Has anyone had a hip replacement in their 30s/40s? (esp for hip dysplasia)

[DitaVonCheese]

I have hip dysplasia. According to my consultant, the only thing we can do now is wait until my hip has deteriorated so badly that I want a replacement. They have said they will be led by me on this.

So at the moment I have fairly constant niggling pain. Not really painful, just constantly uncomfortable. I really REALLY struggle to put my socks on I can't walk far or carry my DC for long (they are 4 and 1). That's about it, it isn't really debilitating, it's just really annoying. It doesn't feel bad enough yet to throw in the towel and ask for a replacement, but then if it's going to make the pain go away then it's really really tempting.

Apparently any replacement is never going to be as good as my original hip. I'm frightened I'll have it done and my quality of life will be worse. But what if my quality of life would be better ... ?

Has anyone had a hip replacement done relatively early on? What's it like? I'm 36.

[CMOTDibbler]

I'm interested to hear opinions as my dh (41) will need a knee replacement this year (tbh, he's put this off for at least 4 years and is on constant tramadol now and uses a stick), followed swiftly by a hip replacement.

The good thing about hip replacements is that if you look after them, they last a long time - dhs gran had one that lasted 27 years - and re replace without too many issues. But it is harder and harder with each revision so the longer you can manage the better tbh.

You can get a gadget for putting your socks on btw

[Morien]

OP, I had both my hips replaced when I was 34 (I'm now 40) and I haven't looked back. My situation was similar to yours - constant pain that I managed to block out somehow, inability to walk very far, carry anything...and yes, the socks. What I can tell you from the other side of the operation is that it's not normal to live like that!!! No, you're not confined to a wheelchair; yes, you'll see people around you every day who are worse off than you (sorry if I'm putting words into your mouth, but this is how I used to rationlize it to myself) - but maybe their problems can't be easily fixed, whereas yours can. You don't have to suffer what you're suffering.

My consultant in the UK told me that I had to wait until it was impossible to function with my original hips - why??? I didn't question that, but fortunately I moved to Belgium for work. The specialist I saw here went white (seriously) when he saw my x-rays, and offered me an operation date right away. I had one side done then, and the other 6 months later, and I really couldn't have imagined the difference it made. The only time I think about my hips now is when people ask (sometimes someone will ask 'how are you these days?' with a serious look and I have no idea what they're talking about because I forget that there was ever a problem).

As for a replacement never being as good as your original hip...not sure. My replacements are much better than my original hips because my original hips didn't work! Yes, I'll need it doing again at some point, but as my surgeon says, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Feel free to PM me if you want to know anything else.