I expect my GP to tell me shortly that I need a hip replacement, he has arranged an xray for the middle of this week.
I have been in severe pain from my right hip with reduced mobility longer than I should have put up with.
I am concerned that a broken right femur 5 yrs ago very close to the hip joint will complicate the operation, load of metal pins and plate obviously are still in place. (pics available if really needed)
But But But; best foot forward and now to my questions:
1. what choices of operation do I have
2. what is the best location for the operation (I live in West Cumbria, Nr Whitehaven, Post Code CA23 3DT)
3. what choice of location do I have within NHS procedures (lucky to date- no great knowledge of medical matters)
4. how long should I expect to wait for the op on NHS
I can go private if that is a necessity.
I understand my GP will be advising me but I would rather have greater knowledge than I presently have prior to meeting with him.
I hope you can help me on this rather confusing & frightening matter.
Elizabeth.
Hi Eileen....if you search the different THP or hip replacement threads on this site you'll get a variety of different opinions some from across the world!
I live in Manchester and if you find me in some threads you can find my story....
I'm 63 still working full time and like you put up with right hip pain for longer than I should and limped quite badly and even resorted to a stick sometimes!
I have BUPA cover so could just choose a date with a week or two notice but I understand there can be a long wait on NHS and risk of last minute cancellation. I believe the op with associated pre and post op care costs around 8-10 K but you can probably find that out from your local private hospital.
The op itself is so less scary than you imagine and everything you worry about before just isn't that much of a problem !
My op was 6 weeks ago and I had a cracked femur during surgery which had to be wired and also meant I had to have more general anaesthetic ...you may be given a choice of an epidural but I didn't want to be aware of what was happening....good choice as it happened.
Your previous break may complicate things but I'm told by my surgeon that the new growth of bone is stronger so may not be a problem...
There are loads of tips and advice on here and some great people so just stay in touch...
Sorry should have said Elizabeth!!
The presence of hardware and scarring will make the op a bit longer but the surgeons are used to dealing with this sort of situation and pre-op tests and plans normally deal with it quite well. Ask around for surgeons and hospitals - the advantage of NHS is that any resultant problems will also be dealt with while, unless you have good insurance, you may have extra expense in the private sector.
You may be able to look up waiting times on line, BUT these are from the time when you see a consultant. It's also worth a dip into Dr Foster to see whether there is info available on hospitals in your area. Start asking your older friends - it is such a common op these days that many of them will know of friends or family members who have had their joints replaced. Hospitals which have a dedicated ward for elective surgery have the advantage of fewer last minute cancellations and better infection control. You want a surgeon who habitually does 40+ hip replacements per year. Ask your GP about types of hip, if the type is important to you then you need a surgeon who uses that type regularly.
Yes it is a bit scary when you don't know the system and sometimes even scarier when you do. One of the groups who have a good idea which surgeon to go to is the physio dept. They won't advise you but their reaction when you mention names can be quite informative. I liked the man who did mine, my physio gave him the thumbs up and everything went well.
Good luck.
Thank you both very much.
All good information especially Dr Foster who I googled.
I will spend a lot of time looking at information on that site as well as this one.
Please keep the answers coming.
Regards
E
Hi Elizabeth,
The best place to find out which surgeon is to ask your Gp who he would have if he needed it,then google them and find out their experience.
The wait in Essex is 18 weeks on nhs but often ops are cancelled.
Mine was done privately and cost £10500,it was a package and covered everything even if had to have related surgery as long as within 3 months,went in to a Ramsey hospital and can only good of them.
Luckily didn't have complications as it sounds you may have.
Only thing I can say is best money I have ever spent.
Good luck
Hi Elizabeth
Good to be as informed as possible, although I think I overdid it and put myself off for longer than I should have. I had both my hips replaced with ceramic hips - avoid metal on metal. A dedicated orthopaedic hospital is a good choice, I'm lucky in having one in Birmingham. As others have said, ask around for a good surgeon make sure they have many of these operations under their belt. Being is a hospital without an A&E reducing infection rates. The Dr Foster website is useful as said above.
I had my second op in a private hospital on the one NHS ward there - a more pleasant experience having your own bathroom.
I understand that you can choose your hospital from anywhere in the country - this was the case, but may have changed, I would google it.
These threads are extremely useful. All the best, you won't regret it.
I chose my surgeon as I knew his work. The wait was quoted at 12 weeks last June, but I took a cancellation the week before Christmas! I saw somewhere that Kendal is only 6. You can go anywhere, but follow up can be a problem especially for equipment and physio. I live near Hull but went to Scarborough as I was referred there then moved. I had an epidural, it was fine, and the cocktail of sedation meant I was well out of it! In fact I was quite annoyed when the anaesthetist woke me up in recovery, it was the best sleep I'd had in months!
Hi again
Dr Foster who used to show consultants and their work/history are no longer doing so.
Is any one else supplying this information at this time ??
Don't think so but you can google the consultants name and find out some stuff!!
Thank you
Why didn't I think of that.
OOOKay
Private specialist meeting today.
She was marvellous & supportive BUT she can not do the procedure for me.
She tells me that I definitely need a new hip.
I have a plate attached to the femur following a fracture 5yrs ago and it almost touches the hip socket.
It is a DCS or maybe I am mistake it s a DHC, I did ask and received an explanation but have now possibly got mixed up.
Apparently what I have is more complicated than normal but certainly not unknown.
A senior consultant will now look at me this time next week.
If anyone had looked at the documents and xray prior to my attendance they could have told me I was meeting the wrong person.
So much for speed in going privately.
I am also told to expect a minimum wait of 6-8 weeks following my examination next week; what's the chances of that being extended.
I welcome any thoughts on where to look for "good/excellent" replacement in a shorter time scale.
It is a DCS plate procedure; isn't google wonderful.
DCS - dynamic compression screw - quite a standard piece of hardware for fractured neck of femur. 6-8 weeks isn't a bad wait, even privately it can end up about that - my friend had to wait about 6 weeks for a new knee in one of the local private hospitals. I would see the NHS consultant and take it from there. You can use the time productively doing some muscle toning exercises so that rehab will go well - the internet comes into its own again but use your commonsense and knowledge of your own pain to decide what exercises and how many to do.
Good luck whatever you decide.
Thanks ros007
I really am looking for much tighter time scale.
I will review UK wide and France perhaps Spain private hospitals.