Right anterior THR: 6 months out
Hi all, I learned so much from this community pre-op (thank you!!) and promised I'd come back to share lessons learned from my own experience. I'm female, was in my late 50's when this was scheduled, in pretty good shape with zero prior surgery experience. I'd been in pain for about three years, and in PT for about a year trying to avoid surgery, but I couldn’t get the all-day-every-day pain down below a 4 on that 1-10 scale. So in mid-March, surgery was scheduled for May 5th. [Edit to note: oops that was 5 months ago, not 6. I can't edit the title of this post. Sorry for the goof!]
I spent pre-surgery weeks getting my body ready (switched to prehab PT), my head ready (counseling sessions to get the fear down), and my house ready (toilet seat raisers, rugs removed, a freezer full of frozen dinners, etc.).
The surgery itself was one of the hardest things I’ve ever been through, and it was incredibly successful, and I am incredibly grateful.
My gratitude starts with having been able to choose an excellent surgeon, imo THE most important factor for anyone going into this. I was lucky to find a surgeon nearby with a hugely successful track record. If I hadn’t, I like to think I’d have been smart enough to figure out how to get to one.
I’m reluctant to describe the first few hours post-op, because I didn’t handle the anesthesia well and I think what I went through is pretty rare. But I’d recommend getting a heads up on what that could look like. It would’ve been easier on me if I wasn’t so surprised by it all.
Of the equipment I collected, my absolute favorite – would not have wanted to go through recovery without it – was a cold therapy machine with leg compressors. Insurance wouldn’t cover the rental (3 weeks for $300) and I’m hugely grateful we could swing it. If you’re going into this without those kinds of funds, consider borrowing from friends and family, having a fundraiser, finding a line of credit, etc. The machine maintains a steady temperature, and turns itself on and off so you don’t have to watch the clock, a priceless alternative to making a thousand trips to the freezer for immediately-warming ice packs (which I was still very grateful to have for weeks 4-8!).
As for pain meds, something I didn’t expect was the experience of going off the opioids. I knew that being on Tramadol for the first five post-op days was suppressing the pain and making me sleepy, but I didn’t realize how much it suppressed my ability to process things emotionally and cognitively. So when I went off of it on Day 6, there was the pain but also an unexpected wave of emotion and trauma-processing, or whatever you’d call getting a grip on what your body had just been put through. (One more note: I kept up with Tylenol, and eventually Ibuprofin too, and only took myself off of them about a month ago. Not because I’m out of pain completely, but because what’s left is very bearable without them.)
As for incision care, I followed doctor’s orders and kept the bandage on for three weeks; applied Mederma daily weeks 3- 11; and ever since have been applying an alcohol-free aloe gel a couple of times a day. I’m happy with how it’s healing.
Post-op, it was really helpful for my mindset to write down every milestone that meant something to me. On the surface, my recovery went REALLY well. Walking without a walker on Day 2, ditching the trekking poles on Day 5, driving on Day 12. And at the same time recovery was HARD. Day 11 before I woke up and didn’t immediately burst into sobs. Day 17 before I wasn’t watching the clock like a hawk, ready for next meds. Four and a half months before I was walking without having to deal with the difference in leg lengths (down from 2cm to 1cm – yay! – but still a bummer of a distraction when I’m standing still).
All of that to say: if you’re reading this because you’re staring down a total hip replacement, trust that it will go well, and trust that you will soon be in less pain than you are now.
Find a great doctor and a great physical therapist, and do everything they tell you to do.
Be really kind to yourself during the days that are harder than you want them to be.
I hope these notes are helpful! And I believe in your ability to get through this, too xx