LTHR - December 1st

[AnniePutin]

Three weeks from now, on December 1st, I'll have a left total hip replacement. I'm 55 and have osteoarthritis. My orthopaedic surgeon started me on iron Friday. I go Monday to donate my first unit of blood then one week later will give another unit in case I need blood during the surgery. Just 8 short weeks ago, I had open shoulder surgery for rotator cuff repair for a retracted complete tear. I'm doing well, but it sure was no piece of cake folks. That is one rough surgery and recovery. I was going to wait a little longer for the hip replacement but our insurance at work is changing on January 1st to such an extent that the surgery would cost me about $1200 out of pocket plus all copays in addition to that, after January 1st. It will be cheaper for me before January 1st, so I'm going to skip the holiday rush this year! Going to be taking it easy instead of rushing here and there. ;-) Anyway, just thought I'd throw this out there. Maybe you have some suggestions. I have to be as nearly bacteria free as possible though due to joint replacement, so need to be careful about anything I take, but I would still like to hear any feedback or suggestions, friends! Thanks!

 

[tropicalfish]

Annie,
I hate to hear you have to have the surgery. My MIL went through the same surgery in June. She is a very heavy set person and she had a rough time.

Her hip kept popping out of place. Then last month it went out and there was no getting it back in place and she had to go through another total replacement on the same hip. She wasn't getting exercise and just sat and eat all the time. Needless to say she still has a long way to go.

She just got back out of the hospital last week because the second hip popped out. So this time they put her in a brace that wraps around her waist and down her leg. I know all of this could have been eliminated if she would have just watched her weight and got exercise. The only exercise she was getting was her therapy.

So my suggestion is be careful how much you eat while you are still recovering. I couldn't believe how much weight my MIL gained in such a short time. But, it hurt to try to walk, so she didn't. And that was only because she was so heavy and it would pop out. And, she didn't eat right along with eating too much.

While she was in the hospital after having the surgery she was not in much pain at all. Her main pain came from the hip popping out. She stayed in real good spirits and was usually laughing and watching TV (and eating) everytime we would go to see her.

I guess I should mention she was over 280 pounds and is only 5'2". Now you can see where her trouble came from.

Good luck to you. I hope everything goes well, and I'll be praying for you.

 

[AnniePutin]

Thanks, Tropicalfish! Being overweight causes huge complications with everything. I hope your MIL gets straightened out!! I'm 5'3" and could stand to lose about 20 pounds, but that's about like most folks these days. I try to not let it get ahead of me more than that, but it is very hard to get any exercise after your hip gets past a certain point (pain wise) pre-surgery, and then it takes quite a while post-op to be able to do much too, so gaining weight is something to certainly beware of!! Being off work for 8 to 10 weeks in cold weather, pretty much like a couch potato and needing comfort (so often sought in the form of comfort food) it's a dangerous situation. I sure don't want to gain anymore and would have liked to take a few pounds off prior to surgery. However, they have made a point of requesting that I eat as well as possible, working daily to build up hemoglobin right up to date of surgery. You hear lots of success stories re-hip surgery, but most folks fail to realize, there are lots of possible complications too, and not all of them are weight related. Odds are good for success, but not 100%. Thanks for responding and sharing some first hand knowledge. I want to hear and learn all I can. Especially, since I live alone, I'd like to hear tips for getting along as independently as possible. Of course I'll have folks checking on me a lot, but I like to be as independent as I can be.

 

[Herbmountain]

Annie. You poor thing. Just be strong and think positive. Do not think of what could happen...envision yourself getting around pain free soon. It sure makes a difference in recovery. Have they talked about any Physical Therapy? Might be a good idea to strengthen and build post surgery.

As for supplements? Take a good vitamin and mineral. Then add a separate B-Complex. There are supps with out iron so you do not get more than you need being that you are taking iron now.

Herbs and supps to lay off one week prior to surgery as they might be blood thinning and you do not need to have blood that is thin. Increases chances of not coagulating during surgery.

Red Clover
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
St. John's Wort
Burdock
Mints

Now to build blood red meats work well. If you do not like to eat red meat you can add it to soups and drink the broth.

Good luck dear. 15 years ago I have two major surgeries two weeks apart. Gallbladder removed then they discovered it was not my gallbladder at all but a block in the small bowel due to a congenital condition. Ouch. I carried pillows around to breath. I just hated that "after surgery cough".

 

[AnniePutin]

HerbMountain, thank you so much!! This was exactly what I wanted from one of you wonderful experts!! I'm trying to take a cold, as well, so I've got to ditch the cold or they won't do the surgery. I've ordered and received dried whole elderberries (but may not be able to make the tincture). Can I use them just as dried? Also, I got oregano oil and dried thyme and something else that was recommended here--can't think right now. Someone here at work recommended zinc. I need to ditch the cold, build my body and blood up before surgery, and rebuild everything after surgery. Any recommendations will be much appreciated! I'm a little nervous here. I expect that to build, and build in the next couple of weeks!!

 

[AnniePutin]

Oh yeah, HerbMountain, I also ordered econacea powder (sp). So that's what I've got to work with and today, I'll get the other items you mentioned above.

 

[Herbmountain]

Oregano Oil? You planning to take that internally? We were discussing Fenugreek. Is that the herb your not sure of?

Everyone here knows how I feel about taking oregano oil orally. So Im not a fan of this practice. The Essential oil is up to 700 times stronger than the plant material. And it would be real hard on your liver pre-surgery.

 

[AnniePutin]

Then I won't take the oregano oil. The thing I couldn't think of was ecanecea, which would probably be real good for the cold trying to come on. I'm also wondering if I can use the dried elderberries as they are, rather than making a tincture. If not, then I'd better get busy making the tincture. I would like to use dry if possible--in tea perhaps?? Thanks, HerbMountain!

 

[Herbmountain]

It is echinacea? Now I find it is useful with some colds but the elderberries are much better. They do have some tonic properties and are very astringent in taste. What you can do is take a cup of the dry berries. Add enough honey to liquify the berries and put on very low heat for an hour. Stirring frequently. Then smush up the berries in the honey and take one teaspoon every 4 hours.

Also do a sweating therapy. Add to a hot bath, one teaspoon ginger and one mustard. Stay in the bath until you start sweating. When You cannot stand it anymore, get out, cover up good and lay down with a warm tea for a few hours. The heat signals the immune system to rev up and sleep, sleep, sleep some more.

 

[HeliumAvid]

No worries arrine!

Dad was an orthopod, did Hundreds, maybe thousands of hip replacements (he specialized in that) I dont think I ever heard of an problems. By the way DO NOT watch a movie of this proceedure Dad showed me one of his training tapes....

Anyway prayers on the way for your SPEEDY recovery!

Helium

 

[AnniePutin]

Thanks Herbmountain and thanks Helium! Some very good tips there Herbmountain that I can use!!! Helium, I have multiple links to the operation but resolved many months ago that I would not watch it until well AFTER! ;-) I want to have a combination of a nerve block and some anesthesia, enough not to wake up but not nearly as much as a full anesthesia op. I did this for shoulder and it is the ONLY WAY TO GO, IMHO!!! I was awake, alert and looking all around in recovery and watched other poor souls being asked their name and not being able to respond, etc. It was very, very interesting!! And I felt terrific--for a few hours--and then it was like a descent into a hell of pain, but I made it!! Thanks for the encouragement Helium and Herbmountain thanks for taking the time to give me all this advice that I was hoping to find from my friends on here!!!