I hope this isn't too controversial or anything. My doc says I need two hip replacements, with my left needing one more immediately (some bone cysts on the pelvis area). I have been in pain awhile with no medication, and just started doing celebrex the past few weeks which helps out.
Due to my awful financial situation and awful insurance ($8K deductible - for which I'm already in hock $20K for two past foot operations from a diabetic foot ulcer) - I am thinking of waiting until I get a job with better insurance, and try for a hip operation about a year after a new job (I figure that won't "hurt" my employer). Has anybody else been through this? Can celebrex help you survive a year with bad hips? It doesn't stop the pain and "creakiness" but I can at least function with one celebrex a day.....
I cannot imagine what it must be like to be dependent on finance for my health. We in UK moan about our NHS but we are really quite lucky to have it.
You are in a horrible situation. I'm not sure about the meds you mention or any others as I survived on strong painkillers til my op. What I do know is that the mobility problems and pain only accelerate as time goes on. I saw my consultant 4 months before my op and at that time my decision to go ahead was just to get my life back as lack of mobility meant I couldn't do very much. In that last 4 months my pain increased as well as immobility and I seriously could not have waited much longer. I also believe waiting causes more problems with the bone for surgery and recovery time is lengthened.
If there is any way at all you could go ahead sooner I would advise you do. Somehow you have to find a way to put your health and future first.
If you really cannot go ahead then I do hope that you can find a form of pain control that you can cope with.
I'm in the UK too, getting my hip done on Thurday fingers crossed.
Although we have the NHS, they wouldn't help me as I live in a post code where if your him isn't at there acceptable level they leave you too suffer.
I'm lucky that my husband has private medical insurance though his employer, so getting it done though Bupa.
I was like you, though financial situations I was going to go for a new hip around next April, but I walked into work at 7.30 am and at 11am I was being carried out unable to walk! My right hip had given up. There was no warning that that day this would happen, all of a sudden excruciating pain!
At the moment I am on pain killer meds that are usually giving to you post op!
I just hope unlike myself that you can carry on until you are in a better financial situation.
This is a terrible situation in which so many find themselves in -
from your post I am assuming that you live in the USA - I have lived in Los Angeles for 35 year (back in Holland for 3 years) and have been in a similar situation -- In between jobs, no health insurance and in need for medical care ---
There were a couple of options -
Free clinic,
Check hospitals if they offer free consults
County Hospital
apply for Medicaid
All will take a lot of time, long waits and feeling awfully depressed -
what is the diagnosis - was an x-ray taken ?
How about going to city hall -
I hope you have someone who can come with you, Carl --
I'm in the US, need a hip replacement, don't have insurance and can't wait 3 more years for Medicare to kick in, so I can relate to your situation. When insurance plans are rolled out Nov. 1 I'll be acquiring it and expect it to be financially burdensome but there really isn't an alternative for me at this point. A GP [general practitioner] can prescribe pain medication that might help you muster through until you can line up financing for the operation. I am not familiar with celebrex and until very recently I have used ibeprofun and acetomenephine to deal with the inflammation and pain. In the past few weeks I have started to use tramadol and Have found it effective in reducing pain to a manageable level even with very low doses and skipping the med as often as possible to avoid building a tolerance. Tramadol is not a narcotic but can be habit forming. My understanding is that it is referred to as a psuedo opiate- it effects nerve receptors to interfere with pain signals. I have found it helpful as my condition deteriorates and I wait to get the hip surgery done. Best of luck.
Thanks for all the comments. Yeah healthcare in the US is a bit of a gamble or "crap shoot". Just look at the recent tragedy in Las Vegas, I've seen a few "Go Fund Me" pages for victims and their families to help cover medical expenses etc. The celebrex (generic name "celoxocib" seems to help me. As my doctor said - it takes the pain from an 8 out of 10 to a 4 (although I think maybe a 6). Still I can function ie find a job hopefully, and then get the hip replacement after maybe 6-12 months on the job (ie so they won't fire me before my 90 day "probation" etc). I never thought as a professional (software engineer) I'd find myself in this situation at age 52 - but it has been tough finding an IT job once I hit 50. So I guess I'll gamble on "a celebrex a day keeps the surgeon away". Just from googling there seems to have been people taking it for years, so I should be OK for a year barring accidents.....