Hip Replacement Surgery Before 60

I am 46 years old and was diagnosed with osteoarthritis a year ago after suffering for 10 years. The physician I was seeing ignored my complaints and would not order xrays. Now I am told that I need to wait until I am older for hip replacement. Both of my hips are shot and everyday is a struggle. I also have scoliosis and osteoarthritis throughout my body. They keep telling me that I am too young to have this problem and too young for the surgery. I also have a 4 year old that I enjoy running around with, but find it very difficult to keep up. I am finding it very hard to trust the doctors in my area and am thinking of traveling to a larger city for a third opinion. Way too much conflicitng information. I am so confused, I don't know who to believe. It's a vicious circle of pain, no sleep, and collapsing hips.

I am 39 and have been dealing with arthritis in my hip for almost 10 years. I am having hip replacement surgery on Monday the 26th. Don't give up your active life until you are too old to enjoy life!

Hi the point you need to focus on is quality of life versus possible need for revision surgery. In general the later you leave the op the less likelihood there is of needing revision work but you will be in pain and be missing out on life until then.
The situation isn't quite that simple though as doctors are coming to understand that waiting can cause further deterioration to the joint that means that the op doesn't have such a good outcome.
I had my first one done at 53 and started a website after that to help people understand all the complexities involved in the operation. As part of that I am conducting a short survey asking people if they think they had their THR too early, at the right time or left it later than they should have. 30% said they left it later than they should have - not one person said they had it too early.
The site is www.hip-replacement-and-recovery.com -if you're interested: )

I'm 60 and have been in a lot of pain for 2 years. Mine is in my hips and also sciatica. My docs also recommended that I wait. (Easy for them to say!) I was on pain meds (vicodin and gabapentin) but after a while they just couldn't help enough. I finally found the money for a floroscopic caudle injection and that helped a lot with the back problems, not so much with the hips. I had a second injection into the hip that helped for about a month.

The injections gave me enough of a window of pain I could live with so I was able to start water exercises classes 3 days a week. That really helps a lot as long as I am careful not to push my hip joints beyond their capability (range of motion).

Even if I go to class in pain, I usually feel much better afterwards. I keep thinking I should try to find classes in towns nearby so I could go 5 days a week.

Still, the pain is getting worse and worse when I am not in he pool. I cannot work and I really cannot afford surgery until I reach medicare age. It's a catch 22…a very difficult situation.

So, guess my point is that you might try the water exercise followed by hot tub to see if that helps. The surgery really scares me. It seems so barbaric but pain may yet push me there. Good luck.

I am 59, Have a lot of pain in back, and hip and Heels. I am hesitant to consider replacement hip because I am very overweight. I just keep losing and gaining and don't feel like I have good enough controll of the situations to do enough good that would help a replacement part. I remain frustrated with myself. I am educated and should be able to take control, but fail continually. ANyone have suggestions in this regard?

I am 59, Have a lot of pain in back, and hip and Heels. I am hesitant to consider replacement hip because I am very overweight. I just keep losing and gaining and don't feel like I have good enough controll of the situations to do enough good that would help a replacement part. I remain frustrated with myself. I am educated and should be able to take control, but fail continually. ANyone have suggestions in this regard?

I am 42 and was just diagnosed with hip arthritis. The pain seems to be progressing really quickly, and today I cannot focus on anything but the ache/pain. Still, I would like to put off the surgery until I am 50. The doctor actually was more than ready to talk about hip replacements — in fact, he brought it up immediately after the diagnosis and I was sort of shell-shocked. I think that techniques are changing and advancing very fast so that in 5 years, there might be better, more effective options available.

Hi, I had replacement of rt hip at 49. Did real well. at 58 I had
bilateral knee replacements. I worked as cashier in food store for 31
years and had no choice in replacements. DJD ate bone away and had
cysts in bone. Find a GREAT surgeon that does only knees and hips.
I'm lucky to be on East coast and went to Rothman Institute in Pa.

