So, hip replacement advice?

[Maryka]

In summary: Several weeks ago several of you addressed my hip injection to ease pain of cysts in that area. I had some bad "bridging" experience (which, on insistance of my Internist, is why I am trying to get set up with a new Cardiologist). My hip has only about 10% less pain since the injection. I am using a cane most of the time. I still have COBRA for several months. I am thinking of having my hip replaced now, while I still have medical care.

So, where should I be posting my Hip Surgery questions? Do people here think I am weird to contemplate hip surgery just because my hip hurts every single day, but is tolerable with only occasional use of a tylenol or its generic dose every once in awhile? Does hip replacement really help the pain and limping? Is the recovery time from hip replacement really the 6-weeks my orthopod promised? (When I asked for a comparison, he said hip replacement was "nothing" compared to recovery from OHS.)

 

[Ross]

For hip surgery, your going to have to come off coumadin and bridge. That's not optional this time. Hip surgery is very bloody. Are you weird for wanting NOT to be in pain? Heck no. I stumbled around with mine until I couldn't walk on it at all and just moving put me in tears.

Recovery---6 weeks is no lie unless you have some complication, such as your bone not supporting the prosthesis properly, etc. It doesn't sap the energy out of you like OHS, but it's more painful in my opinion. First week is hard to cope with, but after that, once you begin to regain range of motion and things get stretched again, you'll start feeling better. Plan on using ice packs on your new hip for a while afterwards. For the first one or two days, your legs will be strapped together on a special pillow so that your hip is immobile. Hope you can sleep on your back, because your not going to move. I had problems with muscle cramping, so make sure to plan on asking for a muscle relaxer if you encounter the same. Patient controlled pain relief is a must on this one. Just try to stay ahead of the pain and push the button as often as it will allow. I know I was so messed up on Dilaudid that I never remembered to push the darn button.

Yes it really does help the pain, but you'll be in a whole lot of pain for a wee bit. It's worth it though. It'll be nice to walk again pain free, but of course, that won't be for a few weeks. Just remember, your days of running are over, stairs are hard until you get used to how the new hip moves. It doesn't move like your biological hip. You'll actually feel like you have a ball joint (steel ball) implanted, which really, that's exactly what it is. You should do well and like I said, the over all pain is worth it in the end.

 

[Maryka]

Thanks, Ross, for the details! I asked an elderly friend of mine about her hip replacement recovery, but she does not remember it well, even though it was not that many years ago. (The mixed blessing of getting old, I guess.)

I was in and out of Nurse's Training from 1966-1971. (Never finished.) I had the "pleasure" of watching some orthopedic surgery in the late 1960s. It was indeed very bloody and NOISY! Lots of bone chips flying around the room. It is second on my list of surgeries I would not want to be awake during. (OHS is number one, of course.) Also, I worked as a nursing assistant at that time and hated when I was assigned to the orthopedic wards. Just going up on the elevator was bothersome to me. When the door opened on the orthopedic floor the cries and groans were very load. (The maternity ward was very quiet compared to orthopedics.)

Here is another question: Did they intubate you for your hip surgery? I must remember to ask for the pediatric tube if I am intubated.

 

[Kathy McCain]

Just wanted to say good luck Maryka. I know a lady that had hip replacement (my inlaw) several years ago. She is now 55. It took her a while to get used to it, and was on pain meds. To tell you the truth, she walks normally now. I would not know she had an artificial hip. My aunt also had a replacement, at the age of 82 !!! That women is amazing! A couple of years later, ( I know it wasn't longer) she was completely mobile!! Even my husband made a comment about her agility. Sure wish I got some of her recooperative genes!

 

[Ross]

Here is another question: Did they intubate you for your hip surgery? I must remember to ask for the pediatric tube if I am intubated.

Oh yes, this is another one of those heavy sedation/ respiratory paralyzing operations. It is MAJOR surgery.

 

[Maryka]

I have a close friend (my same age) who is a big believer in alternative medicine. She has had a bad hip for at least 10 years. She is distrustful of hip replacement and prefers to see a "Rolfer" person every couple of weeks. She claims she has absolutely no pain from that hip, but she walks with a limp and her hip appears very deformed. We all make our choices in our medical care, of course. I would prefer to walk rather normally again, if possible.

 

[Ross]

I mean to tell you, I waited and waited until I could not use my leg at all. Just moving anything brought on a ton of pain and put me down on my knees. There is no reason to live like that. I did it, was in pain for a few days, but they get you up on your feet as soon as possible, usually after 24 hours. If your not weight bearing, they'll start you on physical therapy and it does take time. I was in the hospital a total of 6 days, then outpatient phys therapy for around 6 weeks afterward. I was told it would last about 12 years and I'm just about there now and still no problems. Sure, I ache when the moist weather is around, but it's nothing that brings you to crippling pain and tears.

I have a Canadian friend who had one replaced last year and had a very difficult recovery. She is going in, in the next few days to have the other one done. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[kpearse]

About a month ago my hip started to hurt, very bad. I saw a Doc, they took an xray and said I have athritis, misspelled < I asked what to do? He told me if it still bothered me in 6 weeks to come back. Well it's bothering me a lot. I can walk, but limp. If I turn the wrong way, forget it! I was thinking also of getting this done before my insurance runs out, but I thought, am I thinking right! I'm only 53. I have to decide soon. I'll play it day by day for now.

 

[Ross]

am I thinking right! I'm only 53.

Do you think that age gives a darn? It doesn't discriminate. I was 36 when I had mine replaced.

