In my experience, rheumatologists know little about joint replacement and almost always recommend against it. Never known one that did otherwise.Hi All,I saw my Rheumatologist Tuesday, who also sided against the sugery.
Well, that says it all! That's not independent opinions! They're chums, they meet in their coffee room at the practive or at the golf club and so never one will go against the other.All these doctors are from the same medical group.
Stronger NSAIDs are not good for your stomach, not long terms (i.e. longer than 3 months).I am taking this time to follow all the recommendations of the joint replacement specialist, taking stronger anti-inflamitories, going back to Weight Watchers to get more weight off, seeking pain management.
But you do have a choice! You do!Since I have the choice, I will follow up with him once I have seen someone about the pain.
And what would tha avail! He knows what your hip is like, what's the point of just monitoring it - so he can watch it slowly get worse?He said he would recommend regular x-rays to watch the progress of the hip, so really, that's all I can ask for at this point since I can't do anything about it, there is no time to seek out another surgeon and get this done in the time frame I have left.
Anyway, how do you mean "in the time frame I have left"? I thought your op had been cancelled? :sct:
I think you are justified in that anxiety, having watched my sister attending a pain clinic while she was waiting for them to sort out the mess they'd made losing her notes and xrays!I don't have many alternatives for now, but I do have plenty I can research and see what can be done next summer. It really does sicken me to think of having to deal with this for another year. I am scared I won't get my pain managed, but if by chance I do, that will make the wait more tolerable. I am slowly coming to a place of acceptance, with the limits I have on when I can have a proceedure done during the year, it makes it very hard to get my needs met, but you can make very sure I will do whatever it takes to make sure I get this done as soon as I can, which, for now, is May of next year! UGH!
I'm sorry to burst your balloon of acceptance but I think you are wrong. You need to go to somewhere away from this practice and get a truly independent opinion. I've worked with some really ace hip surgeons and they rarely found a hip that was either 'not ready' or 'too bad' to be done. Nancyo will back me up on this. It just doesn't go that way. And I still say, if he is concerned about the age or weight factors, why has this surgeon done your knees? They can be far more problematic in the younger or overweight patient than hips and even then not by that much.
I hate to think of you sitting there quietly enduring all this - I watched my sister do that for over 18 months and I cried often for her. Please don't let it happen to you. Go to another practice, away from these miseries and get another opinion. Please, please do.