Has anyone successfully postponed or avoided hip surgery?

TP1

Hi, I'm new to this forum and site - am so glad to have found such a useful site. I have had Osteoarthritis for about 2 years in the hips (I suspect maybe shoulder too occasionally). To cut a long story short, I was initially in quite a lot of pain, now hardly any pain but it does limit mobility. Can't put on socks, bending down difficult, getting into a bath I would need help, stairs difficult but I can manage them. Getting out of a car difficult. Again I can manage. Anyway, managed to get a private appointment with a surgeon to look at this (using husbands insurance which is due to end soon when he retires). The surgeon looked at my x rays and immediately said both hips need replaced. BUT since that appointment, I seem to be getting more flexible. I have lost about 9 kilos in 4 months. That might be helping. Also being more consistent with physio exercises. My question is - has anyone successfully postponed or avoided hip surgery after having been told they need it? I am very wary of going ahead when I'm not in pain and things seem to be improving. Surgery is scheduled end of Feb. I am 63 if that makes a difference. Has anyone thoughts on this? I am so mixed up and don't know what to do. My husband is saying go ahead and have it, but I'm thinking I'm not in pain and slightly improving. any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.

Naomi33

Afternoon @TP1 and welcome to the online community.

Sorry to hear your concerns about hip operation and whether to have it or not.

Personally I would go for it as advised by doctor/consultant and x rays show the true you. Yes I understand feeling better after weight loss but why manage when you can be fixed 😉

I am sure others will connect with you soon you have had or awaiting hip replacement.

Best wishes @Naomi33

Fran54

@TP1

personally I have not postponed surgery and I think that quality of life made me decide to go ahead and have it done. My consultant told me that both of my hips needed doing ( I had right hip replaced last June ) and hope to have the other one done in the not too distant future. My reasons for having it done were that my mobility was decreasing on a daily basis. I was in a lot of pain and limping when walking. I found it hard to walk upstairs and getting in and out of the car. Standing up after sitting I could not put any weight on my bad leg and had to wait seconds before I could manage walking. The only good thing was that I had a walk-in shower which helped a great deal.

Also apart from mobility problems I was going out less and less and this was affecting me mentally as well. I felt that my world was closing down and this is what made me decide to go ahead. This was the best thing I have done and I have no regrets whatsoever. The recovery can be slow and painful to start with but it does get better as you progress. I think that you have to weigh up the pros and cons.

I hope this has helped.🙂

[Deleted User]

Losing weight is very helpful and I'm glad you feel better. It looks you are struggling a lot already even it looks like you are managing. OA never goes better and it will keep going worse in time. I'm 56 and I couldn't believe my GP when she talked about double hip replacement. I had both hips replaced last year and that has changed my life.

TP1

thank you for your comments and advice. It is really good to hear from those who have been there 😀I had a pre op appointment today and explained my worries to the nurse. She has advised I talk to the consultant again, as I think I should have asked more at the initial appointment, but because I was a bit shocked at being told I needed both hips replaced I didn't. So I have another appointment with the surgeon on Wednesday and hopefully that will make everything clear in my mind. Which will make me more accepting of the need for surgery rather than wanting to postpone it. The nurse said it was very important I was in the right mind set as that would help recovery etc so hopefully that will help me understand it better and get it right in my mind. Thank you again.

Janlyn

@TP1 I understand your dilemma and the advice you have been given. Surgery is life-changing, in a good way, at least for me but I was doubtful until both a physio and my surgeon reassured me. Losing weight and becoming more mobile definitely helps but if it isn't going to get better, and needs doing eventually, then whilst your husband has insurance and you are younger and fitter will be the best option. But best for your surgeon to advise.

Take care.

Coddfish

I put off having my first hip replaced because I felt I could manage it through exercise. That was true - until I could no longer manage it through exercise. At that stage (this was 2021), the NHS waiting lists were horrendous, and I had no insurance, so self paid privately as my ability to do anything was declining very badly. It was transformational. I have just seen my GP to start the process with the other hip…. I think there is a lot of value in going ahead whilst you are well enough to have an easy and straightforward recovery.

