Thanks Blenky, I've got my letter through with details of issues with hip. I've got 6 months to consider my options which I have already made my decision of going for it.
Good decision Simon......keep posting for all your pre and post op questions!!
Chris
Just had one after 1 and half years of limping gave up yoga cause of the pain 6 months ago recently have stopped all but short 5 min walks due to pain. I therefore kept relatively active till say 2 months ago, as a result I am pain free except for the operation pain.. My operation was a week ago ..I can walk for 20 minutes and more provided I take breaks ... I am 48 ..I say go for it before you cease up
Simon, I had a total hip replacement just over twenty years ago and touch wood have not had any trouble at all. In fact I started playing badminton a couple of years ago. Not sure about you playing football as that is classed as contact sport and would be frowned upon. The surgeon told me he fitted a heavy duty unit so my advice is go ahead. I never looked back. Good luck
The points 1-4 you have listed are exactly why l am desperate to have a hip replacement. I used to walk 4 miles each morning ( with my dog) before work and after work 4 miles . I havent done so for 18 months and its killing me mentally
Reading that you now walk 5- 10miles a week hascheered me up and given me hope thanks for that
Hi Simon, I had a THP of my left hip 6 weeks ago. I won't lie the recovery wasn't easy, I'm just now to the point that I can walk unassisted without a crutch. But that horrible grinding pain in my hip is gone and I feel alot better.
I've been told not to run anymore, it causes excessive wear on the implant. So, no running for me, I don't want to go through this again.
Progress after 6 weeks is even better...and there are people running marathons and even a triathlon after THR ..just proves what different advice we all get!!
Since I returned from hospital I've been walking at least twice a day, from a few hundred yards on crutches in week 1 to a mile and more a day at week 6. All the pain which originally plagued me was immediately gone after the op, but I pushed through the typical muscle stiffness and some stem pain to build up my strength. At week 12 now I get a few muscle twinges, but mostly if I've been sitting about too much. I do still get very tired...did a 'Geocache' with my son yesterday which was only about 4 miles, but the terrain was tough and I needed to lay on the sofa for about an hour when I got back as I was totally exhausted. I'm noticing now that I don't even think about hip pain any more, just the normal aches and pains you would associate with having done a little too much. As I said, tiredness is the only real thing still bothering me!!
Hi, I had my THR 10 weeks ago & I'm 44. I was in a lot of pain prior to the op along with restricted movement. I think how much this impacts your life helps you make up your mind about having the op... I felt I was watching my life happen whilst I had to sit on a bench watching from the sidelines :-(
As I said I'm 10 weeks in and feeling no pain other than healing pains, I'm a little stiff but getting better everyday, for me it's been a blessing
Hi Simon,
I have only just found this forum and am having my THR next week. I am 44 and was a keen runner growing up which is why I now need a replacement. Unlike many others although I have been in daily pain, it is not to the point I have been on any pain killers. I totally changed my diet, cutting out flamatory foods and eating more inflamatory foods, especially turmaric, ginger, green tea and lots of omega 3 rich food. I also do my exercises form the physio every day (almost) and still go to the gym and am on the bike, which I feel really helps my hip. Nothing too full on, but gentle cycling and strengthening my glutes, hip flexors and quads. You will need to make sure these are strong before your operation as this will help recovery. All of this has really heped and some days I can walk properly for a short time without any pain. I am still in a dilema of what to do and my op is next week!!! BUT long term it will only get worse, so I will probably do it. I would do your research, ask lots of questions and check out your surgeon and that you are happy with the hospital you are going to. Patients now have a choice, so you can go where you want to. Even when you decide to go ahead you will have to wait so I would check out waiting times too. Hope this helps and good luck.
Hi Blenky,
I am having mine next week, but ceramic on metal - 15-20 years, do you know the difference between this and ceramic on ceramic. I have heard ceramic on ceramic lasts longer 20-40 years and is for younger fitter peole. I am 44 and very active. Having asked my surgeon it is basically down to his preference, but I feel if I can have one just as good that lasts 20-40 years then I should be offered that...I am now getting very anxious as i am running out of time......any thoghts appreciated as I cannot find much about this online. thanks
Not sure about ceramic/plastic, but was told by my consultant that ceramic/ceramic was the best and longest lasting for younger patients who still want to have a relatively active life. I was lucky to have mine done through my company health scheme, which covered the cost as I believe that this is a more expensive prosthetic.
Thanks Blenky, i think it really is down to surgeon preferance and I am sure cost. But I know my surgeon is good, so have to trust what he is doing.... Fingers crossed, 2 days to go!!
I have fibromyalgia so i think that is why i still have slight pain in both hips (both hips replaced) but it is not the same type of horrible pain before the operations; the horrible type of pain i had was sharp shooting pains down the front of my leg to the ankles; the first hip replaced i was in agonizing pain after the operation, but the other hip i hardly had any pain; done by the same surgeon; they said it could have been due to not having morphine in the epidural the second time around (it caused me to itch horribly) or that is could have been the first hip was in much worse shape than the other, or that i simply did better on my right side than left; so everyone's situation is different and every hip surgery will be different; i had and still have total trust in my surgeon and i chose him because he was a Christian and prayed with me before the surgery; also because he and his father did alot of free surgeries of hip replacement to those in poor countries
I had a consultation 2/3 years ago. It was suggested I had a thr then or wait as I might get a couple of years out of my hip. I've waited, but the groin pain, the stiffness, the backache and the lack of mobility has become a real problem. I'm going for a thr June 26, I am frightened, but the alternative is continuing as I am. No alternative really. I'm 58 and have a wonderful grandson who needs me to be mobile. Mine is a district nurses hip, all that repetitive strain over 30 years! I'd go for it now and get a better life, it will only get worse if you wait.
Hi simon. Im 55. I had thr 6 mths ago...waiting list should have been 6 weeks but was 5 mths i had to wait! For the last month i was mostly housebound ..as unable to work and any shopping involved use of wheelchairs. It got so bad within that time. After op it took some time for my spine and muscles to adjust to being straight again. So glad i took surgeons advice in june as i wasnt keen. Had i not done so i would have been a lot worse post op. They do not tell you of the road to recovery being affected by how unbalaced you were pre op. My physio was brill and got to the root of my spine and back pain easily. It made such a difference as i realised it would improve as i strengthened these muscles...but did hamper my ability to work at first.important to realise that eventually the muscles and spine will improve!!. Contact sport is advised against..not that i ever did any. I just wanted to carry on working..enjoy walking outdoors and being without pain. The op has meant i have my quality of lifr back. Without the op i would have not enjoyed any of those. The longer you leave it the harder your body has to work to recover. Just make sure you do the pre op excercises diligently as well as the post op ones...otherwise you will severely limit your recovery and freedom of movement. You only get that time once....
Thanks Susan
Cheers mate. Let me know how you get on yeah?
Thanks Kim. I hope the healing is fast and you get some normality back.
I didn't really have pain, or so I thought! I'm 17 days post op and I gave grown at least an inch, I am a lot less stiff than before the op, I didn't realise how much pain I was actually in and had compensated for. A contracture in my knee has gone, pain in my knee and back has gone along with the groin pain. I honestly thought it was only my flexibility that had been affected, how wrong was I. THR'can last a long time, but I would imagine that refereeing would certainly shorten the time it lasts. But quality of life is valuable and medical developments are ongoing which might mean revision isn't as scary as we think. It's a tough decision to make, but life will only get tougher while you wait. I'm sure you'll make the right decision for you, and that's all that matters.