Hip Replacement

I had to have both hips done 16 years ago and they are still going strong. It transformed my life and I wouldnt hesitate to do it again. I feel for the people who've had subsequent problems. I think the secret is to find a surgeon with a good reputation even if it means having the op some distance from home, which is what I did(on the NHS)
They see me every 2 years for xrays etc. and have been very supportive. I went back, by request , to the same team when my knee needed replacing 3years ago. So far so good!
Good luck to all about to take the plunge!

Don't like you being fed up Galen so sending some

Also the leg that needs the knee replacement has been taking extra weight so that is another reason why you have had more pain. You need to get the foot sorted and well healed as it will have to bear extra weight post operatively when you have the knee done.

If you have a fusion you will be non weight bearing for 6 weeks and it will be a few months after that before you will feel back to normal.

You cannot contemplate even going on the waiting list for a TKA until you get the other foot sorted. If you have the knee done first, I would hate to see you b****r that new knee up when it takes the extra strain when you are non weight bearing.

Oh! I really can sympathise! My bilateral ankle and foot pain limits my walking to indoors only! Even with crutches I'm limited to a few yards only.
My biggest problem is that I am in pain at rest as well!
The only time I'm pain free is first thing in the morning before I get out of bed!
Sorry to moan, but I'm really fed up at the moment!
Still, things could be worse!
I do have some mobility!

Thank you for your support and advice - I will have to go back and discuss it with my GP.

The situation is further complicated by the fact that I am awaiting surgery to my broken foot (opposite leg to hip problem!) - I am still using a crutch out of doors because of this and I limp indoors. They plan to remove a fragment of bone that broke off my heel bone and is impinging on a neighbouring bone and causing pain. I think I need to try and get this sorted first. If this op does not work, then the option of a bigger op to fuse the bones in my foot might be on the cards and this would involve going back into plaster and really going back to square one.

I think that my awkward gait from my foot problem has made the hip worse and that is why the pain has become so bad.

It was a year yesterday that I broke my foot - happy anniversary I hear you cry!!

Absolutely!

I reiterate what I said before and others have also. It is your right to be referred to an Orthopaedic Consultant. You are obviously having problems coping because of pain and you would prefer to have 10 good years or even many, many more with a new THR than suffer in agony. Ask for a referral letter and try to forget that he is/was a professional partner of your husband.

My consultant did.
He said people need their mobility most when they're younger!
You have right to be referred to a surgeon for his opinion
Use it!

I did after my GP told me the same!

A physiotherapist I saw made exactly that point?

I know it is rubbish galen - but it is difficult to know how to tackle it as the GP taking this view is an ex-professional-partner of my GP husband - so it feels a bit awkward.

I am terrified of having the op, so it is a measure of what a problem the pain is for me that I am wanting to get it done!

I am already non a minute dose of Dosulepin to try and help mwith the night pain (and as a migraine prevention strategy) - without it I am sure I would not sleep at all for the pain.

I think that they should look at the impact on a person's lifestyle and general fitness when making decisions rather than simply looking at the pics.

So's her GP I hope

Trust her, she's a doctor!

Mishap that is rubbish.
I had my first hip replaced at 49, the other one a year later. I had the second one replaced about 3 years ago. The original one is still fine! I shall be 69 in December so you can do the maths!
10 years! Poppycock!

I had a hip replacement two years ago and some very sensible GN members told me not to rush into things too quickly. I wish I had listened because I still have problems which may necessitate a further operation. I also have spine problems and will be seeing a specialist soon. Have to say though on balance my hip is greatly improved but I am sorry to say GrannyGear that I should still have trouble with most of your list.

The previous referral was via another doctor who is now retired.

I have had the steroid injection twice - once a failure and a success the second time. Effect lasted about 4 months. Can't have another.

Mishap I have a similar situation to yours. My left hip aches all the time but two weeks out of four it is so bad I can hardly walk at all, just hobble around the house.

I saw a Consultant six months ago who did an X-ray and an MRI scan which he did not seem to think showed very much, certainly not enough to warrant a hip replacement though he said, rather diffidently, that I could have a steroid injection into the hip if I felt like it. So far I've avoided doing that.

So it's hard to know where to go from here. I am currently doing daily hip exercises in the hope that will help. Pain killers don't seem to do much.

In my case I think the situation is complicated by the fact that I have polymyalgia rheumatica for which I take Prednisolone but the hip is definitely something else.

GrannyGear Theseus (DH) had a hip replacement in February. He is 69. In July, he rode the cycle event in the local trialthlon. I'm not saying that anyone could, or would even want to do that, but it's a measure of the success of the operation. (He is very fit, in the old fashioned sense of the word!)

