Dealing with hip osteoarthritis?
in Health ·
hollowskipper21 said:Hey everyone... I’m reaching out because if anyone here has dealt with hip osteoarthritis, please, please share your wisdom... I really need it. I’m only 24, but they just diagnosed me with arthritis in my right hip (back when I was a kid, I had bilateral hip dislocation and had to wear those little hip harnesses—I started walking a bit before age 2, but everything seemed fine until recently... 😢 ). Honestly, my left hip isn't exactly perfect either, though doctors say it might hold up for a while longer. I’ve seen a few different orthopedic specialists, and the consensus seems to be that I should just "tough it out" as long as possible since I'm too young for a total hip replacement, according to them. The pain isn't unbearable, but it flares up whenever the weather changes or if I try to squat or bend down too fast... I’m not even touching the painkillers they prescribed because I can manage without them. But here's the thing—I've been married for two years now and I really want to start a family, so what I actually care about is hearing from other women: what was pregnancy like with hips like this??? Should I get the surgery done before I try to conceive, or wait? Has anyone else been in this exact spot? Pleaseeeee, help a girl out 🙂 I totally blanked on one major detail that everyone dealing with this knows—orthopedists are constantly lecturing me about staying slim, but how on earth am I supposed to avoid weight gain when I'm trying to get pregnant??? Thanks so much, cheers
Here’s my take: I’m 27, and just like you, I had hip dislocation as a child—except in my case, they didn't catch it until it was too late, so I ended up having surgery. By my early 20s, the arthritis set in on the hip I had operated on, and the pain was constant whenever I walked too much or when the weather shifted. When I got pregnant at 26, I gained 13 pounds. The pain during the pregnancy was brutal, and it absolutely trashed my hip. When I got scans done after giving birth, I was floored—half the joint was basically gone, it had slipped. Like you, my doctors told me it's better to endure it as long as possible, but after having the baby, I can't even walk for more than thirty minutes without being totally wiped out. Inside the house, I'm fine, but once I head out for a walk with my son and husband, after half an hour I'm finished—I'm walking like an old lady. I've decided to go through with the surgery next year. My surgeon actually said that when your quality of life hits rock bottom, it's perfectly fine to go ahead with the artificial hip. Because while you're sitting there suffering, your spine starts taking the hit too, and once that's damaged, nobody can fix it. I want a second child, too, but I'm waiting until the replacement is done because trying to get pregnant again with this current hip would absolutely destroy me. You know your own limits, but trust me: things will likely get much worse after another pregnancy. Just ask your specialist what they recommend—whether you should operate before or after. I hope this helps somehow... hang in there!