Cemented THR
Posted , 7 users are following.
I was 56 years old when I had my cemented THR in March last year. It was a difficult time for me as I had just taken vol redundancy and lost my 55 yr old sister to cancer all in the space of 2 months so having been told I needed a hip replacement was devastating for me as I have been a keen runner since I was 18. So hip was replaced within a few weeks of loosing my sister.
The surgeon knew I was a very active person, as I windsurf and sail, ski etc. Since my op I have done some research and it looks as if I should have had an uncemented THR. I would like to know if any of you have a cemented THR and are you very active. As 15 months in I have problems with it in that It still feels uncomfortable, not pain but I know it's there.
I was told that when it feels like it's part of me, normal then it's healed. It might just be tendons or muscle still healing. I go to the gym 4 days a week, walk everywhere and have an allotment. I want to lead my life normally without knowing my hip has been replaced but everyday I feel it's there. Is this normal.
I am so angry that I wasn't offered an alternative method.
0 likes, 15 replies
andy90315 elaine11532
Posted
I was 59 when I had my hip done and "encouraged forcefully" my surgeon not to cement my hip as I fully intend to wear it out dancing and generally having fun then getting a new one. He was a bit grumpy but when I remended him as they were wheeling me in to surgery he grumpily said no cement!
Nearly two years later I have forgotten that I have had a hip replacement, no pain no nothing except freedom and fun!
elaine11532 andy90315
Posted
Hi Andy
Unfortunately at the time with so much going on I wasn't emotionally able to take it all in or do much research.
I am training quiet hard as I want to ensure I have the fitness to go trail running albeit I won't be able to run marathons or half marathons any more.
What concerns me is I still feel it after all this time. I thought the whole world sea of a new hip was that you shouldn't feel so stupid there.
I haven't asked for an X-ray as I also worried they will say I need to have remedial work. It's not pain as such but discomfort. It's difficult to explain. I am just angry and upset that the surgeon didn't offer me an uncemented one knowing my age and how physically active I am and intend to continue to be active.
I have to train as I also have also recently been diagnosed with congenital heart disease (inherited from my dad) so doing HIIT and keeping myself generally for is a must for me.
Elaine
elaine11532
Posted
RichardKen elaine11532
Posted
I had an uncemented hip twenty years ago and have just had the ball and cup assembly replaced. It has been fantastic in everyway but the one thing I was told not to do was run or take part in sports that would create an impact to the joint and it seems to gave paid off.
Perhaps your surgeon did a cemented hip due to the quality of your bone or perhaps he failed to achieve a nice tight fit.
Cheers Richard
elaine11532 RichardKen
Posted
Thanks Richard. Yes I was told I couldn't run, but did seek a second opinion and was told that running trails would have less impact.
There are many runners with hip replacement and there is a forum called hiprunners. Yes I know it will n ed replacing sooner and I accept this. But I have heard an uncemented hip replacement is better for younger patients. At 56 I didn't consider myself old.
I also don't understand why I still feel it, although I have been told that it can take up to 2 years to heal.
For the first 10 months I have been very careful only walking and have a cycle machine. It was only in Dec I joined a gym to start getting fitter. As I have no intention of losing the fitness I had before the op.
But thank your reply.
Elaine
RichardKen elaine11532
Posted
I too was told that younger patients are more likely to be given an uncemented hip which is what I had at 55. An uncemented hip does mean that it is,very vulnerable until the bone has amalgamated with it so this may be why you were fitted with one.
Cheers Richard
CelsB elaine11532
Posted
Hi Elaine,
I had my right hip replaced in March last year and mine was cemented too.
It pretty much feels like part of me now. Although I still get the odd twinge which reminds me it's there I mostly forget about it.
I'm nearly 69 and not as active as you but I walk a lot and play bowls 3 or 4 times a week. I have a fitbit and average about 10,000 steps a day.
Hope this helps a bit.
Cels Xxx
renee01952 elaine11532
Posted
dear elaine,
warm welcome to this hippies forum where we share our personal stories and experiences.
I am so sorry to read about your sister's passing at such a young age and nad hip replacement surgery shortly there after ..
