THR Hello everyone

[D3n0]

I've been lurking on the message board for a few weeks now and figured it was time to introduce myself. I am Diane, I'm 43 years old, I have 3 teenagers and found out in September that my right hip is shot and my left one is not too far behind. I was out running one day and about a mile in to my run, my hip went OUT on me. I could not get it moving again so I limped home and spent the weekend with ice on it.

Finally when I got an appointment to see an orthopedist I completely expected him to tell me I just needed to stretch better or maybe at worst had a torn labrum.....he took an x-ray of my hips and told me I had severe bone-on-bone arthritis in my right hip with bone spurs etc and my left one isn't too far behind but it does have some cartilage left in it. Most likely I've had an undiagnosed hip dysplasia for my entire life.

We discussed my options and since I am "young" we have to treat conservatively before replacement.

I had an injection back in September and got a little bit of range of motion back. But I think the benefits are completely worn off at this point because I am just in pain off and on all the time. Today is a bad day and I'm not even sure why.

Oh and because of some stomach issues I am not able to take much in the way of pain relievers. I am trying to stay active and have gone back to swimming and doing some deep water aqua jogging but even those are a struggle some days.

Overall I think I am just getting depressed. I wish I'd have known my last run was going to be my last run. I'd have savored it more.

The earliest my Dr. will do a replacement is 6 months after the injection (something about it increasing the risk of infection), but I am getting worse by the day. I feel like April seems like a really long ways off at this point.

I am really overwhelmed at this point. My kids have been amazing helping me. I don't think they quite "got it" though until I couldn't get out of a dining chair and had to send one of them for my cane while I was whimpering. It was pitiful.

I am a single parent and I think it upsets them to see me "weak". I've always handled so much on my own.
Oh also, I do have a sister who had a hip replacement at a "young" age also, but she was well in to her 50s, but she's been able to offer me some good advice, like getting the cane and wearing tennis shoes all the danged time.

Anyways, thanks for "listening". I really have learned a lot from this forum.

 

[dapplega]

@D3n0
Welcome! You are in the right place and you aren't alone.
If you have been lurking I'll assume you have found some stories similar to yours.
I'm sure others will chime in soon.
Getting the arthritis/THR diagnosis is shocking and unexpected for many of us. I think someone once called it a "reality cookie"...
Don't be shy about asking questions or just venting...
Hang in there...

 

[mistytime]

Hello Diane from across the pond! ,

As far as I know, many orthopaedic surgeons leave only a 3 month gap between steroid injection and hip replacement , not 6 . It sounds like you are in a really bad place so might it be worth looking for someone to perform op sooner , rather than in April . Just a thought .

 

[Mojo333]

Hi and welcome to the forum.
Sorry you are in such pain and facing such a long wait.
As mistytime pointed out, at least three months delay seems to be the norm but perhaps there is a reason your surgeon opts to be this conservative...?

I was shocked also to find out that my ongoing lower back and hip pain was to be diagnosed as bone on bone OA and that bilateral hip replacement would be "the cure"
I don't have stomach issues and there were many medications prescribed that brought no relief...so I didn't take them for any length of time.
Gratefully, my surgery was set up fairly quickly, and my two hips...now 2 1/2 years old...have given me my life back.
I hope that you can keep the OS informed of your ongoing struggle, maybe he can determine if he would be comfortable doing this sooner.
Big sympathy hugs...

 

[VSlowLife]

@D3n0 Welcome! I am sorry you are going through this pain. I find wearing tennis shoes is much better than slippers, for sure. On very bad days I use crutches to really give my bad hip a rest.

 

[BruceH]

Welcome Diane. Lots of good info and good people on this forum. Like the others have said maybe you can either find a surgeon who will operate 3 months post injection or have another talk with your current OS about life quality issues.

I'd even go as far as ask the current OS who he would recommend for a 3 month post injection surgery since he won't do it.

