Just been told I need new hips!

Mr_Proctalgia

I have just been told that my hips are shot. The background is that I am 54 years old and live independently, over the past couple of years I have developed a bit of a limp, I put this down to having a physical job and standing for 8 hours a day and walking several miles to boot. I have now moved to a more sedentary department but still stand all day.

Initially I thought that my knees were playing up but the physio said that pain is often referred in these cases, so he suggested an injection of steroid into my knee to see if the pain moved to my hip, this has now been done and; yes; once the anesthetic had worn off, my hips were giving me a lot of pain. The x-rays indicate that the tops of my femurs look like cauliflowers or mushrooms and that my knees are (technical term) "A bit ragged too".

I now feel rather odd about all of this. I went from "miffed" to "A bit peeved" and now feel distanced by it all, all my pension plans feel threatened and I am unsure about my future and how I shall care for myself.

I do need to continue to work, as it gives me meaning, direction and income and work will give me some months of full sick pay too. However the hospital say that it will be 3 months off work at least.

The biggest worry is that both sides will eventually need doing, my surgeon has said that he will do bilateral operations but that they are not for the faint of hearted and that I ought to consider the options.

What am I likely to come up against. I have spoken to people who have had the operation and hear two sides of the coin, some swear by it and others swear at it. How can I expect to manage my day to day life alone or will I definitely need help.
All help and advice is welcome.

Savvy_Sue

I suspect you will definitely need help initially, but in the long term there's no reason not to carry on as you are now. I know only those who swear by it ...

I don't know anyone living along post hip op, but I knew someone who had both feet operated on, not supposed to weight bear for several weeks. She organised a posse of friends - to come and stay for a few days afterwards, to pop in every day for a few weeks afterwards, to do shopping / cleaning / cooking etc. How many friends can you call on?

Sue-UU

Hi Mr P, do try not to worry as you'll possibly find it's the making of you, especially given your 'youthful' years (seriously). Hubby had an uncle who swore all his problems were with his knees - until his Dr assured him it was referred pain from the hips, sure enough it was! He had both his done and never looked back, it took him a little while to recuperate, but then he wasn't exactly slim. My hubby's Dad had his done (years of cocking his leg over his GPO saddle) and he was over it in no time at all, but then he was slim! I think that about sums it up, if you're slim you'll get over it and back to work very soon, if not it takes longer. Personally, I wouldn't take too much notice of your surgeon, after all you're not going to be watching it all are you!!! He's trying to shelve people off the waiting list by the sounds of it - deadlines etc.

My hubby has been told he has arthritis in both his hips too, and is sometimes in excruciating pain, especially on turning, but he's still walking ok so they won't do anything until he can't walk. He's also had an injection in his shoulder for an injury and is greatly benefiting from that!

Don't worry about it Mr P, you'll be so pleased you had it done, life will be so much less painful afterwards!

All the very best for you.

Sue x

margaretclare

I've had replaced hips for many years, and when I first had them done I had the problem of having to stand in front of a class of student midwives teaching for an hour at a time, then follow them all around the maternity unit, so I was on my feet a lot.

The second one was done in October 1987 and it is still going strong - a traditional Charnley's. Just had that checked a few days ago and it will last a good bit longer. I was 52 when that one was done.

Just make sure your leg muscles are as strong as they can be - chair-based exercise will do this - because you'll need your muscles to support your replacement joint and to aid recovery. Many older people who don't recover well have allowed their muscles to become weak over time, and that also causes danger of repeated falls. 'Use it or lose it' is the motto.

Surgeons are now used to doing joint replacements in much younger ages than when I had the first hip done in 1983. I wasn't even 50 then and was told 'oh you're not in enough pain yet'. They're also used to doing revisions of replacements. Hip replacement has become so routine now, hard to believe that, but it's true.

Stay as fit and healthy as you can, boost your immune system - natural yogurt etc - and get out in the sun for maximum Vitamin D. Do leg exercises sitting down - toe-tapping etc and keep those thigh muscles strong.

This is where microwave 'ready-meals' really come into their own for when you come home. Stock up the freezer with nutritious food that needs minimum cooking. Keep drinking water, don't allow yourself to become dehydrated at any stage. And yes, as Sue says, if your weight needs attention then do something about it now.

Best wishes

jackieb

My brother-in-law was in his early 40s when he got his done the first time. They don't normally like doing it on someone so young, but he was in so much pain they didn't have much choice. It made a world of difference to him. Then he slipped and fell a few years later and had to have the same hip redone. I think the reason they don't like to do it on someone so young is that they don't like to replace the same hip more than twice - this is the reason they gave my brother-in-law, but things might have moved on since then.

ariba10

I have had both knee joints replaced and a further full revision on one of them and I still ride a bike.

