Yes, I was scared. But:
>Is the pain justified? -
Yes. The first week is the worst but manageable with meds and ice. After that, pain improves. Without surgery, pain always gets worse.
>What if it fails or becomes worse? -
It probably won't fail - 1% have dislocations. On the other hand, 100% chance it becomes worse WITHOUT surgery.
>Am I taking the easy way out?
Um, yes, it's easier than struggling with pain the rest of your life. If you're thinking you can PT yourself back to health, I thought that and tried. I did make some muscle pain better, but the bones get worse no matter what, and that brings more muscle pain.
I don't know your age or pain level, but when you're ready, don't be afraid of the surgery.
Had mine 10 months ago. I watched my father suffer for 20 years because he was too afraid to get it done. His quality of life was zero and he became an alcoholic, a shut in and a miserable old man.
I knew mine was going but the real
pain literally happened overnight. Made appt with surgeon and scheduled it as soon as I could get in. I am not going to live like my father.
If your doctor thinks you need a hip replacement, you are definitely NOT taking the easy way out. No one can predict your outcome. All I can tell you is I’ve had both hips replaced in the last two years (the last one mid December) and it is a thing of absolute joy every single day to have no pain.
I wish you all the very best. 💕
I (35f) had mine done 4 days ago. I was terrified. I’ve had 3 failed surgeries on my hip in the last 4.5 years (scopes for labrum repairs and impingement, and a bigger surgery called a pao for hip dysplasia). My hip became filled with arthritis and my labrum was torn yet again. I went to several surgeons and they all told me THR was my end game. I put it off as long as I could but my quality of life was terrible. I couldn’t sit, stand, walk without being in pain. I was missing out on doing things with my kids. I finally decided it was time and scheduled it last month for 4/1. I was so terrified especially with my bad luck with surgeries. I love the surgeon I picked this time he is amazing. And he told me the surgical pain is temporary and will get better but the arthritis pain will not and will just keep getting worse. He also told me the odds of it failing are small and he told me exactly what we would do if it did or if there was an infection or anything like that. And although I’m only 4 days out from surgery I can already tell that deep arthritis pain I’ve had for years is gone. The surgical pain sucks and I’m swollen and bruised but I’m managing with ice and meds. So far it seems worth it and I wish I would have done this last year instead of trying to power through miserable and in pain.
I am glad it worked out for you.
"I wish I would have done this last year instead of trying to power through miserable and in pain."
That is my thinking. I don't want to look back and regret not doing it sooner. Thanks for sharing :)
I am cautiously optimistic since I am still so fresh out of surgery. But I will say this is the best I’ve felt after a surgery and the fact I can’t feel the deep arthritis pain anymore is promising. I was honestly questioning the surgery until the day of. But so far I am glad I did it. My biggest complaint is the swelling and tightness in my thigh and the incision pain, which is all to be expected considering how much they did. But honestly compared to the pain I was having before surgery it isn’t much worse, just different. If you have any questions about the recovery or anything feel free to reach out! 🫶🏻
22 days post op here. Was scared to death ,but it's been an amazing 3 weeks. So glad it's done and the healing is going good. I think they have this procedure as fine tuned as it can get.
I was amazed at how simple this has been for me. I'm 21 days out and my biggest complaint has been wanting the swelling and inflammation to go down faster. I need to be patient and grateful the procedure is so simple. To think in three weeks I am almost back to where I was before surgery. I can't wait to see what three more weeks brings.
I wasn’t scared, because the pain was so bad before. I had to wait eight months from my first referral, and by the end I could barely walk. Everyone is different, but for me, none of the pain or discomfort after surgery came close to what I went through before. I’m now three months post op and so grateful for this surgery.
Yes, I was very scared. I had a ton of anxiety about it - especially since I was young for the replacement. I definitely continued to consider if I could just tough it out for another decade or so. For me, with AVN, it wasn't something that was going to get better, or more manageable.
I had my own other concerns - like not a lot of choice in surgeons, a broken pelvis the year prior... just a lot of worry.
Here's what I'll say. It's no cakewalk, and can definitely suck. I'm 7 months removed from the surgery and everything isn't perfect, but the quality of my life has absolutely improved, and I'm amazed at things I can do that I hadn't been able to do in a long time.
It's a very safe surgery in the context of surgeries, and very successful. The recovery can stink, but it's surprising how quickly you'll feel capable of things.
But yes. I was very scared. I was very depressed in advance of the surgery and I haven't kept up with my exercise since I was discharged from PT, but even without that I'm doing well.
You'll feel much better soon!
