Hip replacement- how much support is needed in first week?

[Twoshoesnewshoes]

My DP has been offered a cancellation slot for his hip replacement surgery, six months earlier than initially planned. This is great news!
however, he has the new date now on a Monday, and I am due to be going in a mini break in Europe with a friend on the Wednesday afternoon.
My DP says he’ll be fine by then but it seems really soon and I’m inclined to cancel the trip.
anyone have any experience of the level of support he will need?
we have a house, loos upstairs and down, no one else lives with us. Good neighbours.
thanks

She didn't have to physically help me with anything really. I just needed someone there as I felt vulnerable and worried I might need to drive somewhere (I live rurally).

But I did have the superpath operation, with no restrictions.

I’m afraid he needs someone with him. You mustn’t bend, twist or turn for 6 weeks. He also can’t go home until the OT has been to your house to decide what equipment is required. I had no pain after the op and was mobile the day after but if you are on crutches you can’t cook and you can’t carry a cup of tea.

My DD28 had a hip replacement this year and was in hospital for 6 days, 3 months on she is still using a crutch, everyone's recovery is different.

OP.... as you can see from the responses, its wildly different. I think you need to say which operation approach your DH is having for us hippy-op people to advise you appropriately.

@Rocknrollstar
Where are you that an OT visit is needed before discharge? It's usually a questionnaire on what your home is like, if this was the case you'd have 100s languishing in hospital for weeks.

The other thing I'd add is that some of the post op rules are flexed if you live on your own. My surgeon said that his solo patients don't wear compression socks for the month after surgery, for example, as it's not something they can take on or off. (You have blood thinners in any case).

The criteria for going home are usually that you can navigate the stairs on crutches. That's not too difficult in fairness. The physio tried to get me to walk with no crutches in hospital and while it was too painful for me, I'm sure others manage it.

Bar the compression socks, I probably could have survived on my own for a few days if needed (my husband wasn't around for the second one so I only had the kids to help which was a distinctly mixed blessing).

The key thing is not to turn the date down, or he'll slip down the list.

Oh this is so useful as awaiting hip op as well! We are planning on 3 to 4 weeks with everything needing doing for patient Downstairs loo a godsend

I am your DPs age, and had a hip replacement in August. I needed a lot of help for the first two weeks. Same day discharge was not remotely possible for me! I couldn’t get out of bed without fainting for two days. And I’m normally fit and well; I thought I’d smash it. Reader, I did not.

And I’m normally fit and well; I thought I’d smash it. Reader, I did not.

That made me laugh. I was so nauseous for a week after the first one that second time around, I told the surgeon and anaesthetist that I had a very high pain tolerance so didn't want any morphine (or whatever they give you during surgery and immediately after). The surgeon said fair enough, the anaesthetist was very unimpressed but I persisted with telling about my extra-special ability to manage pain.

I woke up mid-argument with my surgeon about not wanting cemented hips (I have no idea why he was in the recovery room and indeed wtf I was saying to him as I don't have cemented hips). At which point I stopped mentioning my super hero pain-suppressing powers and begged for each and every painkiller on offer. (And, once again, had my head down the loo for a week despite the anti sickness medication).

Nothing like surgery to put you in your place.

Hahah @StellaOlivetti - I also fainted several
times before being able to get out of bed.
Low blood pressure sucks

Oh crikey!
he has low blood pressure too.
he is having the superpath operation, same day discharge.
im confused though as to how that will affect recovery or mobility- surely everyone has the same operation?

Ok I’ve read up on it now, though still confused!

Even if you could manage on your own I think you would appreciate a bit of pampering and just knowing there was someone there if you needed them.

Can he find somewhere that does in-patient rehab? It would be a private hospital of some kind. More intensive physiotherapy and so on a few times a day, all meals brought to you, supervised as in a hospital. Not cheap but can help with the rehab side and of course good if there's less support at home.

@Twoshoesnewshoes
Everyone can have the same surgery but no two people are the same hence varied recoveries.
I commented previously that my DD28 had a full hip done in July and is still using a crutch and having hydrotherapy, she has really struggled with recovery.

My daughter is a physio but she’s not here to be questioned!

I know her patients go home same day unless there are other issues (the fainting and similar would be an issue!).

I can’t imagine your DP wouldn’t need someone around for at least a week. Even if he’s doing well, what if something did go wrong and he was alone and couldn’t manage to get to a phone?

He’s probably trying to be stoic and a good guy, but he really will need you I think.

Yes I agree, I’ve postponed the trip.

What they find when they get in can make a difference too. It's routine but still major surgery. I had the fainting thing too, which can apparently be a side effect of a spinal anesthetic. All the mobilisation and physio is really important but at the same time the body that's doing it has just had something quite traumatic happen to it!

That's the best plan if a few days private rehab isn't an option.

I’ve had both of mine done. I didn’t really need help at home afterwards- the physios told me how to get up and down stairs/ get in and out of bed, and I had a raised loo seat and a higher chair they sent. Best thing was a wheeled trolley so I could make a meal or a cuppa and take it back to the table or my chair. I was in hospital for at least 3 days each time though (5 on the last one because I had a reaction to pain relief medication). Why are they discharging him so soon?

Its very good news that he's having a Superpath hip. Means he'll be up and about very quickly and won't need any special equipment such as raised bed or loo seats.

That’s very interesting. I always thought that Superpath simply meant early discharge (perhaps because the patient was young/fit/low risk) but a quick Google suggests it cuts less tissue and muscle, and there’s no surgical dislocation of the hip, also a much smaller incision. So that all sounds very good. Nevertheless, I am sure you would still need someone at home in the early post op period.

@sep135 I did laugh at your super hero pain suppressing powers! Yes, surgery is a great leveller.

I have had both hips done. I recovered quickly on each occasion but your DH will definitely need someone for the first few weeks. It is a major operation.