Hi Im still pre op and now told my wear is SOOOO slight that it doesnt equal in anyway the pain I experience - about this pain please??..........Did any of you NOT have pain all the time? as I dont. The pain starts after a while of moving around, and as said before, the pain is mostly down the fron thigh and groin?
iT would make sense that the pain is there all the time if the bones are rubbing? I just dont understand why some days it is far better that other days. Is this how it was for you please?
When I experience a bad flare up, the other question is this. I presume it is OA flaring up, does this still happen post op? meaning are you stiff? but also are you stiff but WITHOUT pain?
can anyone help a weary soul just need to know facts before I push and push for an op as what could be worse than to get a new hip and still experience the pain
I am still on fence in other words, if I go to a private consultation (but NHS operation ) will I get a clearer picture, also it may be the same NHS guy!
My reply is only a partial one as I'm still pre-op (though only two days to go!).
I too found it difficult to understand why, when the x ray revealed that my cartilage was gone, I still had good and bad days. The pain was definitely on and off. That was why I thought my consultant would send me away as not bad enough for surgery, when I was referred. I didn't think it was all that bad (at least not consistently). However, since then (March) I've been struck by the rapidity of the deterioration, so I'm pleased he did refer me for surgery when he did. Pain is much more consistent, intense and in all sorts of places too. The last couple of days, I've experienced intense pain around my calf, on the affected leg. I don't really understand that on a physiological level, but then I'm not a doctor. Sleeping is much more problematic than even three or four weeks ago.
From what I've read, the pain relief, from the OA is pretty much instantaneous after the operation. Of course, there is post-operative pain, but not the arthritic pain. I don't see why a private consultation would give you a clearer picture than an NHS one. You would get a date for surgery quicker. I think that would be the only difference and, yes, it could well be the same guy. So you could, assuming you can cope with the pain, as I could, save yourself about £12-13,000 by sticking with the NHS. I would get down off the fence, in your position.
Hi Pauline you sound how I was for 7 years and I am now 15 weeks post op. Yes like you I had flare ups and really wished I had pushed for the op much sooner. It was only when I could barely walk and dreaded every new day because of the pain that they eventually decided to operate. At that point I had hardly any bone left and the little I did have had to be used as a bone graft. The relief
from that awful pain is amazing.I do still experience stiffness
especially first thing in the morning and after sitting but it soon
passes and I am no longer dependant on pain killers that to be honest never worked anyway. Don't let out get that bad that your life becomes miserable. Don't know where you are in the UK , I assume you are in the UK, as you mention the NHS but I was under Wrightington Hospital that specialises in orthopedic surgery and they were marvellous, can't thank them enough for giving me back my life. Good luck and hope you get sorted soon.
I wasnt in extreme pain either but the ROM was terrible and when I walked I could feel my flexor muscles working in my groin on my good side but doing nothing on the bad.
At first the doctor said the X-rays only showed moderate arthritis but it quickly accelerated to bone bone.
Oddly, I could swing my bad leg over my bikes cross bar but not my good one????
I was kind of lossing the plot and got back into living with it, determined to loosse weight which I havent managed as always sitting when I can
also the Pilates teacher got my enthusiasm up when she said a lady cancelled surgery and did pilates and now back riding her horse, you dont know what to think or believe! well I go again to NHS consultant at WYTHINSHAWE hospital (yours wans a typo error was it NEXT fEB so will be begging then if just the same as yes, its making my life small and into a box Ive just got used to
...can you jive again afterwards or is this a silly thought .........
...NO Me too I cant get on with painkillers at all
I can ride my bike but dread stopping when need to put leg down, I avoid it at all costs and go on pavement!!! I get pain at any given gtime in lower calf at side or shin, I know Im feeling better from pilates as needed it badly, so the benefit from this is confusing the picture I feel
I wanted to do Pilates 3 years ago and the physio told me strictly to do nothing!, how I wish . . . . . .annoying
Hi christine no i wouldnt have the op privately!! was just wanting a quick and accurate diagnosis after seeing the NHS consultant who put me off, yet again - Id just had steroid injection in groin and it took away all pain for 4 weeks so this speaks voulumes Id have thought but he brain washed me that my own hip is far better and that Im too young at 60 as to replace a second hip is not good (i know of 2 80 year olds who have had their 2nd hips and that seems ok )
I think Il ask him how he would feel if unable to comfortably walk the corridor but I dont want to get too violent xx
Just to add I had two steroid injections prior to op one lasted 3 weeks and during that time it made me realise how wonderful it was to not experience that pain. However when it wore off their second injection had no effect at all.
Just seen how close you must be to me being under Wythenshawe . Wrightington is only in Wigan maybe worth asking for a referral there. And yes you can get your life back. I am 67 by the way
Hi pauline . I had chronic back pain for about 18 months then in march/April this year my groin was painful and my ROM was restricted. Luckily previous year my mum had had THR so I did what she did . After seeing physio on nhs at musco skeletal clinic who x rayed me and said THR probability I saw consultant privately within 2 weeks at cost £200 he confirmed THR needed told me to see gp for nhs referral which I dad . Saw gp 5th June and had op an nhs at private hospital on 18th August. I think this is amazing . And mine was RA bone on bone pain gone instantly .
The amount of pain you experience doesn't always equal what the doctors say you should be experiencing given the amount of "wear" you have. Everyone is different. My wear was just awful (bone on bone) but was in very little pain most of the time. My range of motion was lousy and if I tried to force my leg past a certain point, "Ow!!!!!" Otherwise I wasn't in pain. I wasn't able to walk normally either, though, but I was able to walk without pain most of the time. I decided to go ahead with the surgery because a) It wasn't ever going to get better on its own and b) I'm not getting any younger (I'm 65). Most of the people I've talked to who have had THR say they are glad they did it and have few to no complications. That is the majority. But, as you may have gathered from this forum, the recovery period isn't a picnic. But for years of pain-free movement, I think it's probably worth it. I'm 7 weeks today and walking without a cane some of the time.
OH RANGE OF MOVEMENT! i didnt have range even when a little girl lol i always noticed that the others sat crossed legs with knees wide and felt quite envious!! haha also having knock knees and pigeon toe in this leg I actually feel iv been quite lucky to have not had problems! my grandson has this too incidently
thanks for comments, you are right Denise and it is so helpful hearing others poiints of views, im on the fence again just in case i can fix it with pilates, the MRI says NO bone to bone but the consultant thinks it does show this...........??
if there really is no b one to bone you will understand my concern and also the MRI was a portable machine and warned it may not be as accurate . . . .but I was pressured to go to that hospital as GP said they were under contract
I can't remember if you said your age pauline. Thing is is I was in similar predicament as at 55 I worried new hip probably need replacing 15 years and I wasn't as bad as some others on here and a cousin of mine (now 60) has done loads excercises to keep hers at bay but my thoughts were either way 55 or 61 still need replacing in 15 years so ho for it now get on with life