Episode 11 - Being Scared or Terrified Before a Hip Replacement

July 19, 2025

Terrified of Hip Replacement Surgery? The Emotional Truth No One Talks About—Until Now

Hip Replacement Anxiety & Fear: How to Overcome Being Scared Before and After Hip Replacement Surgery

Fear of hip replacement surgery is far more common than most people admit—and in this powerful episode of The Hip Replacement Podcast, host Chris Bystriansky openly shares the emotional journey he experienced before, during, and after hip replacement surgery.

If you’re feeling scared, anxious, overwhelmed, or even terrified about hip replacement surgery, you are not alone. Many people searching for hip replacement recovery, fear before hip replacement, hip replacement anxiety, or what to expect from hip replacement surgery struggle silently with the emotional side of this life-changing procedure. This episode brings those fears into the open.

Chris walks listeners through the full emotional timeline of hip replacement surgery—from disbelief at needing surgery, to fear in the months leading up to it, to absolute terror on surgery day, and finally to cautious confidence and long-term emotional recovery. He explains why these emotions are normal, why they don’t mean you’re weak, and how fear often evolves as physical recovery begins.

This episode is especially valuable for:

People afraid of hip replacement surgery
Patients experiencing anxiety before hip replacement
Those worried about surgery day, anesthesia, or recovery
Anyone struggling mentally after hip replacement surgery
Family members supporting someone facing hip replacement

You’ll hear honest reflections on:

Why fear before hip replacement surgery is normal
What surgery day actually feels like emotionally
How anxiety changes during hip replacement recovery
The mental shift from fear to confidence
Why many patients feel emotionally stronger after recovery

Unlike clinical explanations, this episode focuses on the human experience of hip replacement—the thoughts no one says out loud, the fear people hide, and the reassurance that it does get better.

If you’re searching Google for answers about hip replacement fear, hip replacement anxiety, mental preparation for hip replacement surgery, or life after hip replacement, this episode is for you.

The goal of The Hip Replacement Podcast is simple: help you feel informed, supported, and confident so you can move forward with clarity—and reclaim an active, fulfilling life after hip replacement surgery.

New hips. New you. Let’s go.

Thanks for joining THE HIP REPLACEMENT PODCAST.

-Chris

LINKS & RESOURCES

Download my Top 12 Tips for Hip Replacement Patients here

Get my book, NEW STEEL here - available in hardcover, paperback, eBook and audio versions

The Hip Replacement Podcast website

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Episode Transcript

Episode 11 – Transcript

Welcome to The Hip Replacement Podcast, where recovery meets motivation and healing leads to a whole new lifestyle. I’m Chris Bystriansky, your host. I’m an author, athlete, and double hip replacement patient. I’ve been through the surgeries, the setbacks, and the comebacks—and I’m here to help you do the same.
Each week, I bring you tips, tools, expert advice, and inspiring stories to help you take back your life one step at a time. Thanks for joining The Hip Replacement Podcast. New hips, new you. Let’s go.
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Welcome back to the Hip Replacement Podcast. I’m Chris Bystriansky, your host. I’ve had both my hips replaced more than 10 years ago, and I’m here to share my experiences with you.

Thanks for being here.

Today we’re going to talk about something that doesn’t always get a lot of airtime—but it was a huge issue for me, and it might be for you too. That is the fear of going through hip replacement surgery.

When I went through my surgeries, my fear evolved over time. It spanned months—maybe even years—before surgery, and it lingered in different forms after surgery. Honestly, it never fully disappeared, but it definitely changed. This was the first time in my life that I was truly terrified of something.

I’ve seen social media posts where people admit they’re scared, and that takes courage. We don’t like to admit vulnerability. We don’t like to say we’re afraid. But if you’ve felt any of this, I want you to know it’s normal. We’re all wired differently. Some people feel fear more intensely than others.

So let me walk you through the emotional roller coaster I experienced.
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When I was first told I needed a hip replacement, my first reaction was disbelief. I couldn’t believe that I—someone who saw himself as strong and capable—would need this surgery. That disbelief lasted for years.

As surgery got closer, disbelief turned into fear. I was afraid of the surgery itself, afraid of the future, afraid I wouldn’t wake up, afraid I wouldn’t walk again, afraid I wouldn’t be able to play with my kids. Some of those fears were irrational, but some were very real. Surgery is serious.

Things can go wrong.

That fear followed me for months. Even as I tried to push it away, it was always there, looming closer every day.
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On the day of surgery, I slept surprisingly well the night before. But the morning of—driving to the hospital—I felt almost numb. My wife drove. I couldn’t fully process what was about to happen.

Once I arrived at the hospital, the fear ramped up quickly. I was absolutely terrified.
One thing that helped enormously was that a good friend showed up and sat with me in the waiting area. Just ten minutes—but it meant everything. I’ve never forgotten that, and later I made it a point to do the same for someone else before their surgery.

In the pre-op area, I experienced two competing emotions: intense terror and emotional numbness. What shocked me most was how calm and matter-of-fact everyone else was. Nurses, doctors, anesthesiologists—they were kind, but completely unfazed. This was routine for them.

For me, it was the biggest moment of my life.
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As I lay there with an IV in my arm, my hip being prepped for surgery, I felt like I was at the top of a roller coaster—perched at the peak, waiting to drop. It was the scariest thing I’ve ever experienced.

When the anesthesiologist gave me medication to calm me down, it helped—but the fear didn’t disappear until I was fully knocked out.
When I woke up, that terror was gone.
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In the months after surgery, fear took on a new form. I was afraid of messing up the hip—dislocating it, breaking it, needing another surgery. That fear lasted about six months. I followed physical therapy instructions carefully and moved cautiously.

Over time, as I regained strength and mobility, that fear slowly turned into confidence. I started trusting my body again. Eventually, the hip faded into the background of my life.
Even now—10 and 12 years later—I sometimes think about the possibility of future surgeries. But it no longer terrifies me.
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Looking back, there was a clear evolution:
• Disbelief
• Fear
• Sheer terror on surgery day
• Cautious fear during recovery
• Growing confidence
• Trust in my body again

It truly was a roller coaster. Ups and downs. Fear and relief. Doubt and confidence. But in the end, you return to where you started—or even better.

If you’re experiencing fear before surgery, on surgery day, or even long after surgery, I want you to know: this is normal.

Keep moving forward. Keep doing the simple things—physical therapy, movement, strength, flexibility. They aren’t easy, but they work.
There is a strong, capable life waiting for you after hip replacement surgery. You can move forward with confidence and build a life that’s just as full—if not better—than before.
Thanks so much for listening. I hope this helped. And until next time, I wish you the best recovery possible. Take care.

Episode 11 - Being Scared or Terrified Before a Hip Replacement

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