Newbie - making the decision for surgery

KP16MT

Hi I'm newly registered and this is my story

I've had intermittent pain in left hip since early 2023 and eventually went for Xray in August 2024 when it was waking me up; this confirmed moderate OA in both hips but was otherwise able to continue with an active life including outdoor (hill walking etc). A second Xray in June this year (as pain was begining to restrict my walking) showed progression to severe in left hip. I asked GP for private referral so I could see a consultant quickly to assess what was going on and get possibilities for treatment.

He recommends surgery as the only treatment. I'm running scared of making a decision to go ahead privately this autumn while I still have good level of fitness and muscle, rather than wait 2-2 and half years for NHS.

I'm 69, haven't had an operation since I had tonsils out aged 7, and if I'm honest really concerned that the new hip will never have the range of movement of the original, so that I can sit on the floor, crouch down while gardening and get out on the hills with friends. Not to mention the op itself and the recovery.

Also it has to be said that despite the diagnosis I don't have much pain either at night- I'm now sleeping again, and pottering around the house is ok too. Just can't walk- and that's not agony, just very restricted in distance before I have to stop. So I'm worried that there will be more pain post op than I have now .

I know it makes sense since I can afford it to do it now, but it's a big decision…

Poppyjane

Welcome @KP16MT to the community

Like many of us in the community you are wisely weighing up all the pros and cons of whether to have surgery for your arthritic conditions or not. Many have gone down the surgical route and have bravely shared their experiences in diaries/blogs with us. We have fondly called this group the hippies. There are lots of links to these diaries (found by clicking on the magnifying glass symbol - top right and entering hip surgery) I hope you find them useful reading.

Meanwhile I attach links to our VA information pages for your interest.

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/osteoarthritis-oa-of-the-hip/

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

One of the key aids to a speedy recovery is to maintain the flexibility and mobility of your joints and muscles so your present routine of exercise and walking is vital. Another key aid is to be patient with yourself and to rest before you get overtired .

There are likely to be lots of questions after you have read all of the above so don't hesitate to come back to us with any concerns you may have.

You may of course decide not to have a hip replacement and some members have done just that . So much depends on your individual health, domestic situation, provision of medical care in your area etc so do join in with us whilst you make your decision we are here to help.

Take care

Poppyjane

Jane18

Hi @KP16MT, @Poppyjane has given some helpful information and links above. Some of the diaries on this topic can be found under hip replacement as well as hip surgery, so it may be useful to use both search terms.

To give my story, I was first diagnosed with moderate-severe bone-on-bone hip arthritis two years ago and like you was very concerned that having an operation would limit what I would be able to do. I was pretty fit, enjoyed tai chi and yoga as well as walking and at that stage had moderate pain at times, which didn't disturb me at night. I was referred to an orthopaedic surgeon and had an appointment some 5 months after my diagnosis. At that stage I was still hesitant about having surgery, as I hadn't been an in-patient in hospital for more than 40 years and was still fairly mobile, although I used a stick for support when out walking. I was very anxious about how I would cope at home after the operation and about the operation itself. I was fortunate to be put on a self-referral pathway, which meant that I could put myself on the waiting list directly within a year if my circumstances changed. And change they did - within 6 months, I was experiencing more pain, including at night, my mobility had decreased significantly and I was no longer able to enjoy my former activities in the way I had. I referred myself back, saw the consultant a few months later and was told that surgery was the only option. So I went on the waiting list, which was at least a year at that point.

I read many of the hip diaries on this forum and made a list for myself of pros and cons, while I was waiting for a date for surgery. I had plenty of time to prepare myself emotionally and also practically while I was on the list and in the end, because the pain had become more intense, decided to go privately. I was able to set a convenient date for myself, although had I wanted, I could have gone in much earlier. I'm now 8 weeks post-op and for me it was the best thing I could have done, as I had become so restricted in the activities I'd enjoyed. Although the first few weeks are not easy while your body is adjusting to the new hip, because I was reasonably fit and did all the exercises they recommended, I was able to recover fairly quickly and gradually increased my walking, as well as starting to do some gentle gardening. Two weeks ago I was allowed to start driving again, so have been getting out to meet friends, go further for walks and get back to cultural activities such as going to the cinema. Today I went back to my tai chi class for the first time for months and it was good, athough I paced myself and was quite careful about not testing the new hip too much. It will be a while till I can get back to full yoga and I will need to modify some of the poses, but in the meantime I'm doing some chair exercises. I am told that the recovery process from a hip op will continue over months, if not a year, but already am feeling ready to start enjoying life again, with a few adjustments.