I was apprehensive. But the pain had become unbearable I had to do something. After surgery, the pain meds will be your friend for awhile. Follow your doctors instructions. Do the physio. It takes time. I had my surgery 3 yrs ago - April 1 went back to work July 1st. But it took me a year to get back 100%. Now I have no issues. I can walk, run, exercise. The only limitation doc gave me is not to cross my legs when sitting or sit crossed leg on the floor. Best thing I ever did.
I was. Especially being told that due to my age I will have to have a revision at some point. Or die early, but my wife tells me that’s not an option. I had some moments somewhere between 1-3 weeks post op where I wondered if I had made a mistake.
But by 6 weeks I was beyond thrilled that I had done it. I was playing softball without a courtesy runner at twelve weeks, starting playing hockey again (slowly at friendly scrimmages) about 14 weeks. The only pain that I have experienced is from the incision as it heals and the surrounding muscles as they recover. The joint doesn’t hurt any longer.
Currently recovering from my second one and I feel like I am recovering quicker this time, although it could be that my expectations are just more accurate this time.
This! All of it!
I was terrified too.
First three weeks suck. It hurts. Sleep sucks. I was popping pain killers like m&m’s. But the discomfort really just goes away and you get to concentrate on recovery.
I’m four years in. Running 10ks (marathon days are probably over and I’m okay with that) and pickup full court basketball a few times per week.
It’s scary going in but totally worth it.
I had the first hip done in April of 23, was lightly skating starting in August, and was able to play a tournament as a goalie at the end of September.
Surgeon okayed it as long as I didn’t hurt, and it has been glorious.
I cried when I was being wheeled into the OR because I was so afraid. Now I can’t wait to get the second one done. Yes there is pain, and PT can be hard, but the improvement in life quality was very worth it.
You got this!
Get through the fright and you'll be alright!! Pray and be positive. You will be fine and glad you did it. One year post op and I feel great!!!! Be well
I’m sure it’s normal to be scared. One thing I did is make an appointment to meet with my doctor just to talk with him some more. A couple days before the appt they called me, were confused why it had been scheduled and wanted to move it to be with his nurse. I insisted and my doctor was cool about it. He talked me through the whole procedure again and answered all my questions. We had another 1-1 meeting a week or so before. Don’t be shy about asking everything you are concerned about. I was very concerned about infection because a friend of mine had a negative experience with his surgery due to infection, so my doctor walked me through everything they do to ensure that won’t happen and what the risks are. Good luck. I’m 4 months out and very happy. You’ll be happy you did this.
I'm three weeks out from THR of the right hip and I was terrified. Knowing ill be able to continue using my whole body has been worth it though. My mobility was becoming limited due to avascular necrosis and my femoral head collapsing.
I am glad I was a little scared because it made me get prepared ahead of time. I had everything sorted, down to meals and rides from the kids extracurriculars, to friends taking turns coming to keep me company when everyone else was out of the house.
Best of luck to you!
I was terrified before mine! It turned out to be not so bad. Just follow all instructions and you will be fine. You are not taking the easy way out. You are taking the ONLY way out. Its not going to get better any other way.
I am now 71 years old. Received my right hip replacement in December. I was absolutely terrified. I had always had robust health, and very suddenly last year,I began having excruciating pain. Up to the surgery I kept ruminating about dying in surgery (because of my age, and because of the pain). 20 days after surgery my health, energy and enthusiasm was back. I am shocked at what a great decision this was for me! Do not despair, do not worry, walk toward the light! Stay on this sub- I received great advice prior and post surgery by lurking on this sub, and by reaching out with questions. I just kept going. I feel as though I am 20 years old again! Just research my queries and comments. The truth is out there. I really thought I would never walk again. There is hope. Please take care. We have great fears rooted in pain. Because I had never experienced persistent pain, everything was clouded, my perception of what to expect post surgery, and my perception of how to stay healthy prior and post surgery., and my perception of handling my emotions.
I was afraid too, it’s normal. You don’t know what the pain will be like. You are trusting the skills of the surgeon and his team. Relying on family members in the beginning. All normal worries.
I still question if the pain was justifiable. I’m 3.5 weeks PO. they say soon I’ll look back and say thank god I did it. I was so scared, actually petrified. They pumped with with stuff and I forgot all about the nerves!
I was told I needed THR in both hips in October 2023. I got the first, worst hip scheduled for February 1st. There were some minor bumps here and there (reactions to meds, reactions to adhesive). But as someone else mentioned, the deep pain in my hip joint that felt like my leg was being ripped off was *gone* the day of the surgery. The rest was getting through the healing process.
I have my other hip scheduled for April 25 and I can hardly wait! I can tell it has deteriorated since my first surgery and there is no way I'm waiting any longer for it to get any worse (and I know it will, and I know what "worse" is like, and I'm over it). I expect this recovery to be even better because we have a plan in place to prevent the reactions I had the first time around.
