Quote from: Anna on August 16, 2012, 06:01:56 AM
Hey thanks Mike. Ive suffered for over 6 years now. I just couldnt imagine a life without the pain to be honest. I gave up running 6 years ago when it was diagnosed so I suppose its just not part of my life anymore. I could live with that if it meant I would be pain free. Im really chuffed for you. Everytime I see a guy on crutches hobbling round York over the next few weeks I will be shouting Mike to see if I get a reaction!  ;D

Hern, I went to see Mr T in June and he said that I wasnt suitable for HR. My femour is too straight and all the angles are wrong. He said it just wasnt an option .... and you cant argue with that coming from Mr T. I have two options left, a PAO or a THR. Im waiting for an appointment to see a specialist for the PAO but I doubt I will be suitable as they only work if OA isnt too bad. It may be an option for my left hip but im sure its not an option for my right. Im 99% sure its too far gone and I will need a THR. I can see the OA on the x rays and my surgeon in York told me 'dont build your hopes up as I can see the OA, but we still have to explore all options'.

Ive been waiting 2 months now for an appointment! I went to see my GP today for some stronger pain killers and they agreed it seemed a long wait so they are chasing it up today. Fingers crossed I get somewhere soon ... before I die with jealously of you all getting fixed!!!  ;D

Anna

Well, Anna - as you can see with Mike, the only thing that matters is to get rid of the pain. Each hip is its own thing, so one with HR and another with THR or a mini hip of some sort or both THR, the goal is to be pain free and to live life. I feel really good for Mike, Sal, Ruby and I know I will for you as well.

You'll get there and get on with a happy life.

Rant away Mike! I do enjoy a good rant. I think thats a Yorkshire thing  ;)

I know what you mean. Ive have some nightmare times with York hospial, the clifton park clinic and Harrogate ... but theres one thing I can say and that is that my GP is an absolute legend. I know alot of people have had massive problems with trying to get referred, pain relief, etc etc (Danny in particular I think had alot of problems with his GP!) but I couldnt ask more from mine. Everything I have asked him to do, he has done for me and more. I also went to see Mr T privately who then sent a letter to my GP asking for me to be referred to the ROH. In the mean time my GP was doing his own research and sending letters off to lots of surgeons and mates. A few weeks later HE RANG ME!!! I didnt even make an appointment, he rang me telling me about all his research and his findings and about the letter Mr T had sent and asked me what I wanted to do. When I said I wanted to be referred to the ROH he cracked on and did it. No problems. So, im pretty sure he will be chasing it all up with the ROH. I will wait a week or so and see what happens. If I dont hear anything then I will ring myself.

Anyway, I now have a massive bag of pain killers to consume. Apparently they are opiates based. ... best let my work know in case they are planning on doing some drugs tests! Could get myself into a bit of trouble there!

Im chuffed everyone is doing so well. It gives me hope too! I feel this year is going to end on a high and next year will be a new beginning for us all  :D

Anna

P.S. Mike, you should change your stamp on the bottom of your messages now. "Hippy to be. I hope!" Is no longer correct!  :)

Quote from: Anna on August 16, 2012, 12:28:02 PM
Rant away Mike! I do enjoy a good rant. I think thats a Yorkshire thing  ;)

I know what you mean. Ive have some nightmare times with York hospial, the clifton park clinic and Harrogate ... but theres one thing I can say and that is that my GP is an absolute legend. I know alot of people have had massive problems with trying to get referred, pain relief, etc etc (Danny in particular I think had alot of problems with his GP!) but I couldnt ask more from mine. Everything I have asked him to do, he has done for me and more. I also went to see Mr T privately who then sent a letter to my GP asking for me to be referred to the ROH. In the mean time my GP was doing his own research and sending letters off to lots of surgeons and mates. A few weeks later HE RANG ME!!! I didnt even make an appointment, he rang me telling me about all his research and his findings and about the letter Mr T had sent and asked me what I wanted to do. When I said I wanted to be referred to the ROH he cracked on and did it. No problems. So, im pretty sure he will be chasing it all up with the ROH. I will wait a week or so and see what happens. If I dont hear anything then I will ring myself.

