Osteoarthritis in hips - feel guilty about surgery

Go for it , someone else will move up the queue , win win and

Go for it and forget the guilt. As Aggie says, someone else will move up the queue.

The doctor who I finally got to see said it was osteoarthritis, but said I should keep up with the exercise otherwise my joints would seize up. Also to carry on with the paracetamol/ibuprofen combo for the pain.
I’m still waiting to see a consultant.
He’s the one that asked me what I wanted to be done- as if I am a doctor.

The NHS have f*cked you up once, what is to say they will not do it again? get it done privately and you will be healthy and well and back to enjoying life.

A long wait may make your problems worse and the end result of the operastion worse as well.

I have just gone private after a year of pain, trying to get GP/hospital to look at my arm and refer me for carpal tunnel surgery.

A young doctor decided that my problem was a TIA and would not budge and the GP kept referring me to her. In th end I went privately, carpal tunnel problem was confirmed and I have just had surgery. The tests done (privately) before my op have shown that the atypical symptoms I had were caused by problems with my spine, TIA, was a misdiagnosis.

You may feel that you're jumping the queue, and I would feel the same, but on the other hand, you are reducing the queue for NHS care. I had to go private for something because I couldn't get holiday insurance before having it, which would have meant cancelling a wonderful family holiday. I justified it to myself by thinking that I was reducing the NHS queue. Of course, the fact that the consultant involved also does NHS work rather detracted from that...

Go for it. If you are a runner, you don't want to lose that and you have the advantage of private cover now. Best wishes!

Have the hip surgery asap. I have had 3 surgeries privately, my husband has had 2 surgeries privately - best use of savings is our health.

No guilt, just do it!

Ftm... Go for it and don't feel guilty.
Why would you not sort now and have a better quality of life. Don't over wait for the other one, get it done while your DH still has private cover. You are freeing a NHS place up. I speak from someone who has had both Hips done and a knee replaced, best thing I had done.

Thank you everyone. I am so comforted by your words. Monica's comment hit home.

About 20 years ago, it was a no no from most people.
I think nowadays, it has swung right around the other way.

ftm420

Thank you everyone. I am so comforted by your words. Monica's comment hit home.

There's no point in having private health insurance if you're not going to use it.
Just think - someone else is now one step forward in the NHS queue 🙂

Hope all goes well.

Definitely make use of the private insurance while you have it. Grade 4 is bone on bone and that is painful.

I also think you need to reassess your lifestyle post surgery.

Charleygirl5

Definitely make use of the private insurance while you have it. Grade 4 is bone on bone and that is painful.

I also think you need to reassess your lifestyle post surgery.

I also think you need to reassess your lifestyle post surgery

Without wishing to sound pessimistic, so do I.

I'm sorry but is it wise to run? Bone on bone?
Something more gentle perhaps?

Good Luck with you operation.

I also have to put up with DH and my DS's telling me to just not run.

Perhaps they have a point?

I have been on the list for a new knee for a year, after three years of messing around with physiotherapists. As a result I now need a new hip too. Get it done, so that you don’t create more problems. You are too young to restrict your mobility.

Just go for it! Feeling guilty doesn’t help those on the NHS waiting list, neither does you joining them.

Of course it’s a little unfair, but life is unfair!

Good luck and speedy recovery

I was due to have both hips replaced ( NHS waiting list was three years in this area ) beginning 2021 but had to be delayed as I developed vasculitis and needed aorta repair Due to steroid therapy and lack of exercise muscles deteriorated to the point of using crutches for every movement. As soon as allowed by cardiology had both hips replaced within 13 weeks of each other Hips took a lot of rehabbing and during process had a cascade of aches knees ankles back shoulders and even jaw Not to mention knock knees and pigeon toesIf I had waited for NHS goodness knows if I would ever have reached normality
I know it’s not same thing but the message is get it done to prevent bad posture developing It’s your life so look after yourself
Hope all goes well

Go for it. My OH had both hips done privately after months of bone on bone pain. Waiting for the NHS would have been crippling.

Allira: I do take your point and charleygirl / eggplant's comments too!

I plan to run gently until the op; take the winter to rehab; then after 42yy of running/jogging, probably aim for speedwalking with the odd jog thrown in. I take my dog with me - he doesn't care what speed I do, as long as he's outside!

If I had the resources money or health plan I’d go for it! Quality of life is everything!

Yes, I agree. If you leave your hips to deteriorate waiting for the NHS, you could end up costing the NHS more because there will be more damage to repair!

Also, not wanting to be depressing, what if you fall and break one or both. That would need an ambulance etc which would take up NHS resources too.

Running again in 3 - 6 months after having both hips replaced? A replacement is said to.last 10 years and you are advised not to run at all as it will last even less. Full recovery is said to take a year and a lot of physiotherapy. Had both mine done recently. Go for it but I wouldn't be so gung ho about the running.

New hips need physio and gentle walking.

My husband was 6 months off golf - a relatively gentle activity. Both of us were many months off skiing after new knees. I'd not be running.

I feel your pain. I too am feeling guilty about using my DH's work insurance before he retires, to hopefully get a new knee. After being a proud NHS worker for over 20yrs I never thought I would go down this route. However I now have 2 DGC who deserve to have a Grandma who is as fit as possible. Im the one who should help them off the floor, not vice versa. I say go ahead OP and maybe we can compare notes later. Just dont screw up the new joint with too much running. Find a new exercise

Please stop feeling guilty. The sooner this is treated, the better, and as you and your husband agree it should be done now, there is really no need for guilt.

Thinking about the following points may help you over your guilt:

Painkillers only work for a relatively short space of time.

Most are addictive

None should be taken if you have to drive or operate machinery

Like the rest of us, you are not getting younger, so putting off an operation will probably result in a longer recovery time, the older you are when it is done.

Putting it off will certainly result in you being able to do less of the things you want to, being in almost constant pain, which is not good either physically or mentally,

Ask the surgeon about the bone cysts - as far as I know they tend to go away again, but you cannot always rely on the internet as a source of medical information.

Remember that astonishingly good results are normal for the kind of surgery you are contemplating, In your place, I would certainly go for it now. Good luck.