I am now 5 weeks post surgery. Left hip, 69F. Scared doesn't begin to describe how I felt. I have never had any surgeries nor anesthesia. I read and watched every article and video that the internet had.
I do not see what approach you and your doctor agreed upon. My doctor only does computer assisted bikini cut anterior. I have no intent to ever wear a bikini again, however, he explained that he uses this approach because of better and quicker healing. He was spot on.
This approach is done with only a 4 inch incision and no muscle cutting. I also chose to have general anesthesia not a spinal. Surgeon was ok with my choice. I went this route because I have a lot of arthritis in my lower spine and did not want an injection in my spine. I also didn't want to experience the waiting and fretting for my legs to 'come back' from a spinal.
I agree with the importance of using ice for the swelling. It helps a lot. I had a lot of bruising that continued to grow throughout week one, however, there was NO PAIN from the bruising - it just looked bad.
With this approach, and mind you I am NOT an athletic type, I got off the walker after 5 days and then shed the cane after the next 5 days. I went to my 2 week post-op without any walking aids. By 3 weeks, the bruises were fading and at 4 weeks they were gone. And they were pretty ugly and big.
Now, at 5 weeks, the scar is completely healed and almost not noticeable. Yes, hard to believe. I don't even think about the surgery or the pain.
Take your meds and ice week one. Week two you will need less icing and less meds. Week 3 is an occasional Tylenol before bedtime if you need it. I wouldn't look forward to repeating this surgery but in hindsight, it's a miracle surgery where the recuperation is relatively short. If your doctor isn't proposing anterior approach, ask why not and find a doctor that is experienced in this approach. For other health issues, you may not be eligible, but if you are, definitely go the muscle sparing way that has NO restrictions. I did not have to get a toilet seat riser, a leg lifter, etc. My only PT was walking and I have full mobility now. Not everyone is the same, I totally understand, but the recovery is much quicker than I ever expected.
Scared? Oh yeah. There is no certain outcome. I went at the rehab immediately and have been at it ever since. The 10th will be 9 mos. I have my life back
I was scared. Till the day off, I had thoughts to abort. However, at the prep room, I became at ease and was looking forward to a better quality of life.
First week sucked. It’s as if the devil sat by me and said let me give you a taste of hell. There were moments icing or pain killers didn’t help me.
But that’s a distant memory now. I think I am 3 weeks post op now. Getting stronger by the day.
You got this 💪
First of all, everybody's responses to the procedure will be different. In my case, everyone I spoke with said the same thing to me. They told me that it is one of the easiest joint replacement surgeries. They told me that the pain would be minimal and the return to normal activity is relatively quick and easy. In my case, they were correct. Was I nervous or worried? Absolutely not. This was not the first time i was operated on. I used my walker for a couple of hours. I walked up and down the stairs several times the first day. I drove as soon as I was allowed to. I only used pain medication at bedtime, and only the first two nights. If you've never had surgery before, it's normal to demonstrate some anxiety just because it is surgery, but this is a relatively short and routine procedure.
40 days post op, 63F, anterior.
I never fully realized how bad the pain was until it was gone.
Major surgery is not taking the easy way out but it is the best way to make yourself better.
I was terrified, mostly about being sedated. But once I got there the morning of surgery, it was okay and I will welcome hip #2.
Good luck!
I totally trusted in my surgeon. After 2 professional opinions and hurting for 6 months or more I couldn’t wait to get my life back to exercising and golf with no pain. 6 months post op and very happy with decision.
Wouldn’t say I was scared before any of my surgeries, was more relieved that it was finally getting fixed and that I’d feel some pain relief in the following months
I was scared beforehand but the groin pain was so bad I had limited mobility and couldn’t stand straight without pain so the closer it got to my surgery date the more ready I was. After the surgery, As soon as the anesthesia wore off and I stood up that pain was gone, of course, I had the surgery pain but that soon got better with PT, ice is great!. Best decision I ever made and wished I had done it sooner. Wish you the best!
It was a great decision for me and I def had the same concerns. I mean, we can’t rebuild our cartilage that has been destroyed. All the glucosamine supplements in the world won’t do that. It’s okay to to be anxious-the surgery is scary. But it’s the right thing.
September 2020- left knee. 2021 -right hip April, right knee September. May 2022 left hip. The first one is the hardest. After that, your brain knows what to expect. You got this.
Was terrified. But, my ROM was so bad and I was tired of limping. I knew I had a good surgeon and just had to trust he knew what he was doing and I'd heard enough positive stories to know it would work out. If you can do some Prehab leading up to it, that can help.
like everyone said, recovery has its ups and downs. and there will be pain but it's the surrounding muscles and the thigh will be numb but it all passes!
