June 25, 2009
My name is Wilma and I live in Sittard in the
Netherlands. Three and a half years ago I had an operation of my left hip
and I became a resurfacing hip.
Very soon after this operation my hip and my left leg gave pain problems.
The surgeon from the hospital in Sittard told me that these pains were
caused by my back. I therefore was sent to the pain clinic and I had several
treatments for these pains.
After these treatments my pains didn't decrease but
became more and more serious. My surgeon still consisted in his tunnel
vision that the resurfacing hip didn't cause these problems and he refused
to make a ct-scan and told me to wear a corset!
I trusted my intuition! I felt there was something very
wrong. I therefore asked for a second opinion. In January 2008 (I was
operated in October 2005!) I went to a hospital in Nijmegen.
They also didn't understand what was going on, but they
swoon discovered that the hip wasn't placed optimally. One year later
(January 2009) I got a punction of my thy bone. This punction showed grey
brown fluid! The doctor also took a blood sample that was taken to another
hospital in Nijmegen.
The result showed that there was a great amount of metal ions in my blood
(823 mmol/l; 43 ug!!)
Finally I was taken serious!! During the 3 and a half
years after my surgery I was almost an invalid! I also became more and more
ill (pains in my hands, feet, knees etc. and every 4 weeks I had big marks
all over my body; these marks were diagnosed as erythema nodosum).
I feel ill, I suffer from big pains all through the day
and I feel exhausted. There was also a pseudo tumor found with synovitis and
necrosis.
After this long period I get surgery in July 2009.
I am scared, but most of all I am angry! Angry with the
surgeon in Sittard who didn't take me serious.
I hope you can help and advise me what to do because I
feel desperate!
Many greetings from Wilma Romers
July 6, 2009
The predonation of my blood is planned on July 14th.
(before that I get my first Eprex-injection next Friday) After that there
are another 2 injections sceduled. The date of surgery is July 28th!!!
I feel very nervous about all this, because I have lost
my trust in doctors after the failed surgery 3 years ago.
I chose a hospital in Nijmegen for this revison
operation, because my complaints were'nt taken serious by the doctor in
Sittard who placed the resurfacing hip (all the time I went to see him and
all the times I told him about my increasing pains he still held to his
tunnel vision that my pains were due to my back. He also refused to make a
ct-scan because he was so sure he was right)
Even now I am so nervous about my operation in Nijmegen
because I feel that I don't have enough information about what is going to
happen.
My biggest concern is that the doctor wants to place a
titanium to ceramic hip. I already told him that in the past I had allergic
reactions to titanium also! He said this is not possible! Anyway... I told
him and now I am scared this is going to cause problems again.
I read on your website that mostly ceramic to ceramic is
used. I wished doctors would take there patients more serious and that they
sometimes would come down from there "thrones" and the monopoly they create
to communicate (and listen!!) better to there patients.
Now I am afraid that the use of titanium is going to
cause new problems.
May greetings,
Wilma Romers
November 12, 2009
I want to inform you about all the developments after my
surgery In Nijmegen on Juy 28th 2009.
The resurfacing hip was replaced, the tumor was removed,
the necrotic tissue was removed. a large hydrops was removed and an amount
of degenerated muscle tissue was removed.
The tissue was sent to another hospital in Nijmegen for
histological/pathological research. After 3 weeks I got the results and it
was diagnosed as ALVAL.
I also think that I was in hospital right in time because
the surgeon told me that it only took two small tics to remove the (wrong
placed) resurfacing hip.
After these results I contacted a lawyer (on no cure-no pay base) because I
still am very angry about the tunnel-vision of the surgeon in Sittard who
placed the resurfacing hip 4 years ago.
I am still very worried about the consequences to my
health because all these metal-ions circulated in my body, blood and
lymphatic system all this time. As I told you before the level of chromium
was 823 nmol/l. Kobalt and nikkel were not measured.
Two months ago the metal-ions had decreased to about 200
nml/l. It seems a successful operation ,but still I have many medical
complaints and there seems to be nobody in Holland who can help me!
I struggled so long for recognition of my medical
complaints (erythema nodosum, pains in my hands, feet, wrists and the
extreme tiredness)
I am also worried because these complaints are increasing again and I am not
sure if this is due to the fact that 2 screws were placed to the
titanium-ceramic total hip!
Maybe I got suspicious after my frustrating experience in
Sittard...but I think again my body is giving warning signs!!! The surgeon
in Nijmegen says it's a local problem and that there cannot be an allergic
reaction since there is no friction. I think doctors in Holland have no
experience with my problem and I feel left alone and I still have many
questions.
By the way.. did you place my story on your website?
I want to make it my personal mision to inform orthopedic
surgeons in Holland about the consequences of a misplaced resurfacing hip
and the possibility o ALVAL. I don't want other people to suffer the way I
did!
It took me 4 years before I was taken serious!
Hope to hear from you soon...
many greetings from Wilma