I am 46 and been told Ihave advanced oa of left hip with complete loss of joint space over the crown of the femoral head with bone on bone contact .
movement and pain getting worst every day can't really remember the last time I walked with out pain I do not use a stick yet and I do make myself do my jobs and phisyo eg swimming but how long should I wait to have replacement surgeon wants to see me in October or before to see how I am doing I am about 1 and half stone over weight would it help to lose weight or am I best just to have op
thanks
carol
Hi Carol.
Hopefully it wount be long before they call you in, i also did have bone on bone contact, i waited only a couple of months. i did use a stick to help me walk as i know how painful it is.
They like one to be in good health and fit, what weight are you now? if you feel that you'll like to loose some weight before the op you do that but be sure you're healty.
Keep us posted.
Good Luck.
losing weight definitely makes a difference whether you have the op now or wait. I had my THR in Feb and had limped and put up with pain for years...my advice? ...go for it!! You 're too young to let this effect your life so much when it can be sorted..and the op is not nearly as bad as you think...you only have to look at the other THR threads on here.....
Hi there. I had the same situation aged 55 ...I did lots of physio, pilates etc and decided to get my hip done as it is all down to quality of life at the end of the day. I had a total hip replacement on 3/07/14. Less that 5 weeks ago. I was walking unaided after 3 1/2 weeks. I do my physio religiously and have extremely good mobility. I recommend getting on with it. It is not going to get any better. Losing weight will help between now and the operation as you may put weight on after as you will not be as active possibly as you normally are. Good luck........
I know how you're feeling diagnosed 18 mths ago at age 43, just starting with a stick it helps, its so scary making the decision knowing if its the right time. I've not booked in for mine yet I'm still managing - on my bad days I just wanna ring up n book the operation but I still chicken out!
I think you'll know yourself when you are ready. Everyone tolerates different pain levels and reduced activity levels and when these are too much for you too bear then you'll go for it. Its all about your quality of life really.
I'm still trying to get into better shape for the op I'm trying to strengthen my arms n lose some weight n when ive achieved that - which is not easy - I'll re-think the op. Most on here are well happy with their results which is pretty reassuring for those of us pre-ops!
Losing weight will help with the load on your hips now and maybe have less pain too. Also recovery will be easier. However if you diet it should be sensible and full of food that gives your body excellent nutrition. When you get your life back you will look and feel fabulous too!
Ditto me 10months ago. But I was underweight. You will lose weight for sure if the food is as invisible as mine was. But its your BP that might impact more on risks of anaesthetic.
Personally I would not want the femoral head to go on grinding into the pelvic bone area as I believe it can eventually penetrate the "ring". It sounds as if you would benefit greatly on the level of yr present pain alone.
But outcomes cannot be predictex so prepare yourself and be in optimal condition. Look at the procedure - not for the faint hearted - online and inform yrsrlf on the manufacturer of prosthesis, ask to see the model he'll use and most of all, check your surgeon's success rate and ask hiw many he's done.
Ensure you have all the implements as crois-moi you will need them. Take nutritious things in with you. Bear in mind you may need a bladder catheter and prepare yourself for utter submission and dependancy. Rest as well as painful exercise. If you get swelling s most of us in uk will do so, see my post on compression leg massager. The physio u get is negligible unless you are fortunate.
Then things will improve gradually and one day you will wake up and be able ti walk without limping, pain and you will no longer be the same person.
Finally ask yr surgeon to explain why so many of us have different leg lengths and how he assesses this. Get him to explain how he measures you for the correct size (mine sticks out and I cant lie on operated side even now).
In all you sound as though u wd benefit.greatly. Inform yourself wd be my words to you.
Gd luck it may be the best . decision you make.
