Procedure prep
Fasting Before a Hip Replacement
A hip replacement is major but very routine surgery. It's often done under a spinal anesthetic rather than a full general, and good preparation — fasting, medicines and avoiding infection — makes for a smoother recovery.
Fasting for this procedure
→ Get your exact fasting times with the calculator
Medicines to check
- Blood thinners (aspirin, clopidogrel, warfarin, Eliquis, Xarelto) — these need a clear stop-and-restart plan around hip surgery. See medications to stop.
- Diabetes medicines & insulin — they need adjusting around fasting. See diabetes tablets.
- Blood pressure medicines — confirm which to take with a sip of water; ACE inhibitors and ARBs are often held on the morning.
- Avoid NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen) before surgery unless your team approves — they can increase bleeding.
- Tell your team about any recent steroid injections into the hip, and about iron tablets.
When this surgery may be delayed
- Fever, a new cough/cold, or a chest infection
- Any skin break, rash, sore or infection near the hip or on that leg
- A urine or dental infection — these can seed a new joint, so they're treated first
- Very high blood pressure or blood sugar
- You ate or drank outside your fasting window
Reports & documents to carry
- Photo ID and your insurance or hospital paperwork
- A current list of all your medicines, doses, and allergies
- Any pre-op tests, X-rays, ECG or blood results you were given
- A packed bag for a 1–3 day stay, loose comfortable clothing and flat shoes
- A plan for help at home and a ride for discharge day
What to ask your anesthesia team
- Will I have a spinal anesthetic or a general — and what's best for me?
- Exactly which of my blood thinners and tablets do I stop, and when do I restart them?
- What's the plan to prevent clots (injections, stockings, early walking)?
- How long will I be in hospital, and what should I set up at home?
- When can I put weight on the hip and start walking?
Your prep checklist
Tick things off as you sort them — saved on this device only, nothing is sent anywhere.
A general guide — your hospital's own instructions always come first.
Frequently asked questions
Will I be awake during a hip replacement?
Often, in a sense — many hip replacements are done under a spinal anesthetic, which numbs you from the waist down, usually with sedation so you're relaxed and drowsy and remember little or nothing. A general anesthetic is the alternative. Your anesthetist will discuss which suits you; spinals can mean less sickness and a smoother early recovery.
Why do they ask about dental and urine infections before a hip replacement?
Bacteria from an infection elsewhere — a tooth abscess or a urine infection — can travel in the blood and settle on a brand-new joint, which is serious. So teams treat any active infection first and may delay surgery until it's cleared.
How important is preventing blood clots after hip surgery?
Very. Major leg and hip surgery raises the risk of clots, so you'll usually have a combination of blood-thinning injections or tablets, compression stockings, and — most powerfully — getting up and walking as early as it's safe. Follow the full plan even after you go home.