Anyway, I now have a massive bag of pain killers to consume. Apparently they are opiates based. ... best let my work know in case they are planning on doing some drugs tests! Could get myself into a bit of trouble there!

Im chuffed everyone is doing so well. It gives me hope too! I feel this year is going to end on a high and next year will be a new beginning for us all  :D

Anna

My GP was wonderful too. I had 3 of them on the go at one point! They were good with the pain relief too, but towards the end nothing was working for the pain and I'd pretty much tried everything. The last thing I had were Opium patches, but I only got the prescription the day before I got my surgery date so I didn't see much point in getting them. x

Just done it Anna, good spot. I forgot about it.
Sounds like your GP is excellent-you've got someone pushing the system, that's good to hear.
So, once you get that call or letter from Birmigham, you're on the way to this fantastic pain free life.
Like hern says, each hip is different but Ronan Treacy will give you the best possible outcome possible, no doubt about it.
If you're in a position to accept a cancellation, things could happen really quickly like Ruby.
Something else I thought of Anna- If I'm healing like this at 50, you're gonna fly!

I'll keep everything except my right leg crossed for you!

How you feeling Mike? x

Ruby
I never thought I'd feel so good this soon after, the first night home was a struggle but I had a long car ride like you.
The last hour in the car was awful, my stocking had dropped down round my ankle with me propping my foot up and squirming around, so my calf was swollen and painfull.
I should have taken some medication but didn't, and at about 3am Monday, I was honestly thinking 'what have I done',
but that was my low point (I hope).
After getting back to sleeping and eating properly, I feel so full of energy and enthusiasm.
I've not felt this way for about 2 years when I was playing squash and generally very active.
How about you, Ruby? Have you started to feel 'normal' again? I hope so.

Quote from: Mike D on August 16, 2012, 02:27:56 PM
Ruby
I never thought I'd feel so good this soon after, the first night home was a struggle but I had a long car ride like you.
The last hour in the car was awful, my stocking had dropped down round my ankle with me propping my foot up and squirming around, so my calf was swollen and painfull.
I should have taken some medication but didn't, and at about 3am Monday, I was honestly thinking 'what have I done',
but that was my low point (I hope).
After getting back to sleeping and eating properly, I feel so full of energy and enthusiasm.
I've not felt this way for about 2 years when I was playing squash and generally very active.
How about you, Ruby? Have you started to feel 'normal' again? I hope so.

I agree. The last hour in the journey home was the worst. I was in agony even though I was up to date with my meds. Was just glad to be home and I think I just collapsed on my bed and slept. I was crying out for some decent food too... the food at the ROH was poor to say the least!

I've had several points today where I thought 'was surgery a good idea??' I could at least move before. But I know that I will improve with time and it will take patience. I'm still sleeping a lot, very little energy thus far and quite tearful :( I don't know when my normality will come back, but I hope soon! I don't think it helped that my BHR wasn't straight forward, I was longer in theatre and my scar is going to be huge... about 12-13inches the nurses said.

I have the nurse coming out to me tomorrow for a wound check. x

Maybe it will take another day or two then Ruby, but it will come.
The healing for our different surgeries is about the same so it won't be long before you start to feel much better.
From what hern, tin, danny , pat, etc say, sleep is a huge part of the process so sounds to me like you need a bit more yet.

Mr T gave me a lovely neat scar, get a mirror ready to admire yours!

Yes Mike, please dont cross your right leg. I do not want to be getting the blame for something going wrong!!!!

.... and dont forget you guys, its tradition to post pictures of your arses and your new scars on this site. Every new hippy has to do it.  Be proud! ;D

Quote from: Anna on August 16, 2012, 04:46:32 PM
Yes Mike, please dont cross your right leg. I do not want to be getting the blame for something going wrong!!!!