Can I ask how bad is your hip r u bone on bone
Carol, I have just managed to lose 1 and half stone in the last two months so it is possible. I basically cut out biscuits and crisps! And also thought more about what I ate. It helps me feel fitter even if I'm not lol. My op is two weeks today and hopefully losing the weight will help my recovery.
some great advice from Gentilleschi too, thanks
Hi, I've had both my hips replaced when I was forty nine.
it would help a lot if you could lose some weight as the extra weight
is not good will also help after op my right hip was completely flat and totally
worn away so I didn't wait too long for mine only eight weeks for the first op
once they found out how bad they were, had the second op six months later
so I didn't really recover fully for another six months but it was really worth it ive
been totally pain free since. I had ceramic and titanium
good luck to you Ann
Hi, I'm 47 and 11 weeks post op left THR, my surgeon said I could have had it done 5 years ago but it was my choice, if I could go back 5 years I would probably have done the same thing, I waited until my limping and pain was beginning to affect my day to day life as opposed to every now and again, my thoughts were, the longer I left it, the more chance of me just having it done just once in my lifetime, HOWEVER, other things come into play, like the effect it has on other parts of your body, knees, backs etc, I have absolutely no regrets, I don't limp anymore!!! Still an amount of pain but that's healing pain and I went back to work today! I'm a hairdresser so this is no mean feat! Honestly, you will know in your heart when the time is right for you x
I had horrible bone on bone mess of my groin which pushed me to the replacement but I was 72 and left with a lot of messy complications from the anterior replacement.
The younger a person is the more one can expect revisions down the road....that's all I can say.
These replacements SHOULD BE LAST RESORT, LAST RESORT...
They are NOT walks in the parks...
Prolotherapy and acupuncture can help a lot to buy more time.
I stopped bringing all BREADS into my house about 3 yrs ago...
All those carbs are dead fats and we don't need them....
Good oils are essential but not the grains, wheats, flours etc....all dead foods that add weight to our bodies....
I use lovely green organic romaine lettuce as the wraps for any kind of sandwich I may want...like chicken, turkey etc....
It took willpower but I did it and feel great about this decision...no BREADS and gluten free crackers now and then.
I have only been bad from Xmas but from end of May I don't know the last time I had a good day and last 2 weeks even more so but once I say yes 18. Weeks wait as can't go private really . But taking grandchildren to Florida in november hope it might let up for a while
Hey carol my report reads something like this-
large subchondral cyst in the roof severe degenerative changes subchondral sclerosis osteophytes subchondral cystic changes in hip joint loss of hip joint space,
I think this means I'm bone on bone only you cant hear it like you can in my opposite knee -at times. However I'm not sure no-ones ever taken the time to explain it. Some of the nurses on here will know what that lot means I dont. They just tell me I need thr.
Spoke to doc today ive waited well over a year at the mo n asked him if I could be making it worse by waiting and he said it couldn't get any worse but advised me to lose a couple of stone quickly by eating protien n sald or veg n then put it for the op!
Im on over the counter meds as I dont really want the hard drugs till I need them so im giving myself till the end of sept see what weight ive lost n then decide if im ready, on a bad day I'd gladly run to the op but when its not so bad im like this is ok, however I havent walked to the local shops just over half a mile away for 3 years.
its a difficult decision to make n I'm not making mine yet ha ha x
I feel I must have low pain as on all tablets they will give me and still every step is hurts a bit and limp all the time getting worst foot now turns in if I put straight pain worst but I do carry on as much as I can it's just happened so quick for me
Carol, if I had to do it all over again I would do it at the same time of year, (May) bear this in mind, I know people who have had to recover in the horrible winter months, I know English weather isn't to be trusted but the thought of spending 3 months recovering inside instead of sitting in the garden and going for gentle walks in the sun fills me with dread, it really made all the difference in the world to me xxx
Depends. As I have allotments I booked my ops for late October both times. I was then able to take up gardening again in the spring. I liked being snug in the house and lounging in bed after lunch without feeling I was missing the short summer.
We're all different carol, I've alot going in on my life at the moment so that helps me put it off, I walk with a bad limp n have just started to use a stick. I'm starting to get pain in the lower back so I know it's getting worse n times coming that I won't be able to put it off any longer. I stuggle to bend n pick things up from the floor n I wouldn't attempt to sit on the floor. If the times right for you get booked in n go for i., its a big decision that only you can make x
I can put up with the limp and lack of movement but it's the pain with every step I am now getting , I have 2 small grandchildren I help look after as my daughter is not very well either and horses to look after as well so if pain went I would just carry on as don't know how I can have op