Who was really scared to have surgery ...

[shubhasgirl]

Who was really scared to have surgery - but was relieved to have gone through with it? In my reasoning mind I believe that, as long as I ask questions and choose a surgeon with a good amount of experience, the surgery will be very sucessful. But whenever I think about it I become very anxious and just want to put it off.

[23109VC]

Probably most of us were scared to some degree....I know I was!  I found quite a few people on this site who were very helpful, and took time to explain what they went through....which helped me prepare.

I was nervous and worried.  Nowmthat I'm through it, I think imworried more,than I should have. Do your homework, research the doctors, the procedure.......and make sure that you are ready to do it.  Once you know it's time to do it, it gets easier to deslvwith it.

I was thinking id be freaking out inpreop, but wasn't.  I knew what I had to do,and a big part of me wanted the surgery....i was just nervous about it. 

It's normal to worry, have questions, and anxiety.  But in the end, if your pain is and enough, it will worth it.  You will know when its time to fix your hip!

[Lori Cee]

I started off that way and have put off surgery for years.  I hadn't actually spoken to a surgeon though and kept the idea of replacement as something that I would just have to do 'down the track'.  In January of this year, I finally went and met one that my rheumatologist recommended and for the first time following this meeting, I actually was seriously considering it.   I was re-assured by the surgeon and a lot of questions were answered which actually helped a lot in coming to the decision to have it done.  I am booked in for a bilateral birmingham mid head resections on the 8 April and haven't had any freak out moments yet - maybe I will the day before - as my team of health professionals is working hard with me now to prepare me physically and mentally for the whole process. (Mostly physios who I have been working with for some time - if they hadn't of been supportive, I wouldn't have considered it).  I'm not sure how it worked out for other people, but it seems for me that when the time is right you'll know -  for me, the timing is right, my attitude is right and I am positive that it will be a success and doing everything possible to put me in the best type of recovery. I am looking forward to being able to actually being physically able to do some of the rehab exercises as with my current range of movement in my hips, I can't do them now.  That side of things is a little overwhelming now, wondering what it might be like to do some of the things that I don't remember ever being able to do

Good luck with whatever you decide - it needs to be right for you

[chris finn]

Who was really scared to have surgery - but was relieved to have gone through with it? In my reasoning mind I believe that, as long as I ask questions and choose a surgeon with a good amount of experience, the surgery will be very sucessful. But whenever I think about it I become very anxious and just want to put it off.

Thats exactly how I felt. I just wanted all the pain to end, but then the thought of "having metal put into my body" just felt weird. It took nearly a year of debate with myself before  I gave in and realised that I had to do something. Also I`d had my appendix removed at my local hospital about 6 years ago, and the whole hospital experience was terrible. Their baby unit is superb,but the rest of the hospital is awful.....and the surgeons/consultants that I have met there are rude,arrogant and clueless. ( I went there first regarding my hip...and ended up walking out...and telling the consultant what he could do with his full hip replacement  )

In the end the pain won and I went to Addenbrooke`s. A totally different experience (apart from the hospital food which is YUK!!!  ...but then all NHS food is horrible  )


So do ask questions..and find a surgeon that you like and trust....it will be worth it in the end

[DakotaDocMartin]

I had a previous experience with a surgery in 2008 that didn't go very well at all.  So, I was very anxious about the BHR surgery going well.  One meeting with Dr. David Palmer and 90% of that went away.  I still had the "normal" amount of pre-surgical anxiety that everyone has however.

But, in the end... it all went so smoothly and recovery has gone so well that I don't know why I was worried at all.  I guess it's the fear of the unknown that everyone goes through. 

[obxpelican]

Unless you have had the hip surgery you will be scared, now that I've been through it and I know it's no big deal I would not worry in the least.  My left hip is starting to give me twinges and I know in a couple of years I will need the other done.

And you are correct, if you do not pick an experienced surgeon you should be worried.  I now would NEVER have a surgeon with < 500 work on me, just too many things can go wrong.

Chuck

Who was really scared to have surgery - but was relieved to have gone through with it? In my reasoning mind I believe that, as long as I ask questions and choose a surgeon with a good amount of experience, the surgery will be very sucessful. But whenever I think about it I become very anxious and just want to put it off.

[jjmclain]

I was so ready to have the surgery and excited about the prospect of being able to run again, that I was not that anxious. I wanted my life back! The little anxiety I had was not knowing if I could end up with a THR...that is always an outside possibility. Luckily I ended up with a BHR and am so pleased!

