Just been told I need new hips!

[Deleted User]

My dh was 56 and had both hips resurfaced, one one year and one two years later. He had resurfacing as he was relatively young and a fit and sporty road cyclist. He is now 63 and his hips are wonderful. He cycles 200 miles a week. He went to a private hospital in London. Having his hips done changed his life for the better

It isn`t easy for a while but do the exercises and get really good physio and little by little the improvement happens

Look up resurfacing on the net as you will have to ask for it

You will need to prepare ie blocks under an easy chair, a higher toilet seat, a grabber stick, meals ready in the freezer and so on

margaretclare

I've had this type of surgery - replacement and revision - in the private sector and in the local NHS hospital. Given the choice I would opt for the BUPA or Nuffield hospital every time. The reason? I hate sleeping in a room with 5 other women, watching other people's flashing TV screens, being disturbed by other people's visitors and having difficulty getting to the loo. In fact, even if I have to go into our local hospital again for elective surgery I'll take up their offer of a single room. OK, I'll have to pay for it, but the cost will be offset by SimplyHealth (used to be HSA).

But that's just me.

azureblue_2

Really pleased to find this thread as my right hip is painful and I had the x-ray last week and see the doc next week for the results. Quietly concerned.

moonrakerz

I had my hip replaced about 5 years ago (when I was 59), this was an eventual result of Perthes Disease when I was about 4 years old.

Up until then I was in varying degrees of pain/discomfort, now I am absolutely delighted with having it done.
I had it done under a "local" anaesthetic, which is not anywhere near as bad as it sounds. You are sedated a little - but it was a bit disconcerting hearing the surgeon using his Black and Decker and what I presumed to be a fairly large hammer at one stage.
I had no pain afterwards, other than the stitches "tugging" at the wound when I moved.

It took me about 3 or 4 months to get back to full normal useage. I have lost a little of the full movement on that hip, I have to lift my left leg a little by hand to put my sock on that foot - but I am now totally pain free, can walk for miles, do everything that was getting too b****y painful before.
Only one disadvantage - it nearly always sets off the metal detectors at airports (If it doesn't, I often wonder how good the security is at that airport !!!!) - I can say "artificial hip" in eight languages now !

My advice to anyone - get it done - NOW !!

Savvy_Sue

moonrakerz wrote: »

I can say "artificial hip" in eight languages now !

:rotfl: Very impressive.

I might want to add "I don't speak ..., but artificial hip" with appropriate gestures to forestall the rush of language which sometimes greets my holiday attempts at foreign languages! :rotfl:

chesky369

I had a total knee replacement last month, which although not precisely the same as hip, is fairly similar. I have nothing but praise for both the surgeon and the nursing staff in the aftercare period. When I originally sought a medical opinion, I decided that, if necessary I would have it done privately since my GP thought I was 'a bit too young' to have it done (don't get called that too often nowadays). However, it turned out that I only had to wait approximately three months before surgery. The wonderful room I was in had three other women - one other knee, one hip and one spinal - all elective. No TV or radio, so in consequence we all talked to one another and got on wonderfully well.

Was kept in five nights and left feeling great.

Reality hit when I made contact with my GP surgery to (a) request a district nurse to change the dressing and later on remove the clips and (b) request physiotherapy which is essential. The person I spoke to must have been a school child on a workplacement, since she seemed to have trouble understanding basic English and translating it into action. When she told me 'someone will get back to you' the first time, I foolishly believed her. I will not dwell on the many 'phone calls I made but, eventually I did manage to get the services of a disstrict nurse (again, truly great when she arrived) but was not informed of the fact until she knocked at the door. It's four weeks tomorrow since I had the surgery and I still haven't had any contact from the NHS physiotherapy department, even though my GP referred me (eventually) weeks ago. I found someone privately who has been wonderful but it's made me realise that, if I hadn't been in a position to pay, I would have been in a real state by now.

My son who is an occupational therapist tells me that physiotherapists are generally overworked and their departments are hugely understaffed, so this is a warning to anyone undergoing surgery to try to make contact as soon as possible and maybe even be prepared to pay.

lolly5648

I would much rather have my operation at a BUPA or Nuffield hospital (or whatever their new names are). The doctors working there are usually consultants and are specialists so if you have your hip done it will probably be done by a hip specialist who does lots of these operations. In an NHS hospital you could be operated on by a registrar or someone who does general orthopaedic surgery rather than a specialist

margaretclare

lolly5648 wrote: »

I would much rather have my operation at a BUPA or Nuffield hospital (or whatever their new names are). The doctors working there are usually consultants and are specialists so if you have your hip done it will probably be done by a hip specialist who does lots of these operations. In an NHS hospital you could be operated on by a registrar or someone who does general orthopaedic surgery rather than a specialist

I agree with this. Have experienced both. Not only that, but the privacy, the better conditions, the quiet, having one's own bathroom. Being treated as an individual...

Although, some registrars are excellent. I recently saw a locum registrar in the orthopaedic clinic at our local NHS hospital, and he was great. He talked to me as one intelligent person to another. I thought my R hip was going to need revision. X-rays show no change from an X-ray 2 years ago, I was shown both X-rays on computer and was reassured. That replacement was the traditional Charnley's, done at a small independent hospital in Yorkshire. It has now lasted 23 years and is fine.

The other hip was replaced in 1983 and has been revised twice since then, once in the private sector and once in the NHS. It was originally done at the National Orthopaedic Hospital in Oswestry. I think the difference was, it was left for too long. 'Oh you're not old enough yet' and 'Oh you're not in enough pain yet, you need to be in a lot more pain'. Result: the head of the femur collapsed rather like a meringue, full of holes and the shaft of femur was pressing up into the hip socket, the acetabulum. I got the second hip done in time, when the head of femur had gone porous but not yet collapsed. It has lasted all these years and doesn't need revision, may last my lifetime, who knows?

moonrakerz

margaretclare wrote: »

I agree with this.

My experience goes against yours and lolly's. When I first started getting major problems with my hip I saw the local NHS consultant at the local big hospital. When the time came to get the op done I had private cover and decided to get it done that way. Guess who the "private" consultant was ? and which hospital was it done in ? (albeit in the "private" wing). Excellent all the way through.

My wife had her knee replaced in the local BUPA hospital, neither of us were very impressed with it. For a starter my wife said she wanted it done under a local as she reacts badly to an anaesthetic. They gave her local then a "light" anaesthetic to which she reacted badly - we certainly would not go to that hospital again.

azureblue_2

Well the doc today says my x-ray is fine so not arthritis and has referred me to the physiotherapist.
Perhaps it's hip bursitis? All I know is it hurts when I walk, dagnabit.