Am I too young for a hip operation 🙄
Posted , 4 users are following.
Hi there. I had Perthes at 11yrs old after coming out of my leg splints at 12yrs old my hip grew back flat and over time my leg has become 2" shorter. Ive led a very active life and had 3 children. The past 2 years have become very hard and painful. My hip is causing pain on a daily basis, even sitting down is a chore.
I was on the sick before my materity leave and I am due back in work next month but there is no way I could cope.
After a few moans to my gp over a year ago I saw a consultant & was going to go on the waiting list but found out I was pregnant. My baby is now 8mths & the pain is unbareable. I finally got an appointment to see a hip consultant again only to turn up & he was in a meeting. I saw his assistant who told me every horror story going to put me off going on the waiting list. She mentioned foot drop that id not heard of. She said im too young & I should put off going on the list. Ive told her no I want to go on the list. Any advice? Am I too young at 34?
Thanks 😁
0 likes, 11 replies
DibDibbler Caz83
Posted
Hello, you sound just like I was, 11 years old, hip grew back flat, 2" shorter, its the same and I understand the pain you are going through. I had my hip operation this year at the age of 47 after a very active life - running, cycling etc and the last 8 years have been pain but I decided to do something about it.
I went to the Royal Orthopaedic hospital in Birmingham and it was wonderful, total left hip replacement. I was in for 2 days, the first was painful after the morphine wore off and I had physio for the 2nd day (1st saw me with strapped legs and a foam pad between to keep them centred.
I asked the surgeon if he could extend my leg and he did, it is now the same length
28 days of bed rest and moving about on crutches, with the hexadrine stomach injections you get used to.
No pain whatsoever now, I dont even think about my hip anymore, its been 5 months since the op.
I dont think you are too young as a man in my ward was 26, he had the same op.
Cheers,
Jason
Caz83 DibDibbler
Posted
Its lovely to hear from someone who has had the same problem & also that you have come out the other side.
I think having 3 children has played a part in it happening so early on with me. But I wouldnt change it for the world. The women at the hospital told me they couldnt change my leg length, she wasnt very helpful to be honest, she said I would need at least 3 ops in my life time. But anything would be better than the life im leading now, also my kids are so young, I dont want them missing out on things because of me.
Glad that every has been good for you. 😁
DibDibbler Caz83
Posted
Hi There,
I think it's wrong to be told they can't change your leg length, you can ask to be referred to the Royal Orthopaedic in Birmingham, Mr Politis did mine.
To change the leg length he had to stretch the nerves and I suppose he must have fitted a slightly longer spike. The complications are loss of feeling in the leg but when I woke up I couldn't feel it until I realised it was the anasthetic!
But as I said mine was 2" shorter and now it's the same, you just have to refer to someone else who can do it for you, I wouldn't settle for no leg lengthening, it's your life.
DibDibbler
Posted
I forgot to say you have to tell your doctor you want to go elsewhere, it's your right. If they say no just change your doctor or better still go see a private doctor and pay the assessment fee and tell them you want to go such and such and be seen by a certain specialist but on NHS
DibDibbler Caz83
Posted
Sorry to ramble on but this is my 3rd rant :-)...
At the hospital on the day they take you to the general admissions and then you wait for a bit before you go in. You get weighed and you go to a place to change into a gown, the lady puts on a pressure stocking on both legs. Then you end up in anasthetic where for me they said they'd count but the anasthetic knocked me right out. Then I woke up in a recovery ward not even realising the time had gone, 2.5 hours in there for me.
They wheeled me back to the ward and I was there for 2 days. I didn't go to the loo for the first day, didn't feel like it. The food was nice and they check regularly on you.
You have daily injections I think for swelling as your legs do swell but they go down noticeably after the first day.
Then physio came in and I walked on crutches up and down the ward and up stairs, it was hard to get out of bed at first but i forced myself.
Then home and crutches for the first week then 1 crutch and then none after a month. I wore the stockings the entire time.
I guess that's the worst part, the boredom at home in bed most of the day.
Since then a couple of checkups and I was discharged on their register.
Caz83 DibDibbler
Posted
Thank you for all your information. Im going to ask for an appointment with my consultant and go from there. Like you said its your life at the end of the day, I shouldnt have to suffer every day & be made to feel its not that bad.
Thanks again 😁
valofsonwithLCP Caz83
Posted
Hi Caz83,
Not sure exactly where you live. We are in the USA, my son had one surgery at 17 years old where they went in and cleaned up the joint and made it round again. He was much better even knowing it was only a temporary fix. They also did this with a scope, so there wasn't much down time. Then at age 26 he had a total hip replacement. 4 months later he was back at Med school on his feet all day. I am so sorry for all of your pain. Hope this answered your question.
Val
Caz83 valofsonwithLCP
Posted
Hiya
Wow thats fab to hear that he walked straight out of the hospital the same day.... Im going to arrange another appointment to speak to my consultant as ive got alot of unanswered questions. Im in Wales by the way maybe our NHS doesnt do they same procedures as the US?
Lovely to hear your son is doing well 😁
valofsonwithLCP Caz83
Posted
vinny1967 Caz83
Posted
Hi There,
I am 50, have been active all my life - played Badminton at county level for 10 years, played tennis and have starting cycling the last few years - cycled up the Pyrennes in May this year.
My hip has started to give trouble in the last few months, after the Pyrenees, so I have had a conversation with my consultant this week about replacing the hip.
I have also a 2" difference between my leg length.
He did try and put me off initially also quoting the risk of foot drop.
However, we agreed that the chance of improvement is nil so I am going ahead with it and he will try to get my legs the same length during the operation - he stated it required ensuring he could pull the nerve far enough.
He talked about the materials and suggested if I was younger he may consider the use of ceramic material so this might be something to discuss with your consultant.
I live in Ireland and my consultant is Mr Finbarr Condon operating out of Croom in Limerick.
Hope this helps
Regards,
Vinny
Caz83 vinny1967
Posted
Thank you for telling me your story. I have heard from my consultant and I have an appointment on 16th November. I will discuss all my optiond with him. There is light at the end of the tunnel at last.
Good luck with your op hope all goes well for you.
Thanks Caron