Re: How do you know it's time?

April 7, 2010

Most people decide it's time when the pain and other debilitating

effects of a bad hip or joint outweigh their fear of surgery.

If one's pain or immobility is caused by a bum hip or joint, a

replacement is a 100% cure for almost all people and restores their

quality of life.

Personally if I were 50 and could only walk with the aid of a cane or

a walker, I would be on the phone today scheduling a surgery -- or at

least setting up appointments with potential surgeons so I could

schedule it as soon as possible. For me, that would be equivalent to

no quality of life.

Prior to my surgery, I was in pain when walking and remember all of

the basic things I stopped doing because of the pain of movement. Even

when I was doing something sedentary like sitting with friends at a

restaurant, the pain was creeping in to spoil things.

On Apr 6, 2010, at 8:12 PM, cynthiadew1 wrote:

> I know that this has been posted on this list somewhere, but I'm in

> pain and not up to doing searches right now, so forgive me.

>

> A bit of background. I'm 50. I have rheumatoid arthritis, and have

> been diagnosised for over 10 years, but had it way longer than that.

> I had a septic hip about 4-5 years ago, caught in time to do surgery

> to clean up the hip, but have had increasing pain since. Now I have

> nasty pain in both hips. I just had a MRI a couple of weeks ago.

> Luckily(?) the bone hasn't been effected by the RA much. I do have

> all sorts cartiledge damage, torn labrum, bone spurs on both the

> femural head and acetablar, and a bunch of things, I can't spell.

>

> The only comfortable position is laying down with a pillow between

> my knees. Sitting in a chair is screaming in pain. Walking isn't

> much better, and that is with a cane or walker.

>

> So, when do you know it's time.

>

> Thanks,

>

April 7, 2010

OMG - it's TIME!!! You are in horrible pain, no quality of life and that

can all be changed. I'm 54 and had my right hip replace it'll be 2 years ago in

July. It was the best thing I ever did and I waited FAR too long. It was just

not necessary to have no life! My doctor said " I can't make you 20 but I can

take away your pain " . And that he did. Recovery was much easier than I expected

- I attribute that to keeping on moving and doing the excersises regularly. I

cannot stress the difference in my life. I had NO quality - as I expect you are

feeling right now. Now I'm back to everything I could do before. Walk, hike, go

to the gym, get on the floor to play with my grandson.

You will know in your heart when it is time. But from your description " you

have arrived " . It's time to put it behind you and get on with your life. We only

come this way once so enjoy!

All the best,

Anne

> From: cynthiadew1 <cynthiadew1@...>

> Subject: How do you know it's time?

> Joint Replacement

> Received: Tuesday, April 6, 2010, 11:12 PM

> I know that this has been posted on

> this list somewhere, but I'm in pain and not up to doing

> searches right now, so forgive me.

>

> A bit of background. I'm 50. I have rheumatoid

> arthritis, and have been diagnosised for over 10 years, but

> had it way longer than that. I had a septic hip about

> 4-5 years ago, caught in time to do surgery to clean up the

> hip, but have had increasing pain since. Now I have

> nasty pain in both hips. I just had a MRI a couple of

> weeks ago. Luckily(?) the bone hasn't been effected by

> the RA much. I do have all sorts cartiledge damage,

> torn labrum, bone spurs on both the femural head and

> acetablar, and a bunch of things, I can't spell.

>

> The only comfortable position is laying down with a pillow

> between my knees. Sitting in a chair is screaming in

> pain. Walking isn't much better, and that is with a

> cane or walker.

>

> So, when do you know it's time.

>

> Thanks,

>

> ------------------------------------

>

April 7, 2010

When the only comfortable position is laying down with a pillow between your

knees, sitting in a chair is screaming in pain and walking isn't much better.Â

Sounds like it was time for you a while ago!Â Bring on those shiny new hips!

Jennie

Â

________________________________

From: cynthiadew1 <cynthiadew1@...>

Joint Replacement

Sent: Tue, April 6, 2010 8:12:00 PM

Subject: How do you know it's time?

Â

I know that this has been posted on this list somewhere, but I'm in pain and not

up to doing searches right now, so forgive me.

A bit of background. I'm 50. I have rheumatoid arthritis, and have been

diagnosised for over 10 years, but had it way longer than that. I had a septic

hip about 4-5 years ago, caught in time to do surgery to clean up the hip, but

have had increasing pain since. Now I have nasty pain in both hips. I just had a

MRI a couple of weeks ago. Luckily(?) the bone hasn't been effected by the RA

much. I do have all sorts cartiledge damage, torn labrum, bone spurs on both the

femural head and acetablar, and a bunch of things, I can't spell.

The only comfortable position is laying down with a pillow between my knees.

Sitting in a chair is screaming in pain. Walking isn't much better, and that is

with a cane or walker.

So, when do you know it's time.

Thanks,

April 7, 2010

Hi ,

Sorry to hear you are in so much pain. It sounds miserable.

I can¹t imagine what else would show that it is time surgery. Do your docs

offer other alternatives?

What are the things that are getting in the way of your making this

decision? Perhaps others here can help. And sometimes just articulating

them helps.

For me, the combination of pain and seeing my life get smaller and smaller

as I was unable to do things told me it was time to replace the knees.

Well, I actually had to be told by friends Œcause I¹m a stubborn one.

It is wonderful to feel my life expanding and to be without debilitating

pain. I hope you will experience the same.

