How long do I have?

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I was just diagnosed with severe osteoarthritis of the hip at the age of 35. I am having a hard time accepting this, as I am quite young and just about to become a first time father. Realistically, with the right diet, wieght management, glucasamine and chondrotin supplements, and swimming therapy is it possible to postpone hip replacement and be relatively mobile for 5 to 10 years? Also is hip resurfacing an option for me?

-- peter calamari (Peter.Calamari@thomson.net), March 28, 2003

Answers

Your options are hip replacement or resurfacing. The resurfacing device is still investigational. You can get more info on it from Dr. Harlan Amstutz web site http://www.orthohospital.org/doctors/hamstutz.html or from Wright Medical http://www.wmt.com.

-- Marc Hungerford, M.D. (mhunger@jhmi.edu), August 06, 2003.

Peter,

You have until you can't take the pain anymore and then you will decide what to do. I waited 18 months and wish I had done this a yeas sooner. I would have lived one more year without pain. I am 47 diaged at 46.

-- Joe Fortunato (spitfire41@yahoo.com), October 14, 2004.


Pete I just had my hip replaced on the 30th of Sept. 04. It is now Nov. 10 04 and I FEEL GREAT!!!! I am walking without a cane around the house already and have nearly 120 degrees of motion. I have no more pain! for the first time in 5 years. I am also 49 years old. I had mine done in Woodstock Ontario not far from where I live, I wish I would have had it done sooner. The glucasamine and all of the other stuff work for a while but the new hip is the best! It takes a long time to get it done and at 35 you will hear "your too young" so start now and don't give up!!!!! TOM

-- Tom Rehberg (t.berg@quadro.net), November 03, 2004.

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