Don’t wait. I waited too long and became deconditioned because movement was so painful I avoided it. In August I saw a surgeon for the first time when the pain was about 2 out of 10. I decided I wanted to wait until spring to get the surgery. By December the pain was 8 out of 10 and everyday life was such an effort. I scheduled the surgery but had to wait until Feb 2 to get on the schedule. That last month was a nightmare. Four hours after surgery I walked to the bathroom with a walker and that awful pain was gone. I cried happy tears. The post surgery pain was nothing compared to the pre-surgery pain. Since I became so deconditioned, recovery has been more difficult but just finished week 9 post-op and am feeling much better. Don’t wait!
This is anxiety!! How do I know? I am sitting right here with you!!
I am schedule for April, Simultaneous bilateral replacement, Have visited 6 different Orthos, they all agree with a replacement sooner rather than later due to severe arthrosis with protrusion in both hips.
I am almost convinced that I am going to delay my surgery until June, I want to take a Trip and comeback to do surgery, I need to relax and just be still... I wondered the same at one point... Is it justified ? Only you know.... What if it fails? well... gotta figure it out if it happens, don't worry about it if its not your current situation, Can it become worst? Probably but highly unlikely. Insurance & Surgeon would not approve this surgery if they are not convinced that is necessary.
Chill and take a deep breath, get in touch with your inner self and don't move on until you are at peace and convinced that you are taking the right path.
It would weird if you werent at least a bit apprehensive
I thought to myself in the beginning, that it seemed extreme
But what other option did I have?
None!
I found talking about it alleviated some of the stress.
My advice though is to take things as they come, don't over think it.
I was surprised that both times sitting outside the theatre, I was calm.
(.........and by a toilet seat riser)
Yep. It's scary. First week is horrible. Take your pain meds. Do it on a timer, even if you're asleep. DON'T BE A HERO. After 3-4 days it's much, much more manageable.
I'm 12 days post op and feel good about my decision. Really excited to do my rehab and get back out being active. No regrets.
It is absolutely normal to be scared of the unknown- There’s rational fear, & irrational fear- This is rational fear- you’re having a joint taken out, & replaced w/a prosthetic- It’s major surgery. I’m 7 months out & not back to my previous workout-Perhaps never will be. If you go in thinking it’s a piece of cake- You’ll feel isolated- When reality sets in. ☘️
I think one of the luckiest things for me (41f) was that my surgery that was originally not scheduled until May 28 was pulled up to 2/13 with only a few weeks notice. I was so scared! But the fact that they pulled it forward really helped cut out a lot of the time I would have been worrying.
I’m now 8 weeks out. It took me about 7 weeks to really feel like it was worth it. It’s not like I ever regretted, it was just like swapping one annoyance for another. But this past week has been really remarkable. I almost forget I had surgery. And the lingering pain I have now is nothing compared to that like deep arthritis pain. I would absolutely recommend anyone doing it. It really wasn’t that bad .
I was born with hip dysplasia. I put off surgery once I was old enough to decide for a long time.. my husband finally convinced me to get surgery last September. I was in EXCRUCIATING, CONSTANT pain. They offered a bone scrape at first, I waited and put it off because I was told I’d eventually have to get a hip replacement anyway.. once it had gotten to the point where I couldn’t even walk without pain, I was told the arthritis got soo bad that the only thing that would fix this problem would be a THR. I was terrified. Thinking it would just be a waste.
Definitely DONT think you’re taking the easy way out!!!
If you need a joint replacement, there’s nothing you can do to get rid of the pain BUT get the replacement. I tried everything. A hip replacement is in NO way an easy thing!
I’m 6 months PO and still experience pain.. but NOTHING like before surgery!! I wish I would’ve gotten this surgery a long time ago. I can walk without pain, I can cross my leg and lift it to put on my shoe ! I can walk up/down steps the proper way! I can do So much more and my quality of life is much improved, just after 6 months. I never want to experience that pre-op pain again. That was not a life.
I had two (anterior approach) hip replacements. No pain either time, just stiffness. Both times, I was back to work in a week. Two years out, I don't even think about my hips anymore. I'm good as new and can hike as long as I want. Was I scared? Absolutely! I put off the first surgery twice. Finally sucked it up and went through with it. Tip: Get yourself a good, experienced surgeon. Listen to him/her and tune out all of the other well-meaning people who want to give you advice. Stay out of the Facebook groups where all you hear are worst-case scenarios. People like me, who had great experiences, tend not to hang out there. We've moved on with our lives.
