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golfpro1

hi all...

60 years old, diagnosed with OA of hip 2 years ago, still in shock to be honest...read up all i can about itsince and was told august 2017 that i needed an immediate replacemt...still not done it ...my mind is mulch over this and probs suffering some sort of PTSD??..cant get my head around it...now getting difficult to walk properly but took up swimming and gyming shortly after diagnosis and maintaining that regime 3 times a week...feeling fitter now than i have for years but still got this inevitable sword of damoclese hanging over me...i have a morbid fear of hospitals let alone operations....so stuck in this limbo ...gone down all the supplements route ...some work some dont...but now takinmg more painkillers just to get through some days....stuck with what to do...commit myself to the op or stick it out for as long as i can??

[Deleted User]

Hi golfpro1 welcome to the Versus Arthritis forums.

Sorry to hear you are suffering and in need of a hip replacement. The final decision as to whether to go ahead with the operation must be yours in conjunction with the advice from your doctor.

Its good news that you are exercising well as this will help maintain as much function as possible and also aid recovery if you decide to go ahead.

If you are going to have surgery, then a hip replacement is one of the most successful ones with thousands of people having it each year. My brother had both hips replaced a year ago within a short time between each operation. We asked him about it recently and he says he has almost forgotten about it, such was the good recovery.

We have a great page on our website that should cover any general questions about this:

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/treatments/surgery/hip-replacement-surgery/

Also, if you decide to go ahead, do check out our posts on Going To Hospital as they have some great tips to make things easier for you:

https://arthritiscareforum.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=18036

You can always talk confidentially to our Helpline 0800 5200 520 open Monday–Friday, 9am–8pm.

Do come back and let us know what you decide to do.

All best wishes
Brynmor

dreamdaisy

Oh dear, I am sorry, this must be very daunting for you. I can't help because I have had many operations over my 60 years but no joint replacements despite being bone-on bone in both knees; I was refused aged 52 thanks to my extreme youth. As a result both ankles and both hips are deteriorating rapidly. So what? That's what the disease does.

My neighbour over the road is leading a new, refreshed, pain-free life after having her hip done three years ago. She was one of the luckier ones where the disease remained in the one joint, it deteriotated quickly so was done before she had thrown her other joints out of kilter by compensating for the dodgy one. She is now in her mid-seventies, keeps telling me to get a new hip but the poor old duck hasn't a clue about my version of the disease.

There are between eight to ten million people in the UK with arthritis, osteo being the most common. Hips are simple joints and easy to replace. Supplements, Revitive gismos, copper, magnets, diet blah blah blah do not work, they never have and they never will because the body has the possibility of failure built into it. Mine has never worked as it should thanks to genes so I am lucky that I have never experienced the curse of good health - it does not prepare one in any way for the unthinkable. You are now having to deal with that with no strategies, no experience and of course the fear is overwhelming. That's why I cannot help because I've never been scared, a shortcoming on my part. DD

Jackie47

Hi golfpro1. I’m sorry to read that fear is stopping you from having a hip replacement. Trouble is we fear fear . Our minds go into overtime . You have to weigh up the pros and cons. Pros are leading pain free hip pain. Cons I can’t think of any tbh. Your hip will only get worse as it erodes away. Taking painkillers long term is not a good idea and as for supplements no comment.Take the bull by the horns so to speak and go for it. You will be able to discuss your feelings prior to surgery. In any case you are only in hospital 3 to 4 days. I had my first replacement 4 years ago and next April I have elected to have replacement on my other side. You can do this.

stickywicket

The 'swimming and gyming' will help but I doubt the supplements will.

I'm sorry you're in this pickle. My husband has always been into sport - cricket and rugby in his youth; golf and walking more recently. When the golf had to go he realised the hip business was serious and is now awaiting one replacement though the other is as bad.

He has seen me have both hips and knees replaced but this is different I'm proud of him for doing all the right things - exercising as much as he can, taking as few painkillers as he can and not grumbling about his much reduced lifestyle. However, he has been having panic attacks until his pre-op at which three lovely , extremely kind, thorough ladies (nurse, junior doc and anaesthetist) answered all his questions and took all the time he needed. He's not exactly looking forward to it now but he is much reassured, pleased that he'll probably only be in hospital 2-3 nights and will not have to sleep on his back for six weeks as used to be the case when I had mine. I think his greatest relief was when the anaesthetist assured him it'd be a spinal so, if he was getting twitchy she could just turn the knob up a bit.

We can't ever get through life without facing our fears. Doing so, quite rightly, makes us feel good, proud of ourselves and stronger for the next fear.

Mr SW will have his op soon and will then be contemplating returning to his beloved golf (just putting at first) and walking the beautiful countryside where we live. And an end to co-codamol, prune juice and senecots What's not to like?

daffy2

You say you have a morbid fear of hospitals. Is that as the result of bad experience or is it irrational(not meaning that it's silly/not real, but that there is no actual reason for it) fear? Either way it seems to me that that is what needs to be addressed before you can make a decision about the operation. I'm afraid I can't suggest the best way to do that but perhaps contact the Helpline, as Mod Bryn suggests, to talk it over, and also see your GP. Either way sooner rather than later because if it was considered necessary 2 years ago it won't have improved since, and you risk compromising other joints as your body tries to adjust to the existing gammy one.