Thread: I'm getting a new hip

Yesterday I was approved! Hip replacement surgery courtesy of the Thai government social healthcare system. Any improvement will be a blessing as I have been living in constant pain for three years with this condition.
Does anyone have any recommendations, advice or horror stories to relate?

Originally Posted by Humbert

courtesy of the Thai government social healthcare system.

How did you manage that? Don't you have to pay for it?

Mate of mine quit his job as a logistics manager in Oz and bought a truck on the back of a permanent contract awarded by one of his contacts, shortly to be followed by a second truck.
Poor bugger was on the job for two weeks, fell backwards while dismounting from the truck and screwed both his hips.
He's had one hip replacement done, second one coming up.

My brother will have one done end of the month..

Best seems to be 2 shells placed around the end of thighbone. This instead of cutting end off and placing an insert. Less chance of wrong lengths and angles. Also this technique has better lifespan (30-40 yrs) as opposse to the insert (15 yrs).

Originally Posted by sabang

How did you manage that? Don't you have to pay for it?

The hip is totally shot so my health insurance pays for replacement. Since I work in Thailand, I am covered by the Thai healthcare system. If I was back in the US my out of pocket would have been sizable. I will just have to pay for a portion of my private room which is my choice.
Sorry about your friend, ouch!

^ OK. Well I'm not sure where you are, but the Queen Sirikit hospital in Sattahip (about 40Km from Pattaya) is well stocked with Specialists and gets pretty good feedback. It's good enough for the Royal family, anyway. Good luck with it.

One is called Hip Resurfacing (HR). The other THR (Total Hip Replacement).

HR seems to have 1/4 of the complications of THR.

Birmingham Hip* Resurfacing System | Driven by experience (producer)
Corin Group PLC (producer)

Resurfacing is not an option for me because the joint degeneration is too advanced. Resurfacing is in its infancy in Thailand and I have read that people should avoid that procedure here.

i see..

Best of luck Humbert..

A buddy of mine has had both of his done at the RTAF Hospital at Don Muaeng one HR and one THR. He is back playing golf with the group now, plus the fact he is 72 years old.

Originally Posted by Thai Pom

A buddy of mine has had both of his done at the RTAF Hospital at Don Muaeng one HR and one THR. He is back playing golf with the group now, plus the fact he is 72 years old.

I hope to be back playing golf soon too. I expect my handicap will be up in the twenties. Your friend has quite a few years on me.

^Good news on the Op/acceptance, Humbert. Friend of mines father was an orthopedic surgeon and he described the procedure to me once and showed me the new joints and stuff they insert, quite fascinating.

My Dear old Mother have had both hips replaced (back home in Denmark), the last one 9 month ago, she has no problems goes swimming twice a week and "races" around on her bicycle almost every day, she is 73 bless her, she is totally pain free and almost as mobile as before.

I wish you the best of luck Humbert, I'm sure it will be fine and that you will be pain-free once the post op re training is over, I think for my old Mother it was about 6 month with steady improvement the whole time, younger can probably do it more quickly.

Originally Posted by AntRobertson

^Good news on the Op/acceptance, Humbert. Friend of mines father was an orthopedic surgeon and he described the procedure to me once and showed me the new joints and stuff they insert, quite fascinating.

Thanks mate, when are you going in for your neck surgery?

Good luck to you. Hope you're up and around in no time.

A friend made that in Korat, he investigated and found a surgeon that had made 40 times the job on other patients allready...
As he was around 50 and a hip is supposed to last 20 years he had to impose his choice by the docs...
The hip was ordered from Switzerland...
Operation done may be 3 years ago, the guy is very happy with it, all works fine and the pain he suffered is gone...

Good luck with it Humbert...

I haven't got a hip replacement horror story but theres plenty here.


Knee & Hip Problems Board Index: hip replacement horror stories

A new hip.........????????????

I'm hip already but Hubert, I hope they sort your one out mate. It must be almost a pain in the bum.

First off, good luck Humbert. One of my best mates is a hip replacement specialist in the uk and he charges upwards of 50 grand a hip (uk price) so I hope you get it sorted a lot cheaper over here.

Let us know because I'm looking into health holidays for people in the uk to get shit sorted out cheaper over here and a holiday.

Are you in a load of pain?

Originally Posted by The Fresh Prince

Are you in a load of pain?

The worst part is when you sit on a typical Thai, plastic, noodle-shop style chair. The joint locks up and can't be re-extended until all the muscles relax, takes about 5 minutes. You are standing there with your leg up in air like a dog taking a piss. The pain is awesome, I would not wish it on anybody.

^ Hope it all goes well for you Hum and yr back on yr feet and in the saddle having a short time in no time.

My mother who is 79 had one replaced about 20 years ago, and has just had the other one done in June, she is back on her feet, driving and feels much better after having suffered for quite a few years with pain and discomfort. Hopefully, she'll be dancing at her 80th birthday party in February!!

Good luck with the op, please keep the story up-to-date on here as it happens.

Originally Posted by mediamanbkk

Good luck with the op, please keep the story up-to-date on here as it happens.

Good idea.
No photos of my bedpan adventures though.