.... and dont forget you guys, its tradition to post pictures of your arses and your new scars on this site. Every new hippy has to do it.  Be proud! ;D

Haha! Well I have a picture of the bruising and swelling, but my scar is still covered so will take one ASAP! x

Does anyone know if there is crucial period when a THR is most at risk of dislocation?
I know when I researched the BHR a lot of people talked about a certain period of time post op that the femoral head was at it's weakest and wondered if there is anything similar about a THR.
I've had 3 'dodgy' moments so far,1 in hospital and 2 at home, where I've let my leg flop in further than I should.
I'm that used to having a stiff arthritic hip and it now feels so strange to have so much more movement.
I'm very aware of it and the more I do the exercises, the less likely I feel that something will happen as it gets stronger but dislocation in the early stages was my biggest fear by a mile about having THR.

I think that dislocation is largely dependent on the size of the femoral head. The larger headed THR's dont have the dislocation issues that the old small ball THR's used to.
Out of interest which THR did you end up getting?
Danny

Hi Mike, my surgeon was adamant that I shouldn't cross the midline in the first 4-6 weeks. I've got a pretty big head (ha, on the femur!) so I reckon that should probably apply across the THR board. Take care, I've heard it said that the pain from a dislocation is not to be experienced. Afterwards you either have to have a revision and a brace or just a brace, neither being the most fun things I can imagine.  You'll be ok, just be careful, we have a lot of life left in us now that we are bionic! X

Danny-
The registrar told me it is large ball ceramic/cross poly cup. I meant to discuss it further with him but I was so sick during both his visits that I didn't get a chance.
I'm going to contact Mr T by email tomorrow as I'd like to know the exact size myself.

Sal-
I don't like the sound of a brace. Is this a temporary, external device, or is it permanent surgery?

Disclocation is something that frightens me also. Although I've had a BHR and Danny kindly told me that Mr T has NEVER had a BHR dislocate, but like you I had a incident - just before I was wheeled down to xray actually! Could have been the reason you saw me so out of it!! - where my leg rolled too far to my right and the sensation felt so weird! Like a ball rolling around a socket... made me feel quite ill! I really thought I'd done some damage.

Hi Mike, the brace is external but v uncomfortable. I think your muscles will be holding your BHR in better now, Ruby. Don't forget the stretching of all ligaments to take the femoral head out and cap it, but your two hip parts now have a fab new metal coating, and will be snugly resting together. I think the pressure holding the two sides together is less with a THR because the distance between the neck of the femur and the acetabular cup will probably be changed. Just my imagining, for an explanation, but I know it doesn't feel great. Mike, larger heads = less risk of dislocation. We should be fine, but I'm not taking any chances!

Sal
Whats your view long term regarding restrictions?
Will you relax after the initial 6 week period or phase in certain things like toe in/out?
I think, as a joiner, that it may be wise to be extra careful for the first few months when I eventually start back work,
I'm not considering returning until 12 weeks minimum.
Mr Treacy did say the hip he would give me would allow me to return to" crawling around in confined spaces", but I'm sure the first couple of times will be very nervy times!

I know for me i'm going to be very nervous about coming off the crutches! Full weight bearing etc, let alone getting back to my hobbies... Ballroom/latin dancing etc.

You guys are starting to scare me!!! Dislocations, excruciating pain, revisions, braces .... I dont think I want any treatment anymore. In fact, my hips all of a sudden seem perfetly fine. Damn, if anyone will dislocate their new hip it will be me. I too bouncy, stupid, accident prone and idiotic. I tore my cartilage in my knee bouncing on a space hopper, I sliced my thigh fallng out of bed and landing on a water glass, I knocked myself out unconcious riding my horse under a low branch and I wrote my car off last year by crashing into the side of my parents pub. Not only that but I always stand with my toes turned in. Its my natural stance  :'(