[Lopsided]

No I was not worried about the surgery either. I even had a good night's sleep the night before. Don't know why, I am not particularly brave.

Unless you have had the hip surgery you will be scared

Sorry Chuck I do not agree. There is no reason to be scared. You choose a good device, you choose a good surgeon, you commit to it and have the opportunity to get better.

D.

[obxpelican]

Actually my comment was based on most people's experience, it's natural to fear the unknown and if you've never been put in that position and never had the operation it's quite normal to fear, read some of the other patients who posted recently.  We told them over and over not to worry and yet they did, of course post-op they laughed and agreed that it was no big deal.

That's all I was inferring, if it was taken wrong I apologize.


Chuck

No I was not worried about the surgery either. I even had a good night's sleep the night before. Don't know why, I am not particularly brave.

Unless you have had the hip surgery you will be scared

Sorry Chuck I do not agree. There is no reason to be scared. You choose a good device, you choose a good surgeon, you commit to it and have the opportunity to get better.

D.

[Lopsided]

Chuck, you do not have to apologize.

I do want everyone who has not had resurfacing yet to look forward to it and enjoy it.

D.

[jodieshane]

I had a bi-lat by Dr.Gross in feb. I researched til I was blue in the face and I was still nervous. But once I got to the hospital (Providence in Columbia, S.C.) my fears began to subside. The hospital and staff had good energy which was kinda weird for a hospital.
Another concern was the "spinal" before the (first) surgery, but whatever coctail or, happy juice they gave me before that, it did its job! I had no memory of either surgery. It was like - "Lights out, lights on!" That quick! Very strange.
The bi-lat's have been tough, but each day gets better. I am so glad I did it!

Shane in Arizona

 

[John C]

I think that I fit your question pretty well. Yes, I was very nervous, and considering that I have been known as an "extreme sports" kind of guy (parachuting, hang-gliding, downhill racing, cliff jumping on skis, 30'+ big wave surfing, etc), it was surprising how much this one had me scared. In fact I canceled my first surgery appointment, even though I had been in pain and limping for 10 years. It was not until a failed alternative treatment left me on crutches and a cane full time, that I finally went through with it. It did make it easier that I settled on a surgeon that I really trusted, even though it meant 9 hours of flight time to get there from Hawaii. As someone else here mentioned, the staff at the hospital that Dr. Gross uses are fantastic, and as soon as I was in their caring hands, I started feeling better.
Just as you asked, the moment that I woke up in recovery, got the report that the surgery had gone perfectly, and felt that the long standing arthritis pain was gone, I felt relieved and confident that I had done the right thing.
As others have said, I think that the key is choosing the surgeon that gives you absolute confidence; not the one that is most convenient, but the one that you truly believe is the absolute best one for you.
One thing that my surgeon said to me: There are no guarantees in life. In this case, you just have to look at the per-centages offered by your surgeon, and decide when the risk to reward balance is justified for you. I am certainly glad that I finally did it.

[lkallok]

I was scared to death! With my RBHR on 2-25-08 I had sciatic nerve damage and foot drop. The hip is great but what a struggle I had with pain and limitations for a while. That's all resolved now and even through all that I would have done the same over and did do it again with a LBHR on 2-28-11!!! My left hip was so bad that if I had waited 2 more months I probably would have had to have a total hip. I am 52 years young and extremely active. I live to exercise and teach karate. I guess my fear of inactivity overcame my fear of the surgery. Now I feel like I have a second chance to live my life the way I want to - hiking, camping, dancing, kicking and sweating!!!

We only have one life to live, don't let fear hold you back from living it to the fullest!

[einreb]

I would say that I had more anxiety than fear and went so far as to cancel surgery last august.  I was aware that this was something that I was going to have to figure out and spent some time talking to a shrink.  It was very helpful. 

I completely underestimated the mental aspect of the decision process.  I saw it as a physical problem that I needed to have fixed, but in the end... I got a some good coaching on the mental side to help with the decision and following through with it.

[bothdone]

On both occasions I don't remember feeling scared.  It was something I had decided I had to have done and being scared wasn't going to help things in any way.  On way to my second oop, I can remember being on the trolley waiting for the anasthetic whilst the surgical team bustled around chatting about their way into work and this and that.  I can remember being strangely relaxed.

As previously posted I was "interested" to be on the other side of the op to find out whether I'd go a BHR or not (I had) - closely followed by whether my legs were both the same length.     (they were)

I suppose it affects people in different ways but, for me, it was something I really wanted to have done and was ready for the ops.

