If you're under 70 they'll try and delay it until you are 70 because the average lifetime of a hip repl. is 15 years, and this is about your average life expectancy at 70! It means they'll probably avoid an expensive and difficult revision. Another reason for delay will be the fact that you have PD. It's always hard to remobilise a PD patient, who's likely to slip downhill a bit because of the surgery/anaesthetic as well. You need to force a hard discussion with your consultant. If you are married and your wife is determined take her with you -otherwise take a knowledgeable friend who will also speak up. Get your GP to refer you (or explain why (s)he won't). Ask for a second opinion. If they're evasive ask them why. A lot will depend on the nature and status of your PD (dystonia, dyskinesia, balance and falling, blood pressure etc. If you will be difficult to remobilise you could be at risk of bronchitis or pneumonia, which are a common cause of MCI and sometimes death, in PD patients.
I'm afraid I don't know anything about you but I suggest that you should not be aggressive but determined and also prepared to face some perhaps unpalatable truths.
I have severe arthritis in my right hip and moderate arthritis in my left hip. I also have had knee replacements of both knees, due to arthritis. (Too many marathons when I was younger). I'm now nearly 78.
My orthopaedic surgeon, who is a great guy, is reluctant to operate on my hip because of my PD and the higher probability of dislocation. My GP is not convinced of this.
Anyway my hip seems to have settled down and although it gives me a bit of pain I still manage to walk up to a couple of miles without too much trouble, providing my PD symptoms are in reasonable check
My own view is that you should go ahead if the pain is really bad and it is affecting your walking.
From a personal point of view I'm not convinced that PD exacerbates the hip problems, but I guess each PD patient has to be assessed on their own particular symptoms. Kievian makes a good point about age and I certainly agree with him about second opinions and finding out why there is some reluctance. I hope it's not a budget influenced delay.
There have been some bad experiences with joint replacements in PD patients. Dyskinesia is bad news nbecause of the difficulties with the exercises vital for rehab. Severe tremor can be a problem for the same reason. If the patient can't be mobilised then pneumonia sets in and can be impossible to shift so death is not an uncommon outcome.
My hip is meal-on-metal 50mm diameter so, since 2012, should have been monitored annually for blood metals and for issues with the joint. But when it was implanted I was living and working in Russia and the job was done in a private hospital in the UK. So slipped through the crack between private medicine and the NHS. Now I'm gin to see my GP and find out were we are and where we're going.
Sorry I have not updated before now. I had my op on April 26th, absolutely fine, PD meds were given to me on time and I was only in for 48 hours. Brilliant treatment by NHS.
