Can you need a THR with just moderate discomfort

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Hi everyone,

I am making this enquiry on behalf of my life long school friend, with whom, yesterday I had lunch .

During the early part of last year, after experiencing a dull ache in her groin , her GP sent her for an X Ray. This revealed that she had advanced OA and required a total hip replacement . At this time, I was struggling with inexorable pain and having to limit my activities . She , on the other hand, was still able to walk long distances; dance and wear high heels . Clearly she made a comparison and decided against surgery. One year later and , for her, nothing has changed. All I can advise is for her to have a further X Ray and a second opinion . She is terrified that her OA will suddenly worsen and, like me, she would be unable to function. She cares for her elderly mother .

I said I would ask my fellow hippies.

"Is it possible to have little to no discomfort with advanced OA that requires THR"?

Many thanks

Morrie

.

.

2

I had bone on bone OA and didn't know it. I had limitations in movement, used trekking poles often, had some pain on walking too far, and one awful grinding incidence of pain before I had my THR. That was enough to scare me into having it done. That being said, I have a complication post surgery that gives me more pain and limits my movements much more now post-op than before, I hope to get it fixed, but there is no guarantee.

If I were your friend, I would wait until I were in worse shape before doing it. Chances are she won't go from no problems to incapacitated overnight.

3

Unless she is paying privately, I doubt if she will be able to.

My understanding is that the medics will only operate when necessary. Afterall, it is a major operation. 

But do urge her to have another X-Ray. I was bone on bone for over a year before I got an opinion. Her idea of moderate pain may be different to yours or mine.

Michael

4

Thanks Annie

I will share this with her .

Morrie

5

Me too Michael. In fact I was sent away and discharged by a rheumatologist. Took a full year to get back into the system.

It is her NHS GP who is saying she needs a THR but she has not given the go ahead for referral .

I personally think it is because of her elderly mother and the fact that , at the mo, she can cope.

Thanks for responding

Morrie

6

Hi Morrie

Your friend's situation sound a a lot like mine's was. Hill walking, playing, badminton, doing Zumba and dancing (not very high heels though!) Not a great deal of pain except when getting up from a chair after sitting for a while but this eased off after a couple of steps. However after 2nd x-Ray surgeon recommended I get it done as had arthritic cysts and bone spurs on my hip which would have ultimately affected my back and given me lots of pain. Hummed and hawed about it and if it wasn't for my family nagging me to get it done, probably wouldn't have. But boy am I happy I did. 4 weeks post op and feeling great. Walking much straighter (never realised I was tilting to the right and limping when tired before the op). Hope your friend gets another x-Ray to reasses her situation. I was 4 years between x-Ray's. Best wishes Jan

7

I decided to have my THR because walking any distance left me with throbbing pain in my right hip. Both hips had bad bone spurs which also inhibited movement badly. If your friend experiences no pain then it is purely a personal choice. I made the choice because I was tired of living such a limited life as a result of pain. Pain is usually what drives the decision. She'll know when it's time

8

I suppose if she is coping with it, might be best to leave it, but it will get worse. Eventually she will need it done.  I think they prefer doing it if there is pain and mobility problems. Only way to find out is to be referred.

  I worked through my pain and limited mobility, no tablets (I didn't know then I had severe osteoarthritis) But things got worse, still went to work, walked the dog on an afternoon, usually about 5 mile, Started having to get hubby pick me up from a walk when it locked and I couldn't walk. Struggled at work.

I am pleased I have had it done,

9

Hi Morrie, 

The decision is ultimately hers, of course - 

This is my story - At some point (due to pain in groin) x-ray showed I had advanced OA in right hip - I was in shock and in denial about and continued to do everything as usual - then started to "hide" it - joking about getting old - 

pain was getting worse but bearable - GP send me for another x-ray, no more cartilage , bone on bone and he said : You should be in more pain !!! I pretended I wasn't ---- Until it was so bad that I cried myself to sleep ---

I am pretty sure that if I had this forum I would not have waited that long - 

I would suggest to her to get the ball rolling - it will NOT get better and the fitter she is now, the better her recovery will be -

decline can happen so quickly !!! my left hip went from mild to bone-on-bobe within 6 months - 

Big warm hug

renee

10

The only way Icould get referred was to see my GP who did the Oxford Hip Score test - to see just how bad it is.  If you 'score' more than the threshold (whatever it is), you get reffered, otherwise you just get painkillers.

Graham - 🚀💃

11

Thanks Renee

I know exactly where you are coming from and more or less "ditto".

We meet up, along with three other school friends , once a month,

and I am seeing her again in a couple of weeks. Shall show her these posts and hope, just for once, that she starts to take care of herself.

Many thanks

Morrie xx

12

Hi Graham,

Thanks for that and glad you "popped up again"!

Graham in a recent post when we were discussing sleeping on op side. You stated that you had a posterial scar which was not along your thigh .

I also had the posterial approach and have an eight inch scar that starts three inches below my hip and carries on to the top of my thigh and then turns (like a plough).

When I lay on my op side I am actually laying upon the entire scar.

Oh again, this morning, I tried your stair approach for putting on socks and, thank you, I succeeded. Another leap forward!

Morrie 🌂

13

I got referred by my doc, she tried to move my legs about then arranged an x-ray.. She said at the time it was possibly arthritis, the x-ray later confirmed it.

 

14

Morrie,

Being posterior, the scar is difficult if not impossible to see without a mirror, but I have noticed it changes shape as I move. In certain positions it is straight, so probably the position I was in on the Op Table.  

I think it's about 9 inches, i had 30 cm dressings to cover it.  I don't remember saying it wasn't along the thigh, it goes more or less straight down the thigh

It depends on how far I roll as to whether i am actually laying on it, if I go right over (almost on my front), the scar then comes out the other side so I am not actually 'on' it.

Stairs are useful for tying shoelaces too - another milestone.

Graham - 🚀💃

15

I can see all of my scar. It is right in the middle of my thigh but then I am pretty bandy. I meant bendy !!!😱

16

Isn't autocorrect wonderful.

So was yours lateral then?  

 or was mine 'super duper posterior' ?

Mine is so far back, I can barely see any of it without using a mirror.

Graham - 🚀💃

I loved CelsB's post some time ago ...

"The man who invented predictive text died last week.  His funfair will be held next monkey"

17

I read that he had been: Restaurant in Peace cheesygrin

Regarding scars, mine is a lateral and when I stand it has a curve at the top and when I sit, it is straight. 

Funny old world.

Michael

18

Guess who, after reading Michael's post, has been sitting, standing to check scar ? Yep me, Bandy !!!!

My surgeon , just prior to op, asked me to stand and then marked the area of incision. It is bang in the middle of my thigh and then, at the hip joint, bends slightly.

It's definitely posterior as I asked him to verify and questioned why he chose that approach.

So Rocketman, yours must be super duper posterial.

Enjoy your day

Morrie

19

I also had bone on bone with no symptons at all. Then I was involved in a car accident where someone hit me from behind with great force. Within 4 weeks the pain started and got progressively worse over a 2 year period eventually leading to handicap.My doctor told me that the accident did someting causing such pain. He said that although it was bone on bone he would never have operated unless that pain had come.

20

Hi Cindy,

Bone on bone with no pain at all? My goodness, that is quite remarkable.

Thank you for your comment.

Morrie