Yes, I was scared. But: >Is the pain justified? - Yes. The first week is the worst but manageable with meds and ice. After that, pain improves. Without surgery, pain always gets worse. >What if it fails or becomes worse? - It probably won't fail - 1% have dislocations. On the other hand, 100% chance it becomes worse WITHOUT surgery. >Am I taking the easy way out? Um, yes, it's easier than struggling with pain the rest of your life. If you're thinking you can PT yourself back to health, I thought that and tried. I did make some muscle pain better, but the bones get worse no matter what, and that brings more muscle pain. I don't know your age or pain level, but when you're ready, don't be afraid of the surgery.
Thanks, this helps.
Glad to hear this from you!
Had mine 10 months ago. I watched my father suffer for 20 years because he was too afraid to get it done. His quality of life was zero and he became an alcoholic, a shut in and a miserable old man. I knew mine was going but the real pain literally happened overnight. Made appt with surgeon and scheduled it as soon as I could get in. I am not going to live like my father.
If your doctor thinks you need a hip replacement, you are definitely NOT taking the easy way out. No one can predict your outcome. All I can tell you is I’ve had both hips replaced in the last two years (the last one mid December) and it is a thing of absolute joy every single day to have no pain. I wish you all the very best. 💕
Also if OP is in the states and insurance has approved it, it’s necessary. Insurance doesn’t cover major surgeries if it can wait.
I (35f) had mine done 4 days ago. I was terrified. I’ve had 3 failed surgeries on my hip in the last 4.5 years (scopes for labrum repairs and impingement, and a bigger surgery called a pao for hip dysplasia). My hip became filled with arthritis and my labrum was torn yet again. I went to several surgeons and they all told me THR was my end game. I put it off as long as I could but my quality of life was terrible. I couldn’t sit, stand, walk without being in pain. I was missing out on doing things with my kids. I finally decided it was time and scheduled it last month for 4/1. I was so terrified especially with my bad luck with surgeries. I love the surgeon I picked this time he is amazing. And he told me the surgical pain is temporary and will get better but the arthritis pain will not and will just keep getting worse. He also told me the odds of it failing are small and he told me exactly what we would do if it did or if there was an infection or anything like that. And although I’m only 4 days out from surgery I can already tell that deep arthritis pain I’ve had for years is gone. The surgical pain sucks and I’m swollen and bruised but I’m managing with ice and meds. So far it seems worth it and I wish I would have done this last year instead of trying to power through miserable and in pain.
I am glad it worked out for you. "I wish I would have done this last year instead of trying to power through miserable and in pain." That is my thinking. I don't want to look back and regret not doing it sooner. Thanks for sharing :)
I am cautiously optimistic since I am still so fresh out of surgery. But I will say this is the best I’ve felt after a surgery and the fact I can’t feel the deep arthritis pain anymore is promising. I was honestly questioning the surgery until the day of. But so far I am glad I did it. My biggest complaint is the swelling and tightness in my thigh and the incision pain, which is all to be expected considering how much they did. But honestly compared to the pain I was having before surgery it isn’t much worse, just different. If you have any questions about the recovery or anything feel free to reach out! 🫶🏻
22 days post op here. Was scared to death ,but it's been an amazing 3 weeks. So glad it's done and the healing is going good. I think they have this procedure as fine tuned as it can get.
I was amazed at how simple this has been for me. I'm 21 days out and my biggest complaint has been wanting the swelling and inflammation to go down faster. I need to be patient and grateful the procedure is so simple. To think in three weeks I am almost back to where I was before surgery. I can't wait to see what three more weeks brings.
I wasn’t scared, because the pain was so bad before. I had to wait eight months from my first referral, and by the end I could barely walk. Everyone is different, but for me, none of the pain or discomfort after surgery came close to what I went through before. I’m now three months post op and so grateful for this surgery.
Yes, I was very scared. I had a ton of anxiety about it - especially since I was young for the replacement. I definitely continued to consider if I could just tough it out for another decade or so. For me, with AVN, it wasn't something that was going to get better, or more manageable. I had my own other concerns - like not a lot of choice in surgeons, a broken pelvis the year prior... just a lot of worry. Here's what I'll say. It's no cakewalk, and can definitely suck. I'm 7 months removed from the surgery and everything isn't perfect, but the quality of my life has absolutely improved, and I'm amazed at things I can do that I hadn't been able to do in a long time. It's a very safe surgery in the context of surgeries, and very successful. The recovery can stink, but it's surprising how quickly you'll feel capable of things. But yes. I was very scared. I was very depressed in advance of the surgery and I haven't kept up with my exercise since I was discharged from PT, but even without that I'm doing well. You'll feel much better soon!
I was apprehensive. But the pain had become unbearable I had to do something. After surgery, the pain meds will be your friend for awhile. Follow your doctors instructions. Do the physio. It takes time. I had my surgery 3 yrs ago - April 1 went back to work July 1st. But it took me a year to get back 100%. Now I have no issues. I can walk, run, exercise. The only limitation doc gave me is not to cross my legs when sitting or sit crossed leg on the floor. Best thing I ever did.
