I thought I’d update you on my hip surgery as we’d had a discussion recently about the impact on PMR it might or might not have. I’m only in my second week post op but I’ve been amazed at the outcome and progress so far. I had a local (spinal block) anaesthetic with sedation and don’t remember a thing except waking in recovery. The anaesthetist gave me a large boost of dexamethasone in case of adrenal insufficiency. Within an hour of the op I was walking to the loo and an hour or 2 later was able to walk up and down stairs. My surgeon, Professor Richard Field, said I could go home the same day but I opted to stay overnight as I wanted to be monitored and not have my OH spend a sleepless night. Regarding pain, I’ve had very little, partly as I had a pain relief catheter straight into the hip for 24 hours and it was only after walking a mile on day 3 and 4 that I did feel some pain due to overdoing it whilst still on regular painkillers. Now on day 10, no painkillers and taking it a bit easier after being told off. I’ve stayed on my very low dose of pred and my PMR was on the way out pre op so it will be interesting to see if that continues. If your surprised at how quickly the initial recovery has been I put it down to the skill of the surgeon who did a ‘minimally invasive anterior hip replacement’ which isn’t the normal practice in this country as far as I’m aware. It’s a bit of a long post but I know that some of you are waiting for hip surgery and if you have a choice I strongly recommend it. It was done privately as I’d had health insurance due to a terrible experience some years ago with NHS but I know that NHS hip surgery is just as successful although I’m not sure they do this particular method. I’ll update you on the PMR impact over the coming weeks. Thank you for your support!
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I've heard about that technique being a major improvement in hip surgery. Maybe Covid-19 may result in an increased used of it in the NHS if it means a lower requirement for beds and post-op recovery resources ...
Excellent. I hope your husband had such a good outcome. I think he does his NHS surgery at Epsom. His anaesthetist, Dr Hussein is also marvellous. They’ve been working as a team for 20 years.
I have been waiting since March for a hip op. I had my previous one on the NHS and this one I decided to go privately to not have the wait. I am still waiting!
It was St Anthony’s in Cheam. It had been rented out to the NHS and the contract ended at end of June but they may still have NHS patients but no Covid. I think I was in the very first batch of private patients.
That is interesting it is a Spire hospital, I am on the list for Spire too, which should have been open again end of June, but is not apparently. I think mine may have been taking Covid patients although it was planned they would not.
It was done on a Saturday . Did you have your pre op assessment tin March? I was all ready and cancelled the night before the op. I wonder if the surgeon has an influence?
You are a bit further than me. I had an appointment with the surgeon the Thursday before lockdown in March and have had a telephone chat since then. You were obviously ahead of me. My surgeon says he has twelve people before me. He is currently working four days a week for the NHS. How awful being cancelled the night before.
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Knee and hip replacement hampered by Covid lockdown then PMR was 
PMR and Total Hip Replacement 
My Polymyalgia journey so far
So close and yet so far!
why is my hip pain so severe?
