Arthritis and hip replacements.

Spice101

My advise is to do it sooner rather than later. In my case the hip deteriorated very quickly and would often give way while I was walking. The relief after the op was instant. Yes the recovery took a while but the longer you leave it the harder that will be.
Apart from a few days in hospital you will still be able to give your dog care. It may well be reduced for a while but you will be able to walk, in fact you should walk, and could use a wheely walker to assist in that if necessary.

Spice101…..how bad was your hip before it gave way when walking which sounds very frightening? .
I’m not too bad. The worse pain is when I go to stand up when my back feels very still and painful. By the time I get to the door I’m ok again. I can get in and out of the bath every day.

Visgir1

Just back from my pre op assignment for Hip replacement and Knee Replacement not sure what will get done first.
Already had other Hip replaced, it will get worse and unbelievably painful so get on that list
I was a Gym attender to keep muscle strength up but now can't get up the stairs to enter the building without pain.
Once done I became instant free.
Good luck.

Visgirl…how long did you have to wait before you had your pre op assignment and have you been given a date for your op?.

Definitely get on the list as advised by others. Even in the hospital just before the operation the surgeon told me I could change my mind. I was wavering but my son was with me and told me 'don't even think about it' as he'd seen the pain I was in. That operation was the best thing I ever did. I returned to a normal pain free life. Keep up the exercise meanwhile as stronger muscles will help post op.

My advise is to do it sooner rather than later. In my case the hip deteriorated very quickly and would often give way while I was walking. The relief after the op was instant. Yes the recovery took a while but the longer you leave it the harder that will be.
Apart from a few days in hospital you will still be able to give your dog care. It may well be reduced for a while but you will be able to walk, in fact you should walk, and could use a wheely walker to assist in that if necessary.

I have early arthritis in one hip and am seeing the orthopaedic consultant in a couple of weeks, but my physio thinks he is more likely to suggest injecting the joint. I don't look forward to that any more than I would look forward to hip surgery, but it is disabling and it can't be good to be taking so many painkillers (alternating prescription - meptazinol - with ibuprofen). I can't drive far as it's too difficult to walk when I have struggled to get out of the car, though I'm glad to still be able to drive at all.

Good luck and when you do eventually have surgery, I wish you a speedy recovery.

Your situation sounds manageable so get on the list as by all accounts your op’ will be after your dear dog’s demise.
I’m in a similar situation to you but I can take NSAID (Ibuprofen, sometimes Naproxen) to give me ease. Do you do that?
I need hip and knee replaced & most days can hardly walk very far at all but if list is too long when I get around to a GP appointment I’ve fortunately got something I can sell to pay to go private.
I had my left knee replaced 11 years ago. Great success.

I expect this is like asking ‘ how long is a piece of string’ as we are all so different. How long between first sigh of symptoms and needing surgery?. It’s nearly a year now since I first noticed pain in my hips and I’m no worse. I don’t sit around so much which helps. The consultant I saw is one of the best and he definitely seemed to think that my hips are pretty bad. He seemed surprised that I wasn’t in more pain?.

I have damaged nerves in my back so I’m not looking forward to lying on my back as I’ve avoided doing that for 16 years and I’ve read that this is how you sleep after hip surgery.
I will get my name added to the hip replacement list on Monday. I heard somewhere that it’s now gone up from 3 years to 4 years so we’ll see.

I agree, get on the list. They call it The Hip Pathway I think. It can take a total 3 years in this area.

Looking at the situation at the moment I doubt you will get an operation any time soon. I would get on the list and wait and see.

Just back from my pre op assignment for Hip replacement and Knee Replacement not sure what will get done first.
Already had other Hip replaced, it will get worse and unbelievably painful so get on that list
I was a Gym attender to keep muscle strength up but now can't get up the stairs to enter the building without pain.
Once done I became instant free.
Good luck.

I too have had two hip-replacement and agree with Juliet27 get on the list now you could be waiting years the way things are and your hips are only going to get worse in time.

I’ve had both hips replaced and just had an X-ray that shows moderate to severe arthritis in my left shoulder.
Unless you are going down the private route I would add your name to the probably long waiting list for hip replacement and in the meantime take the advice of the physio and exercise to build up muscle strength which certainly helps before and after operations.