 

[Maryka]

When I read Ken's entry, I thought maybe I had written it. What he described is pretty much my situation. First the random pings of pain in the right groin, then pain in the place where the femur inserts into the hip socket. Then there was the gimpy walk to compensate for the feeling the hip might come apart. (Actually, 20 years ago when I was first, mistakenly, considered to have Marfan Syndrome, a geneticist had told me to be careful that hip did not "come out of the socket" because it was so loosely set in the socket due to my loose connective tissue.) I guess I am lucky to be in my early 60s before this became so bad.

Also, like Ken I need to have surgery ASAP if I want to have healthcare insurance. Yesterday I signed up for Social Security (I am 62) and hope I can get it in place SOON so I can arrange my hip replacement. My (Cobra) healthcare insurance will revert back to the huge deductible phase Jan. 1,2011 and then will expire entirely mid-year 2011. Time is of the essance for me! (Prayers are gratefully accepted!)

 

[Ross]

You have prayers daily. Everyone does from me.

I never realized how bad my gait was until I took my shoes off for surgery and the Ortho picked them up and said, "Look how you've been walking." My left shoe was worn sideways with lots of material on the bottom right side and nearly nothing on the left. Right shoe was worn equally across the shoe. It's just like a car alignment. If it's out of alignment, the tires show wear in a similar fashion.

 

[Maryka]

Does anyone here know how insurance companies handle it if you need to go into a rehab facility for most of your recovery period? My "wonderful" children will not be available to help me in this period. This sliding into a poverty-stricken old age is scary stuff!

 

[Ross]

This is where you'd have to check your insurance policy. No one can answer this as every policy is different.

Do you have Medicare yet, I can't remember?

 

[kpearse]

I went to the Doc yesterday after reading all the posts. He ordered an mri for next week and gave me something for the pain. So here we go again. Like I said, day by day. I asked about my age, he just grined and said it means nothing, it can happen anytime.

 

[Maryka]

Ross: I was 62 in January, so Medicare is a long way away. I can explore my state (Maryland)'s available help for the poor if I cannot get the surgery done while I still have medical insurance. The latest AARP Bulletin had some advice about my situation, but did not break things down, state-by-state. This information might be appropriate for another new thread in the future. (The national health plan should gradually move into place, hooray, but my Medicare age and the national health plan happen to coincide in 2013.)

If worse-comes-to-worse, I guess I could go to my friend's "Rolfer" to have the pain "removed" but be left with a very bad, twisted way of walking. Vanity is rapidly disappearing in my life. Sigh.

 

[Maryka]

I have decided to go to stay with my friend in the Winston-Salem/Greensboro area of North Carolina for the duration of my hip replacement. She, because she has MS, has a home set up for someone like me. Also, she is dog-friendly so can help me deal with my two tiny dogs throughout this ordeal. I will start a thread on Connective-Tissue to see who know some good orthopedic surgeons in that area. Please join me on that forum.

 

[pat45750]

Hi
I am new to this group. Told I have severe aortic valve stenosis - so I am doing some research.

I am not new to hip replacement. I have a large patient to patient website about hip resurfacing http://www.surfacehippy.info and a link to my thr site from it. When you have bone on bone hip pain - nothing will stop it once the meds no longer work. There is only one solution, a hip replacement.

To answer your question, YES - a hip replacement will stop all pain and hopefully limping. A lot depends on how long you have limped. Your recovery time takes longer if you have had your hip problems for a long time. I was at a point I could only sit in a chair and not even sleep at night even with strong meds. The only solution is to get a new hip - get out of pain and get active again.

You have several solutions to a new hip. Hip resurfacing which I had in Belgium in 2006, a Total hip replacment with a large ball Metal on Metal device or total hip replacement with the old fashioned small ball metal/plastic THR. If you are young and active, you will want at least the Large Ball MOM THR device. The MOM THRs and hip resurfacing allow you to do anything you want without any restrictions or dislocation problems. The old fashioned small ball metal/plastic THRs come with a lot of restrictions. I have a large discussion group about resurfacing on the Surface Hippy Website - you can talk to a few thousand folks and learn more.

Your recovery depends on the surgical approach and type of device you receive. I was back to sight seeing in Belgium 5 days post op and onlyl used one crutch for 3 weeks. Walked over 1 miles a day at 10 days post op. I never took any meds but Advil after leaving the hospital. I had a quick and easy recovery. Most people are slower. They take 6 weeks or more to get of walking aids. It takes a good 6 months to get back to normal and a full year for full healing.

If I can help you with any other quesitons - drop me a note.

 

[Lynlw]

In summary: Several weeks ago several of you addressed my hip injection to ease pain of cysts in that area. I had some bad "bridging" experience (which, on insistance of my Internist, is why I am trying to get set up with a new Cardiologist). My hip has only about 10% less pain since the injection. I am using a cane most of the time. I still have COBRA for several months. I am thinking of having my hip replaced now, while I still have medical care.

So, where should I be posting my Hip Surgery questions? Do people here think I am weird to contemplate hip surgery just because my hip hurts every single day, but is tolerable with only occasional use of a tylenol or its generic dose every once in awhile? Does hip replacement really help the pain and limping? Is the recovery time from hip replacement really the 6-weeks my orthopod promised? (When I asked for a comparison, he said hip replacement was "nothing" compared to recovery from OHS.)

I know this is a little late, but I haven't been on that much. If you have to wait a while for your surgery, I get steriod shots in my back for pain every year. Sometimes just the 1st shot helps with the pain and I'm fine for months, but other times you may need 2 or 3 to get pain relief. I THINK, but not sure that 3 is the max in any series. Since your pain didn't get much relief did they suggest getting another shot?