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Original poster

anyone have any experience of arthritis/hip replacements?

35 replies

frazzledfairy · 17/01/2011 21:18

hello :)

i am 32 and have osteoarthritis in both hips due to a genetic thing passed on by my mum (thanks mum!), i was diagnosed nearly 3 years ago. i am booked in to have a double hip replacement on 31st jan and i am TERRIFIED.....

the surgeon has said that if a were 20-30 years older he wouldn't replace yet, but because i have young children (3, 4 and 10) and am young myself, he wants to replace my hips before i begin to find walking hard, obviously it is my choice and i don't feel pushed into anything.

i don't have a huge amount of pain in my hips but get a lot of referred pain in my knees, thighs and ankles, and have a lot of back problems because of the very limited mobility of my hips.

at the mo i can walk, run etc, i am not really limited from doing anything (apart from having sex with dh, which is not ideal), but i know osteoarthritis is degenerative and i know it is going to get worse :( and i also suspect that my back problems will not be resolved until my hips are.

my mum had one hip replaced 3 years ago and was left with one leg shorter than the other, this has caused alot of probs with her knee's, ankles, spine and doesn't help my nerves! she is too scared to have another op to try and put it right, or to have her other hip replaced.

if anyone has any experience/advice/anything i would really appreciate it!

:)

OP posts:
perfectp · 17/01/2011 22:05

Hi i had my 1st hip replacement when i was 30 and the second when i was 35. The second only lasted 5 years but the 1st is still going strong 17 years later.
The only thing i would say is make sure you have the best orthopod 4 the job !!

ilovesooty · 18/01/2011 01:20

I had a hip replacement last year. I had a ceramic hip as my consultant wanted the longest lasting one possible. My life's been transformed as a result, and there is no discernable difference in the length of my legs.

Original poster
frazzledfairy · 18/01/2011 12:14

thanks for replies :)

do you mind me asking how bad your pain was before you had your hip replaced? i don't want to go too early but also don't want pain to get unbearable/not be able to walk properly before i do go iyswim!

also do you feel you had it done at the right time? or wish you'd had it done sooner? sorry for all questions!

anyone else? thanks :)

OP posts:
ilovesooty · 18/01/2011 19:51

My pain came on very suddenly: in Sept 2007 I had slight twinges - by Christmas that year I was unable to move more than a few yards on bad days. I had the op in May 2009 - in the intervening period all sorts of options were explored before the surgery was decided on. By that time I was in virtually constant pain and on enough strong pain killers to make me...shall I say...very interesting to my clients in drug intervention had they known!

I think I got the op as soon as reasonably practicable as there was some delay as the consultant wouldn't settle for anything less than a ceramic hip and not all places would do it. He did the op himself in a private hospital as the NHS wasn't able to do it in the target period. I live on my own and was out in 5 days and I coped fine. Back at work and driving 6 weeks later. I had it done under local anaesthetic which made the recovery time much faster.

pippop1 · 19/01/2011 00:24

My Dad was left with one leg a little shorter than the other after a hip op and he was advised to put an extra innersole into his shoe and have a larger heel put onto the shoe (men's shoes of course). This has made it even.

Not so easy with women's shoes perhaps but you can try a few things and see what works best.

Try going to a podiatrist for advice, even though it's not a foot problem exactly, they should be able to make some practical suggestions.

rockinhippy · 19/01/2011 22:36

MIL had both done, & recovery was FAR quicker & easier than any of us expected :) & she's in her 70s, & it has changed her life for the better, she was in agony before & could barely walk any where.....no pain & skips about now

Similar story with a good friends Dad :)

bobbityboo · 20/01/2011 12:43

I was booked in last year but cancelled as my dad died (and I was like you - unsure I really needed it.) I have to book in again but am hesitating. Glad I saw this thread. I am worried about recovery time mainly - I can't imagine getting the children down 3 flights of stairs and across busy roads to school. DP can only take so much time off work as he is freelance and no-one has told me how long I will be out of action.

pineappleupsidedownpudding · 20/01/2011 12:51

I am in the exact same boat , due for my replacemnt Feb 2nd. I am in pain, walking distances is hard and like you I have small children and school runs to manage, but I can't go on much longer with my limited mobility so.... the other hip next year!

bobbityboo · 20/01/2011 12:58

Can I ask if you have much information about what to expect post-op? I can't seem to get much advice from the hospital beforehand. I have also found that there are several different ways to do a hip replacement and some have shorter recovery times than others. Do you know which type you will be having?

bobbityboo · 20/01/2011 22:08

Just bumping this and also realised that I didn't answer the OP. I am similar to you in that I have problems due to a genetic predisposition/Perthes disease as a child.
I have had chronic pain for years but nothing intense or agonising. Usually standing, sitting and laying I am not in pain at all. However my back now hurts when I walk and my movement in both hips is so limited that all I can do really is stand, walk and sit - even going upstairs is hard work. It would be easier to decide to have the op if I was in constant pain, but being comfortable when not moving around much makes me hesitate. Like you I am extremely nervous about it. The downside of waiting is that I have felt old and miserable in lots of situations when I couldn't walk easily or run with the children, etc, etc.

