CATHETER AFTER HIP REPLACEMENT

Posted by lotsofpain @lotsofpain, Dec 14, 2020

When I had my first hip replacement during the operation and for 36 hours after I had a catheter inserted. As a 72 year old male weeing is a problem at the best of times and this did not help it took several days to restore anything like normal function - normal for me that is ie not good at all. Is this usual. It also took several days to pass a stool after the operation

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Amanda Burnett | @amandaa | Dec 14, 2020

Hi @lotsofpain, You will see that I moved your question from the Heart Rhythm Group to the Joint Replacement Group and the Bladder Group to better align the topic with members who would be familiar with your experience. I can tell you that both the anesthesia and pain medicine can cause constipation and trouble urinating in patients after a major surgery. Physicians will usually prescribe a stool softener/water pill and require that you have a bowel movement before leaving the hospital to ensure that you do not become impacted. I know with the pandemic and the shortened hospital stays, some of those rules have changed.

@lotsofpain, how long were you in the hospital?

lotsofpain | @lotsofpain | Dec 14, 2020

Thanks for moving it sorry I clicked on the wrong group, I was in Hospital for 3 and a bit days. The doctor was more worried about urinating and would not discharge me till I produced a decent amount of urine. I was and am on water pills but as the anaestetic was a spinal injection he was especially concerned . The question is as they try to get you up and about very rapidly is a catheter post surgery really warranted. He was not worried about the stool but they gave me laxatives to counteract the effects of the pain relief