Bilateral hip replacement
September 2016
Female Aged 54
Day 1
Booked in to arrive at the hospital at 7am get a phone call the night before moving the time to 10am at least I can have a lie in. Just about to walk out the door phone rings they have moved the admission time to 2pm, a bit emotional I had psyched myself up ah well at least the golf is on the TV.
Went down to theatre at 3 0’clock. Had a spinal block and put to sleep.At 6.15 back in my room feeling a little woozy great picture on the wall of fish swimming around a pond! No pain. I have a catheter and a pillow between my legs to prevent my legs from moving together.
Able to eat a little at 10pm
I have a blood pressure monitor (quite low but apparently this is normal), and an oxygen mask on. The nurses check my stats every 30 mins until 3 am then every 60 mins. Intermittent sleep.
Make sure I exercise throughout the night, ie flex feet 20 times. Tense muscles in legs/ push knees down to bed 20 times, circulate feet 20 times both ways. Given pain relief 2 paracetamol, anti inflammatory and 1 codeine ( tramadol also available but the pain is 1 on a scale 1-4 so not needed).
Day 2
Pre-operation pain completely gone legs ache a little given 2 paracetamol, anti inflammatory and can have codeine if I need it. Nurses are fabulous after breakfast in bed they give me a bed bath.
The physio arrives to sit me on the edge of the bed she brings a frame to see if I can stand for a few minutes. Feeling quite light headed as I stand, next thing I am lying on the bed, I had passed out, apparently this is quite common due to the medication etc. Feel a little woozy for the next couple of hours. Physio returns to complete leg exercises in bed these are great as they reduce the stiff feeling. Continue the exercises myself as best I can and when hubbie comes to visit he does them again with me.
Still have the catheter.
No pain. Continue with pain medication, as above with 1 codeine, and given a mild sedative to help me sleep.
Day 3
Good nights sleep legs ache a little but as soon as pain medication (no pain).
Breakfast in bed, bed wash but this time I am able to sit on the edge of the bed and do a lot myself. Stand up and feel ok.
Physio returns I manage to walk using a frame down the corridor and back have lunch sitting in the chair. A bit tired so get back into bed. Physio comes to do leg exercises again and I continue as day before. My legs feel stiff and quite hard to get them moving but all the pain I have had for the last 3 years has gone.
I get up and have a short walk and eat my tea sat in the chair, watch TV for a couple of hours and then back to bed.
Still have the catheter and have not had a bowel movement yet, I am told this is due to the medication. Have a mild sedative and pain medication.
Day 4
Good nights sleep just a bit strange having to sleep on my back, no pain. The most challenging thing is getting in and out of bed need strong arms and stomach muscles. Great auxiliary nurse takes me for a shower I am able to stand on my own, she washes my back but I do everything else myself including washing my hair, opt for the tousled look as can’t imagine drying my hair.
Day 5
Shower on my own manage to use my ‘grabber’ to pull up my knickers and trousers. Husband comes to pick me up at 3pm. Use crutches to get to the car feeling quite confident now! Our car is quite high with leather seats so easy to slide in. Would need cushions with a regular car.
Arrive home – I had been advised during pre-op visit I would need an armchair with high seat. We do not have this and loaned a chair from a friend, however, the armchair was too low. From my experience the best idea was to measure the height you require. My husband measured the height of the hospital chair and used this to add cushions to our chairs to ensure the correct height. I used the table and work tops in the kitchen to get around.
The special toilet seat is essential to prevent dislocation.
My husband affectionately dubbed ‘Nurse Cratchet’ was also essential as you can not bend down (must not allow your body to have an acute angle eg less than 90 degrees). Hubbie used some computer elbow pads under my ankles to take the pressure of my heels, sore heels is a problem as you have to stay sleeping on your back for at least 6 weeks. A pillow between my legs prevented them crossing and ensured the heavy quilt was not directly on top of my legs. An extra pillow under my back for the first part of the night and the from 4/5 onwards another pillow to raise myself up in bed really helped with the back and buttock aches.
Day 6
Walk,exercise, pain medication , relaxing, TV.
Day 7
Husband/career escaped to play golf asked my son to come around. He made sure I got downstairs ok, helped with my exercises, in the form of describing each muscle I was using, he has a degree in Sports Science! He cooked breakfast and stayed for a chat, great to have someone to relay my experience.
Using crutches to get around.
Day 8 -Day 14
Using the pain medication 2 paracetamol, 2 codeine every 6 hours by day 10 reducing to 3 times a day breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Started walking around the house without support used the crutches for stairs and walks. Gave up crutches Day 8 and started using a stick, much easier to get around.
Find lying on my back at night difficult but know to avoid dislocation must persevere!
Physio visit. checked on exercise I was doing added new exercise move leg forward/back, sideways/back, backwards/back, 5 times every hour. I found this quite difficult and only managed to complete 3 times a day.
Had a laugh as he watched me walk with my stick I had been given, very pretty with poppies painted on it. Physio’s comment it is supposed to help you walk it is not a fashion aid you just swing it around and it is not the correct height.
I was given a ‘proper’ grey hospital walking stick and shown how to use it.
Arriving home my husband cut my stick to the correct height. When going for my walk the two sticks really helped.
I had been in pain for 3 years before the bilateral hip replacement and had started to ‘woggle’ badly. Orky Duck was my husbands pet name for me, my muscles had been used to this posture and it took a lot of determination to make sure I walked normally. Eg head held high, shoulders back, bottom in.
Week 3 – 6
Worked hard on exercise regime, going for a walk every day, complete exercises the physiotherapist has given me at least twice a day. I used a piece of hardboard on a spare bed to help move the disc under my heel (the hospital give you this to help do the exercises) completed these at least twice everyday for the first month.
Week 7
Visit to the orthopaedic consultant who carried out the operation everything ok does not need to see me again.
Back at work 3 days a week.
Week 8
Adding swimming as an exercise, helpful to do exercises in the pool and the Jacuzzi particularly the balancing exercises.
I would highly recommend a bilateral hip replacement although a little challenging at first, the recovery time is the same for one as two and after 2 months I am completely pain free and back at work.
4 months – back playing golf.
12 months -back to my exercise classes, Zumba, step classes and aerobics.
18-months -completely healthy feel the same as I did 10 years ago before any hip problems.