Best wishes to anyone thinking about having the op or actually getting ready for it.

Ed

[newdog]

If I thought about what was to happen to me, I got a little scared. I never got really terrified or anything like that. I worried that the day before or the day of surgery I would totally "freak out" especially when being wheeled into the OR. In other words I was afraid I would be afraid. (Gee, where have we all heard that before?)

It turned out that none of this imagined fear ever happened to me. I was a little anxious I guess and wanted to get on and get it over with the day of surgery, but the hospital personnel, nurses, Doctor, etc. made me feel very calm. What you imagine and the way it will really be are completely different.

Don't put it off. Every person on this site who was really scared will tell you they would do it again if they had to and the surgery is no big deal. I had both done the same week and after I went through the first one, I didn't even think about the coming second one.

I'm 9 weeks post op this week and am I glad I had it done! Best wishes and keep us posted. Don't be afraid to bring this subject up again, that's what this site is for. Look at all the replies already!

Steve (newdog)

[newdog]

Shane,
Good to hear from you!! I guess I could say "Been there, done that". Yes, I agree, each day does get better. The "happy juice", cocktail or whatever it is before surgery is amazing the way it works. After that stuff, you just don't care what they do!!

Steve (newdog)

[shubhasgirl]

I'm so grateful to all of you for your comments. If anyone else has experiences they'd like to share, please keep them coming!

[Tin Soldier]

Here's another one, (being on the west coast of the US, I'm always coming in late) .

I was totally freaked out.  I researched my problem for about a year and really got into the HR piece of it about 4 months prior to surgery.  I spent a lot of time here researching and posting.  I think what made my finally decide was all the positive info folks provided here.  Regardless, though, once I scheduled surgery I got really anxious.  For about 2 weeks prior to surgery I drank a few more beers than I should have each night.  It was almost like alcohol could eat up the anxiety.  Actually that's an obvious reaction and the kind that could easilly drive one to drink too much.  Not good.  Anyway, I didn't heed the advice of my comrades here and should have gotten more exercise and better diet.

Part of the anxiety was due to me not being sure I needed this quite yet, another was the worry that something would go wrong with the procedure, another was the implant in my body, another was worrying about changes in my architecture, another was,......you get the picture.  That's what anxiety does to you. 

I recommend doing your research as everyone says here, then when you have a particularly bad day you take note and realize that it could be better.  Schedule surgery and keep reminding yourself that you are tired of pain and other problems, and then have confidence in your decision and then try not to think about it.     

I have an entry in my blog about my anxiety.  It was by far the worst part of this whole experience. 

http://onehipdude.blogspot.com/

Good luck Shubgirl and don't worry

[hipnhop]

@Tin Soldier - Your cane is wicked. Checked out your blog. 

@ shub: I am also scared. Not so much about the procedure but because I am using these yahoos at Kaiser to do the surgery. I am gunshy after they misdiagnosed me after a Cortisone shot, searched for an infection for three months to no avail, and then wanted a surgeon with no HR experience to do my surgery. All the time I am in extreme pain and can't walk without crutches. I went from a day of training for an Ironamna to the next day of being bed ridden in incredible pain. It has been alost six months and they are just getting around to surgery.

I paid for a second opinion with Dr. Mont (over 2000 Hr and $467) and he diagnosed it by just looking at an xray - The cortisone caused synovitis (rare) which resulted in high SED blood rates and advanced AVN. Who would of thought all of that from a Cortisone shot? I would prefer to use Dr. Mont but Kaiser doesn't allow me to go out of network and I am almost broke from being unable to work for 3 months after the shot.

I finally got Kasier to agree to allow Dr Thomas of Rankin Orthopedics in DC to assit the Kaiser surgeon. I am not comfotrtale with this but I have no other options. Dr Thomas has trained under Dr Mont and has done over 200 HRs so I guess it's the best I am going to get. Plus, he is basically donating his time. He has been great with my stepson and empathizes with my situation.  I am lucky this man has stepped in to help me in my situation.  He even got Kaiser to allow their surgeon to do the procedure at his hospital. He feels that it will be a better outcome if he uses his team who is familiar with the HR surgery procedure, Kaiser team is just familiar with THRs.

I am hoping for the best but scared out of my wits. Surgery is in two days.

Here's what I learned: get the best Health Insurance you can - something with options for out of network options.  I can't recommend Kaiser Mid Atlantic to any person in need of HR at all.