# How's that new hip working for ya?



## bbqjoe (Feb 10, 2017)

Well, it's official.
I went in for an MRI.
The doc says hip is shot on about the highest level. Bone on bone and all that.
Not happy, but I can accept it.

Now the problem of who's gonna do it, and who's gonna pay for it, and how much longer I have to be in agony until then.

Let's hear about yours.


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

I had my hip replaced about 5 weeks ago.

Recovery time is pretty quick. I'm a bit younger than most hip replacement patients so my recovery may have been quicker than most.

My surgery was in the AM and took about an hour. Another hour or 2 in recovery then off to a regular bed.

They'll want you to walk as soon as you're able (like same day). On the day of my surgery I walked about 1000'. That's more than most but you get the idea that they want you walking immediately.

Their plan was for me to do 4 physical therapy sessions (2X per day) and then get discharged.

The next morning I was to do physical therapy but they gave me a bit too much pain medicine and I wasn't able. (dizzy, blood pressure crashed...). I did a PT session in the afternoon and they said I was good to go and could be discharged. From the time I went to the hospital for surgery until I went home was under 36 hours.

Went home and had to deal with things with help from my wife. Stairs, sitting, laying down, pooping... all had their issues. I was walking about a mile per day 3 days after surgery.

For/at home, you'll want to have these:
Walker (for the first few days)
Cane (after the walker for another few days)
Raised toilet (I used one that slides over the existing toilet to raise it up). _BTW, you'll need to wipe standing up for the first several days._
Someone to watch over you when moving and to help you get into bed as you'll struggle to lift your legs into the bed.

You'll have physical therapy sessions starting a few days after surgery. It can either be home health or you'll go somewhere. Whomever you visit will make a judgement call on when you're done and pass it to your surgeon for approval. I was done in 3 sessions but expect to have more.

Driving - you're not allowed to drive until your surgeon approves. Expect that to be 6 weeks but it varies.

3 things you don't want to do. These apply for probably 6 months to forever more.
- Do not bend more than 90° at the waist.
- Do not twist at your hip.
- Do not cross you leg that got the replacement over your other leg. Let's say you got your left hip replaced. That hip can bend outward (like you're sliding that leg out to your side) but should not be crossed inward beyond the straight position (as if you were standing straight up).


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

Forgot a couple things.

As for who's going to do it, go with a surgeon and hospital that's covered by your insurance.

Can't speak for your insurance but ours covers surgery and inpatient stays 100% after copay.

As for when to do it - pick a time frame when it's quiet for you as it relates to your activities. For me, I did it after all the summer chores and gardening were complete and I had things prepped for winter. Remember, you're going to be out of business for approx. 6 weeks. Having my teenage son around worked well for doing day-to-day chores but I didn't want any big-ticket "to do's" on my plate for that period. You'll want to have someone available to things for you for awhile. Just bending down will be problematic for the first 2-3 weeks.

For your items at home, I forgot to mention the thingys (they'll show you) for getting your shoes and socks on. It's been over a month for me and still the hardest thing I have to do is get my sock on the foot of the leg that got the hip replaced.

In all, it was pretty easy.


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## bbqjoe (Feb 10, 2017)

Wow. Thanks for your info!


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

More things as I think of them...

Make sure you have somewhere comfortable to sit or lay down for extended periods. For me, prior to surgery I got one of those tilting beds so I could set it up or down for reading or watching TV or whatever. A couch or chair may work for you but I found them difficult to get up and down since they're generally pretty low.

For those first few days or a week, you'll want to make it a point to get up and walk relatively frequently. If you don't, your leg/hip will have a tendency to seize up on you. _This will be most notable when you first get out of bed in the morning._ I would get up every couple hours and walk a good distance but not so much that I wore myself out and would be too tired to repeat the process a few hours later.

When you are walking those first few days, you'll want someplace smooth and relatively flat. I used the paved driveway. Walking on gravel or grass won't be viable for the first few days.

You won't be allowed to shower for the first week or so. Plan accordingly. Besides a sponge bath, you may find baby wipes to be your friend.

For the first few days, you're going to need help getting in and out of bed. If you have to take a piss in the night, it's much easier to have one of those piss jugs nearby like you'll be using in the hospital so you don't have to get out of bed. You might not have the time nor energy in the middle of the night to make it to the bathroom...


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## bbqjoe (Feb 10, 2017)




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## Tweto (Nov 26, 2011)

I had my left hip replaced about 9 weeks ago and I'm now bending over to the floor. Putting socks and shoes on is back to the way I did it 20 years ago. Just left my leg up and rest it on the other leg and then put the sock and show on. I can't think of anything that I am still doing different from what I did when I had 2 good hips.

The pain is almost nothing now.

Just for the interested, I just got done paying off the hospital and the surgeon. The total bill was $70,000. Luckily the insurance paid all of it.


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## phideaux (Nov 7, 2015)

Really good info, 
I'm contemplating both knees.

I have heard good results, and Bad results,

I'm a sponge on these chats.

Jim


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

My knees are next. Will talk with the surgeon about it when I do my next hip follow-up. My physical therapist told me that knees are easier to recover from.

Speaking of knees and how it relates to a hip replacement, when you're doing your physical therapy for your hip pay attention to your knees especially if they're bad. They had me doing some exercises that were fine on the hip but awhile later, those exercises really hurt my knees. Because my knee hurt so bad, I couldn't do my regular exercises and walking for the hip.


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## DrPrepper (Apr 17, 2016)

I had my left knee replaced in 2013 and the other replaced last April. I still have an open area on the right knee incision that has not yet healed. Although I did 12 weeks of therapy after the right knee (several times a week), I still can't walk more than 100 feet or so and standing up from a seated position is difficult. Would I do it again? Absolutely! Before the surgery in April, my knee was bone on bone and felt like acid in the joint. Now, at least when I am not moving my leg, the acid is gone. In spite of the complications I had while healing, it was completely worth it to me to improve the pain. I've not given up hope completely of someday being able to walk longer distances, but at least now I am not in too much pain to focus on living my life and the other things I still can do!


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## bbqjoe (Feb 10, 2017)

15 mg of morphine, 1/2 percocet, an extra strength Advil, some green dragon, and half a doob.
45 minutes later, I can walk to the outhouse.
If I double this, maybe I can just fly.


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## bbqjoe (Feb 10, 2017)

For anyone who can slightly read an x-ray, the head of the femur is all but gone, and quite possibly dead. There is no question about needing a hip replacement.

I think I can do it myself. I found this online, I don't see how it would work, but I hope to hell they send instructions.


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## AmishHeart (Jun 10, 2016)

Really? You can't do your own hip replacement.


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## havasu (Sep 4, 2011)

I know this thread is all about hips, but I did hear chatter about knees. I had my left replaced 5/2013, a left revision on 9/13, and my right knee replaced on 5/14. I'm glad it was done but keep getting repeated hints that I need to slow it down, or I will be facing a retread soon. The first pic is what happens when you are drugged out after surgery and your 3 year old granddaughter decides to invite me to her tea party. Also note the latex allergy I discovered when they removed the flexible latex bandage after a week. Darn thing's itch was worse than the surgery.


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## bbqjoe (Feb 10, 2017)

I've had the knee zipper too.
I wish they would have put in a new one while they we're in there, gonna have to do it someday.


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## DrPrepper (Apr 17, 2016)

Havasu-
I had mine done on April 26th, and I can sympathize with you about the allergic reaction. In spite of having it documented in 25 places in my chart that I am violently allergic to Mastisol, they used it anyway and here is the result:

*WARNING: GRAPHIC PICTURE*


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