Plan B Forum

...essentially leaving it dangling by a few threads of muscle/tendon/sinew/whatever. Then they stuffed a big chunk of...something...into the space where the bone used to be. Then they fiddled around with stuff for another hour or so before trying to cover up their nefarious deeds.

In other words, I had total hip replacement surgery on my right hip. On Monday. When I eventually woke up I felt very very weak and in way more pain than I was expecting. They tell me the whole thing went well, and when I left the hospital Tuesday afternoon they said I was doing great, and on Wednesday at my first post-op session with a physical therapist he said I'm now doing quite well, and that after a projected ~6 weeks of physical therapy I'll be feeling better than I have in years. I don't feel very well. We'll see. At this point, things can only get better.

Hip, hip, hooray!

I was picturing someone pulling a sack over your head and shipping you to Guantanamo for interrogation.

Demand good drugs, hope it gets better soon.

Best wishes on a speedy recovery to your new normal.

Eco. as long as you received the proper hip joint made from materials that fit your specific needs you should be physically fit in no time. Therapy is key. Good luck.

My dad has managed a hip and both knees. Get well soon.

I have watched this surgery and it is not surprising that you hurt like hell for quite a bit afterwards. It sort of looks like a wrestling match that involves a big-assed hammer. They flat out pound the crap out of you getting things in order. Oh, and they never ever say how bad it is going to hurt in advance. Partly likely because they have not been through it, and partly because you might change your mind. Percocet is your friend. Stay on top of the pain, when it gets ahead it is harder to manage. Take one before therapy and as soon as you can after. You should absolutely hate your therapist if they are doing their job.

Good luck, it will be better in the long run.

I knew that would cheer you up...

Therapy is indeed key.  Push yourself.  Don't wuss out on it.
Take it from a guy who had to get a plate and a dozen screws to put his right shoulder back together over ten years ago.
Best of luck to you, and remember that you will probably set off every metal detector in creation from now on.

-"BB"-

Thanks for the good wishes, everybody; I appreciate them all (well, Jim's maybe not so much ). Oddly enough, A@W's was the one I appreciated the most—partly just because she hasn't been around here at all lately, so it was a surprise...but mostly because she obviously really gets it. (True Words of Wisdom.)

Oh, and before I forget: if I say anything particularly stupid in the next few weeks, blame it on the narcotics. That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it.

Get well soon Ecco. I don’t know about hip replacement, but my History professor had knee replacements and did well.

I am in my seventies and I have no pain, joint problems, no weight problem and I still have most of my hair. I have a memory problem, but I have always had trouble with my memory. A while back my heart and lung were rated as excellent by a cardiologist. My health is great, but my wife is going downhill before my eyes. Life is not fair is it?

TOTAL HIP REPLACEMENT SURGERY:

Animated:


Non-Animated:



OUCH!

Heal well mate.

My 90 year old grandmother endured a total hip replacement and totally refused opioids, despite our best efforts to convince her to take them.

I say use them as directed, but only as much as you really need - after just 14 days on Percocet as prescribed for pain following my cholecystectomy, I experienced terrible withdrawal symptoms and gained a firsthand understanding of why so many folks end up in opioid addiction after a course of prescribed opioids. Turns out it takes only 3-4 days for the brain to become dependent, which is very scary.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery; your PT is your friend and based on my own prior experience with orthopedic PT, it’s critical to push yourself to do the ‘homework’ they assign.

I have two good friends who have had hips replaced. Both went from walker to cane to no visible means of support in six weeks. One told the other to follow the directions of his physical therapist whose job is to hurt you to make you better. I will tell you the same, as have others. (The burn out rate for non-sadist PTs is VERY high)

My mother had both hips and both knees replaced between the ages of 57 and 85. That first hip was a very different looking piece of hardware from the last. My younger sister had her second knee replaced on Wednesday. The rest of us are OK, so far.

I will echo "get well soon" sentiments along with the others, but I know you will. It just may not seem soon enough to you.

So the surgery I recall watching, which was near on 30 years now, involved something like this thing:https://www.medline.com/product/Orthope ... dexCount=1 and the tiniest female ortho surgeon I could ever imagine (5'2" tops). Like a tiny Thor and her hammer.
It was freaking brutal looking and put me off wanting any ortho work. Times have changed according to the videos posted. Still and all any cutting hurts like hell. Most patients are up and walking very soon, within a few days max. My hips ache a lot anymore, but thankfully quite manageable with OTC meds.

Percocet will make you a bit loopy Eco, but sorry you will still be accountable for your typos.

Happy ambulating, Econo. Both my mother and her sister had the hip(s) done at a vast old age and benefited greatly. Auntie Mon enjoyed it so much she had hers done again just recently. Or it wore out.

Update: doing really well. Graduated from the walker to a cane in about 10 days; yesterday, for the first time, I walked 0.4 mi. without any walking aid. PT 3x/week, going down to 2x/wk next week. Doctor, surgeon, and physical therapist all say I'm doing really well. Still a little bit of occasional pain from the incision site, but absolutely NO hip/joint pain, just muscle weakness which continues to ameliorate.

Gotta get me a new pair of shades.

Sounds like you'll be ready to compete in next season's Dancing with the Stars.

You'll get the gist.