THR Rhiannon89's recovery thread
- Thread starter Rhiannon89
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Hello 
Happy Three Month Anniversary!
I hope you've had a great month since we've last heard from you.
Next time you're on the forum, please leave an update. We would love to hear all about your progress.
Best wishes for a beautiful Summer!
@Rhiannon89
Happy Three Month Anniversary!
I hope you've had a great month since we've last heard from you.
Next time you're on the forum, please leave an update. We would love to hear all about your progress.
Best wishes for a beautiful Summer!
@Rhiannon89
OP
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Rhiannon89
member
Wow it's been a while hasn't it! So much has changed I thought a quick update was needed.
I'm now nearly 6 months post op and in that time I have split up from my boyfriend, moved home and changed jobs. Believe it or not my new hip gave me such a new lease of life that I realised my life at home just wasn't for me and things have changed a lot!
My new hip is doing great, I love it so much, even though i ended up working a harder bar job with stairs and 40 hours of standing a week the new one just keeps going. My other one however is awful, really bad, causes me constant pain and is making my knee really painful too.
I've now managed to get a part time job in a dentist so I am sitting at reception 20 hours a week and only working the bar for the other 20 which i'm hoping will help my pain for a while. I cannot get the other operated on until I have a comfortable steady job, and I don't go full time at the dentist until January (which is when i start training as a dental nurse!) I also haven't heard anything from my surgeon or hospital in about 3 months, last time i tried to call i was on hold for an hour. I've emailed his secretary and had no response so that's always fun!
Sorry that was a long read! Just wanted to let you know that my hip replacement is definitely the best thing to happen to me even if it caused me to change my whole life. I had no problems and healed so easily with minimal PT! (I just gave up going in the end) and I cannot wait until I can get the other done, just annoying i have to wait!
I'm now nearly 6 months post op and in that time I have split up from my boyfriend, moved home and changed jobs. Believe it or not my new hip gave me such a new lease of life that I realised my life at home just wasn't for me and things have changed a lot!
My new hip is doing great, I love it so much, even though i ended up working a harder bar job with stairs and 40 hours of standing a week the new one just keeps going. My other one however is awful, really bad, causes me constant pain and is making my knee really painful too.
I've now managed to get a part time job in a dentist so I am sitting at reception 20 hours a week and only working the bar for the other 20 which i'm hoping will help my pain for a while. I cannot get the other operated on until I have a comfortable steady job, and I don't go full time at the dentist until January (which is when i start training as a dental nurse!) I also haven't heard anything from my surgeon or hospital in about 3 months, last time i tried to call i was on hold for an hour. I've emailed his secretary and had no response so that's always fun!
Sorry that was a long read! Just wanted to let you know that my hip replacement is definitely the best thing to happen to me even if it caused me to change my whole life. I had no problems and healed so easily with minimal PT! (I just gave up going in the end) and I cannot wait until I can get the other done, just annoying i have to wait!
@Rhiannon89 Great update! Wow - lots of positive changes. Well done! I do hope you get that job sorted so that you can get your other hip done. Nothing like the feeling of delight when you join the double hippie club.
Please keep us updated!
Please keep us updated!
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Hi Rhiannon, It's nice to hear from you at six months post op. It's been awhile and you really have gone through some changes. I'm happy to hear your hip is great, sorry the other one is causing you constant pain and also affecting your knee. Hopefully you can take care of it early into the new year.
Congrats on beginning training as a dental nurse, hopefully you'll enjoy it and make a long career out of it. Thanks for updating and don't forget about us if the time comes for Lefty to be replaced. We'll be here for you.
Enjoy the rest of the week!
@Rhiannon89
Congrats on beginning training as a dental nurse, hopefully you'll enjoy it and make a long career out of it. Thanks for updating and don't forget about us if the time comes for Lefty to be replaced. We'll be here for you.
Enjoy the rest of the week!
@Rhiannon89
Trudijane
member
Wow, I also am at 6-months recovery, and it's great for you that you are doing so well. You are so young. May I ask what your diagnosis was and why you need both hips replaced?
My surgeon told me that my left is similar in structure to my right hip - so it would not be surprising that down the line, I would have to have my left leg done. I really hope that never happens because for me I've had a hard time with the whole process for various reasons.
Due to my age, I thought I was just falling apart, but it wasn't that; it was just that the space between my hip joint was very narrow to begin with therefore, sooner to fail. it is amazing that you can't wait to get your 2nd hip done. I wish I felt this way as well.
My surgeon told me that my left is similar in structure to my right hip - so it would not be surprising that down the line, I would have to have my left leg done. I really hope that never happens because for me I've had a hard time with the whole process for various reasons.
Due to my age, I thought I was just falling apart, but it wasn't that; it was just that the space between my hip joint was very narrow to begin with therefore, sooner to fail. it is amazing that you can't wait to get your 2nd hip done. I wish I felt this way as well.
OP
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Rhiannon89
member
Hi @Trudijane, I had femoral acetabular impingement (FAI) on both sides, had I noticed earlier an arthroscopy would have sufficed (which we did try) but arthritis had already kicked in and both my hips were already bone on bone. I've only had 1 done as I can still get around so I just chose a hip to start with, the 2nd one can be done whenever I am ready as it is so needed.
I was lucky as my recovery was relatively uneventful, you would have no idea I have a fake hip, I spend hours running up and down stairs at work and the only thing causing me any problems is my left one! I forget a lot of the time that anything was ever wrong on that side, that's why I'm so excited to get the other done. I cant imagine being completely pain free!