Best wishes to you as you make your decision.

Peace,

Jackie

On 4/6/10 8:12 PM, " cynthiadew1 " <cynthiadew1@...> wrote:

>

> I know that this has been posted on this list somewhere, but I'm in pain and

> not up to doing searches right now, so forgive me.

>

> A bit of background. I'm 50. I have rheumatoid arthritis, and have been

> diagnosised for over 10 years, but had it way longer than that. I had a

> septic hip about 4-5 years ago, caught in time to do surgery to clean up the

> hip, but have had increasing pain since. Now I have nasty pain in both hips.

> I just had a MRI a couple of weeks ago. Luckily(?) the bone hasn't been

> effected by the RA much. I do have all sorts cartiledge damage, torn labrum,

> bone spurs on both the femural head and acetablar, and a bunch of things, I

> can't spell.

>

> The only comfortable position is laying down with a pillow between my knees.

> Sitting in a chair is screaming in pain. Walking isn't much better, and that

> is with a cane or walker.

>

> So, when do you know it's time.

>

> Thanks,

>

April 7, 2010

:

I'm 46 and have has both hips replaced in the last 4 years. I waited too long

to do the first.

I was to the point that I could hardly sleep at night--not without a couple of

stiff martinis or a big scotch. I could not move around enough to play ball in

the backyard with by girl friend's little boy.

The first surgeon I visited encouraged me to wait as long as possible--due to

the risk of needing revision.

I finally sought a second opinion from a highly-respected, heavily published

surgeon who specializes in hips. I'll never forget our 20 minutes looking at my

x-rays.

He pointed to my left hip and said: see this gray area?

I said: yes.

He said: that's cartilage.

Then he pointed to my right hip x-ray, and said: see where there's no gray here?

I said: yes.

He said: you have no cartilage, you are bone on bone.

Then he said: are you sleeping at night?

I said: no

He said: can you walk more than a block without stopping?

I said no.

I asked what he thought I should do regarding replacement or waiting.

He said: Young man, I'm sorry to tell you that it ain't going to get any better

with age.

He then explained to me some of the recent advances in the newer generation

metal-on-metal and ceramic-on-ceramic large head replacements and that they were

expected to last much longer than earlier implants.

I went ahead with surgery--and have no regrets. I did not wait as long before

replacing the second hip. I look back to those few years and realize I had very

little quality of life and that my girlfriend must be a saint for having put up

with me.

Good luck,

-Ed

>

> I know that this has been posted on this list somewhere, but I'm in pain and

not up to doing searches right now, so forgive me.

>

> A bit of background. I'm 50. I have rheumatoid arthritis, and have been

diagnosised for over 10 years, but had it way longer than that. I had a septic

hip about 4-5 years ago, caught in time to do surgery to clean up the hip, but

have had increasing pain since. Now I have nasty pain in both hips. I just had

a MRI a couple of weeks ago. Luckily(?) the bone hasn't been effected by the RA

much. I do have all sorts cartiledge damage, torn labrum, bone spurs on both

the femural head and acetablar, and a bunch of things, I can't spell.

>

> The only comfortable position is laying down with a pillow between my knees.

Sitting in a chair is screaming in pain. Walking isn't much better, and that is

with a cane or walker.

>

> So, when do you know it's time.

>

> Thanks,

>

April 7, 2010

Thank you for your replys. I already have an appointment with the hip surgeon

later this month. I've just had so much pain in the past few years. I have had

two back surgeries in the past 1 and a half, one neck and one lumbar. Both very

successful. My back was in such a state from the RA, it had to be done first.

I orginnally went in for hip pain, but the spinal stenosis and related issues

were too far advanced not to address them first. So, I guess I am past the

point where most people would have had hip replacement. I know I can get

through this. The kicker is that my Rheumy doctor really wanted to have me

replace some of my knuckle joints next and then my feet, but my hands do not

hurt as much as long as I don't used them. Yeah, I'm falling apart. Well,

maybe it's more dissolving.

> >

> > I know that this has been posted on this list somewhere, but I'm in pain and

not up to doing searches right now, so forgive me.

> >

> > A bit of background. I'm 50. I have rheumatoid arthritis, and have been

diagnosised for over 10 years, but had it way longer than that. I had a septic

hip about 4-5 years ago, caught in time to do surgery to clean up the hip, but

have had increasing pain since. Now I have nasty pain in both hips. I just had

a MRI a couple of weeks ago. Luckily(?) the bone hasn't been effected by the RA

much. I do have all sorts cartiledge damage, torn labrum, bone spurs on both

the femural head and acetablar, and a bunch of things, I can't spell.

> >

> > The only comfortable position is laying down with a pillow between my knees.

Sitting in a chair is screaming in pain. Walking isn't much better, and that is

with a cane or walker.

> >

> > So, when do you know it's time.

> >

> > Thanks,

> >

>

April 7, 2010

Hi ,I waited 11 years to have my hip replacement and it went well.

It is 10 weeks since the surgery. I cannot believe the significant

improvement in my life and I am grateful for it. Grateful to be able to pick

up

and hug my youngest two grandchildren. I never thought it would be possible

again.

Good luck at your appointment this month and I hope you can go ahead and

schedule your hip replacement.

Reen

April 8, 2010

,

May I ask what your lumbar surgery entailed? I have lumbar disc problems

and was under the impression that surgery was not an option. Did you have

your surgery in the US?

Thanks.