Click here: to donate by Credit Card
Or here: to donate by PayPal
Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794
Thank you very much and God bless you.
Posted on 07/11/2026 7:26:43 PM PDT by NEMDF
Seems like I might be looking at left hip replacement surgery in coming weeks. Has anyone had this done?
If so, at what age? What were symptoms that led to the decision for the surgery? Experience with pain, hospitalization, PT, general recovery?
Anything you wish you had done differently either before or after?
Thank you. This is not something I ever really thought would be part of my future and am trying to prepare myself for whatever is to be expected.
|
|
Click here: to donate by Credit Card Or here: to donate by PayPal Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794 Thank you very much and God bless you. |
If you are a candidate for a BHR, (Birmingham Hip Replacement) take that. As the years pile on it’s the only thing that doesn’t hurt.
Mrs. Slim has had both done. We rented an electric hospital bed for downstairs, and made sure the walker would fit through the bathroom door. Take it easy, and be sure to follow through on all physical therapy instructions.
Wife has had both of them done about 2-3 years apart in her late 70’s. That was a couple of years ago. PIECCE OF CAKE according to her! Fine ever since. Fret not...but it deoends on the surgeon. Good luck!
Here is my relative’s experience having had both replaced. The first by choice, then the second broke in a fall before it had reached the surgery point.
First make sure you see a very good orthopedic surgeon and that you and they agree you’ve reached the point where the surgery is needed.
Do not let some general surgeon do this. The main risk is an infection getting into the joint and you want a doctor and hospital that do a very good job minimizing that risk.
They may tell you that you’ll know when you’ve reached that point.
The good news is that this should be a relatively easy major surgery to recover from. You will be up and walking perhaps but the next day.
The new hip materials are excellent and should last you a lifetime.
Your hip pain should be gone when you heal. And if you have knee trouble, fixing your hip motion might alleviate the pressure that’s been on your knees.
They were told they can do everything except jump or run.
So with a good surgeon and hospital, this could be a very positive development.
The night before the operation, I watched a video on YouTube of a hip replacement operation. I was shocked by the violence of the act. There were saws and hammering that made the operation resemble carpentry. But all my apprehension was for naught, the operation was smooth and the recovery was far easier than the unpleasant experience in the wake of my knee replacement. By all means go ahead. The procedure immeasurably improves the quality of life.
My wife had one. Out-Patient. I dropped her off at 6:00am picked her up around 3:00pm. She had to climb stairs before she could be discharged. Get a good electric hospitable bed. Doctors at Kaiser do multiple hips and knees daily. Hope you get a good Doctor.
Do them religiously. Push yourself.
It makes all the difference after.
Not fun but doable... I wish you luck and Godspeed.
Yup a left total. Could hardly walk before and suffered with pain. Went home next morning pain free. Only Tylenol for pain, used walker few weeks, then cane. Recommend strict exercise they give you. Hardest thing a year later is to have the time to keep up exercise, stretch, stretching, and walking. My life is so busy certainly we would have it done again. I need to have the right one done soon.
The biggest risk for hip surgery in seniors seems to be coming down with pneumonia afterwards...
Prayers up for your rapid recovery...
Anyone have a comment on a shoulder replacement?
Had my right hip done February 17th. Went in at 6am, left the surgery center before 11am, and was walking with the walker that day. Ditched the walker after a week — except at night to go to the bathroom, just to be safe — and used the cane for about another week.
Recovery couldn’t have gone better. Never really had any pain, and didn’t take any opioids. Took Tylenol for 4-5 days, then nothing.
At my six week follow-up the surgeon released me, and said I could cancel my 12 week appointment unless I needed him.
After years of pain it was the best decision I ever made.
My ex boyfriend and former BIL were distributors for a joint replacement company. My sister recently mentioned that now they just go in with an incision from the front, take out the old ball, stick in the new one, close you up and you’re walking the next day. Minimal surgical trauma. Better a hip than a knee.
I had my left hip done 4 years ago when I was 60. I fell on my butt when I was 50, and started having hip problems afterward.
About 9 months before surgery it got so bad I couldn’t walk. First doctor I saw said it was bursitis. I drove 6 hours to Dallas and the Carroll Clinic and they said it was bone on bone.
My surgery got postponed a week beforehand because I had to have a root canal and a tooth extracte (first time for both. bad timing for me). I had to wait until 6 weeks after those were done to have my hip replacement.
I did have pain after surgery, but the arthritis pain was gone. The worst pain was after the spinal wore off
I did really well the first few weeks, but then pushed it too much in physical therapy.
I’m going to need my other hip done in the near future. I have moderate arthritis in it. My goal is to get it done before it’s bone on bone. I want to have it done before I can’t walk.
Before surgery, I rode an recumbent exercise bike to get as much strength as possible in my legs.
My only regret is not having the surgery sooner.
Good luck!
"Take the 3/8" router bit and cut slot for the meniscus bone anchor". LOL
I think I have that bone on bone issue, and had been riding exercise bike faithfully until about February, then the hip pain at night, trying to sleep, was relentless. Should I go back and try to do the bike again before the surgery?
Thanks for y9our comments. I am hoping for a new lease on life as far as mobility without pain. It has been downhill for a few months now, and hard to push through with what I need to do. I used to run at least 15 miles per week for YEARS, now down to barely walking around in the house and some limited going out for groceries and errands.
There are two different surgical techniques for hip replacement surgery. Anterior approach (from the front of the body) and the posterior approach (from the back).
From the back is the more traditional approach because more doctors were trained that way. My best friend had the newer from the front surgery and was walking the next day.
Use Grok or any other AI to give you a fuller description. Ask the pros and cons of both.
If you can get a personal recommendation for a surgeon from someone who has had the operation all the better.
I have had 6 friends get it.
Only one had a minor complication and it was corrected.
Recovery is pretty fast if you are in semi-good condition.
Knee replacement is much tougher to recover.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.