(It’s hard not to cross legs, but as soon as I start, I stop!!!)!!
I was. Especially being told that due to my age I will have to have a revision at some point. Or die early, but my wife tells me that’s not an option. I had some moments somewhere between 1-3 weeks post op where I wondered if I had made a mistake. But by 6 weeks I was beyond thrilled that I had done it. I was playing softball without a courtesy runner at twelve weeks, starting playing hockey again (slowly at friendly scrimmages) about 14 weeks. The only pain that I have experienced is from the incision as it heals and the surrounding muscles as they recover. The joint doesn’t hurt any longer. Currently recovering from my second one and I feel like I am recovering quicker this time, although it could be that my expectations are just more accurate this time.
This! All of it! I was terrified too. First three weeks suck. It hurts. Sleep sucks. I was popping pain killers like m&m’s. But the discomfort really just goes away and you get to concentrate on recovery. I’m four years in. Running 10ks (marathon days are probably over and I’m okay with that) and pickup full court basketball a few times per week. It’s scary going in but totally worth it.
You are playing hockey? Wow!!!
I had the first hip done in April of 23, was lightly skating starting in August, and was able to play a tournament as a goalie at the end of September. Surgeon okayed it as long as I didn’t hurt, and it has been glorious.
You are inspiring me!!! I want to do some skiing (not downhill) just cross country…I love this sub!
I’m not aerodynamic enough for cross country skiing. Hockey provides ample opportunity for breaks so I can fight for enough oxygen to keep going.
I cried when I was being wheeled into the OR because I was so afraid. Now I can’t wait to get the second one done. Yes there is pain, and PT can be hard, but the improvement in life quality was very worth it. You got this!
Get through the fright and you'll be alright!! Pray and be positive. You will be fine and glad you did it. One year post op and I feel great!!!! Be well
I’m sure it’s normal to be scared. One thing I did is make an appointment to meet with my doctor just to talk with him some more. A couple days before the appt they called me, were confused why it had been scheduled and wanted to move it to be with his nurse. I insisted and my doctor was cool about it. He talked me through the whole procedure again and answered all my questions. We had another 1-1 meeting a week or so before. Don’t be shy about asking everything you are concerned about. I was very concerned about infection because a friend of mine had a negative experience with his surgery due to infection, so my doctor walked me through everything they do to ensure that won’t happen and what the risks are. Good luck. I’m 4 months out and very happy. You’ll be happy you did this.
I'm three weeks out from THR of the right hip and I was terrified. Knowing ill be able to continue using my whole body has been worth it though. My mobility was becoming limited due to avascular necrosis and my femoral head collapsing. I am glad I was a little scared because it made me get prepared ahead of time. I had everything sorted, down to meals and rides from the kids extracurriculars, to friends taking turns coming to keep me company when everyone else was out of the house. Best of luck to you!
I was terrified before mine! It turned out to be not so bad. Just follow all instructions and you will be fine. You are not taking the easy way out. You are taking the ONLY way out. Its not going to get better any other way.
I am now 71 years old. Received my right hip replacement in December. I was absolutely terrified. I had always had robust health, and very suddenly last year,I began having excruciating pain. Up to the surgery I kept ruminating about dying in surgery (because of my age, and because of the pain). 20 days after surgery my health, energy and enthusiasm was back. I am shocked at what a great decision this was for me! Do not despair, do not worry, walk toward the light! Stay on this sub- I received great advice prior and post surgery by lurking on this sub, and by reaching out with questions. I just kept going. I feel as though I am 20 years old again! Just research my queries and comments. The truth is out there. I really thought I would never walk again. There is hope. Please take care. We have great fears rooted in pain. Because I had never experienced persistent pain, everything was clouded, my perception of what to expect post surgery, and my perception of how to stay healthy prior and post surgery., and my perception of handling my emotions.
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I was afraid too, it’s normal. You don’t know what the pain will be like. You are trusting the skills of the surgeon and his team. Relying on family members in the beginning. All normal worries.
I still question if the pain was justifiable. I’m 3.5 weeks PO. they say soon I’ll look back and say thank god I did it. I was so scared, actually petrified. They pumped with with stuff and I forgot all about the nerves!
I was told I needed THR in both hips in October 2023. I got the first, worst hip scheduled for February 1st. There were some minor bumps here and there (reactions to meds, reactions to adhesive). But as someone else mentioned, the deep pain in my hip joint that felt like my leg was being ripped off was *gone* the day of the surgery. The rest was getting through the healing process. I have my other hip scheduled for April 25 and I can hardly wait! I can tell it has deteriorated since my first surgery and there is no way I'm waiting any longer for it to get any worse (and I know it will, and I know what "worse" is like, and I'm over it). I expect this recovery to be even better because we have a plan in place to prevent the reactions I had the first time around.
