Questions to ask your doctor - before hip replacement

Questions

Is there anything that I can do before the surgery so it will be more successful for me?

Are there exercises I should do to make my muscles stronger?
Should I learn to use crutches or a walker before I have the surgery?
Do I need to lose weight before surgery?
Where can I get help quitting cigarettes or not drinking alcohol, if I need to?

How can I get my home ready before I go to the hospital?

How much help will I need when I come home? Will I be able to get out of bed?
How can I make my home safer for me?
How can I make my home so it is easier to get around and do things?
How can I make it easier for myself in the bathroom and shower?
What type of supplies will I need when I get home?
Do I need to rearrange my home?
What should I do if there are steps that go to my bedroom or bathroom?

What are the risks or complications of the surgery?

What can I do before surgery to make the risks lower?
What can I do to reduce the risk of blood clots after surgery?
For which of my medical problems (diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure) do I need to see my doctor?
Will I need a blood transfusion during or after the surgery? Are there ways of saving my own blood before the surgery so it can be used during the surgery?

What will the surgery be like?

How long will the surgery last?
What type of anesthesia will be used? Are there choices to consider?
Will I be in a lot of pain after surgery? What will be done to relieve the pain?

What will my stay in the hospital be like?

How soon will I be getting up and moving around?
How long do I need to be in the hospital?
Will I have physical therapy in the hospital?
What other types of treatment or therapy will I have at the hospital?

Will I be able to walk when I leave the hospital? Will I be able to go home after being in the hospital, or will I need to go somewhere else to recover more?

Where will I go if I can't go home after surgery?
Do I have a choice to where I go and does my insurance pay for it?

Do I need to stop taking any medicines before my surgery?

Aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), or other arthritis drugs?
Blood thinners such as rivaroxaban or warfarin?
Vitamins, minerals, herbs, and supplements?
Other prescription drugs that my other doctors may have given me?

What should I do the night before my surgery?

When do I need to stop eating or drinking?
What medicines should I take the day of surgery?
When do I need to be at the hospital?
What should I bring with me to the hospital?

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Review Date: 12/31/2018

Reviewed By: C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, San Francisco, CA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

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