Why did your hip needed replacement?
My surgeon did not discuss this with me either and I trusted that he would do the best thing for me and consider age and activity etc.
Perhaps your surgeon did the same - Why don't you ask him/her ? I am sure it is in your medical records -
please remember that a hip replacement is an artificial joint and is never quite the same as a natural hip. Unlike a natural hip it cannot heal itself if something is strained or breaks. It can also wear or loosen with time and this is more likely if you are extremely active.
It is not easy to be confronted with our body's decline as we get older -
you are blessed that you are training again and going to the gym and yes, there is some discomfort -
Your body has gone through a major invasive surgery, Elaine and she needed time to heal -
Please try not to be so hard on yourself -
take care
big warm hug
renee
elaine11532 renee01952
Posted
Hi Renee
An X-ray showed my hip was bone on bone. I broke my ankle 7 years ago and this possibly changed my gait when I started running again.
I also have osteoporosis in my foot so possibly this was also in my hip.
There was so much going on at the time and he only did cemented hips and although he was fully aware of how active I was he felt cemented was more stable. He didn't discuss other alternatives. Like you I put my trust in him.
Best wishes Elaine
RichardKen elaine11532
Posted
Dear Elaine
My understanding is that uncemented hips are considered to be the more modern approach and has been for quite a number of years unless there is a good reason for not doing this. Clearly you had a cemented hip because this was the way your worked not because it was the best choice for you.
From a hip operation video I've recently watched the surgeon took great trouble to carefully drill and ream out the bone to e sure a tight fit with a test stem and when happy then carefully tapped into place the actual stem. Such care would not be needed where cement could have been used to fix a less well fitted stem.
Sorry that you feel let down.
Cheers Richard
renee01952 elaine11532
Posted
hi elaine,
I am not a medical trained person so not sure if what I am going to say is true ...
The way I understand it is that with uncemented hardware, bone is growing "in to" the prothesis which might take up 12-18 months - you mention that you are diagnosed with ostheoprosis in your foot, possibly in your hip which makes your bone perhaps unfit ?-
RichardKen renee01952
Posted
When I had my uncemented hip I was told to not twist the leg for eight weeks so as to give time for the bone to grow into the prosthesis.
Cheers Richard
hazel14263 elaine11532
Posted
carol19895 elaine11532
Posted
Completely understand your anger at lack of discussion of options and implications. Are you in Britain? NHS? I broke my hip and only found out I'd had a cemented half hip replacement after I'd had op. I'm 55 but unlike you I can't be really active as I have MS. However I've now got serious groin pain so have spoken at length to my surgeon about op. as I'm far more active than they ASSUMED I would be and he's now acknowledged that I will out live this operation as it won't last as long as a THR so I will need THR in future. A 5 minute consultation pre op. and I would have had the right op. Very angry.
This might be relevant for you as I I've now had a long talk about cemented implant with surgeon. He insisted that there was no evidence that uncememted was better. Said it was adopted in US because patient feed back showed that people didn't like the idea of having cement in their bodies but no surgical evidence that it was a better option. I think they do have to chip it out when it's replaced so can't understand why you got it when it's very likely you, like me, will need it redone. They did it for me because I was a higher risk of dislocation. You're clearly not.
i am only 4 months post op. face the dilemma of not wanting to exercise (very bad for my MS) as I can't stop worrying that it's now speeding up deterioration of my hip. You'll get 15? 20? years out of your TLC and they can certainly replace a cemented THR so shouldn't be an issue for future op. I'm VERY aware that this new hip does not feel part of my body. It "grumbles" all the time and never lets me forget it's there. Like you, I'm praying that changes and feel quite envious of people who've had it done and say they don't notice it anymore.
More pre op. consultation is essential!
RichardKen carol19895
Posted
Dear Carol
I'm so sorry that you were denied the opportunity to discuss what method was used, cemented or non cemented.
I understand that uncemented means more thickness of bone left as there is no need to allow for space for the cement which relies on good adhesion to bone and prosthesis for strength of fixation.
Cheers Richard