And he says "yes" to all your questions. Apart from the last which he hasn't tried Also, he suggests his magic "sock putter onner" which was invaluable while he was waiting for the op. I can send you the link.

That was to Mishap. I could reassure GrannyGear on most counts. But the fact that one person can do things doesn't necessarily mean another can. I can certainly tie shoelaces; put socks on; cut toenails; ride a recumbent static bike in the gym; bending at the waist is not recommended and I try not to do it; and I got rid of the raised toilet seat as soon as I possibly could!

I can't understand why, if you were on the list when you were younger, you should now be too young for a replacement. I was 64 when I had mine 8 years ago. It seems to be still working and I hope it continues to do so. My GP asked a physio to assess how bad mine was before she referred me to a consultant. Both physio and GP then ordered me to use a walking stick and the consultant agreed. Your symptoms sound like more than 'moderate' arthritis.

GrannyGear I have a hip replacement thats 7yrs old and going strong I expect it to last 15yrs at least and I do all of the things you list plus many more.. most of the time I forget I've even got it and I cycle a normal bike. The other hip is going the same way too maybe a second op will be sooner rather than later.
But it all depends on you and how you recover, also what type of hip and incision you have, everyone is different and your surgeon isn't going to make you promises that may not come true. My quality of life is much better than before the op and my hip is painfree (the other one isn't though ) I'm guessing no one will be able to predict you cycling a recumbent cycle or not could you not use a normal bike?
Its not an easy decision and of course some people don't get a good outcome but I certainly wouldn't hesitate once this second hip is affecting my life badly. Good luck whatever you decide to do.

Mishap your range of movement sounds severely limited to me , I'd go back and tell your GP how much this is affecting your life especially emphasise how it affects you at night.. they can give you very low dose of anti-depressant for that type of pain (the dose is tiny but it works). I would ask to be referred to the hospital Orthopods to see what they say don't let him put you off I had my first hip done at 57 .

Mishap you have a right to ask for a referral to an orthopaedic consultant. Try and do some research and find a named person to be your consultant rather than the letter being sent to "dear doctor" and you could end up with anybody.

Hips nowadays last 15 -20 years on average. Some less, others longer. I would prefer it if an orthopaedic consultant made the decision that the xray shows "moderate" arthritis. It is affecting your life a lot and any reasonable orthopod would operate. I hope that you live in a part of the country where you have "choice".

I was once on the list for a hip replacement, but took myself off as my DD became ill and I had to help care for her wee son for nearly a year.

When I went back to my GP recently and asked to start again, he said that I was too you, the replacement would only last 10 years, and I should get on and grin and bear it as the changes on x-ray show "moderate" osteoarthritis.

What he is not taking into account is the clinical picture: I cannot go for a walk (also exacerbated by after-effects of broken foot); I cannot sleep with the pain or get at all comfortable in bed; I am not able to stand for more than about 5 minutes without my hip locking and as a consequence cannot sing or conduct concerts as I would normally do; I cannot swim because of the pain; I cannot cut my toenails or wash my feet in the shower - I could go on. The knock-on effect on my general fitness of not being able to go for a walk or be at all active is not good. Even if a hip only lasted 10 years (and I think he is wrong about that), I would at least have 10 more years of remaining reasonably fit through increased activity.

Glad your hip replacement went well, Humbertbear, all the best for the future.
I was offered s hip replacement but in my case it seemed I would end up with less independent mobility than I have now.
I found it very difficult to get straight answers from the medics about what you can and can't do after a hip op. Perhaps you can help me:
Here is a list of things I want to be able to do:
1 fasten my shoelaces
2 put my socks on
3 cut my toenails
4 bend over at the waist
5 reach things from a kitchen cupboard at floor level
6 use a normal toilet seat rather than a specially raised one
7 sit on a low-ish seat and raise my knees
The last is because i ride a recumbent trike as my main means of getting around and because of where I live - country area, no buses, don't drive. I would be virtually housebound without my trike.
I'd be very grateful if you could could just say what you are able/will be able to do. If you could answer Yes, Yes after some time, or no, never again to all these except the last - even the consultant wasn't prepared to commit himself on that one. (I promise not to sue if in 10 years time I have the op and can't cut my toenails!)
All the best for a speedy recovery.

I've had 3 the oldest (still functioning) one was 20years ago.
I always have spinals rather than general anaesthetics.

Absolutely - when I was a teenager I had my appendix out and was kept in bed for a week. I'm sure it is much better to be up and active