Question
I am 8 years out of hip replacement surgery ( both hips) for hip dysplasia. For a few years, I was OK and could work off and on, but the pain was ALWAYS in the forefront, so is it dangerous to keep increasing my pain medication as I grow older, since after a few months to a year, I need a higher and higher dose?

Answer
Hello Anne

Several issues in your question raise red flags in my head.  Although eight years for a hip replacement is not, by any means old, (My fourth revisions are nine years old on one hip and ten years old on my other hip), the area in which you are reporting pain bothers me.

You mentioned your pain was in the forefront of your leg.  If the pain is in the groin area, (the skin fold where the hip and pelvis meet) you should go to your doctor to get an x ray to determine if your hip is failing.  If the pain is in the thigh area, it's less concerning as it might be muscle tissue that is bothering you, but I still would suggest seeing your doctor for an accurate diagnosis.

As far as your pain meds go, if you have been continuously medicating yourself with pain meds, then there is a problem going on.  

Post THR patients do not normally need pain meds on a long term basis after surgery.  As the hip ages, however, there may be times that you will need pain meds on a very limited basis due to muscle pain.  Most times, unless the hip is failing, tylenol or ibuprofen will do the trick for light to moderate pain.

As we age, we should not, under any circumstances raise pain meds on our own, unless directed by the doctor.  As we age, we metabolize medications differently than when we were younger and on the whole, we need a lower dosage or pain meds, not a higher dosage.  But again that is a generalization and you really need to discuss that with your doctor.