January 2012 Hippies - who else is starting the New Year with a New Hip?

[blkhank]

Hi, I just had mine done Jan 6, so far so good. My butt hurts from sitting.and I'm 50% weight bearing ,my walker and I have become close . 8)

[Two4One]

Welcome, blkhank!

Have you put wheels on the front of your walker yet?  That made ALL the difference for me and resulted in a much easier flow and gait.

Good Luck,
2fer

[lynne123]

Yep, count me in,  I had mine done one week and four days ago.  Doing well.  Still resting a lot and getting through my evenings with pain meds.  Yesterday was my first big day out of the house and to the store for a few items.  It wiped me out!   

[WTW15]

Welcome BLKHANK!!  Congrats and take it easy - take it one step at a time and you will make progress.  Don't dwell on the over-doers and just come along with all of us for the ride.  It's different for each person. 

Jan Hippies - keep checking in - this is a good group and we definitely need each other.

[alex3]

Hernanu- I'm taking dilaudid every 3-4 hours.  How long are most on the pain meds after surgery ?  just a few more days worth of meds, but I won't be ready to stop them them in a few days.  Hopefully they will give me a refill or maybe give me something else that isn't as strong

[hernanu]

Don't go by other people, everyone is different. If you need pain meds, call your doctor. You can work with them, but you can call the shots on this. 

I was prescribed oxycodone for pain control, but didn't use it - did ok with Tylenol (a good amount of it), but I doubt they'd hassle you over pain meds.

[WTW15]

I am down to 1/2 percocet in the AM when I get up with 1 xtra strength Tylenol.  then about 6 hrs later and after my exercises 2 extra strength tylenol.   before bed another 1/2 percocet and tylenol with a valium to let it all relax so I can try to sleep.  Seems to be working and weaning off the percocet, but not quite ready give it all up as I get ready to ramp up to out patient PT.  Dr gave me a refill on the perc so will use it sparingly but as needed.  Not going to make it too hard on myself. 

Listen to your body - be nice to it.  I tried to go off it all too soon and was miserable. 

[Two4One]

Hi Alex3!

You are talking to the former human medicine cabinet of narcotics.  I hope my story reassures you that in my opinion, your medications are just fine, and by all means get a refill, if needed.  (Your surgeon's and pain management doctor's opinions are the only ones who count.) 

Alex3, my case was a bit unusual.  Going into my bilateral resurfacing on December 20th, I was finally told that I had undiagnosed end stage bone on bone OA for over 2 1/2 years, due to the very rare and the most painful location possible that coincidentally was also the blind spot in ALL my prior dozens of various films.  In that entire pre hip resurfacing 2 1/2 year period of time, I was on Dilaudid 8mg up to 6xDay, an 100mg Fentanyl Patch that I changed every 3 days, Promethazine 25mg 4xday, Ambien10mg, and as much Docusate and enemas that I could handle, yet my pain never dropped below a level six at best. 

Here's the kicker: I showed several of the dozen or so Indiana orthopods the written diagnosis from the number 2 and number 3 arthroscopy surgeons in the U.S., who'd kindly looked at my films for a second opinion, but the local yokels ignored their findings that I needed a bilateral THR STAT and still insisted I had healthy cartilage and hips and told me in so many words that I was a drug addict.

The only option I had left was to stay bedridden and heavily medicated while being on the number One arthroscopy guy's year and a half waiting list.  I flew out to see Dr. Philippon in Vail, Co twice this year because he had via email said upon reviewing my films and history I was a revision candidate of my bilateral failed arthroscopic surgeries for labral tears and FAI, circa 2009. 