If you trust your Dr., then of course consider alternative treatment until you are ready to do replacement surgery. I treated my arthritis for almost 5 years with medication and physical therapy before I had my first replacement surgery. It all depends on how you handle pain and how it affects your lifestyle. If it comes to the point where you can't do your normal everyday things, then it's time for replacement surgery.

My problem started over 7yrs ago, was told the same thing wait( 55 then), and worked for about 4.5 yrs, With no medication but ASA near the end, then waited 9 months for consultation and test results, no longer able to (work) walk without cortisone, then had whole hip replacement, started walking day after operation and back to work 3 months later, hip is pain free only one muscle (cut during operation) still not 100%. but my advice is why wait, had I known the what I know now, never would have waited, all the while that your waiting you will never be pain free or able to do normal things, (unless all you do is walk around the house)and during that time your paying 50.00 $ a shot about (1 a wk for 2/3 wks) and the length of time varies on how active you are( try to be), during that time I gained 22 lbs (activity drops) until the operation, cost was only about 550.00$ plus lost wages about 50,000. (off work, exactly 1 yrs and 2 hrs), operation didn't cost a cent, covered by our Canadian health care system, and it should be good for about 10yrs.
More than 1 yr Back to work and getting better every day, I can even jog if I want too…

I must admit that I have mixed feelings about DRs, they make money on treating patients and administering drugs, so it's in their interest to keep you hooked, so too speak ,(they get kick backs on the drugs) while looking out for our health, and the surgeons are the best they actually do miracles with our depleted bodies, and my recovery in the hospital (less than five days) went like clock work, the nurses and staff were professional and efficient, they earned their pay, and my respect…my surgeon told me that I should not have waited, and by the time I need it replaced again it may have yet evolved some more…

I am now 56 and have had both hips totally replaced due to osteoarthritis. I too was advised that I should wait until I couldn't stand it anymore before I did it, but in 2007, my pain became intolerable and so my home town orthopeadist referred me to a sports medicine ortho Dr. That consultation confirmed my fears that I needed total hip replacement surgery and that he was recommending a 3-6 month window of opportunity to have it done. I had my left hip replaced in March of 2008 and have just had my right hip replaced in March of 2010. Now that I've done the surgery, I'm amazed that I waited so long. I'm currently pain free and walking again without the use of a cane or any other assistive device. IT'S WONDERFUL!! THE BEST THING I'VE EVER DONE!

One of my concerns at having it done early, was the longevity of the joint and would I have to have it replaced again. My Dr. assured me that because I'm not overweight, that I should expect 20+ years before I would even have to think about replacing it again. So with that it mind, I would recommend it to anyone. The surgery is relatively quick, my recovery period was only 6 weeks and I was back to work full time. I would recommend that you see an Ortho Dr. that is up on the latest & greatest hip joint, because they are changing every day. My two hips are different and they are only 2 years apat.

Good Luck.

Xmas from Arizona

I am 26 and had my hip done 5 years ago. Best thing I could have done. It feels great!! I cant even tell its not the real thing. I also had a knee done that same year and it was totally the opposite. I hate it and its worse than my real joint was. I also need my other hip done but it is not causing very much discomfort so I am waiting but my Dr says it will probably have to be done in my 30's.

Well honestly I was n your boat @ 23yrs old. I m 49 now…I was one of the youngest & the experiment for the total hip replacement n 1983 non cement…eventhough I started having my hips replaced at a young age, it was the best decision I could have made. I m walking & I had the opportunity during that time to continue my performance career. It gave me my life back. The reason they say wait is because they generally do not last the 20 year expectancy. I have had a total of 4 hip replacements bilaterally & 2 revisions. It is best to do though when u can no longer take the pain. My surgery was done n NYC @ HJD which is now NYU HJD. I appeared on ch 7 news with Dr. Jay during that time as well. I would nvr suggest getting them both done @ the same time. The surgery is not a walk n the park, lol All the Best-Gold

I have not, but both of my cousins, one man and one woman, had it done in their early fifties and they are 1,000 x better than they were previously. I would of course go for a second opinion but age doesn't matter any more. I'm 53 and there are times when I feel like I need a complete body replacement! It all depends on the individual, how far your disease has progressed. It has nothing to do with age. Good luck to you! j

I'm in the same situation, I am 51. The first Orthopod that I saw said that the only thing that can be done for me is a total hip replacement and so I am now looking for a second opinion. I'm trying to weigh the options of total hip replacement with re-surfacing. Have you considered that?

