44 years old & need hip replacement

[davido5164]

Hi all, I'm due to see my surgeon this month regarding having a full hip replacement. I'm still unsure about going ahead with surgery, I've been suffering with osteo-arthritis for the past 18 months and I've had 3 steroid injections direct into my hip, has anyone out there got any advice to put my mind at ease regarding a hip replacement at a young age.
Also if anyone has any suggestions on natural remedies please let me know
Cheers Dave

 

[Josephine]

We get this question at least twice a week on this forum. People do tend to think that hip replacements are for elderly people or little old grey haired grannies but nothing is further from the truth. The 50s is the prime age for hip replacement with the 40s very close behind. About 30% of all hip replacements are done in the 40-50 age group. Fact is that you will be liberated in fine style if you get it done and there will be heaps of hippies coming along shortly to tell you that very thing.

You haven't said so, but I imagine your primary concern is about how long these devices last. Well, for a very succinct answer to that, please read these
Hips that have lasted 40 and 32 years
Stories of amazing hip recoveries
Longevity of implants and revisions: how long will my new joint last?

If you have any other specific questions, please feel free to ask them.

Another thing - here is a copy of my questionnaire which you should print off and fill in. The result might really astonish you and make up your mind that sooner rather than later is the way to do.

Welcome to the forum....

 

[sharonslp]

David, have the injections been worthwhile for you? I'm under the impression that there is a limit on the number of injections you should have overall, and lately I've read a number of posts where people report that the injections have caused more problems than they have helped. At 43, you really can't plan on having injections for the long haul. It sounds like the time for a THR is approaching sooner rather than later, and if that's the case, you might as well get on with it and reclaim a life without that draining hip pain.

Many of us didn't go ahead until we finally realized how much the hip was dictating our life, and how narrow that life was quickly becoming. Then we had it done, and we all said in unison....WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG?!!

Everyone told me (several doctors, friends, etc): you'll know when you're ready. That's all very true, but they forgot to tell me that I might be ready sooner than I knew.

You'll get lots of reinforcement for going ahead here. Most of us have had excellent outcomes, and we want to share the good fortune. Ultimately, only you can decide when, but as Jo says, age is no longer a crucial deciding factor.

Sharon

 

[ilovefall]

David,
I know where you're coming from. I'm 43 and scheduled for January 14, 2013. It's a lot to take in. I've finally accepted the fact that I'm going to get it done and move forward. It's a tough decision, but with all the help and information from the great people here on Bonesmart, you'll feel more confident and knowledgable. Just two weeks ago, I was thinking of putting it off and now I'm slowing having more and more pain. OA really does deteriorate very quickly. I found out I needed the hip replacement in March this year. It was a total shock!!! My Surgeon had total me that the replacement should outlast me, if taken care of properly.....no impact sports or running. No worries there for me. LOL!!!

 

[davido5164]

the injections did work to a point that they enabled me to walk and carry on working as before i had them i couldnt really do much , the last one i had was back in july and was carried out by my surgeon after i had refused his offer to replace the hip . my problem now is i am at a point where my leg gives way on me without warning wich is embarrassing enough but also the bones are constantly clicking and grinding and i have recently noticed my leg muscle is now non existent and i can actually feel the bone with my hand "yuk" ... im gonna stop right there as i have just had a major realisation .... i need to get this sorted asap . thank you for the info josephine and thanks for the replies it really helped just writing this .

 

[puddle fish]

I was shocked as well, the grinding clicking and the falling over I fell down the stairs that scared me, my hip was just unreliable. Best of luck with the replacement the first week is hard. I wish I had kept a diary of how bad it was before surgery so when I'm having a bad time now I can look back and say that was worse and reading your story has reminded me it was far worse before.
Major surgery hurts and gets better, OA hurts and gets worse.

 

[octopus]

Hi David, I'm 45 and have just made the decision to go ahead with a THR of my right hip. It was a really hard decision, I too struggled with being so young (although not so young as some). All my friends and family were saying "have it done" before I even came to the realisation that, yes it is time. I had a steroid injection into the joint in July, it reduced my pain to where I could walk unassisted, without a limp, but only lasted a month, when I had to start using a crutch again. Now I have made the decision, I really can't wait to get it done.

Good luck, let us know how the next steps of your THR journey go.

Diane

 

[Poppet]

Hi David

I procrastinated for 8 years, ended up with severe mobility issues.. I have tried to analyse why I waited.. was it because...

It is elective surgery, fearful, scarey,..... all of these concerns and yet in the end when finally I found a peace within myself about going ahead, my decision was easy and now at 11 months, I stand straight, I walk unaided, I have taken up Nordic Walking.. Life is good

Check out the Amazing Success stories in the library.. You are not too young to regain your quality of life back

 

[Oakviewneighbor]

David, living in pain is not living. I have been there and now I am on the other side regaining my life. I walk 2 1/2 miles daily without a limp. I tossed my cane in the closet a few weeks back because I haven't used it in more than a month. I ride my bike 15 miles without getting tired or being in pain. I just started back mowing the lawn again and will be raking the yard soon as the leaves dry a bit from this weeks rain. There is no more get up in the middle of the night because of pain. I sleep!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Life is good.

 

[guyr]

Hi David, I'm 49 and my RTHR is scheduled for this Monday 10/22. Over the past 4 years I've simply stopped doing things I used to enjoy doing because of OA pain. The pain came on very gradually, but once I started walking with a limp all the time and the pain progressed to never stopping something had to be done. I also realized that i had gradually gone from being very active to basically sedentary over that time span. 49 years old seems young to need a THR, but the way I figure my age will give me plenty of active pain free years to enjoy it.

