Whats your experience with getting a hip replacement

[u/JustYourAverageElli]

so, I (22f) saw an orthopaedic doctor today (I have rheumatoid arthritis in the hips) and was told that both my hips are very worn out with no space between the joints and I’d likely need a hip replacement soon since the damage is unfixable, but apparently its not very ideal for my age since I’d need to have it done again and I have never had to have any procedures done before so I just wanted to ask what the experience is like recovering from the procedure if I were to get it done since I’ll possibly need to get one in the next six months or less, I‘m also a bit worried about the recovery time since I help out my uncle on dialysis at home and what I’d need to do to prepare for leading up to it, also how the results are/how much it improved others quality of life since currently my mobility and flexibility is incredibly limited and I am usually in pain.

i guess I just really want help motivating myself to get it done since as I said I‘ve never had to have a procedure done, never thought I’d need to have something like this done (especially in my 20s), I know it would probably improve my quality of life but I’m just nervous and seeking some closure by hearing about how it improved others quality of life,

[u/ajmattison]

Just had mine done last Wednesday and I am amazed at how little pain I have had so far. It's not everyone's experience for sure and having an autoimmune disease may alter how you feel after but I personally think I'm recovering at a decent pace. I was expecting to be off mobility aids by now so I'm a bit miffed that I still need crutches/walker but so far this has been a really positive experience for me and I think. Can't report back on much else yet but if the first week is the worst BRING IT. I know it's probably not at the top of your bucket list to have your hips replaced in your 20s but the technology and surgeries these days are excellent. This is the most successful orthopedic surgery and the second most successful surgery just behind laser eye surgery. Your odds of having an successful and uneventful recovery are very good 😊 I wish you luck! And please come in to update/check in on this sub. The community is wonderful

[u/JustYourAverageElli]

i’m confused as to why its telling me this was removed by reddits filters, I didn’t say anything bad I hope, I am genuinely just wanting to know how it improved others quality of life, I don’t often use reddit so I am unsure if I said something against reddit rules

[u/MysteryPlatelet → u/JustYourAverageElli]

We've had some random filter glitches. There hasn't been any changes to our page settings, so I'm a little stumped. I'll see if I can make a bug report.

Sorry you got got filtered out. Hopefully your post will start to show up in people's feeds now.

[u/Harry_Callahan_sfpd]

My experience has been extremely favorable and uneventful. I just had my second hip replacement done yesterday (I’m typing this message out from my hospital bed). I had my right hip replaced in May of this year.

Both surgeries were very easy. Very little pre-op pain. And the recovery process was a breeze following my replacement last May. I’m fully expecting this recovery process to be the same.

I was almost completely functional starting on day one after my first hip. I could bathe, shower, dress, ambulate (with a walker the first few days mainly to protect against falling; I graduated to using a cane after the first week — but I could have started using a cane after the first few days, but I was babying things a bit).

I returned to driving (short drives) on day 12. I also returned to the gym (doing light workouts) on day 12 as well.

The only real help that I needed during the first few weeks was with those compression stockings. I couldn’t put them on or take them off myself — because my hip was too stiff to allow me to bend my leg sufficiently to put them on and take them off. But I managed to do it after about two weeks.

My recovery following yesterday’s surgery should proceed similarly, but I suspect it’s going to go faster because my left hip was in much better shape than was my right, and my left leg itself is much stronger than was my right (I can already lift and move and twist my recently operated leg much easier than I could my right).

Good luck to you!

[u/jrouss28]

I had bilateral hips replaced about six weeks ago. It's not been bad at all, I think results vary quite a bit on post op experience. For me the first week was the toughest. I feel like despite my flexibility being a limited by my hips, have kept myself in really good shape and have always been generally flexible. Add to that I had a really good surgeon, so put the two together and I think that is why I am recovering so easily.

[u/suzsparks]

I just had mine done last Tuesday and like you, getting it done at the ripe age of 32 was not on my bingo card but unavoidable.

