i have advanced OA in my hips and am being considered for hip replacement, but it’s not definitely as I have other health issues too.
i am struggling each day to move around and the pains in my knees are really bad (been told it’s from the hips and not the knees itself),
i am really nervous about having the op/ops and am not sure whether to carry on as now and not have them or to or go ahead to be considered.
Why on earth would you continue in pain when something can be done about it ? Not that I'm making light of the op, it's a major operation. 👣
I really don’t want to influence you at all. However I went to the doctor a couple of years ago with a painful knee. I’d severed my quadriceps quite a few years earlier which took a year to diagnose and have treated. I therefore thought the pain was related to that. However I, too, was told the pain was from my hip and I was bone on bone and needed a hip replacement. I was 69. I had the surgery, sadly twice as the first one went wrong. My hip is fine now back I have backache - but more importantly to me, my knee is still just as painful and now so is the other one. It is still early days as my last hip op was only 3 months ago but I’m somewhat sceptical ..... Good luck with your decision
Hi taffeta, remember that the massive majority of people who have HR dont actually come on here so we generally only see people who have had a problem or are like you and me gathering information to help us decide what choices too make.
Is there a specific reason why you are nervous regarding this procedure
The hip replacement operation is one of the most successful in the world. Most people are able to walk the same day or the following day depending when they had the op and then go home soon after. I was in so much pain before the op that I was worried silly my op would be cancelled, I could not wait for it. You will not regret having it.
I have had some unfortunate problems, but would not hesitate in going for the THR surgery - you are freed from all that Osteoarthritis pain straight away. Sure, there is other pain, but it's healthy 'getting better' pain.
Other health issues aside, I'd get it done as soon as possible, the better shape you are in going into the operation, the easier the recovery.
I agree, get it done as soon as possible but choose a surgeon with a good record. Leaving it will not make the need go away. The problem will only get worse and often it gets worse very, very quickly.
Good luck, Richard
Taff,
You would be amazed at how many people are scared of the op. I really was terrified as I do not go to the doctors nor take tablets. I had thr in april, the injection in the back for the spinal did not hurt at all, next thing I knew 1hr. 50min later I was being woken up. I have had no pain since the op, I have not rushed recovery because I think it is better to go slowly and let the body repair itself.
My Gp said that it would take the pain away from the effected joint but my mobility wouldn’t necessarily becany better.
I am having to choose which major op to have first and again I’m in a position that because of other health issues neither op could be safe for me.
Hi Taffy:
You do't say what the other health considerations are, or if they are likely to affect the op itself or its outcome.
The important thing is to be very careful about how you select your surgeon and the anesthetist. Both are crucial to its outcome. The other important consideration is the type of anaesthesia you decide upon, and this decision my be based on other unrelated conditions that may affect your safety during surgery.
I had a spinal/epidural with sedation. You are out for the count, but it is not a general anaesthetic. You simply have a needle, almost a "pinprick" in the lower part of the back and in most cases, that's it, and you wake up in the recovery room. There is also the option of just having the anaesthesia without sedation. You are aware of what is going on, but probably cannot see it, because you would need to be in a best possble position on the table for the surgeon to access you hip easily.
All major surgery contains risks, the trick is to find your best surgeon and anaesthtist, check them out and then take it from there. Your GP has your medical history, and a pre op assessment will be done at the hospital so that there is double protection.
In most UK hospitals you are out of bed walking on a frame with the help of a physiotherapist, who will guide you and not permit you to do too much. You will be give pain killer first as it can be quite painful when you put your weight on the hip for the first time. Second day, you are on sticks walking the corridor and learning how to manage stairs. This is the general program, but it may vary. I was in for three nights and released on the fourth day. The first two weeks post op are challenging, but from that point on, there are gradual daily improvements. I have just started my fourth week, and am already walking outside with two sticks, but walk around the house unaided, unless I feel a little wobbly.
My first op was lateral, few restrictions and a great surgeon.
The pain that you are feeling in your knees is probably hip pain radiating from the hip. I do not know how long you have been living with this, how old you are, and which other factors need to be considered. Do you think you may have arthritis in both knees? I was told that the pain in y knee was radiating from the hip - so there you go! May not be quite so dire as you are fearing!
The main thing is that you will have a new hip/s, be pain free and mobile again, and that is the outcome.
However, as I have already said,I do not know whether you have other medical conditions that may affect the outcome or decision to go through this surgery.
I have heard of patients who have had both hips replaced in the same surgery, but that would depend on necessity and the overall condition of the patient, not to mention the recommendations of the medics.
I hope that I have helped and reassured you, just a little.
Never mind being fully mobile, being in constant pain is hell on earth and I'm sorry to say it will only get worse. I'm surprised at your GP only taking that in to consideration. If however your other health issues are life threating under surgery then that's a different matter. 🤔
Ps why not go ahead with a referral and see what the surgeons team thinks ? After all just by seeing them you're not committing to having it done.
Did your GP say why they thought that? Hip operations are supposed to be one of the most successful ops in the world and the chances of you getting rid of the pain and thus having better mobility I would have thought is pretty high. I have had a new hip and I was amazed afterwards that I did not still have my original hip in the days when it actually worked well! If you are offered the opportunity of a new hip I would take it. I had to go through hoops to get mine done.
Hi,
I disagree with all the responses so far. There is another option. Look up Hip Osteoarthritis can be cured. I know it talks about the hip, but I assure you it will give you an alternative and possible treatment. Look online as well for what is wrong with you and see if there is another option
Good luck
T
Hi ptolemy your experience is just like mine,I'm 73 years old and 14 weeks post opp and the pre operation pain was bad and like you my main worry was that the operation would not go ahead. TAFF1234 will feel the benefits if he go's ahead with the opp, health issues permitting
I actually had my op at a hospital which did not have an A&E dept which apparently means the op is less likely to be cancelled. In fact it was an old TB hospital and I was wheeled outside to get to the operating theatre. It was rather nice being out in the open although a bit strange.
I have already seen the specialist , he said I needed to decide which op I wanted first and would consider me for surgery for one of my hips. Both have gone and my back so who knows if I will feel any better if choose hip over the other op..
I think it’s because I have advance OA in other joints that he made that comment.
Hi if they really think that performing the op for you would be unsafe I promise you they wouldn't even consider it, who has told you that it's not safe for you to go ahead with it and why, my MIL has chronic asthma and heart failure but she had her hip replacement done at 78 she was absolutely fine other than she was petrified to walk for many weeks after, she's 90 now and wants her knee doing but they want do it LOL