35 yrs old need hip replacement. Help

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I am 35 yrs old. I dislocated my left hip at the age of 21. I had pain 1-2 days a month for 13 yrs before going to Ortho Doc. Last year Sep. of 03 after a MRI He did a hip scope to clean up cartiledge and possible create some scar cart. Once he got in with the scope he saw extensive damage to the main Ligament to the femoral head. He had to remove this Ligament. He ground some cart. and did not create any scar cart. He told me that once he saw the severe damage to that ligament, he felt this was the source of my pain. There are 2 places on the fem. Head that were chipped (damaged) on the femoral head. Since the surgery I have gotten progressivly worse. The pain I have now is different than the pain I had before. My doctor has given up on me! He has now sent me to a replacement doc. I am experiencing severe pain in the hip joint daily that feels like electricity. If I stand still for a few minutes it might get so painful that I can't walk a step. I wake up in the night with pain from trying to roll over or just adjust in bed. I am afraid it is nerve damage, but I had a shot of cortizone in the joint and that took the pain completely for 3 weeks. So My doctor says it is not nerve pain. I am ready to do a replacement 'cause I can't live like this. I have been on crutches for the last 2 days. I have to drag my leg with the crutches, 'cause lifting and hanging can be very painful also. The doctor I saw about a replacement the other day says the MRI does not look horrible. It shows voids in the joint but not like he expected. This scares me as I fear if I get a replacement I will still have problems with Nerve pain. Any information will be helpful.

Thanks, Steven King

-- steven King (steve@stevenkingandsons.com), January 08, 2005

Answers

I've recently had a BHR (Birmingham Hip Replacement) which is not the whole hip just the ball joint and cup, It has given me a new lease of life, I had the exact same pain symtomns as yourself it was like someone poking hot pins into my joints. I advise you to look into it - Its a British operation but i believe they now do it in America

-- ALAN BIRRELL (abirrell@havelockeuropa.com), March 15, 2005.

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