To want to cry with hip pain

[Excitedannie]

All. The. Time.

I'm a shadow of my former self. 52 and osteoarthritis in my left hip but the burning stiffness pain actually radiates down the other side. Every day the pain is different - it's like the gift from hell that keeps on giving. I barely go out and I walk like I've birthed an elephant for the few Stephanie can manage. Waiting list for a replacement is a year at least but the consultants say to manage it with steroid injections. Oh wait - there's a 10 month waiting list.

My life is awful - everything has changed - I feel so sorry for the teenage DD who has to see me like this.

Sorry - just ranting. How can my right side hurt so much when it's my left side - AIBU to just curl up and cry? 😭

Deep sympathies. I’m in similar boat having mild hip dysplasia since childhood which has caused osteoarthritis and now have inflammatory arthritis for good measure.

I need to lose weight that went on after a hormone injection plus HRT before I can have an op and so difficult to lose it now I am inactive and hit menopause.

I had my first THR at 40 and my second at 45.

My surgeon believes that the prosthetics used now are so strong they will never need to be replaced again. I'll wait and see... But at 12 years old and 7 years old respectively, my hips are amazing - I work out 5 times per week, can walk for miles, carried a twin pregnancy, I have more flexibility than I'd had for years and I have no pain.

Don't be put off a hip replacement because of your age. Your life is passing you by NOW.

Good luck! And try not to worry about the op. I had very little pain, really!
Although I did dislocate one after 3 weeks - probably trying to do too much.

I have terrible osteoarthritis (first saw a surgeon at 47) and have also been refused replacements but have had injections of hyarulonic acid in both my hips.
It’s done under ultrasound or x-ray and is quite uncomfortable but after three weeks the difference is astonishing, and from barely making it through the day, I can walk 5km without any trouble!

I had a total replacement two weeks ago today (I'm getting stitches out this afternoon and can't wait). I first saw my Dr in Feb and hip replaced 28th June as I took a cancellation. I always took first appointments available even if it meant travelling further. You might not need to wait a year. All the best.

I recently read an article about a company called Nordorthopaedics in Lithuania. It seems to specialise in hip replacements. I don't know anything about them but there is also a telegraph article about a woman who went to Lithuania for a new hip. It might be worth researching. I made a mental note for future reference.
I remember seeing the difference on my my in law's face when she eventually had her op.
Hope you find a solution and relief very soon.

I had a hip replacement at 36, after three years of hideous pain and a number of months of being fobbed off. When the surgeon (prof griffin - specialist in young hip issues) saw my scans etc, he said he couldn't believe how bad it was and there was nothing else he could do other than a complete hip. I waited about 4 months.

I agree with others - he said resurfacing doesn't work on women and they've had loads of failures quite quickly after the op so don't offer it anymore for women.

I am now 48 and my hip is still brilliant, I did have some steroid injections in the muscles in my thigh about 2 years ago but I work out, aqua aerobics, walk, do everything with no pain. It has revolutionised my life. I've got a composite hip joint and was told it should last for 15+ years at least.

It makes me cross when they delay, delay, delay....you need it NOW. There's no point being active when you're 75 if you've missed out on the last 20 odd years because of the pain??!!

I send you sympathy having been there and know how horrible the pain is. Don't give up, keep fighting!!

Just to say that I am reading your replies and will answer as soon as I can. You won't believe how your messages are helping!

I feel for you. I’m a bit younger than you and need a hip replacement. I’ve been told told I can’t have one on the NHS until I’m at least 60 and I need to manage until then.

All those people being told they are too young for a replacement, please look up the latest Nice guidance on this and take it to your GP. Age should NOT be a barrier to getting a replacement.
if you need it doing again in your 70s so be it

Op I feel so bad for you, my hip pain has been bad this week and it's nowhere near your level of pain so I can totally empathise.

I had a couple of steroid injections a few years ago and it helped so much, I couldn't believe it, so if you could even get steroid injections privately while you wait, along with the physio (though I'd highly recommend an osteopath/ mine is amazing) then hopefully that'll help you through to the op somehow.

I really feel for you. I have chronic health problems, I've just managed two hours out for sports day and that will wipe me out for the rest of the evening. It's so depressing isn't it. Sending love

If you can't stretch to the operation privately, maybe the injections? Appalling that it's necessary though 😪

I am sending empathy and sympathy OP.
I had the most horrendous pain in my 18 months ago.
I was beside myself.
Luckily I was prescribed Gabapentin and Amitriptyline and slept for the first time in a month.
I then had physiotherapy and that helped.

You need to persevere with painkillers, the first few days can be really spacey but that eases and the pain does too.
I have chronic pain and it is so debilitating.
I take turmeric and black pepper but the best thing for me is warm, dry weather.
I am like a barometer and know immediately if we are going to have rain!!

