help you want.

Pat x

[thebuzzard in reply to Bananas5]

No, I mean the pain Support site - this is pain concern? I'll be back in touch when I get near the time and in the meantime I'll read up! Hope things keep going well with you. X

[Bananas5 in reply to thebuzzard]

Sorry to be slow Annie - have yo the link to pain support site?

Pat x

[thebuzzard in reply to Bananas5]

No problem! It's painsupport.co.uk. I joined it years ago when my local pain concern group folded. Now I use it more than this one. Don't ask me why! Its what we get used to I guess. What would we do without the internet! X

[Danslatete]

My 91 yr old gran has had both hips replaced this year, one in Jan and the other in June. Both done under spinal block and a sedative, up and about on day 3 both times as she required a transfusion, but she has recovered very well and was shopping in her local retail park at the weekend and 'took her stick for a walk'

She says it's best thing she ever did although now her hips are no longer so painful, she is noticing her knees and would now like them replacing too!

Big operation but well worth it if you are in lots of pain.

My gran broke her spine falling on some steps at a factory she worked at in her40's. It made the spinal block easier to place apparently.

[thebuzzard in reply to Danslatete]

Thanks so much for that. Well done your gran. If she can survive it so can I!! X

[beauty96]

Under the NHS anyone can operate on you provided they are qualified. What that means is that you never know whom you will be seeing at a clinic etc. If you go private the person you see is whom you will get doing the op. No point on checking on them as they have to be fully qualified in order to operate though of course there can be students there but they are all doctors by that time any way.

[thebuzzard]

But I think you are able to check their success rate, and how many re-replacements they've had to do. Shall try to make sire I know who's going to do the op. Thanks .

[Calceolaria in reply to thebuzzard]

You can ask the surgeon yourself - how many of these ops have you performed and what has been the success rate. He will know, or should!

Remember, success to a surgeon/hospital is measured as did the op go all right, not do you still feel better six months down the line.

[thebuzzard in reply to Calceolaria]

Point taken! Thanks.

[Kerryjess]

Found all tag posts about this so interesting. I had 3discs fused 2years ago and rods etc put in to stabilise the spine. I'm still having reviews with my surgeon and told him at my last app that I had a pain in my groin that came without warning- no pattern - but very severe while it lasted and I was walking with a limp. None of the Drs could give me an explanation for it. I had my knee xrayed for ongoing pain and them my hip sprayed to see if that was the prob. I was told it was "fine".

My consultant looked at the hip X-ray and said there was def arthritis in the right hip. His obs confirmed the diagnosis. He has recommended an injection done under X-ray. That's the good news. The bad news is that the local NHS trust has put a halt on any such procedures, presumably due to lack of funds. It will be April at the earliest before I might get it done.

Can anyone advise me on this procedure- dud it work for you?

At least I know that my surgeon is going to do the procedure himself so I don't have to get the background info on him.