need thr shortly

[daylily]

Hi Toby.
I wrote to Prof. Richardson and the reply was that I have to go back to GP for a referal to him.
Not had much time lately as struggling with disabled hubby, he's been poorly and it leaves little time for anything else.
He had a stoke nearly 4 years ago and is showing signs of dementia so I've been trying to get him diagnosed.
It's all go isn't it?
I'll get myself sorted soon, either that or my bones will give way and they'll have to do something.
I really appeciate your interest as it is a lonely life with hubby- we tend to live life on the outside of society.
How's the snow and ice where you are?
We're supposed to be going to a Status Quo concert this Wednesday- if I can get the car out!!!!
Take care
daylily

[daylily]

Hi Update.

I have finally got a Doctor to listen!!!!!
Went to see her yesterday re pain in 'good' hip and although there is some osteo arthritis ( had x-rays) it is not very bad yet so she came to the conclusion that the pain in that hip was from limping with the re-surfaced hip.
Result.
She is sending me for x-rays on the re-surfaced hip-usually takes 3-4 weeks.
It is definately getting a lot worse, in fact it is nearly as bad as before the hip operation.
Just hope the x-rays show something. I believe not everything on a BHR does show on a simple x-ray.
Here's hoping things are now getting moving.
take care all
x

[daylily]

Hi, update again.
My new Doctor had another look at the x-ray on my 'good' hip and decided that there was no need for another x-ray so she made an appointment with the ortho consultant straight away.
The appointment is the 16th June so not long to wait- that's a joke really as I've had problems with the BHR for over 3 years. Range of movement not good, pain bad to very bad, so hopefully something will be done now.
Will update after appointment with consultant
Take care all

[Pat Walter]

Hi daylily

I am glad that you at least have an appointment and hopefully a solution soon.

Please keep in touch.  Good Luck.

Pat

[daylily]

Update.
I saw the ortho consultant today (a new hospital as we have moved) and he was great, very easy to talk to. He had more x-rays done. Result, he said the hip resurface had been put in at the wrong angle.
He wants an ultrasound done to see what soft tissue damage there has been over the last 4+ years and I had bloods taken to see any metal problems. When the ultrasound is done I'll go on waiting list for a total hip replacement. The usual waiting time is 6 months but he's going to see if he can get me in quicker to minimise the damage to soft tissue.
At last I finally know what is wrong- I was begining to think it was all in my head.
So hopefully by the end of this year I should be on the way to being 'normal', whatever that is.
Take care all

[toby]

Daylily,
I'm pleased that you are back in touch with the SH group and feel encouraged that you are finally getting answers to the problems. Incidentally, do you know the angles of your HR from the xray? It would be helpful to know.
Daylily, I do feel concerned that you might have to wait six months. My understanding of the new 'NHS Constitution' is that you should expect to receive your operation within 18 weeks of the referral. (Other UK hippies might be able to confirm or correct me here.) Certainly, as you suggest, if your metal ion tests show raised levels your surgery should be classed as urgent.
Take care but please keep us informed.
Toby

[daylily]

Hello toby nice to hear from you again.
The angle of HR, well it's pointing too much to the outside hip area, I'm not sure what sort of angle that is.
On the face of a clock the cup bit is like 10 past the hour and the other side is obviously 20 to the hour. That's the best way to describe it.
Waiting time- well surgeon did say he would try to get me in sooner, I suppose it depends on the blood tests. He might call me in next week (don't really think so with the NHS). I'm not sure if the waiting times are the same in Wales as they are in England.
These metal ions- do they make you feel unwell at all? Reason I ask is that the last few months been getting a lot of headaches and generally feeling ill and it's not like me.
I'm trying to get fitter for the surgery, not easy with looking after my disabled hubby 24/7 but went for a walk today, suffering a bit now though. Going to work at the fitness, build the muscles up then hopefully the surgery will not be too drastic.
Thanks again Toby, I will keep posting and will take computor into hospital, got to have something to do.......

[JMS]

Hi Daylily
Glad you are finally getting proper treatment and will have your metal levels tested. Your description of how you feel would certainly be consistent with metal toxicity. I was found to have exceptionally high metal levels towards the end of last year (2200+ for cobalt) so have some experience with what it feels like. I was getting a lot of headaches, and also migraine auras (though not necessarily at the same time).  Also a general sense of not feeling too great, and not being able to work efficiently.  The most striking incident was a truly disconcerting Alzheimer's type episode when I went quite blank in the middle of a presentation.  So - yes, heavy metal toxicity can include all these things.  I'm glad to say that all these symptoms have more or less disappeared since the revision surgery in January, though it took a few months.
Very best of luck to you
regards
JMS

[Lopsided]

JMS, who did your original resurfacing?

[toby]

Daylily,
Just keep looking after yourself.
JMS's post highlights that we have some very experienced friends on Hip Talk, so please do keep in touch to tap into knowledge and support.
Best Wishes
Toby

[daylily]

Hello all,
Just an update.
I saw the consultant on 16th June and today I received my appointment for my pre-op assessment.
How quick is that?!!!!!!
The consultant told me 6 months maybe less but this is super swift.
Maybe something came up on the bloods test????
Anyway, I cannot wait for the revision, 3 years of pain and believing it was all in my head.
Surgeon said the op would probably be 4-6 weeks after the pre-op.
Will update when I have more news.
Take care all

[bothdone]

Hope all goes well.

Ed

[toby]

Daylily,
It's good news that things are moving and that your consultant is quite rightly prioritising you surgery to a more realistic timescale than was previously stated.
Take care and keep us informed.
Toby

[daylily]

Hi,
Just been to my Doctors and read the letter from the new ortho consultant.
It says the device is 'at a rather steep angle of 51 degrees'
What exactly does this mean? Is the device very far off what it should be.
I'm afraid it means nothing to me so any help would be appreciated
Thank you

[hernanu]

Hi daylily, both my cup angles are at 40 degrees, which I think is more standard now. I know there's other hippies posting that have high cup angles, from when higher cup angles were not thought to be problematic. I hope you can get this adjusted and get the benefits from a good hip procedure. Is there any thought of replacing the cup, or is THR the best procedure?

[daylily]

Hi, my surgeon has just said a THR would be best to get the metal out.
He's going back to ceramic I think. I haven't seen the results of the metal ion blood tests yet, the GP today said it's a more complicated test and takes longer for the results.
To be honest just want it out after  3+ years of getting worse, somedays I cannot even lift my leg to get in the car, have to hand lift it in.
Pre-op next week then it's only 4-6 weeks.
take care

[hernanu]

Makes sense and the best of luck.

[hipnhop]

Daylily, I am sorry for what you are going through. Just glad to see that you are getting it taken care of. Al the best, Keep us posted.

[JMS]

Hi DayLily
The metal ion tests seem to be taking longer and longer to come back - presumably as more people are getting their levels checked.  My first test eighteen months ago was back in ten days but now it seems that six weeks is the norm.  Hope your levels are not too bad, when you finally get to hear.
My experience is that the ions levels drop very quickly after revision surgery. I hope you find that too, and that the pain issues are also resolved.  Let us know how you get on.

[daylily]

 ;D
Well finally got the date for my hip revision- go in on 20th September and op the following day.
Not before time, pain in re-surfaced hip getting very bad.
Going for a spinal block, it wasn't too bad last time although depends what they find when they're in there!!!!!!!
Keep asking consultant what the metal ion test results were exactly and he's not telling! Is that good or bad??????
Whatever, only 3 weeks to go. not sure how I'll cope with disabled hubby and the wheelchair but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.
Will update when I've had the op.
Thanks for all your support and take care of yourselves.