DoraExplora

@TP1 I postponed it for years. I thought if I lost weight and got active I could delay the inevitable until I was older (I was diagnosed in my late 40s). I am now 2.5 weeks post surgery, so yes I did manage to put it off for about 4 years, but they were not fun years. The pain and loss of mobility only got worse and I was forced to accept that I could not fix the problem. During that time my medical insurance also changed and ultimately I was forced to pay a lot to get it done - my advice would be to go ahead whilst you have medical insurance if that’s what your surgeon suggests.

distantshores

I postponed it for years - 14 years after diagnosis I underwent THR on right side. I was able to keep it at bay for so long as, despite the fact that it had deteriorated to stage 4, I had minimal pain and was able to continue to function so was never confined to the house and in those years travelled all over the world and continued to work - in other words life just went on as normal. I went to Greece on my own a few weeks before surgery and the week before went to 3 exercise classes. The only thing that prompted me to go ahead with it is that the way I was walking was putting pressure on the other joints and I was worried that this would cause all the other joints to go. The pain after the op was far worse and a real shock to my system. If I had been in agony then I would have had to push to get it done earlier. I guess it depends on each individual.

TP1

Just an update and thank you again for your comments. Very helpful 😀 I saw my consultant yesterday, and explained I was very anxious about the op and perhaps hadn't taken in everything that was said at my first appointment and hadn't understood everything. He was very good, and properly explained the x rays and everything. I felt better after leaving the appointment. Then this morning I saw my physio and showed her a photo of the x rays. She could instantly see what was wrong and the arthritic changes. A combination of the consultant properly explaining it to me and her immediately seeing from the x rays what was wrong, made me feel that the op is worth going ahead with, and it would be wrong to postpone or cancel it. It will do me good in the long run. So I will now get myself into the right frame of mind for this op and concentrate on getting a bit stronger and fitter (and losing a bit more weight). I think I should have prepared better for that first appointment. So at least I am now not constantly worrying about should I or shouldn't I. I feel a bit more at peace. Thank you. A lot ahead but lets hope for the best. All the best to everyone.😀

lizziejay

Hi. Hope you're feeling suitably encouraged and supported, it's a big decision. My viewpoint is a bit different to others. I am older than you, I am on a low income and live on my own. If I had my hip replacement surgery I cannot afford anyone to care for me or my dog and cat. Family live a long way away or have issues such as pregnancy going on. I had surgery for sarcoma top of right thigh which has made the arthritis in that hip what an orthopaedic surgeon told me a couple of weeks ago now "severe". I take co-codomol higher strength if the pain is bad otherwise I really fight to stay mobile although my balance is getting worse. Another thing to think about - hip replacements don't always last that long so would you rather wait and perhaps only need it doing once and later? The surgeon also said to me he wasn't that keen because of the sarcoma surgery and that hip replacement isn't always successful. I know I am saying things that are contrary to what others have said to you. Sharing what I have been told and my experience. I expect one day I may not have a choice, but for now I am not going for surgery. I will have another go at losing some weight because that's worked somewhat for you. Take care.

TP1

thank you Lizziejay, it’s difficult isn’t it - trying to make the right decision. My husband is very unwell, at the moment a bit better, and that’s adding to my decision making. That I go for surgery while he is not so bad. Who knows what is best to do. I really wish you well

gozkan

Hello, I found myself with your article. I was able to postpone my surgery for two years. I have no pain, I will have my surgery when I have pain, I can do everything with my cane, if only I could lose weight, physical therapy is also useful.

HipHipReplacement

I think it's all about listening to your body. My osteoarthritis started late teens and I ended up putting off my surgery 10+ years until my hip collapsed and I was bed bound. COVID delayed the surgery well over a year after that too. The rehab has been gruelling due to the muscles atrophying and the tendons tightening. With my age I've got a lot of time to get the movement back but things would've been significantly easier if I listened to my body and not the doctors suggesting I was young and needed to stretch it out a bit longer.