Slipped Cap. Femoral Epiphysis: Hip Replacement Help Needed Posted: 04-02-06 20:12pm
Hello. I am seeking advice on whether to
get a total hip replacement or hip
resurfacing in both my right and left
hips.
When I was 11 I experienced a severe
slipped capital femoral epiphysis of my
left hip requiring the use of a steel
plate to correct the alignment of my hip.
Within a year my right hip also slipped
and they tried to correct this hip by
inserting 3 pins into my hip. However,
after several months they noticed that
these pins were moving too far into my hip
socket and were damaging the cartilage of
my right hip, so they removed the pins.
Then when I was about 18 they removed the
steel plate from my left hip.
I am now 31 and have severe arthritis in
both hips. I take aleve daily to help
with the pain. If I do not take this
medication, the pain inhibits basically
all movement.
My mobility is restricted, particularly in
my right hip and the pain seems to have
gotten worse over the past 6 months or so.
As such, I am researching hip replacement
surgery. I am also concerned about the
effect that the aleve is having on my
system. My doctor has told me that this
can lead to eventual kidney failure. I am
also considering having children before
the age of 35, which would be impossible
with the current condition of my hips.
My doctor suggested that I try cortisone
shots on both hips to help with the pain.
This seems like a temporary solution and
i've heard that too many cortisone shots
can actually make the hips worse.
If anyone out there has had slipped
capital femoral epiphysis and a total hip
replacement and can offer any advice, i'd
really appreciate it. The main thing
holding me back at this point is my age
and the concern that I may need to have
multiple revision surgeries. Thanks!!!
|
msfeliciaf
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 17 Jan 2006 Posts: 1 Location: SC
Posted: 04-06-06 19:40pm
Hey. I'm 27, and i've experienced
practically the same thing. I'm in the
process of deciding if I wanna have a hip
replacement. I think i'm going to though.
I'm an ortho nurse due to going through
multiple surgeries on my right hip. Going
through surgeries as a young child made me
want to be a nurse.
Anyway, I talk to ortho docs everyday.
They suggest I wait, but someone told me
one day. Why wait til you're 50 or 60 and
be miserable all your life. These are
your best days. My hip limits me from
going places and doing the things I want
to do. So, with all that in mind I think
i'm gonna do it.
I've been researching the net, and I think
the best thing for us older people is to
get a ceramic hip replacement. I've read
that they last 20, 40 years, and maybe
longer.
Keep in touch. You can send me a private
message with your email address. Its good
to find someone who is going through the
same thing. By the way, I don't have kids
either and I want to have some. The docs
said that I could still have babies after
the hip replacement. But, personally I
wanna ask for a c-section. I can go on
and on. If anyone else has advice for us
please give input.
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mainemom
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 19 Jun 2006 Posts: 3 Location: North Berwic, ME
Posted: 06-21-06 17:10pm
Hello!
I, too, suffered slipped epiphysis w/my
right hip when I was 12. Had pins, a
partial, then finally a total when I was
23. I'm now 45, and here's the good news:
for more than 20 years, I suffered no
pain, very good mobility, and a very
active busy life. I've had two children
(born when I was 37 and 39) and I had no
problems w/my hip w/either pregnancy or
delivery.
My suggestion: do not live with the pain
if you don't have to. More and more docs
are realizing that young people deserve to
have the active and pain free life a new
hip can provide.
The downside of being a "young" total hip
recipient: all things indeed wear out,
eventually. I'm facing a total hip
revision in two months. But keep in mind,
I had the "old style" hip replacement more
than 20 years ago, and although my surgeon
did an excellent job, i'm now told that
after years of wear, the polyethelene
particles shed microscopic pieces that can
affect the bone beneath the cup and cause
a condition called osteolysis (basically,
the bone starts dissolving).
Newer hips are now using ceramic and also
something known as cross-linked poly,
which apparently has greater wearing power
and not likely to break down.
So, in a nutshell, i've had 20+ great
years w/my total, and yes, I couldn't jump
around and be crazy, but so what? Few
people even knew I had a hip replacement.
Basically, be sensible about the types of
activities you do (nothing high impact
like running or tennis) and try to keep
your weight under control. I know the
outcome of the revision i'll be having
soon is not likely to be as good as the
first hip, but hey, i'll hopefully be in
less pain than i've been in in the past
few months, and i'll be able to start up
walking (the only excercise I can really
stick to!) again.
Good luck with whatever decision you make!
- tracey
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tara07
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 02 Apr 2006 Posts: 4
Slipped Cap. Femoral Epiphysis: Hip Replacement Help Needed Posted: 06-26-06 06:53am
Hi "mainemom",
thanks for your feedback. I've actually
decided to go for hip resurfacing in both
hips instead of a total hip replacement.
For anyone out there considering a total
hip replacement, I urge you to research
hip resurfacing first. There's a great
web forum on this called surfacehippy.
Here's a link to the forum:
