Is it time for a THR?

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I was wondering if anybody had ideas about how long you should put

up with pain and disability before going for a THR. I am 31 and

have severe arthritis due to a congenital dislocated hip which was

opperated on when i was a child. I am no stranger to pain but it has

been severe for 2 years and the consultant doesn't want to opperate

unless I insist.

Maybe ellis has some ideas-I too have had that yucky grinding pain

for 2 years and am sore when I wake up in he morning despite drugs,

and every step is painful. I am too vain to use a stick at this age-

not quite the latest fashion accessory!

i have trouble getting up stairs but generally work and do most

things-I am just always in pain and now my knee and ankle in the

same leg is playing up.

Anybody know if its worth waiting any longer- or should I insist on

surgery. There is the added complication that my hip is currently

not in the correct place-so surgery may make the leg 2 inches

longer. Surely he can do something to prevent this, as I already

spent 2 years of my teans having this leg lengthened and now 10 yeas

later it may be too long after THR.

Are your legs the same length ellis after the surgery or was this

not an issue in your hip dysplasia. Hope you are on the mend.

If anyone has any ideas about how long you should wait and how much

lifestyle changes/pain you should put up with I would be grateful. i

am in the UK so there will be an 8 month wait whatever I decide,

Thanks,

Leighx

[Guest guest]

--Hi Leigh, This is always a difficult question. But one only you

can decide. I had the same as you as a child. I had my hip resurfed

last year. The main reason I had mine done was not pain in the hip,

but it caused my knee to become very painful. I really wanted my

knee replaced. My surgeon would not replace my knee without doing

the hip, as that is what had caused the problem in the first place.

I am left with an 1/2 " length difference. Which I hope will even up

a bit when I have my other hip done, which is painful. It boils down

to quality of life, this is what forced my decision, I thought what

is the point of waiting, if I can't do the things I want to do.

Personally I would get on that waiting list, you can always detain

the op when the time comes, and stay on the waiting list, that's

what I did. I am glad I had it done, I am very pleased with hip and

knee, apart from some muscle tightness around the hip, but I think

it is improving. You sound like the time is right! I am 44 and also

live in the UK. Good Luck, Sheila.

In Joint Replacement , " Leigh "

<Lgh@h...> wrote:

> Hi,

>

> I was wondering if anybody had ideas about how long you should put

> up with pain and disability before going for a THR. I am 31 and

> have severe arthritis due to a congenital dislocated hip which was

> opperated on when i was a child. I am no stranger to pain but it

has

> been severe for 2 years and the consultant doesn't want to

opperate

> unless I insist.

>

> Maybe ellis has some ideas-I too have had that yucky grinding pain

> for 2 years and am sore when I wake up in he morning despite

drugs,

> and every step is painful. I am too vain to use a stick at this

age-

> not quite the latest fashion accessory!

>

> i have trouble getting up stairs but generally work and do most

> things-I am just always in pain and now my knee and ankle in the

> same leg is playing up.

>

> Anybody know if its worth waiting any longer- or should I insist

on

> surgery. There is the added complication that my hip is currently

> not in the correct place-so surgery may make the leg 2 inches

> longer. Surely he can do something to prevent this, as I already

> spent 2 years of my teans having this leg lengthened and now 10

yeas

> later it may be too long after THR.

>

> Are your legs the same length ellis after the surgery or was this

> not an issue in your hip dysplasia. Hope you are on the mend.

>

> If anyone has any ideas about how long you should wait and how

much

> lifestyle changes/pain you should put up with I would be grateful.

i

> am in the UK so there will be an 8 month wait whatever I decide,

>

> Thanks,

>

> Leighx

[Guest guest]

Hi Sheila,

thank for that. I think you hit it on the head when you said what

is the point of waiting, if I can't do the things I want to do. I am

thinking I will go back to the consultant and be more forcefull and say I

don't want another few years of this pain when I could get run over by a bus

in 10 years time and have wasted this time waiting! I think what is deciding

this is the knee thing-you don't really want to mess up your other joints in

the waiting process do you. I hope he sees sense!

I will count my blessings that it is only the one joint needing done. I

think i could live with 1/2 inch difference as that is what I had most of my

life-its not so bad:-) I think muscle tightness is probably a good thing as

at least it stops the horror of the thing dislocating-which is another risk

the surgeon is happily pointing out to me. He is very doom and gloom about

the whole thing leg lenghts, dislocations, infections etc etc -so its good

to here some possitive in put,

Thanks again and good luck for the future,

Leighx

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[Guest guest]

If there is an 8 month wait in the UK and you are already having

problems NOW, I would suggest you start the process of investigating

surgeons. The Zimmer website is a good place to start to look for

surgeons that specialize in Joint Replacement (I am partial to

Zimmer because I have seen the best results based on the patients I

WORK WITH from Zimmer implants). Look for MDs that do at least

10+/month. Look for MDs that may have younger patients. Find one

that you are comfortable with. You don't have to PUT UP with an MD -

they are people too!

Alisa, Site Moderator