Posted , 22 users are following.
Hey guys. I've got avn in both hips but my right is by far the worst. I'm looking at a thr in early sept but I am sick with nerves and I might push it for a few months and just live on trammadol and limp. My questions when did you know you needed the surgery? For me it's when not if and I am struggling with the when part.
3 likes, 30 replies
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sarah97675 thomas39694
Posted
Hi, I had my op in July and I'm 42. I decided not to wait too long as it was effecting my work. I wasn't sleeping well and thought it's inevitable so lets recovery during the summer and get it over and done with. The longer you leave it the weaker your muscles will be. I think it's worth doing before it gets too bad to help recovery.
go for it.
sarah
handstrung thomas39694
Posted
It seems scary but its so worth it, believe I can speak with experience.
Good luck set a date, you will do well I am sure.
Annette1234 thomas39694
Posted
I guess I should have known in DEC but had a steroid shot tht laste till April, the dr knew it was times had me pick a date. The Dr was booking for July, I wanted to enjoy some summertime so I said Aug, hah another shot, which Dr said wouldn't help ( he was right) two weeks later I callled for July date the soonest I could get was Aug 9. I shouldn't hve waited, thse thing never get better only progressivly orse. I think the sooner the better while you are more mobile and muscles in better shape. Now I knw instead of getting worse every day I am getting better. It is no picnic but I know I hated limping and hope one day not to!
Good luck, you will get yur head around it and make the best decision for you. We are all here to support you.
Annette
marionaa thomas39694
Posted
You are young - go for it. Yes the first week is horrible but it gets better and if you have taken care of yourself you will see improvements everyday.
we only have one life - so you must make the most of the life you have!
Get on with it!
Marion
anna87839 thomas39694
Posted
Hi Thomas Sarah is quite right the sooner you get it done the better no on could have been more
nervous than me . when I think back to how I was 5 weeks ago post op all that pain has gone some days I could hardly walk and couldn't remember how long it had been since I had a good nights
sleep. Go for it ,it's not going to get better
Wishing you all the best
kate32837 thomas39694
Posted
Hi Thomas
dont delay! And definitely dont depend on drugs to keep you going. As Sarah says, damaged muscles take longer to recover and it's gonna hurt for a while, but it's nothing to the pain of bone on bone.
My pre op experience was a very painful groin and an inability to walk far. I am 10 weeks post op and apart from a sore bum, doing great,walking lots and at the poo every morning.
Go for it- we're all here for you!
rich1960 thomas39694
Posted
I just had my other hip replaced 3 weeks ago on Monday. I delayed this one about 2 yrs. This one was not as bad as my first one, but it was pretty bad. The advil I was taking to help me play my sports was not effective as it was for my first THR. The main reason I did this one was the advil did not help me much.
My recovery is going extremely well, and i hope to be back to my sports in 3-4 months. I might have to put my hockey equipment away for good !
Good Luck
jo02933 thomas39694
Posted
I lived on zomorph, oremorph, amitriptyline, nurophen, paracetamol so mine was when and not if.
I had a phone call the day before as there had been a cancellation.
I was first down to theatre, had a spinal block plus sedative and was out of bed that night. I did a long corridor plus stairs the next day and went home the day after.
I still take some of the meds as I need my other hip replaced and am a little sore still.
I only used a stick for around 9-10 days and went back to work after 3 weeks...part time. I am now 4 weeks and 3 days post op and am looking forward to having my other hip done so that I can get my life back.
I know the unknown is scary but it's ok...I had both my children by spinal block caesarean so kinda knew what to expect Try to look forward to having no pain and don't be frightened x
Chloeparrot thomas39694
Posted
Hi Thomas
My answer - as with quite of few already on this forum - is DON'T delay - sooner is always better.
My first post to this forum was because I had just been told that I needed a THR (quite unexpectedly, I thought I'd twisted my knee - diagnosis was severe OA of both hips) and I was so terrified that I felt sick everytime I thought about the op. Seriously, I was a complete wreck and would have done pretty much anything not to have to face having the op but the pain steadily got worse and worse and finally I was only too pleased to receive a date for the op.
