I live just outside London, England.. I'm 51 and had a Right hip resurfacing on the 1st September.. I will start at the beginning

It probably started a few years back with twinges which must people put down to strain, etc, but over time seemed to come more often and last longer... I was born with dislocated hip, and spend several months in plaster and many years going back to hospital to make sure everything was coming along normally.. which it was thankfully... and apparently was to be the basis of my future problems.

It all came to a head I suppose last August I went on holiday and started to feel twinges again it seemed to get a bit worse and I got pain in my lower back and down my right leg.. I went to the Gp and she said it was sciatica and being a doctor you believe them, she put me on pain killers and anti-inflammatories, which seemed to work for a while but got a bit concerned the pain wasn't getting any better. I went back to Gp and saw a different doctor who told me the same thing, that sciatica can take months to clear up.. but he said if no better after Christmas come back.. so after Christmas I went back still in pain.. by this time I was getting fed up with popping pills for the pain and asked if could have an x-ray as I felt that it was something more than sciatica.. they agreed ..

They sent me for the x-ray which I had done on the NHS and was told I would have to wait two weeks for the results... I thought blow that... I will see if I can find out earlier.

I work for a private hospital in Caterham, Surrey, I have private insurance through the company, and know everyone at the hospital very well, so I got the radiotherapist at the hospital to ring the NHS and get the results for me.. and within the hour she had rung me back with the results..

Its not good news she said.. and I had fears at that stage that maybe it was something really serious... but she said that it was nothing life threatening... thank god.. but would be something I would have to think about getting sorted.. She told me I had very bad osteoarthritis in the right hip and would need and op in the future.. I found it quite upsetting, but it didn't come as much of a shock as I was told by my work colleagues that my past history as a child could be the cause.. I was referred to a specialist and as I had private health cover from work I was happy to be seen at my hospital.. we have a fantastic consultant Mr. Khalid Drabu a very good joint replacement surgeon working with us, one of the best in country I have been told (a few people at work have been under his care) I had every confidence with him taking on my operation I knew I would be in good hands... I had an appointment with him and was told I could have an operation when I felt I was ready.. I decided to wait a few months until after the summer months as I wanted to enjoy the summer out and about and not be stuck in the house... I decided to go ahead with it on 1st September of the this year.. I don't mind telling you I was really scared.. I think it was the fear of not the operation but not being the same person again afterwards... mad I know..

The operation went very well and I was in hospital 4 days... the physiotherapists were getting me up the next day, up and down the corridors and up and down the stairs... I was on two sticks when I left just for a week, and then on one stick as I felt I still had a bit of a limp, which developed a little before I had the operation. I was more afraid of the leg popping out than anything else, but that's quite a normal reaction so it seems.

I have been home two months and am going back to work at the beginning of November, getting so bored at home... I have been give exercises to do and hydrotherapy which has helped a lot... I feel fantastic and am so glad I went ahead and had it done, I am at last pain free and it doesn't really feel I have had anything done.. its great.

All I can say to anyone is don't be afraid to have it done.. I will admit I was, but had lots of reassurance from people who had gone ahead with it, and I knew I had a great consultant who I had confidence in, which is very important.

Now I'm just taking one day at a time and looking forward to taking my dog for lots more walks over the downs and more importantly a pain free future..

Thank you all for listening

Jane