At the end of July, my first visit was with one of his fellows, I didn't even get to see Philippon that first trip >:(, and by that time we had already spent over 24K that we didn't have for our out of pocket insurance deductibles from the previous 2years!  Then, this surgeon, through his fellow, said that I was required to wean off all narcotics as part of his pre op protocol, to lose 20 lbs from my 158 lbs on a 5' 9" frame, and to do an hour of PT every day before my scheduled Right Hip revision on November 1st.  My 2nd and last visit to him was November 1st where he announced, oops!, I actually needed a bilateral THR.  I was disgusted with the money I'd spent on a guy who has the world at his feet and more money than I will ever see, but I started calling and researching that day until I found Dr. Philip Schmitt who, thanks be to God, The Universe, serendipity, or what have you, started me on my road to total use of my hips about a year from my surgery date of December 20th.

About 2 weeks after my bilateral resurfacing, I began to taper my narcotics.  Right now at 48? days post op, I'm weaned down to 3 Dilaudids a day, 3 Vicodins, and of course Promethazine for nausea.  Per my pain management doctor, we'll first eliminate the Vicodin's and then tritrate the Dilaudid down into nothing.  I'm real happy with coming off the junk and feel a lot better for it.  Alex3, I recommend talking with your doctors, staying out of pain, and staying on the Dilaudid until the time is right for you to start your own taper.

Good Luck and Godspeed your Healing,
2fer

P.S. Sorry for the novel.

[alex3]

That's good info 2fer.  So sorry for everything you've been through.  Makes my resurfacing look like a walk in the park.  I don't understand how you could get both done at the same time.  How do you do rehab if you don't have a good side to work with ?

  I asked my doc for a refill of dilaudid and he had no problem doing that for me.   I've graduated from the walker to one crutch after 10 days, so I'm pretty happy about that.  Left the house for the first time last night to go to my son's basketball game.  Felt good to get out.  Things are progressing well.

Alex

[hernanu]

That's good news Alex, you're using the right approach. Isn't one crutch (or a cane) great? You can carry stuff, etc.

[alex3]

One crutch was great until I went to the doctor yesterday and they said it's too soon to be using one crutch.  Definitely a setback for me as I had been told weight bearing as tolerated until yesterday

[WTW15]

Just thought I'd revive this post to see how the Class of Jan 2012 Hippies are doing.

I'm week 17 1/2 or so and feel like I'm about mid-pack at this point in healing.  Not on the "fast-track" but don't seem to be going to slowly.  I am walking 3.5 miles or more a day, and have added lunges during the walk.  Did 125 on Thursday.  I do maybe 4-5 walks a week.  I try to do my PT 3-4 times a week, but  it's soooooooooooooooooo boring.   I'd rather DO something to rehab than just work out in the home gym.  (Ok not really a gym, my son's bedroom since he moved out) 

I have mtn biked a few times, but between work and weather, it's been hard to get out on the bike.  I did do 13 miles 2 wks ago on some open-space easy trails and it felt GREAT.  I paced myself and took breaks frequently but it was so nice to really "move". 

I am looking at increasing the Mtn Biking the next few weeks as I approach my 6month mark.  My appt is 7/19 and if all is good, we'll have our motorcycles loaded up that night and headed out for an easy moto ride on 7/20!   ;D  I have totally set my self up to be crushed if I can't ride on 7/20, but will try to remember that I'm in this for the long-term.

I'm still stiff and a little sore transitioning from sitting to walking.  I still get weird pains up/down the scar/muscles.  I still think about my hip most of the time.  If I get a weird pain, I have a moment of panic.  But I lay there at night and 'try' to feel that O/A pain and you know what - It's Gone!!!  I feel nothing inside the hip joint.  All my aches and pains are muscular and that's so awesome!!!  And by reading more and more here, I know these issues will resolve with time.  That's so awesome!!! 

So - January Hippies - post up and let us know how you are doing.

[stephen1254]

I'm approaching week eight and I have nothing to complain about. We did a 2.5 hour hike on the Tahoe Rim Trail today and are taking out the paddle boards tomorrow. I basically need a new excuse for not being able to keep up - surgery on the hip is passe.