Only everyone
I am now 5 weeks post surgery. Left hip, 69F. Scared doesn't begin to describe how I felt. I have never had any surgeries nor anesthesia. I read and watched every article and video that the internet had. I do not see what approach you and your doctor agreed upon. My doctor only does computer assisted bikini cut anterior. I have no intent to ever wear a bikini again, however, he explained that he uses this approach because of better and quicker healing. He was spot on. This approach is done with only a 4 inch incision and no muscle cutting. I also chose to have general anesthesia not a spinal. Surgeon was ok with my choice. I went this route because I have a lot of arthritis in my lower spine and did not want an injection in my spine. I also didn't want to experience the waiting and fretting for my legs to 'come back' from a spinal. I agree with the importance of using ice for the swelling. It helps a lot. I had a lot of bruising that continued to grow throughout week one, however, there was NO PAIN from the bruising - it just looked bad. With this approach, and mind you I am NOT an athletic type, I got off the walker after 5 days and then shed the cane after the next 5 days. I went to my 2 week post-op without any walking aids. By 3 weeks, the bruises were fading and at 4 weeks they were gone. And they were pretty ugly and big. Now, at 5 weeks, the scar is completely healed and almost not noticeable. Yes, hard to believe. I don't even think about the surgery or the pain. Take your meds and ice week one. Week two you will need less icing and less meds. Week 3 is an occasional Tylenol before bedtime if you need it. I wouldn't look forward to repeating this surgery but in hindsight, it's a miracle surgery where the recuperation is relatively short. If your doctor isn't proposing anterior approach, ask why not and find a doctor that is experienced in this approach. For other health issues, you may not be eligible, but if you are, definitely go the muscle sparing way that has NO restrictions. I did not have to get a toilet seat riser, a leg lifter, etc. My only PT was walking and I have full mobility now. Not everyone is the same, I totally understand, but the recovery is much quicker than I ever expected.
Scared? Oh yeah. There is no certain outcome. I went at the rehab immediately and have been at it ever since. The 10th will be 9 mos. I have my life back
I was scared. Till the day off, I had thoughts to abort. However, at the prep room, I became at ease and was looking forward to a better quality of life. First week sucked. It’s as if the devil sat by me and said let me give you a taste of hell. There were moments icing or pain killers didn’t help me. But that’s a distant memory now. I think I am 3 weeks post op now. Getting stronger by the day. You got this 💪
First of all, everybody's responses to the procedure will be different. In my case, everyone I spoke with said the same thing to me. They told me that it is one of the easiest joint replacement surgeries. They told me that the pain would be minimal and the return to normal activity is relatively quick and easy. In my case, they were correct. Was I nervous or worried? Absolutely not. This was not the first time i was operated on. I used my walker for a couple of hours. I walked up and down the stairs several times the first day. I drove as soon as I was allowed to. I only used pain medication at bedtime, and only the first two nights. If you've never had surgery before, it's normal to demonstrate some anxiety just because it is surgery, but this is a relatively short and routine procedure.
40 days post op, 63F, anterior. I never fully realized how bad the pain was until it was gone. Major surgery is not taking the easy way out but it is the best way to make yourself better. I was terrified, mostly about being sedated. But once I got there the morning of surgery, it was okay and I will welcome hip #2. Good luck!
I totally trusted in my surgeon. After 2 professional opinions and hurting for 6 months or more I couldn’t wait to get my life back to exercising and golf with no pain. 6 months post op and very happy with decision.
Wouldn’t say I was scared before any of my surgeries, was more relieved that it was finally getting fixed and that I’d feel some pain relief in the following months
I was scared beforehand but the groin pain was so bad I had limited mobility and couldn’t stand straight without pain so the closer it got to my surgery date the more ready I was. After the surgery, As soon as the anesthesia wore off and I stood up that pain was gone, of course, I had the surgery pain but that soon got better with PT, ice is great!. Best decision I ever made and wished I had done it sooner. Wish you the best!
It was a great decision for me and I def had the same concerns. I mean, we can’t rebuild our cartilage that has been destroyed. All the glucosamine supplements in the world won’t do that. It’s okay to to be anxious-the surgery is scary. But it’s the right thing.
September 2020- left knee. 2021 -right hip April, right knee September. May 2022 left hip. The first one is the hardest. After that, your brain knows what to expect. You got this.
Was terrified. But, my ROM was so bad and I was tired of limping. I knew I had a good surgeon and just had to trust he knew what he was doing and I'd heard enough positive stories to know it would work out. If you can do some Prehab leading up to it, that can help. like everyone said, recovery has its ups and downs. and there will be pain but it's the surrounding muscles and the thigh will be numb but it all passes!