perfectp · 21/01/2011 10:54

I too had replacements due to abnormalities at birth. Before i had the 1st hip done i was in so much pain i couldnt walk. The second followed 2 years later.
As i was a lot younger than the average (at that time i was the youngest person in the area to have it done)many local orthopods took a big interest. It is plastic and ceramic and i also had bone grafting done. The pain releif was instant. I wasnt allowed to walk for 8 weeks and was very restricted on movement. However after 8 weeks i began to walk and was up and about very quickly.
The 2nd and 3rd (revision of the second) were very different.
I was up and about much sooner. Driving after 4 weeks and back to work 12 weeks later.
I will need another revision in the not to distant future and 1st hip is now 17.
My bionic hips have changed my life and would tell everybody who needs them to go ahead.

bobbityboo · 21/01/2011 11:16

Thanks perfectp.

Can I ask, what is your range of movement with the replacement hips? I asked the registrar (never saw the consultant) and he said 'we should probably be able to give you more movement than that' which I didn't find so reassuring, especially as that is the thing I find the most limiting rather than the pain. For example, I cannot easily reach my feet - tying up laces is difficult. I couldn't ride a bike as I don't have enough range of movement.

perfectp · 21/01/2011 22:32

Hi. I have good range of movement in both my hips. Can reach down to right foot but left only with a struggle. I can ride a bike, get down on the floor to play with the children etc. think a lot depends on the muscles around the hip. Px

bobbityboo · 21/01/2011 22:48

Thanks :)

PenguinFeet1 · 22/01/2011 00:08

There is a procedure called birmingham hip resurfacing which can treat oa in younger people. It preserves more bone allowing for conversion to a total hip replacement later in life. Not all surgeons do it or even know about it but it is definitely worth asking if it is an option for you. Where abouts in the country are you?

bobbityboo · 22/01/2011 22:39

Don't want to take over the thread, but just wanted to say that the registrar said they don't do resurfacing as they have not found it to work so well in women... No idea if that's correct but it sounded convincing at the time. Think the surgeon is pretty good AFAIK.

perfectp · 23/01/2011 11:51

They do resurfacing in my area but only if the conditions ar right.There are only a few surgeons able to do it and yes i have been told its not as good on women.

Original poster
frazzledfairy · 23/01/2011 17:57

hello :)

post op i have been told i will be in hospital for 10 days, they will try and get me to stand up within 24 hours and i won't be allowed to come home until i can get up the stairs! the surgeon has said i will be on crutches for about 6 weeks, i should be able to drive after about 6 weeks too. apparently i will be 'perfect' after 3 months!!

my hips are going to be ceramic and they will use the old 'balls' to do some bone grafting. the surgeon has said i will have normal mobility after the operation (bloody hope so!).

dh is taking a month of work at first (he has saved 15 days holiday but the rest will be unpaid leave), then my sister is coming to stay for a week. after that am hoping i'll be ok, although not sure i'll be able to get up the hill to school! alot of it will have to be played by ear i think...

we sound v similar bobbityboo i too have felt old and miserable, and wondered if i should be in more pain before going for the operation. however i will definately have to have the op at some point so may as well get it over with!!

am still terrified though.....

OP posts:
bobbityboo · 23/01/2011 22:03

Hi again - eek at 10 days in hospital - the registrar said about 5 to me, though he was planning on one hip only. (The other one is fast overtaking the first though :( )

I have no idea of how I will get around and not sure how much time DP will be able to take off work. Even things like getting in and out of the shower will be impossible as it's in the bath, and so on...

I was considering trying hypnotherapy as I have seen someone local who has testimonials for helping people with fear of surgery - I had two C-sections no problem but have a huge mental block about this particular op...

Original poster
frazzledfairy · 24/01/2011 09:06

hello, think it is 10 days as am having both done at once... 4-7 seems to be the norm for one hip.

i have had a practice and reckon i'll be able to get in and out of the bath (our shower in the bath too) using a little stool, the physio should teach you things like that before you come home. we live in a terrace with very steep stairs, and bed and bathroom are upstairs, i told the hospital physio this and she didn't seem fazed!

i had a huge mental block too, but do feel better now it is so close and will soon be over with......

OP posts:
bobbityboo · 24/01/2011 09:28

Thanks frazzledfairy. I will call the secretary this week and see if I can reschedule my postponed op. Could hardly walk today with sciatic pain on the school run.

I hope it all goes well for you. I'll keep an eye on this thread to see if you update, and I think you can always CAT me if you want a moan in private...

Original poster
frazzledfairy · 25/01/2011 20:03

thanks bobbityboo :)

am still feeling fairly positive, lists galore around the house for dh!!

will deffo update xxx

OP posts:
perfectp · 26/01/2011 21:13

Good luck to you both. Hope you get the pain relief and movement you hope. Pls update. Take care both. Px

Original poster
frazzledfairy · 30/01/2011 13:58

well i haven't bottled out and am setting off to hospital shortly! wish me luck, will update at some point :)

OP posts:
realrabbit · 30/01/2011 15:35

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