The reason I am asking the question is that compared with others my
condition and pain level does not seem too bad.
I have seen one specialist who told me I am bone on bone and has mentioned in his letter to my GP the Trendelenburg gait.
I am now waiting for an appt. to see a specialist who does the Anterior approach.That was why I requested the referral in the first place but on keeping the appt. found that I was in the wrong clinic.
The Dr.I saw was very nice but could not give info.about the Anterior approach.
Having received a copy of his letter to my GP I looked up Trendelenburg gait and one of the causes mentioned is reaction to THR.
All very confusing.
Thank you to all who have answered so generously and promptly.
Only one person describes the same symptoms as mine but it is reassuring to get that feedback
I will be 80 in ten days time and don't want to take a decision that might make things worse.
You are all much braver than me, this is after all a serious operation,an assault on the body and not a decision to be taken lightly.
I will update when I have hopefully seen the Anterior specialist.
Best wishes with gratitude to all who have responded.
We are all here for you ... we know what you are going through, and making this decision is serious and difficult - at the end of the day it is you who will undergo the surgery and go through the recovery process -
One other thing, and please take it the way it is meant (with love) : what kind of assault are you doing now on your body?
Take a deep breath and go get the appointment with the Anterior specialist -
I know it's s difficult decision. Pain can only go one way, it won't get any better but it will probably get worse. The younger you are the better you will recover. If you wait until your muscles have lost their strength your recovery will take longer as you will need to build them up again. As for the operation causing Trendelenburg gait - for a short time post op I limped that way and prior to the operation I had an Antalgic Gait. Both gone now, at 11 weeks am walking without a limp and have no pain. Every morning when I get out of bed I thank goodness I had the operation. I used to wake up with pain and take painkillers 30 minutes before I got out of bed. Now I am virtually off painkillers and just take them if I know I have a challenging day ahead, like this morning I will be attending the hip class and have an hour of fairly strenuous exercises ahead. After that I will be walking my friend's dog, and then I will go down my bowls club and play a few ends. I could do none of these things before my operation.
Yes, it's a serious operation, but bone on bone OA can cause serious problems the longer it continues. Your hip joint will slowly wear away and you could end up in a wheelchair. Sorry to sound all doom and gloom but those are facts. That is how my mother ended up. She had a hip operation in her late seventies and recovered well. She was able to take up sequence dancing again afterwards. It was her other hip that put her in the wheelchair and by then she had heart problems and was unable to have a general anaesthetic. At that time they didnlt offer a spinal alternative.
Your decision but as well as thinking about how you are now please think about your future.