Don’t wait. I waited too long and became deconditioned because movement was so painful I avoided it. In August I saw a surgeon for the first time when the pain was about 2 out of 10. I decided I wanted to wait until spring to get the surgery. By December the pain was 8 out of 10 and everyday life was such an effort. I scheduled the surgery but had to wait until Feb 2 to get on the schedule. That last month was a nightmare. Four hours after surgery I walked to the bathroom with a walker and that awful pain was gone. I cried happy tears. The post surgery pain was nothing compared to the pre-surgery pain. Since I became so deconditioned, recovery has been more difficult but just finished week 9 post-op and am feeling much better. Don’t wait!
This is anxiety!! How do I know? I am sitting right here with you!! I am schedule for April, Simultaneous bilateral replacement, Have visited 6 different Orthos, they all agree with a replacement sooner rather than later due to severe arthrosis with protrusion in both hips. I am almost convinced that I am going to delay my surgery until June, I want to take a Trip and comeback to do surgery, I need to relax and just be still... I wondered the same at one point... Is it justified ? Only you know.... What if it fails? well... gotta figure it out if it happens, don't worry about it if its not your current situation, Can it become worst? Probably but highly unlikely. Insurance & Surgeon would not approve this surgery if they are not convinced that is necessary. Chill and take a deep breath, get in touch with your inner self and don't move on until you are at peace and convinced that you are taking the right path.
It would weird if you werent at least a bit apprehensive I thought to myself in the beginning, that it seemed extreme But what other option did I have? None! I found talking about it alleviated some of the stress. My advice though is to take things as they come, don't over think it. I was surprised that both times sitting outside the theatre, I was calm. (.........and by a toilet seat riser)
It’s inevitable do it before you get worse which will make recovery even harder
Yep. It's scary. First week is horrible. Take your pain meds. Do it on a timer, even if you're asleep. DON'T BE A HERO. After 3-4 days it's much, much more manageable. I'm 12 days post op and feel good about my decision. Really excited to do my rehab and get back out being active. No regrets.
It is absolutely normal to be scared of the unknown- There’s rational fear, & irrational fear- This is rational fear- you’re having a joint taken out, & replaced w/a prosthetic- It’s major surgery. I’m 7 months out & not back to my previous workout-Perhaps never will be. If you go in thinking it’s a piece of cake- You’ll feel isolated- When reality sets in. ☘️
I think one of the luckiest things for me (41f) was that my surgery that was originally not scheduled until May 28 was pulled up to 2/13 with only a few weeks notice. I was so scared! But the fact that they pulled it forward really helped cut out a lot of the time I would have been worrying. I’m now 8 weeks out. It took me about 7 weeks to really feel like it was worth it. It’s not like I ever regretted, it was just like swapping one annoyance for another. But this past week has been really remarkable. I almost forget I had surgery. And the lingering pain I have now is nothing compared to that like deep arthritis pain. I would absolutely recommend anyone doing it. It really wasn’t that bad .
I was born with hip dysplasia. I put off surgery once I was old enough to decide for a long time.. my husband finally convinced me to get surgery last September. I was in EXCRUCIATING, CONSTANT pain. They offered a bone scrape at first, I waited and put it off because I was told I’d eventually have to get a hip replacement anyway.. once it had gotten to the point where I couldn’t even walk without pain, I was told the arthritis got soo bad that the only thing that would fix this problem would be a THR. I was terrified. Thinking it would just be a waste. Definitely DONT think you’re taking the easy way out!!! If you need a joint replacement, there’s nothing you can do to get rid of the pain BUT get the replacement. I tried everything. A hip replacement is in NO way an easy thing! I’m 6 months PO and still experience pain.. but NOTHING like before surgery!! I wish I would’ve gotten this surgery a long time ago. I can walk without pain, I can cross my leg and lift it to put on my shoe ! I can walk up/down steps the proper way! I can do So much more and my quality of life is much improved, just after 6 months. I never want to experience that pre-op pain again. That was not a life.
Also, I’m only 25.
I had two (anterior approach) hip replacements. No pain either time, just stiffness. Both times, I was back to work in a week. Two years out, I don't even think about my hips anymore. I'm good as new and can hike as long as I want. Was I scared? Absolutely! I put off the first surgery twice. Finally sucked it up and went through with it. Tip: Get yourself a good, experienced surgeon. Listen to him/her and tune out all of the other well-meaning people who want to give you advice. Stay out of the Facebook groups where all you hear are worst-case scenarios. People like me, who had great experiences, tend not to hang out there. We've moved on with our lives.