Glad to see I'm not the only "young" hip whi thinks this is madness OP. Just to confirm resurfacing is no longer recommended for any women due to he highfaiure rate. Men are find its due to pelvis shape i belive. Op get back to your GPnand ask for a referral to a specialist ortho Centre. They seem to take a very different view on when . My consultant said if I could accept I'd need a revison when I was 70 he would prefer to see me active at 50. I first holiday i went on post hip (about 6 months) I walked 15000 steps a day. 10 months before on holiday with DD 14 I'd struggled to do covent garden and bloomsbury and spent a week unable to move . I lost my 40s to my hip really. Big centers I know of that do young hips are Wrightington, Birmingham orthopedic and Oswestry. I'm sure there are others not in the northwest!

Have you heard of the curable app? It’s so helpful for chronic pain. Absolutely changed my life.

I 100% know how you feel, I had to have both hips replaced at the age of 45 due to severe osteoarthritis. I was on crutches and couldn’t stand unsupported let alone walk at all without the crutches and the pain was absolutely excruciating. My daughter was 9 when the pain started and 11 when I had the surgery and I hated her having to see me go through it all. Sending hugs.

Just to say that I've really digested your replies and honestly, they're so helpful in so many ways. And to know that actually, this really is a fairly common occurrence! You've given me confidence to go to my appointment on Monday and really try and get some clear plan in place. I suddenly realised that it's a year since I had my first consultant appointment, and nothing positive has happened other than one steroid injection. I've made some notes and I've got lots of questions to ask - not sure why as I'm normally confident, but I have the same fear of consultants as I have of hairdressers and I become mute and compliant!!!! NO MORE!!!!

I'm so sorry to hear of those of you still in pain and struggling, but I'm so glad to those of you who are on the "other side"!!

I'll update you after my Monday appointment with any news!!

Have you considered PRP injections? You'd probably have to go private but they're relatively cheap compared to surgery.
I'm 40 and had them recently and they really have helped with the pain.

OP, I am so sorry, it is a dreadful pain.

My lovely health conscious friend has this and she has arrested the pain hugely with the following.

Hot water bottle at night.
The Tens machine is great.
She no longer eats red meat.
Everyday she stirs olive oil into a yoghurt.
She mops brown bread in olive oil.

She makes anti inflammatory shots.
She mixes fresh ginger, fresh lemon and orange juice, lots of turmeric powder, black pepper, some cayenne and cinnamon powder with water, all whizzed.
She does this in nutri bullet and adds hot water to it first thing every morning and drinks it.
She eats 2 fresh pineapples every week, chopped and kept in the fridge.

She has gone from being nearly 60 and looking a two hip replacements, one worse than the other, to 90% pain free.

She doesn't power walk any more but at a nice comfortable pace and she isn't taking pain killers either.

She is really happy with the adjustments she has made.

I have this to hand as my SIL has been having pain and she really wants to do everything she can to slow it down.

One last thing, whilst showering, at the end, she turns the water down to as cold as possible and gives her hips a blast.

poor you. hip pain is awful.

I have a 'squeeky' hip (not quite oa yet).
what really helps is physio and pilates style core strength training and stretching.
plus a memory foam matress topper.

I sympathise with the pain and how debilitating it is. I have bilateral hip dysplasia and total tears of the labrum both sides. I'm waiting to see my consultant to find out what the treatment plan will be. I'm so tired of the pain my mobility it so affected, driving hurts, I'm not an active mum with my toddlers either.

Will you let us know how your appointment goes?

I’ve just remembered I got a bit of relief from Flexiseq for a while - it’s quite expensive but it did work for me around a year before my surgery then it all just got too bad for anything to help because it was all bone on bone.

There are a couple of Facebook groups that I’m in that are very helpful - shop Replacement Support Group UK and Total Hip Replacement forum I think they’re called. They’re very helpful for all stages including pre surgery.

I answered before but I just wanted to come on and echo what others have said about delay being outdated info. There has been a lot of changes, rapidly in both prosthetic materials and method.

Eg They no longer do titanium on titanium when my father in law had that in 2020.

I am 44 - mine has a life of 30 years but in reality it will probably never wear out.

One other thing to say - small women used to have the worst outcomes but in the last five years they have made smaller prosthetics and so that has made a big difference if you are looking at data about that. Good luck with your appointment on Monday op!

I had my first hip replacement at 53, and the second at 56. If I’d have waited, I would’ve spent more time, as a younger woman, in a lot of pain and with reduced mobility.

OP. Go back to your doctor. Tell them the impact the pain is having on your quality of life. Good luck.

Oh, and do your physio religiously, both before and after!

Maybe the advice has changed since 2020? My DH was 55 then and was advised by GP and consultant to delay a hip replacement for as long as possible, but he was possibly more mobile than OP?

GP said at the time DH would need to have severely limited mobility and a pain score of 8 or 9 out of 10 to get onto the NHS list in our area. It was certainly interfering with quality of life and sleep.

I'm 35, with a pretty bad labrum tear on the left hip. I haven't slept more than 4 hours in 8 months. In constant pain. The mere thought of the word "codeine" makes me sick. I live on a shitty island making the option of surgery very difficult and extremely expensive. I sometimes wish I just got hit by a car on my way to work so I either lose this leg or never have to wake up again. You have my sympathy.