(Soon to be) 22 yr old, suffering badly, is hip replacement only option?
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Hi there,
I'll be 22 in June. I live in Australia. I had Perthe's Disease (childhood avascular necrosis) when I was 5 or 6 (they reckon) which was discovered in 2006 (age 13-14) when I developed a funny pain every now and then. A cortisone injection got me off a 5 month crutches period in 2007, thought it was all better. It came back about 7 months later, same thing (on off pain getting worse) till my sport teacher banned me from running as it seemed to make it worse (aged 16). By Feburary the following year (2009) I had my period, where the pain started again, but this time the period finished but the pain never did, and I've been in pain every day ever since. It was excruciating pain for my whole VCE, constantly on the crutches, cortisones don't work, neither do drugs. I developed these 'pain spasms' where the pain levels spasm (like a muscle spasm, but instead of the muscle doing it it's the pain, dunno how else to describe it). They were the worst to deal with, because you CANT deal with it. They can last for 3-10 mins each, have no idea what's going on around me when they happen, and they leave me exhausted and in agony for the whole rest of the day, even days/weeks afterwards. Ended up finally having a Femoral Osteotomy at the end of 2010. Looked like this was finally working, it wasn't brilliant but I could live with it. Had the screws from that taken out 2 yrs later. Over the past year it has ever so slowly grown worse, so I was recommended to see a physio, which didn't help. This year alone it has declined so severely and rapidly that it feels like it's turning back into what it was like in VCE, and it is really almost there. I'm having spasms every other week if not more, this week alone I've had 3, 2 of them being in one day, and it's tried to do it once more also. I'm having to use the crutches more and more, even to move around my own house. I'm being referred to a pain specialist, and I'm seeing my othopedic surgeon again in June. My family is seriously suggesting a hip replacement. I can't go on like this, I can't work, and if I can't work I can't pay bills and rent. My biggest concern with having a THR at this age is how it's going to affect me in 20 yrs time when I need another one. But I seriously do not see any other option, as I'm really struggling to live with this. I've also looked up hip resurfacing, but there's not enough research on that to see if that's really a viable option. Any advice or opinions?? Thanks
0 likes, 8 replies
meg12824
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beryl29765 meg12824
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also don't worry that you are too young as by the time you have to have another hip done things will have changed on the why they do them
I had my hip replacement when I was 59
ros007 meg12824
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The median life of a THR is going up. Revision is usually possible but it depends on bone stock - talk to your surgeon about your situation. The youngest person I met with a THR (she had 2) had them both done when she was 18. She knew she would end up in a wheelchair because her bones hadn't developed properly but had taken the decision with full knowledge.
Amnesia3637 meg12824
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meg12824 Amnesia3637
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Amnesia3637 meg12824
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ros007 meg12824
Posted
Whatever you and your surgeon decide I hope it works out for you
kaleani75551 meg12824
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