I'm 46 and had a meeting with orphopaedic surgeon last week, who has said I need a hip replacement. He's giving me 6 weeks to think about it... Not sure what to do, I can walk, although after a lot of walking my leg starts to ache and it is painful of a night laying in bed.... I have very little movement in my leg. He said I can either have it done now or wait couple of years... I don't know anyone that has had a hip replacement to talk to about with, which is why I've joined this forum for your advice?
Thanks Shirley, that's helpful... I know what you mean, having it done now whilst I'm young... the only thing that scares me and I'm sure it does everyone else, is being 'put to sleep'..... How was your recovery, did they get you up walking straight away ?
I can only say that the pain of arthritis in my hip went from being bearable to nearly been bed ridden in quite a short space of time.
Im glad I had the operation but I am struggling a bit at present but I think that is more to do my with my own lack of patience.
I want to be able to walk, drive again, do my own shopping etc. All this takes time and I don't think I fully understood just how difficult it would be.
All that being said though I am still going ahead with 2nd hip replacement as soon as I am able, so it wasn't all bad xx
I am 53 and went 8 years progressively getting worse . I asked my surgeon if I was to young and he said look at all you used to do and all You've given up because of your pain so it depends on if you want your life back. At the end of the day, I realized I wasn't going to get an award for waiting longer.
Has the surgery and recovery been easy? No, but I know with my original hip I was never going to get better, but with my new hip - I WILL😀
In the end, it will be worth it!! Good luck to you.
I am the world's worst wuss but I coped really well. I had a general anaesthetic, had the op about 8am and was awake in time for lunch. Felt sick because of morphine but managed a cup of tea and a biscuit.
Physio came in the afternoon and helped me sit on the side of the bed and shuffle my bottom onto a bedside armchair. No real walking but learning how to handle crutches.
Told me to sit on chair for 5 minutes. Then gently helped me back onto the bed.
Later that evening I was OK to talk to visiting husband.
Pain was a lot less than the pain of the horrible old hip which felt like someone poking a screw-driver into me.
If you have been following the discussions I'm sure you will have realised that this is not an operation to take lightly. Only you will know if your pain/lack of mobility has got to the level where it is seriously impacting your life. I wasn't in much pain but I was becoming immobile because my body was growing new bone around the affected hip. Now I'm back to walking and living a normal life again, I'm 13 weeks post-op so still in the healing phase but there is lots of light at the end of the tunnel. It will change your life but be prepared.
Don't have much time for long response as at work, but I hadv 4 years of denial until I found my lifestyle severely compromised. I had my THR 6 months ago, yes there were tes in the first 6-8 weeks when I regretted having ad tje surgery but now I am so pleased I had it done I can walk dance excercise am driving 300!miles at weekend and not in least bit worried about it. I had to have GA for other reasons but most have a spinal block and are awKe during surgery hope this helps
Hi. I had my left hip replaced 8 weeks ago. Yes, there are times when I get tired and I'm still not sleeping that well but I am walking without crutches, doing Tai Chi and driving. The arthritic pain has gone but there is still discomfort from time to time as the body heals. As I understand it the new hip just gets stronger and stronger as time goes by but it's important to pace yourself. I was out of bed and standing 4 hours after the op. Walking the next day and discharged on the 5th day with just one crutch. Had a GA which was fine but you can have a spinal with sedation if you prefer. Also, no morphine as was told they didn't like to give it now. But plenty of painkillers and I had very little post op pain. I'd say "Go for it". There's no comparison to my state before the op and now even after such a short time.
I really wish I had been diagnosed earlier. I waited until i was 62 and suffered for about 10 years and now i have had both his replaced and really wonder why I waisted 10 years of my life. it is brilliant how much pain goes and how you can do so much more. go for it.
Welcome to the forum! I was in the same boat. I wasn't in a lot of pain all the time like some, but my range of motion was becoming increasingly more limited. I saw the doc and was told you can do it now or you can wait. I said, "It's not going to get any better, is it?" We know what the answer was. I decided to go ahead because I'm also not getting any younger. It's been rough recovering but I'm not 9 weeks out and glad I've gotten it over with rather than having it hanging over my head for years.
Hi. I am 12weeks post op from an anterior hip replacement and I'm 52years old. I was shocked when GP told the pain I was having was osteoarthritis and I needed a THR. I thought it was a groin strain!! I too needed time to mentally digest this and prepare myself and my husband (!) for both the surgery and the recovery. I had an anterior op which means the scar is at the front and it's supposed to be a quick recovery for us "young folk". I am a big baby with pain and dreaded the recovery but although the first day or two are very hard, it does get easier each day. I was given lots of pain relief in hospital and at home. My husband had to do everything after my op and was an absolute saint. He appreciates all my hard work now (house work, shopping, cooking and planning 3 meals a day etc and work and caring for our daughter and my elderly mother) so that's an added bonus to the op. The physio will get you out of bed the first day and get you walking. I used a Zimmer frame first and was devastated after it was taken from me after 1 day and then I used crutches. You will b nervous but it will be ok. Going up and down the stairs I found easy with the crutches. Now I'm driving, walking everywhere and fully mobile without too much pain ( I would call it muscular discomfort) but don't need painkillers more than once or twice a week. Learning to walk without limping, waddling from side to side etc I'm finding tricky. The scar takes a little getting used too. I would recommend the op because I've forgotten how hard it was to walk long distances, to go work and not feel absolutely exhausted and desperately rely on high doses of painkillers. All I would say is that don't expect to be 100% for a good few months after surgery.
I'm 48, had resurfacing right hip 8 years ago, left 7 years ago. Right failed last year leaving me in pain again so I underwent THR revision surgery 3 months ago. I'm back at work but still recovering however the reduction in pain is massive.
As for the anaesthetic and being put to sleep, you're bound to be worried if you've not experienced it before but from my personal experience is nothing to worry about.
Recovery time is a personal and individual thing as everyone on here has slightly different experiences but you will feel so much better in the long run! As the old saying goes, don't put off til tomorrow what can be done today!!
Hi Janey I was 48 when my Xray revealed Arthritis as the cause of my hip pain. I wondered when I would know I as ready for a replacement hip. Constant pain lack of sleep plus unwanted side effects from the pain killers drove me to see the orthopaedic surgeon , but I was still wondering if I was truly ready for surgery. In the end my hip made the descision for me. My surgeon told me if I didn't have the surgery by the end of the year that bone loss would make it difficult to have a successful total hip replacement. I'm 51 and that information frightened me. My op is booked for the beginning of Dec. I feel positive about it and have been working hard to maintain my muscles to help me get the most out of the immediate post op period..Only you can make the descision but my advice would be to have the operation Annie