 

[monki36]

I had my hip replacement done when I just turned 25. It was the best decision of my life. At 8 weeks I was horseback riding in Mexico. I had no problems and it was soooooo much better.

 

[Smileydon]

Hi all, I'm due to see my surgeon this month regarding having a full hip replacement. I'm still unsure about going ahead with surgery, I've been suffering with osteo-arthritis for the past 18 months and I've had 3 steroid injections direct into my hip, has anyone out there got any advice to put my mind at ease regarding a hip replacement at a young age.
Also if anyone has any suggestions on natural remedies please let me know
Cheers Dave

I suggest that you don't wait for the second hip to go as I did because that will be the end of your mobility. These hips do not heal themselves and the pain eventually totally cripples you. My advice is push your surgeon to get it done ASAP.

 

[meatfree]

HI David, I too had injections, they lasted 3 days and the pain was back. I had ulcers all over my bones and advanced OA, i understand the pain you are in. I fell over I don't know how many times as my leg just went and you are on the floor and you think how did that happen? I woke up crying(when i slept) and cried nearly all day, due to the pain and i am not a whimp by any means. I had to give up work as i couldnt cope anymore. I was 51 when I had mine not as young as you but all I can say is it won't get any better. You loose your life as you are unable to do what you used to do, your life revolves around pain. My friends and family told me that they could see the pain in my face. I have grandchildren and i couldnt play with them, couldn,t walk my dog or go swimming. I won't lie it is painful at first but there are such good painkillers available and i am sure it will be kept under control , also at first you think you will never get better and before you know it things start to improve and you can do more and no pain! I was told after my op that my face changed, it was relaxed and not like iwas chewing a wasp lol.I hope we all have helped you to make your final decision but ultimately it's yours. Good luck with what ever you decide to do. Lesley

 

[Jaycey]

Hi David, you have already received lots of great advice. I'll add my bit - I too waited too long! Please don't wait until that hip gives up - recovery from that point can be very long. Get it done and get on with living!

BTW - depending on your surgeon you may not have restrictions in terms of sport and running. John is a perfect example of going for it Z15 - have a read on his post-op thread. He's gone on to some fantastic activities!

 

[bellaroma]

Hi David,
You are too young to not do something about your hip, as now you can enjoy activites. Why limit your life when you can be mobile?
\Good Luck

 

[clemmygirl]

Hi David,
I know what you are going through. I needed a knee replacement so bad, I could barely walk or sleep at night. The Orth. Surgeon I had at the time said I absolutely could not have it replaced until well into my 60’s and I was only 54. I thought, hey I won’t have any muscle left to recover with by then or I could be dead by then from some other ailment or accident. I changed insurances to get a rather “famous” doc. in the Midwest that can fix almost anything you have wrong. He said, “Absolutely!! I look at the quality of life you are having at 54, by NOT doing it. I’ve replaced hips and knees for people in their 20’s if they need it”. By the time I had the knee done, I was stressing other joints. Now at 59, I am scheduled for a LTHR on November 28. Again, I waited too long and I am in bed most of the day now. Also I now have a right hip going out quickly. As soon as I have recovered enough from the LTHR to have the right one fixed, I will. I want my life back. I want to swim/bike/walk/shop/garden/refinish furniture/host family parties /etc., like I used to. We are fortunate to live in a time when we can be fixed. It’s a big decision….but think of what you could be doing in 6 months if you have the surgery…..and what you could be doing in 6 months if you don’t have it.
Clemmy

 

[Foxybrown]

Hi David,

I was diagnosed (unbelievably to me!) with OA in my left hip at age 44. I'd had pain for about 3 years before being diagnosed because my initial hip x-ray was negative. Anyway, I'm 46 now and decided this past July to go ahead with the surgery. Let me tell ya, even at this point last year I SWORE I would not even consider replacement until I was at least 50. But by the summer, my pain had advanced to the point where I was saying to my sports medicine doc, "Let's do it!" I've had four cortisone shots, but the last two didn't really work. They provided some relief, but nothing like the first two. Man, that first one felt like a miracle!! Like you, the shot made me feel pretty much as good as new and really restored range of motion for me. I thought I'd just continue doing that for as long as I could, so it was very disappointing when shots #3 and #4 didn't really do too much for me. And now I'm bone on bone. I run and do weights at the gym, but have had to stop running altogether (stopped running in May). I haven't replaced the running with any other form of cardio (bad, I know, but I only want to run!) and so am only doing weights. But even that's become bothersome for me (but I make myself get to that gym!). I limp all the time now and this pain SUCKS! So I'm ready to go ahead and do this. My suggestion to you is to go ahead and get it done. Yes, we're young (or you are, anyway! ;-)), but to me that's all the more reason not to live like this! Honestly, I'm at the point now where I can't wait to get this done and get rid of this pain!! And I plan to get my life completely back--will start running again as soon as I'm able. I'm holding off until March/April next year because I have a trip planned at Christmas and another one in March and don't want the recovery to mess up my plans, but if I hadn't booked these trips, I'd be having this surgery now!! :-0

Anyway, I'm in the same boat as you and feel your pain. I do. But the decision to go ahead with this has honestly been an easy one because, like I said, the way we're living now is no way to live!!! Good luck with your decision (it sounds to me like you've already pretty much decided to do it) and I'll keep my eyes out for you on the boards to see how you're doing as I have a feeling you'll probably go under the knife before I do. I'm sure you'll do great. If you're like me, you're probably researching the hell out of this on the Internet and have learned that hip replacement is extremely successful and so we should really expect nothing except a full recovery. Thank God! Good luck!!!!

Peace out,

Foxy