I was lucky as my recovery was relatively uneventful, you would have no idea I have a fake hip, I spend hours running up and down stairs at work and the only thing causing me any problems is my left one! I forget a lot of the time that anything was ever wrong on that side, that's why I'm so excited to get the other done. I cant imagine being completely pain free!
Mojo333
Former BoneSmart Staff Member
@Rhiannon89Great to hear from you.
I know you are ready to have 2 great hips now that you've seen the tremendous impact it has on getting back to life.
Hang in there friend and let us know.
Debru4
Insider
What a great attitude you have, and such an inspiring story as well! I think for many of us, the new hips give us a new appreciation for life.
Given how young you are, what a blessing that you are able to live a much fuller, richer life than before, and once you get rid of the other bad hip, you will be in such a good spot! I've heard people comment that it's risky for young people to have replacements, but my perspective is that by the time the current hips wear out, I have no doubt there will be newer, even better ones to take their place. Here's hoping your 2nd hip surgery can be set up as soon as your new job allows!
Given how young you are, what a blessing that you are able to live a much fuller, richer life than before, and once you get rid of the other bad hip, you will be in such a good spot! I've heard people comment that it's risky for young people to have replacements, but my perspective is that by the time the current hips wear out, I have no doubt there will be newer, even better ones to take their place. Here's hoping your 2nd hip surgery can be set up as soon as your new job allows!
OP
OP
Rhiannon89
member
Mojo333
Former BoneSmart Staff Member
@Rhiannon89I am really not sure what is the best route for expediting an appointment in the UK.
I'm reaching out for some advice for folks in your neck of the woods.
Hope Hip #1 is behaving well.
I'm sure someone will have some suggestions for you?
@Rhiannon89 What you will need to do is get your GP to refer you to the surgeon again. Typically surgeons won't work with you again without this referral.
Which hospital did you have your first THR in? We can look up the wait times.
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Hello
Wishing you the best of luck and comfort as you struggle . Hopefully you're able to get Lefty scheduled soon and it won't be too long a wait for you.
You've done so well, it will be nice when you have the next surgery and recovery behind you, truly moving forward. Stay in touch.
I hope you have a nice weekend.
@Rhiannon89
Wishing you the best of luck and comfort as you struggle . Hopefully you're able to get Lefty scheduled soon and it won't be too long a wait for you.
You've done so well, it will be nice when you have the next surgery and recovery behind you, truly moving forward. Stay in touch.
I hope you have a nice weekend.
@Rhiannon89
OP
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Rhiannon89
member
@Jaycey I did do this, that was my first step and I was immediately sent an appointment for a couple of months away. Within this time my surgeon called me as I hadn't turned up for an appointment that had apparently been booked and I hadn't been told about, he knew it wasn't my fault and told me he would arrange for another one to be made so i could go in and see him. I called the hospital (was on hold for an hour) the day before the appointment I had received a letter for just to confirm if that one was still happening and they told me that I had cancelled it! They told me I was on the waiting list for another appointment, that was back in June :(
My first hip was done at the South West Elective Orthopedic Centre, wish i hadn't bothered trying to follow him now as number 2 would probably be done by now!
My first hip was done at the South West Elective Orthopedic Centre, wish i hadn't bothered trying to follow him now as number 2 would probably be done by now!
OP
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Rhiannon89
member
Happy New Year Everyone!
I can't believe my right hip is nearly 10 months old! I honestly would forget I had it done if it wasn't for seeing my scar every day (which I am very proud of!)
I'm still stuck in limbo with my left though, still heard nothing, I chased my surgeons secretary, she copied him in her response to me and gave me the email addresses of the other secretaries i'd already tried. Still nothing. I have booked an appointment with my GP but it's a couple of weeks away as I struggle with time off work now, I will push them to get this sorted, I can't live like this!
This winter has been so wet that every time I see my horse I'm trudging through mud and this causes me so much pain, I'm struggling to exercise as everything aggravates my hip and I have to stand when I nurse at the dentists so need to not already be in pain. I'm just becoming a blob with a sore hip.
Here's hoping 2020 is the year of being a bilateral hippy!
I can't believe my right hip is nearly 10 months old! I honestly would forget I had it done if it wasn't for seeing my scar every day (which I am very proud of!)
I'm still stuck in limbo with my left though, still heard nothing, I chased my surgeons secretary, she copied him in her response to me and gave me the email addresses of the other secretaries i'd already tried. Still nothing. I have booked an appointment with my GP but it's a couple of weeks away as I struggle with time off work now, I will push them to get this sorted, I can't live like this!
This winter has been so wet that every time I see my horse I'm trudging through mud and this causes me so much pain, I'm struggling to exercise as everything aggravates my hip and I have to stand when I nurse at the dentists so need to not already be in pain. I'm just becoming a blob with a sore hip.
Here's hoping 2020 is the year of being a bilateral hippy!
Mojo333
Former BoneSmart Staff Member
@Rhiannon89A belated
to you!Glad to see your update and see righty is happy and I also hope you can get your left hip sorted soon.
You have done beautifully...hard to believe it's been that long.
Keep us updated on a surgery date and try to baby that bad hip.
You might want to think about scaling down or stopping exercise for now. It does indeed aggravate that hip. In my case I ignored all the warnings and my hip finally collapsed. Believe me, waiting for surgery (6 months) with a collapsed hip is not something you want to endure.
OP
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Rhiannon89
member
I hear you. But just consider this temporary and focus on getting that surgery date. Pre-op my second THR I called the medical secretary literally every week. Got to know her very well and we both celebrated when I finally got my surgery date.
