Mum needs Hip Replacement

[BobbyBobBob]

Hi

My mum who is 65 recently had a hip arthroscopy to try and correct the problems she was having in her hip. This was done approx 8 months ago and Unfortunately,she says it is still very painful if not worse than before she had the operation. She is becoming increasingly upset that it is not going to get any better. She has now had a cortizone injection which was about 8 weeks ago (I think) to ease the pain, but she says even with that it doesn't feel any better.
She has sessions with the physios and occassionly with the surgeon who performed the op to see how shes getting on but she's constantly told to carry on doing her exercises and be patient and it will eventually heal but it doesn't appear to be healing!!
Now my mum is no wimp has has a very active all her life with a high pain threshold and she has been like that ever since I've known her, but to see her in tears over this must be hurting her.
She's coming to terms with the fact that she will probably need a hip replacement but is worried sick because every operation she has had with the NHS has had negative implications for her which she's had to live with, and she's worried if she has the hip replacement it will be the same. Plus there is the whole waiting list thing too!

Obviously there is the option of going private but no way in a million years can she afford to do this as she is retired with only a very small pension. Plus it won't cover her for existing ailments if she did go private.

I would like to know, if you have an operation through the NHS, can you have private one off consultations with specialists (obviously pay)? She wants as much information as possible on hip replacements before she makes her decision.

Any information that people think may help, any links, places, any schemes that may help....please let me know!

Thanks for your time

[smurf]

yes you can have private consultations and then revert back to nhs my husband did having paid for private consultation he then reverted back.
son had hip replacement when he was 39 is as we speak cycling round France with friends also races with local cycling club he was only in hosp 3 days absolutely brilliant wonderful operation do research on Internet he did went to hosp that he wanted and researched surgeon and all on nhs , only waited 6 months hop she gets on ok

[nextqueen]

tell your mum not to worry, my mother in law had her hip replaced 5 weeks ago and shes so free of pain, its amazing. shes getting about now and uses just one crutch or nothing sometimes. she is a very strong person but the pain did reduce her to tears so it must have been bad. everyone i know who have had the op cannot praise it enough. this was done on the nhs by the way, its marvellous what they can do these days, tell her to go for it and not to worry. good luck!

[10ClarionSt]

I'm having one as soon as the surgeon gets back from his holidays at the end of August, so I've been told. I can understand all the pain thing. At first I was told I had a hernia. A hip replacement was the last thing I thought of. I thought I had a niggling injury that just wouldn't clear up. But various tests, scans and x-rays finally revealed the problem. All the pain I have is in my groin, hardly any in the actual hip. The surgeon told me he would put me at the top of his list because I have no other underlying health problems. None whatsoever. I don't take any medication, other than for my hip problem, so he said I am an ideal patient to have this done and it will enhance my lifestyle and give me 95% mobility.

I can understand your mothers' apprehension as I feel very much that way myself, but I know a couple of guys who've had this done and they said it was the best thing that could have happened to them. I'll keep you posted.

[BobbyBobBob]

Thanks for your answers so far. I will send her this link so she can read them for herself. Hopefully might make her feel a little better.

Please do keep me informed 'Clarion'

Thanks again.

[april1693]

My mother has had both hips replaced, one in 2006 and the other a year later and I can say hand on heart that it has changed her life 100%. She worked until she was 66 and almost immediately after retiring she developed pain in both hips. After being fobbed off by her GP for about a year, she saw a consultant privately (approx £150) and was put on the NHS waiting list for the op and had it about 5 months later. Obviously it wasn't till she had the 2nd one done that she got the full benefit! Both ops were straightforward, with no complications, she was kept informed at all times of all procedures and has only postive things to say about her hospitalization - even the food was good! Best wishes to your mum, please encourage her see a consultant, it really is a life changing op, that gave me my old mum back!

[BobbyBobBob]

Thankyou april, thats good to know.

[10ClarionSt]

A late thought Bobby. As your mum is in so much pain, it's always difficult to try and find ways of easing it. The following works for me. It may not for your mum, but it might be worth a try.

Lie face down on the bed, feet hanging over the bottom of the bed, but make sure you are fully face down. I find this totally relieves all my pain. It's just a question of how long you can stay face down. 20 minutes is usually enough for me, then I have to get up again, but the relief is remarkable. It's just a thought.