Toxic hip implant cost me the 'prime years of my life'

A WOMAN who suffered from cobalt poisoning caused by a toxic hip implant is leading calls for action to prevent others suffering due to faulty medical devices.

- BY HANNA GEISSLER Health Editor

Tracey O'Neill is campaigning to prevent others from suffering

Tracey O'Neill lived for six years with a failing implant. Her symptoms included persistent pain, brain fog, extreme fatigue and an abnormal heart rhythm.

Her concerns were dismissed by doctors until the cause was confirmed when she had a complex hip revision in 2020.

That procedure later failed due to the death of bone tissue, requiring further surgery.

Tracey said: "I'm 57, I started this journey when I was 44. I feel those prime years of my life have been taken away from me.

"I live in pain every day. I can't do things that a 57-year-old woman would do. When I feel up to going for a short walk or sit too long, there are harsh consequences."

Tracey, of Buckinghamshire, is one of more than 2,000 patients thought to have a specific model of implant a Profemur cobalt-chrome modular neck - found to increase risk of cobalt poisoning and soft tissue reactions.

Cobalt is a silvery metal used in implants. If an implant fails, cobalt can be released into the body, causing a range of serious problems.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency announced in September that hospitals would contact those affected.