I've been experiencing really bad pain in my right hip and right lower back
lately.  Since I was never weight-bearing, both of my hips were dislocated.
When I was 3, I had surgery to put them back in their sockets.  The left one
stayed in, but the right one came back out.  Since I was born, I've been
going to the same orthopedist, who had a very wait and see approach to
treatment.  He said that as long as it didn't hurt, we didn't need to do
anything.

About two months ago, I started to have excruciating pain in very small
spots, on my hip and back, the dislocated side.  My old orthopedist had
retired, so we went to see Dr. Paul Sponseller, the head of orthopedics at
Johns Hopkins.  He took some x-rays, and gave me a few surgical options.
First, they could remove the pin that's no longer doing anything.  That's a
quick in-out surgery, but he doesn't think it'll fix the problem.

Second, they could cut away the part of the hip that's extending above the
pelvis in it's dislocated position.  This would probably stop the pain, but
I'd more than likely lose the ability to bear weight on that leg, since it
would no longer be connected to my body.  I'm not ambulatory now, but I'm
nervous about taking away options for the future - not just in terms of
walking, but for daily living and  independence.  He also prescribed 750 mg
of Relafin.  That's expensive and a huge pill, but it's done nothing to ease
the pain, even when taken with Motrin.

Okay, end of rambling narrative, here's my question:  Has anyone been in
this situation?  What's worked to get rid of the pain?  Has anyone had this
surgery or others that worked?  What were the "side effects"?  Would you
recommend them?  Thanks so much!

~Joy~
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http://www.geocities.com/joy0823
"Forget regrets, or life is yours to miss." - Mimi in RENT