Recently Diagnosed Hip Impingement

[Spam1]

Rayray, don't be scared, you have changes on your xray and your local/steroid worked great for you, so there is definitely something going on in your joint. I know how you feel though, even when you can see a problem on imaging, you always worry it might all be different when they get inside. Is it wednesday you are having the scope? What are they doing about preop assessment or are they not bothering? Is it daycase or will you be in overnight?

I qualify in 3.5 weeks, then I get a 5 week break before I start work, so I can have a relatively good rest. I am going to need to beacuse I am a bit worried at the moment about whether I will manage to work fulltime. I am currently taking two afternoons off a week just to cope, which I cannot possibly do when properly working. Hopefully it will start to improve soon, keeping fingers crossed for us all xx

[oscarsmum]

Rayray,

So glad you are booked in so soon. Don't be nervous, a scope is nothing compared to what you have been through, and well worth it to get a definate answer and enable the right decision to be made regarding your next ( and final) surgery so you can put this lousy hip buisness behind you-at least on that side.You will be fine.

Sam,

Im not sure it will help or not, but you sound just like I felt at around the 6 month mark-in as much pain as pre-op, albeit slightly different, if that makes sense. It was around this time I went on the fentanyl and back to two crutches, really struggled and felt as if I would never get better. It was around the 9 month mark before things noticably improved, and it was a gradually improvement after that. I was 11 months before I really started to feel as if the surgery had been successful.I wasn't working full time either and really don't think I would have been able to. Mr Witt said my xrays look good too, and felt it was just time for things to settle down, luckily he was right, and hopefully it will be the same for you.
Congrats on qualifying, enjoy the break, and take it as easy as you can. Its a fine line between wanting to strengthen everything to improve it, and doing to much and causing more inflammation. Im not sure any of us get the balance right.
Hope things improve soon,

Hugs to you both
Kate xx

[Rayray]

Thanks Sam and Kate,

The pain is definitely creeping back in again and I am more sore today than I have been for a couple of weeks. When I am sore I spend a lot of time with my foot turned in as it helps the soreness and Hubbie noticed I w as doing this again last night - I didn't realise. I have been walking across town to work and spending a fair bit of time on my feet. Had to dash (my dash is normal persons walk!!!!) for a bus yesterday and I haven't tried to move so fast for a long time - now that hurt! Woke up with it in the night. One thing I am doing though is sleeping with my feet on a pillow and it is really helping the backache. Like Sam I can't sleep on my side. I couldn't pre-surgery and still can't as it is too sore even now post steroid. They have been great about the pre-op - I had an MRSA test three weeks ago for the steroid injection as that was in theatre and they are doing bloods when I get there next week.

Yes it is on Wednesday and I am in overnight. I asked about crutches and Sara said that I may need them but only for 24 hours - I suppose it depends if this pain gets aggravated or not. No driving possibly for a couple of weeks though but I am hoping I won't need to anyway. If my hip is sore it is impossible to drive. We are having to go through the same scenario as when I had the Open - I go down on the train and Hibbie collects me when I can go home.

I meant to say when I posted Sam to look at Kate's blog as she is a fab example of how things didn't seem right for a long time and then everything really improved.

Take care all.

[Janet]

Hi Rayray

That's wonderful news that you're having your scope on Wednesday! They are so fantastic at the Duchy - those of us who are under their care are very lucky. I hope you're not getting too nervous and you have everything that you need. You've not had too much time to think or prepare for this one!

Take care x

[Spam1]

Best of luck Rayray, will be thinking of you tomorrow and waiting to hear when you get home what he has found and what the plan is! Hope the journey down isn't too bad and everything goes smoothly xx

[Dee34]

wow - good luck tomorrow Rayray- I'm sure all will go well and you're one step closer to being pain free - yay !!!

Dee x

[Janet]

Rayray - I hope everything goes well for your surgery tomorrow, that Mr N can find the cause for all of your pain and he knows what he can do to alleviate it, and that you won't be in too much pain afterwards. Will be thinking of you - please let us know how you are when you can.

Hugs Janet x

[Katz]

Good luck for tomorrow Rayray - I am thinking of you-

-Kat

[Spam1]

Rayray, Hope everything went well on wednesday and you are at home recovering in not too much pain with a plan of action, hugs Sam xx

[Rayray]

Hi Girls,

I had the surgery as planned on Wednesday and came home Thursday. Still feeling a bit strange - had a bad reaction to the anaesthetic this time and the M'ine so had oxygen and a drip all night. Palpatations, felt v. sick and lots of pain. Offered a morphine pump as the pain was bad but I refused as I thought it would delay me coming home and the pain was at the same level as I have at home anyway. Felt a bit rushed leaving - the nurses seemed under huge pressure to get people out so no questions asked, just discharged! NO food, pain and generally feeling crap.

I don't really know where I am hip wise. I saw Mr N afterwards but had been given so much M'ine I have little idea of what he said! I do remember that he did more soft tissue work than when I had the Open and it will take around three months to recover. I thought he also said that I had no arthritis but I must be muddled as I have seen the surgery report which says I have (or had) Grade 3 arthritis on the rim of the acetabulum. He did say that he burnt away a mass of adhesions (swollen tissue). There was some scar tissue but it was mostly just very swollen.

There was damage in the joint. I had a large 1.5cm x 2cm labral tear on the front and side of the socket. This was removed rather than repaired. The arthritis was down to sub-chrondral bone but the exposed bone was removed. The cartilage flap removed was 1.4cm x 0.8cm. The head of femuer was perfect but it looks like the socket is self destructing.

I really don't understand all this and I don't know whether I have been patched up or this is a long term fix. I don't understand how the labral tear happened with the impingement gone and it looks like the arthritis has started anyway so can it really be stopped? I so wish that it had just been bad arthritis and now I was having a THR. I fear that I will have another year of deterioration and then have the THR - I really need to discuss this but post surgery wasn't the time as I wasn't taking anything in.

Mr N's new policy on arthroscopies is to use crutches in the hospital only and walk out. I am afraid there is no chance. I can do about two lurchy steps and that is it. Pain still quite bad especially on sitting. Mr N still mystified as to why I feel most of the pain at the back but did say that my nerve pathways must just be that way.

Not sure how long I will need crutches for. This was nothing like the Open but I feel shocked at how disabled I feel again and at how I physically feel. Was planning to return to work Monday. Sorry this is a bit of an incoherant post - still quite dizzy. Will catch up again.