 

[djklaugh]

@D3n0 Welcome to BoneSmart! I'm very glad you found your way here. In addition to the good ideas already mentioned you might also seek a surgeon ( and ask current one) who would be willing to do a bilateral procedure. You said "my left one isn't too far behind " and with a very deteriorated right hip the left one will be picking up the slack and that could accelerate the damage to the left hip. IMO the benefits of doing both at once (1 surgical session, 1 anesthesia session, 1 hospital stay, 1 recuperation period, faster return to normal gait, & less likely to have leg length differential problems -- per my surgeon) far out way any short term difficulties. While I was quite a bit older than you when I had my BTHR done I am very very glad I did it that way!!! And with current materials hip replacement implants could well last for 30+ years!

 

[leejaa]

So sorry you are in such pAin and having to wait. My OS is also a believer in the 6m wait after injection. I did wait the 6m because he had already replaced 3 other joints in me so my faith and comfort with him is very high. In addition he is quite busy so I would have had to wait almost 5m even without the injection. If you are not that involved with your OS as I was it might be worth seeing others to see if you found someone you wanted. I would screen by phone first to save time and $$. Another thing to try to ease pain with walking and looks cooler are hiking/trekking poles.

 

[Going4fun]

Welcome. Like you, the diagnosis hit me by surprise.

Now I hope I don't annoy you by presenting some good news here about running again. More and more hip surgeons are fine with their patients running after surgery. I had no activity restrictions after surgery.

Not every surgeon has this view. But it's more than a quirky minority. My surgeon is part of a nationally known practice, and he hues pretty closely to research findings. So my recommendation to you: if you want to run again, find a surgeon who is comfortable with patients running again. I have zero restrictions on activity.

Now no surgeon can guarantee that you'll feel wonderful running again. The soft tissue and muscles are affected by the surgery, and it takes time for them to recover and my surgeon admitted that for some of his patients, running never quite feels natural again. But I was out running two days ago, and I'm heading to the gym a little later to run on the treadmill. Took me a while to be able to run without tons of soreness afterwards. I still experience soreness when I run really hard. But my surgeon is confident that my running won't harm the device.

So, if running is important to your health and wellbeing and mood (as it is to most runners!--there's nothing like that feeling, I know!) do consider finding a surgeon who is comfortable that their surgery is fine for running. There has been an enormous improvement in the materials used in hip replacements, and that's one reason more and more surgeons are fine with aggressive activity.

Oh ... and if I can offer this ... Don't worry too much about the kids seeing you "weak." I happen to teach young people ... and just this week my students (mostly first year in college) are turning in essays about important experiences that shaped them in growing up. Trust me when I say: my students are not in the least scarred (even if they were scared at the time) by realizing that mom is really human with a human body that is less than perfect.

I've had students write and speak (powerfully and honestly) about these periods when a parent came down with a condition or illness and what my students focus on is that mom/dad loved them ... and kept going with life. And they actually look back with pride at having had to step up to do more work around the house and all of that. This is just what I notice as someone who encourages frank writing and has read a lot of student essays about growing up.

Welcome!

 

[Elf1]

@D3n0 you've gotten some good advice so far so just wanted to say welcome, we're here with you and the folks on this forum are the best. I would probably still be trying to decide about having surgery if it weren't for the great folks here helping me a long the way.

And I have to say @djklaugh and @Going4fun are spot on in their posts. You definitely don't want to extend the pain any longer than you have to and you want your surgeon to know what your goals are after surgery. Wishing you a peaceful evening.

 

[Gretelin]

D3n0 sorry you are so much anguish. I just had my hip replaced Nov.5,2019. and honestly it was the best decision made. Im no longer in pain. Im just recuperating. Its a very slow process. All the best to you. You will be fine. I was going to get the shot but it will only put me back. The ortho surgical coordinator talked me put of it and it was the best. The shot will only last you 1 month maybe is like putting a bandit on a big wound. Later the pain will come and bother again. Sorry, you have to wait till April. Choose to be pain free soon. We are here for you. Let us know how you are doing. Much Love and take care. Gretelin