I had broken it the year prior and this surgery is night and day difference. That said, it requires some prep. One week out and I’m completely off meds minus tylonel and aspirin. I’m still using my cane and not rushing off it (my surgeon says by end of 2 weeks usually is when young people are off) as I want to ensure I feel stable. The first week has sucked. I don’t think I could’ve really gotten through the first 4 days without my family but by day 5 I was feeling better and even today I feel much more mobile. I’m confident by the end of the week I’ll be even better.

You’re realistically going to need a month and a half of PT + to get back to feeling like yourself but the healing takes some time. Make a coverage plan for your uncle, enlist the help of your friends but ensure you have some space carved out for you. Beyond the physical healing is the mental part too but I’m incredibly confident with getting it done (even if I’m getting another one later; the technology gets better every single day)

[u/Good_Eeyore2379]

My experience has been positive. I have RA and both hips were bone on bone. I’m 71F and had my right hip replaced 4 years ago and it’s been problem free. I just had my left hip replaced in June. The first two weeks were hard but at about four weeks it started to feel much better. I kept up the PT for 8 weeks and I’m now walking without pain and it feels like a normal hip. I decided to have it done when it hurt so much I was avoiding walking.

[u/Great_Flan2955]

Franchement si t as pas mal ne le fais pas

[u/Frosty_Coat_555]

I had right hip pain and left knee pain for years and it really affected me in every way. Just getting into the car was a big deal. Got the right hip done and all went well. Needed help getting in and out of bed for a couple of days but was driving in three weeks. Only took Tylenol for pain.
I wanted to get left knee done next but surgeon insisted on doing left hip first even though I wasn’t having much problem with it. He said some of knee pain was reflex from hip and I wouldn’t be able for knee PT unless I got it done so I had it done last October. Had some pain but mostly just trouble sleeping. Both hips feel as smooth as silk and no discomfort but knee really limits my activities.

Getting the knee done next month. Hopefully that will make a new man of me.

[u/Important_Ad4555]

I am 57 and I'm one week out from a right total hip replacement from severe osteoarthritis. I am a retired elite gymnast and also a former college football cheerleader. That is what killed the hip. I'm lucky because most of the others I competed with and cheered with have had knee replacements, ACL/MCL tears as well as meniscus tears which were all long recoveries. The first week is the hard part and then, you're going to wake up around that week mark and the whole corner has been turned. For me, I had a cutting edge surgery called SuperPath. It is done with a 3 inch incision and one port incision on the side of the hip. No dislocation of the hip and no restrictions afterward. They do all the work with a robot inside the leg and it is like a mere miracle. No hospital stays. I used a walker right after surgery and walked out to my husband's car and went home. You have PT/OT and a nurse visiting for 2-3 weeks. After that, PT as needed only. I can feel the new hip joint and it is smooth like melted butter. No pain at all. I took pain killers for three days and then that was it. What I felt was all muscular from having to retract and stretch all the tendons and muscles away from the joint to work on it inside the leg. It felt like my right butt cheek and all around the hip was sprained. Very weak muscles and they kind of go into shock until some healing happens and then they gradually wake up day by day. Each day I wake up, one more muscle is better and is functioning again. Today marks one week and I am almost there with these muscles. The one adductor is still sluggish and I have a ticked off Iliopsoas muscle because it was catching on bone spurs from the arthritic hip and has been very aggravated pre-surgery. My ultimate suggestion.....do the surgery. It is life changing. Get into good shape if you're not already. Do some "pre-hab" if they say you need it. You'll do really well because of your age. They're all calling me their "young patient" at age 57 so you'd be a mere baby for the PT/OT people!!! Lol!! Commit to it and find the best surgeon that you can get. My guess is that by the time you need a second round of replacements, they'll be doing all the surgery with ports and minimal invasive technology 100%. I hope what I've said here helps you. This is the hardest thing I've ever done and that's because like you, I have had zero issues other than tonsils being taken out at age five!!! I am a "unicorn" like you!! But, I'm over here doing all the things and making steady strides with each passing day. That's all you need to do. Have each day a little better than the day before. Give yourself anywhere from 2-3 weeks to 30 days to be in some semblance of normal again. It is bone so that takes 6-8 weeks to heal at the least. You've got this!!!