Sorry, this is a bit long, but I thought it might help to explain my particular circumstances while you're deliberating. You may decide not to have the operation, but if your waiting list is as long as 2 years, you should have plenty of time to consider all the options. Some people's symptoms may plateau, but if you did decide you needed to go privately, hopefully you could choose a time that's convenient for you.

Good luck with making your decision and do ask if you have any questions.

Jane

Fran54

@KP16MT

Hi from another "hippie". I have had both ny hips replaced now and can honestly say I am so glad that I did. Before being diagnosed I led a fairly active life, walking and gardening, but gradually over a few years my world narrowed down to only being able to walk to the top of my road and slowly round the supermarket once a week. I know that everyone is different regarding pain thresholds and how it impacts your life. You seem to lead a very active life and if you can continue to exercise that will help immensely if you decide to go ahead with the operation. As mentioned there are plenty of threads on here to read, but if you still have any questions we are all here to help. Do let us know what you decide to do. Take care.

cocoa

KP16MT
Hi I was first diagnosed 3 years ago with pain in groin which turned out to be arthritis of right hip when x rayed. Wasn’t too bad then and was relieved nothing else . Gradually became less active took more painkillers and 2 years later asked MSK nurse to refer me to hospital. Saw consultant told me no good going diwn any alternative route but full hip replacement. So I put my name on waiting list ( private hospital doing wirk fir nhs ) was told can change mind at any point up to date of op. 8 months in on wait list and was given date of 9 July this year . By then was soo glad went in the list . Am niw 4/5 weeks in and arthritis pain gone am getting back to ‘normal’ tough furst couple weeks after but soon passes. Get tired very quickly but am progressing . Walking further each day . Diwn to one crutch outsude none inside . It’s only short stretch out if your life to regain mobility . What’s the alternative ? A life confined to house so bite the bullet get in the list you can always opt out

Cocoa

KP16MT

thanks @cocoa @Jane18 @Fran54 @Netster47 and @Poppyjane for the encouragement- I think i'm ready to decide to go ahead asap- used the decision tool on national joint registry https://jointcalc.shef.ac.uk/ and although my level scored 30 now, they predict 45 later which is of course 50% improvement- I'll take that! (I did wonder why the maximum score was 48 not 100 , but i guess I'd have to ask the academics at Sheffiled uni who developed it)

going to contact the private hospital next week to book for September if I can- will report back

Jane18

Good luck @KP16MT and let us know how you get on. If you have any questions or concerns, we are here for you.

Jane

Zimmer

@KP16MT I can honestly say that I can't wait to have my other leg done and I'm only two weeks post-op on the first one 🙂.

The other ladies, who have left comments, and I regularly chat and I can honestly say that their recoveries have been nothing short of amazing.

My mother also cannot wait any longer due to the pain, she is 79 and will have her 1st hip done privately, so by the time she receives her surgery date on the NHS, she will have recovered enough to have the other done.

Keep us posted and look forward to chatting to you soon. Take care xx

raching

@KP16MT I relate to a lot of your post, though I do have pain at night. I am waiting for my op on 18th September. I keep going back and forth on whether it’s time or I should wait longer. I am in late 40s, with a child in primary school. I think it’s a very personal decision. I have gone through my notes of discussions with physios and doctors and can find lots of reasons to have the operation, but it’s a lot to comprehend. I have had a hip op some years ago and remember the high level of anxiety about the unknown. In my case my OA has been ticking along for some years, but has got worse over last 2 years leading to this stage, it’s happened sooner than I hoped/expected. I currently focus on the hope about benefits I will have after the op, as I have found my world get smaller as hip gets worse. People sharing experiences here has helped me a lot too.

cocoa

KP16MT

Sure you have made the right decision . Good luck snd keep us posted !

Cocoa