If and when you have them done, don't be afraid to use them.

The only people that I meet with problems after the operation are those who think it is an illness and not a corrective operation.

Mr_Proctalgia

Thank you for all the positive comments and helpful tips, it is helping to settle my thoughts somewhat.

For information, I don't think I am overweight, 5'10" and a 34 waist. For the last 2 years I spent my working day pushing and pulling pallets of products around and lifting up to about 40kilo boxes for others to weak to manage themselves. I have on a few occasions worn a pedometer at work, the usual score was 12 thousand steps a shift, so hopefully the muscles will be OK.

The service I have received from the NHS has so far been exemplary. :T Appointments to suite me, straight in and out when at the hospital and really friendly helpful staff who have welcomed all my questions and fully explained the options available. I have been offered a choice of 4 different hospitals for the surgery, Nuffield, Bupa and two different large teaching hospitals. I was told that it could be only 2 or 3 months before I could be operated on, but, in all honesty this is all happening too quickly as I will need more time to get my home ready for restricted living and get a lot of the crap I own out of the way.

jackieb

You can get some aids from the OT. Lifts for the bottom of your easy chair, so it's higher up and easier to get up out of. A frame for round your loo,and a raised seat, again to help you get up and down. Ask the OT. There are probably more, but these are just 2 that my brother-in-law got.

Btw, he went back to work. He has his own business and is very busy and on his feet a lot. He goes swimming every week. He's 53 now - and a lot better than what he was 15 years ago.

Good luck with everything.

Errata

Talk to OT and physio about what help (stuff andf people) they feel you might need post-op. We are all different and some will need more or less support than others. It might also help to talk to a practice nurse at your GP's, or a District Nurse if possible. If you haven't had the discussion with your consultant about which replacement hip(s) they plan to use, that would be helpful as you can ask about things like their 'shelf life'. The more questions you ask of the more people the better you will be prepared and organised.

Not much point in me saying you'll be fine on your own because that depends on many variables. I would say that I personally know of half a dozen women who live on their own and who've had a hip replacement in their late 60's and 70's and have been back in action within a few months, living fuller lives than before their op.

Chin up - it must be a shock to you, but you have youth on your side which is always a plus. As you've been offered a choice of hospitals, I wonder which one you will choose ?

Mr_Proctalgia

@ Errata
You are so very right that it is a shock to me!

I genuinely thought that as I had had an arthroscopy on my left knee donkeys years ago (This was in the days before arthroscopes and keyhole surgery - I had garage door surgery) that this would be what was needed on my right knee.

Thus the shock of seeing the x-rays and having the "whats all that shadowy stuff around my femur" explained to me was very unsettling.
I very rarely need the help of my doctor (I was amazed to find that x-rays come straight up on a screen and that there is no film anymore!) but have obviously googled this to death now and have a string of questions to ask my consultant when I get to see him.

As to the choice of hospital? I don't know yet, the teaching hospital might be safer if it all goes wrong, but I think the risk of infection could be higher. As far as lots of students gawping at my innards - I'm not bothered, they can have a brass band in there too if it will help ( I have been told that it will be with an epidural and that it gets a bit noisy anyway :eek:)
I know of the Nuffield hospital anyway, but do need to ask how many of these ops they perform and what their success rate is before a decision is made.

There is much for me to consider I have to see the OH at work next week, the OH at the hospital, and have a further appointment next month for finalising the diagnosis.

starość nie radość as my relatives have said.

Errata

Good to see you still have your sense of humour, and it is indeed a wonderful world.

If something goes wrong in a private hospital, patients are often quickly transferred to the nearest NHS hospital. Personally, I like to be in a place that has all the other specialisms on the premises, especially a very experienced crash team during night hours.
Teaching hospitals tend to be fanatical about cleanliness, and you can ask your GP or consultant what the infection stats are.
Epidurals are great, it's not often you get the opportunity to be legally spaced out ! Much better in terms of risk and recovery too. It may be a bit noisy, so it's worth asking if they give patients earphones.

I know of the Nuffield hospital anyway, but do need to ask how many of these ops they perform and what their success rate is before a decision is made.

That could be helpful, but I think you also need to ask if they do bog standard replacements and leave the slightly complicated, or those with a possibility of being complicated, to the NHS; the age and overall general health of their patients is also important in understanding the stats.
I've found it very useful to write down all the questions I have in a notebook and note up the answers during discussions with medical staff. Sometimes a consultation can be a bit stressful and brains can turn into porridge and don't remember what was said. The Q&A stuff I note up prompts me to ask for further clarification or another question.
HTH