Hip Replacement Timing--Confused!

The arthritis maybe at an early stage to try stem cell therapy ! My hips were too far gone....bone on bone. ....and it didn't work....but if you do that procedure earlier...you have a better chance of success!

I am not the right one to answer this as I am in a not to different situation myself and just yesterday asked this question about when is the right time.

However everyone here was positive about having the op sooner rather then later and everyone I've polled amongst my friends and acquaintances had similar comments.

Good luck!

Hi Terri-

I was at about your stage 3 years ago- things were getting worse but I still had residual functionality.  At that time it was beginning to become more difficult occasionally climbing stairs, walking up an incline would be difficult, short distance walking was doable but more than a mile was challenging.  I too have some issues with my lower back.  I had dealt with back injury for 20 plus years by staying fit, lots of stretching and deep tissue massage;  I considered ibeprofun a fact of life and was convinced my trouble was just soft tissue/muscular and would improve.  In Jan. 2015 after completing a construction project I knew it was probably more than that.  The project did me in and honestly at 59 1/2 years old I felt just "done", like there were no more inner reserves to summon to overcome the pain, stiffness and reduced ROM, I was also limping noticeably.  X rays later that year indicated advanced severe osteoarthritis in the left hip, severe in the right.  I have put off the decision for surgery for the last 3 years and at this point I am resolved to the inevitability.  The life I am living now could be worse but frankly wouldn't be worth living, there is no quality of life with this pain level and physical restrictions.  You say your doctors indicate the surgery "may not be necessary", but they don't rule it out completely?  If that's correct, I am wondering why.  How old are you?  Do they say this because they think you are too young and the replacement won't last you a lifetime?  Where are you located?  It seems in some countries with a national health service hip replacements surgeries tend to get more rationed- allocated and the waits for surgery are longer.  Could this be a factor in your doctors position?  Can you get a second or third opinion?  You are of course the person who needs to make the decision:  when your quality of life degrades to the point you can no longer enjoy it what alternative is there?  For myself it was a difficult decision, but I see my 1st ortho consult next week and will move forward toward surgery after hearing the diagnosis.  I am at the point where it's beyond inviting trouble [very good expression there btw], every day the pain is more trouble than I can overcome.  There is also concern that bone deterioration can develop rapidly and reduce your options.  I would seek another opinion from a different surgeon if that's an option.  Another poster mentioned stem cell therapy.  If you do an extensive google search I think you will find there are no double blind controlled studies that support that therapy scientifically.  There is anecdotal assertions of success but they are promoted by the people selling the therapy and the online forums that discuss peoples experience that have received the therapy only indicate a failure of the therapy that is expensive and not covered by insurance which does not cover experimental therapies.  A certain amount of pain will always be a fact of life.  Electing to overcome debilitating pain through surgery does not make you a wimp.  It's a difficult decision for some of us.  I wish you the best.

Jim