I am 41 and need knee replacements. My current Dr. said he thinks I'm too young but I have bone on bone. After my last scope he said he was surprised when he got in there at how bad it was. I asked about a partial knee but he doesn't believe in them because they fail after about 10 years. This doesn't seem like it matters in my case because I'm going to need another eventially anyhow. He said I won't make 5 years with the current progression. I think I want to do this now because thge longer I wait the more weight I gain and the more pain I'm in. I have to use a cane alot of days now. Does anyone have any experience or opinions? Thanks!

DO NOT LET THE DR tell you how to live your life. I had my first set of knees replaced when i was 36. I am now 54 and had to have them redone 3 years ago. They originally told me that i would be lucky if i got 8 years… I got almost 20. You must do what is right for you. Pain doesn't allow you to live life the way you want and now that things can be replaced DO IT!
It is not an easy thing to go through but the pain you have now will only get worse. having the surgery will make it worse for a while and then it will get better. It is truly no picnic and you will want to yell and scream at me for the 1st month and then all of a sudden it will start getting better. I also would suggest that you have them both done within 2 weeks of each other if not the same day. Looking forward to going through all the goes on for 6 months or sometimes longer will actually be much more frustrating. I do have very strong beliefs on these issues and since I have had my knees and hips done becasue of be double jointed and knowing that I am still not done. The docs all want things to go well and want their on statistics to be good.
DO WHAT YOU NEED TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AND IF YOU HAVE HAVE A DOC THAT IS HUNG UP ON AGE…FIND SOMEONE ELSE!

Flymire - I know what you are experiencing. I just turned 60 and have been suffreing withknee pain for several years now. I too have bone on bone. My Dr. is also concerned about age - and I am 60!! In my desire to put the replacement off as long as possible, I have recently ( 1 month ago) tried three injections of Synvisc. The injections were given 1 week apart. My knee was sore after all three, but now, it is much better. My main complaint at this point is stiffness. If I sit or lie down for any period of time, my entire body is stiff when I try to get up and walk. After a few steps though, it gets better. I don't know if this is from the injections or it is a part of the disease. But I would definately encourage you to talk to your DR. about this medication. Believe me, it is a 100% improvement after the injections! Anything is worth a try.

Don't wait, even if you put it of for a few more yrs, your still going to have to replace the replacements eventually, unless you don't expect to live long…

I was 23 and in unbearable pain when I had my first total hip replacement. The rehab was difficult and painful but the rest of the time it was blessed relief. My joint worked wonderfully for 19 years before I had to have it revised due to mechanical damage. My other hip was done a year and a half after the first and is still functioning well after 27 years. I don't think age is the main factor to consider, pain and functionality is. I would have lost the use of my legs nearly 30 years ago if I hadn't had the surgery.

Hi,
I was 55 when I Had To Have a Total right hip replacement. I was tripped at work and fractured my hip. I had a repair done which refractured, that's when I had to have the total hip replacement. I didn't have too much problems with it after the replacement. But of course this was a have to surgery so that's the only thing I know about. If you have any questions, please let me know and I will try to answer them the best I can. If you need the hip replacement then of course you should listen to your specialist. I will keep in touch and check in tomorrow to see if there are any queations

Helene

Welcome to the community TPB1960.

Please check out our Health Center for more information on OA, and other forms of arthrits. I am sure you will find some answers there and with feedback from other members of the community. Again, welcome.

I am 49 and need two hip replacements as well.I have found that taking evening of primrose has helped me alot.I do not take any medications as i don't believe in them (for me)i try all natural remedies first.I am seeing my specialist tomorrow and will discuss preventing bone loss and how i can prolong surgery.I will try to keep mobile for as long as i can and maybe even avoid hip replacement altogether.(we will see)