Is my hip wearing out?
Posted , 4 users are following.
Hi everyone. I'm going to tell a big story here so I apologise in advance for the reading.
I realise that I am in the minority here but I had my THR around the age of 22-23. I am now 30 years old. This was due to being hit by a car and my hip never healing properly from the event and therefore, needing it replaced.
I was told by my doctor at the time that the ceramic hip I was getting should last around 15-20 years before needing replaced. After my initial surgery my hip dislocated within 2 weeks because I turned the wrong way.
This was a horrific experience and my doctor told me 'please don't do this again because every time we need to chip away a little at your bone which means you can only have so many replacements and you'll be needing them for the rest of your life.'
These past 8 years have been so wonderful in a lot of ways. I've travelled around the world to incredible places and done some amazing things with my life like scuba diving. I've been afforded so much more that I couldn't have done if I never had the replacement. And generally I've had no problems with it.
I am currently on holiday in Lanzarote and although this trip has been tame I've started getting more pain in my hip than I usually would get. It's a deep burning pain and stiffness. Sometimes I thought it's clicked ever so slightly. When I was going to bed the other night I was fending off a panic attack. All I could think was - what if this thing dislocates again? Then I remembered the pain and how grateful I was that I was around family and emergency services were so quick to respond that time I had dislocated before.
It's got to the point I can't stop imagining what would happen if it dislocates when I'm in the middle of nowhere and emergency services can't get to me. I worry how long would it take when I'm in a foreign country. Or what if I'm alone when it happens and I can't reach my phone? My partner keeps saying - 'just relax, that isn't going to happen!' But I fear that it could. My catastrophising is getting worse by the day.
Have any hip replacement veterans out there got any advice for me on this? It's starting to keep me up at night. We also have an amazing trip planned for next year to Japan (covid permitting), and my head goes to places like - it will dislocate on the plane and the turbulence and landing will cause extreme pain or I'll be somewhere rural and it will dislocate and no one will understand what I'm saying.
I know a lot of this is just anxiety and I can work with that to an extent, but I really don't even know is this just a sign of my hip wearing out or is it normal to go through periods of pain with the hip. I know I've put on a lot of extra weight recently and that can't be helping so I'm really serious now about getting back to a healthy BMI. What should I do about all this? As you can imagine, being my age there's not many people around me that I can talk to about this and get advice from.
0 likes, 3 replies
ric22112 DanDee
Posted
Perhaps you should get it scanned to see what is going on in there.
Even if it means paying privately. Then you will know exactly where you are before you plan your next long trip. It could also allay worries.
Normally hip joints from 8 years ago should last at least 15 years plus all things being well, but every case is different.
barbara66703 DanDee
Edited
Hi Dan. I totally get your anxiety and frustration expressed here. I have had three hip replacement surgeries in the past 24 years and have full mobility. Some are all metal components others ceramic ball, also bone grafts to fill in areas were little or no bone was not enough for surgeons to place components properly, and a few screws to hold the new ball joint in place .
I'm very sorry to hear of the auto accident. I'm not sure what all the damage was done to the bone from the accident . Not sure what or why hip surgery seems to be more complicated for you if I am reading your experience correctly. It's the details from the damage done that I am missing.
Xrays taken yearly can help keep track of the wear on the new hip components and have them replaced when needed. Most of the time its the poly cup that wear out after many years. Never put a lot of push/pull heavy weight that adds stress on the bones holding the implant components.
My oldest hip at 24 years old has never needed new components. I was in my 40's at first hip replacement surgery and I don't do things that I know will cause damage. It's a bit of an adjustment to remember that as time goes by.
If your bone damage is greater than expected from the accident in comparison to most hips damaged I don't know how to answer.
Maybe to take care of your new components and not do anything that will put the joint components at risk.
Are you familiar with 'Mindfulness'. It's really about planning ahead when doing projects or anything ahead of time to not put yourself /hip at risk. I ski, ride horses etc with knowing what not to do to put myself at risk. It's making small but important adjustments. Research all the components in your hip to understand how they work and are effecting your movements. Training the brain to use the components correctly is part of the healing and maintaining mobility for many years to come.
sally36012 DanDee
Edited
I'll just tell you my story - born with 'dislocated' hips and they were ok until I was in my 40's (I played netball and tennis) and then both replaced. That was 35 years ago. One started to hurt after 25 years and it was 'revised' (that's what they call it) 6 years ago. All fine. The other one needs revising now.
My mum (who had three hip replacements) is my model - she ignored it and did whatever she wanted. I did too, with the exception of skating (I took the skates off at the last minute after thinking about how often people fall over).
My advice to you is to live the life you want - and deal with the anxiety in another way (counselling?), The reality is that a) it probably will be a slow decline, like mine, not an emergency situation and b) if you stay in 'the West' and make financial provision, you will be in reach of people who can mend you.
Good luck and have a great life.
Thank goodness for scientific developments.
x Sally