I am now 8 weeks post op and can honestly say that I am so glad that I had the op done when I did. There is no OA pain - for the first time in months! The first couple of weeks post op were bloody awful, but I slept most of the time and gradually things got better. Now I'm driving, walking without a limp or stick and back at work.
So, Thomas what is actually bothering you? Feel free to answer at length, I will respond and so will many others.
This is an excellent forum, please do not hesitate to ask any questions you like - someone will always respond.
thomas39694 Chloeparrot
Posted
Thank you to all I'm overwhelmed with the responses. I know I need the surgery.
I've got a nasty autoimmune disorder where I take immunosuppressants and blood thinners. I've read such horrible things about thr infections. My rhuemotologist want it done at a general medicine hospital- it's s good hospital, but my ODr. Would like to do it at his speciality hospital with his team. I feel like I should go with my ODr bc there is probably less communicable infection risk and I want my surgeon comfortable and with his team.
Any thoughts?
lyn1951 thomas39694
Posted
Wasn;t going to reply until i saw your auto immune.
I too have psorasis arthritis, it too is auto immune, I take, 10mg of leflunomide, and 35mg of methrotrextrate, both immune supperessors, but they are all that keeps me from being totally bed ridden.
I have had a double hip replacement, both times I had to come off my blood thinners the week before, Dr's never mentioned not injecting myself with my MTX, but seeing my surgery was the following day I decided to not take my injection that week, paid the price with more pain in joints, but Dr's did say to me i made the right decision from their point of view, as you are aware they seem to get very nervous about you being cyto toxic, everything was bright purple, incl my gown, dressings, bed sheets, and even the nurses when they came to see me afterwards were dressed in purple aprons.
I have been on MTX for over ten years now and have a pretty good idea when i can miss my doseage, if I have a heavy cold, or have had a urine infection once after surgery, I missed my dose that week. Other than that no problems.
Go ahead with your surgery, not worth waiting, your pain will only get worse, so instead of being on the path to getting better you will still be on the path of getting worse. Pain wise for me, i was in less pain after my surgery than before as long as I didn't move, nurse laughed and said the physios are arriving in a few minutes, you are going to need the pain killers for them, she was right, but of course they used morphine which only made me sick as a dog, second time around they avioded the morphine used fentanol instead.
dave63380 thomas39694
Posted
Hi Thomas, 18 days post op RTHR , like everyone else has said / do it as soon as possible / of course there are risks but if your pain is anything like mine was before surgery the drugs don't really help that much.You have a special situation and it seems like you should be with your immune specialist/ I wish you the best.
I had both knees replaced 2 years ago and I lived with the pain (lots of advil) for at least 5 years, on crutches for last year, it was so incredible to be able to walk again. I did not hesitate with this hip surgery , I will be back, just very thankful for my doctors. Dave
Chloeparrot thomas39694
Posted
Hi Thomas
I don't know much about autoimmune disorders but I would have thought that it would be best to go with the hospital that your surgeon is comfortable with. I don't have any autoimmune disorders but my surgeon, when asked by me, expressed a preference for a particular hospital and as it was also convenient for me, that was where I had the operation done.
megan_33232 thomas39694
Posted
Hi there, I have AVN in both hips too and the same with you my right was the worse. I am currently 3 weeks post op with my right I need my left done soon to. I was diagnosed with AVN when I was 9 years old now 18 years old. My doctors said to me the only way I can stop the pain and get more mobility is by having both hip replacement but they didn't want to do it till I was 30, it took me 8 years for them to agree to get my right hip done as I was in far to much pain I couldn't walk and I was constantly in pain and crying that's when I knew that's engough I need my hip replace.
Hope your well
Megan x
AlohaGirl thomas39694
Posted
I'm sorry you are in this position. I'm 40 and need both replaced due to dysplasia. I can't push my surgeries off because I have two children (4 & 6) who need a healthy mother. Most days I can barely be the mother that my children need, so I'm ready to do the surgeries and improve the quality of my life.
Best of luck to you!