Newbie in England

[sarahb]

Hello All

I have read some of your posts with interest as I had my right hip resurfaced at the beginning of October 2009.   I had some complications as I lost a lot of blood during the procedure and when I got home, I was very weak.  So much so, that I fainted in the GP's surgery a few days later.  About 2 weeks after that, when I was beginning to feel a bit more human, I developed what we assumed was swine flu.  Fever, hallucinations, d&v etc.  Anyway, this put my recovery back but eventually I started hydrotherapy and began getting my life back :-)

Started back at work at the beginning of January and felt tired but ok and glad to be at last getting back to normal.  Soon after I started gettting pain in my hip ~ it felt very stiff and I put it down to sitting for long periods at work and made more effort to get up and walk around, go for a walk at lunch time and started more swimming.

Now, I have been back to see my Consultant, had an MRI and USS and I get the results of the MRI 8th June.  In the meantime the USS shows I have a hernia in my groin and I apparantly have a fluid collection around the new hip.

Any advice, suggestions, moral support, help would be greatly appreciated !!!!

Sarahb x

[Pat Walter]

Hi Sarahb

Welcome to Hip Talk.  I am sorry to hear about your recovery process.  It is difficult enough getting over major surgery besides having the flu.

You are still only about 7 months post op and in light of all your problems, it should not be surprising that your recovery has been slow. 

I am not a doctor and can't give medical advice.  Hopefully the doctors will give you good advice.  Fluid around the hip could mean different things - several that I have heard of would be an infection and a reaction to the metal hip device.  Hopefully, it will not be either of those.  Maybe it could be bursitus.  Lets hope it is something simple.  I wonder if the flu could not have caused some kind of problem?  Again, I am not a doctor, just wondering.

Please know that many people without special problems have had slow recoveries from 6 months to one year.  It takes everyone a different time period.

We will give you moral support since many people here have faced problems both before and after surgery.  We understand your concern and pain.  Please keep us updated.  We will keep you in our thoughts and prayers meanwhile.

Pat

[sarahb]

Hi Pat

Thank you thats a lovely reply ... its nice to know you're not on your own, even when you are !

I think the worse thing is the not knowing whats actually wrong and how can it be repaired ... you can't help but speculate and it's not always a good thing. 

My Consultant did wonder at my appointment if I had reacted to the metal, if so I need a ceramic THR and I am only 42.  Fingers and toes crossed as I have always been very active and its pretty much doing my head in not being able to dance, swim, ski, run etc etc.

The other thought he had was that it had come loose, I am not sure how common these things are or if I done something I shouldn't that could have caused this.  We shall see, roll on June 8th.

Anway, many thanks once again for your support and I will log in again soon.

Sarahb x

[Pat Walter]

Hi

I wanted to comment that having a revision to a ceramic on ceramic or large ball MOM THR if you device has come lose does NOT mean you can't be active.  Most people with the larger ball THRs, not the old fashioned small ball metal/plastic THRs, are just as active as people with resurfacings.  There are usually no restrictions.  So don't lose sleep over having a revision as long as you can stay with a large ball version of a THR.  None of us want that since we want to keep our femur bone, but sometimes there are problems.

The well done THRs, when done by expeirnced surgeons, can also last 20 or 30 years or a life time - just as a resurfacing can.  It all depends on the bone growth around the device.

We are here if you need to talk. 

Pat

[moe]

Sarah, I wish you luck and am sending good vibes across the pond. Think positive! moe