Would you do a second hip early?

[ctb]

Was Dr. Gross able to give you any idea of how long you have before the other side needed to be resurfaced?  I think if I knew I would get several years out of my other hip, I might be inclined to wait, however, my pain crept up fast.  At first it was intermittent and manageable until it wasn't anymore and then I had to wait 4 months to get on the schedule.  JMO, but if I didn't think I had more that a year or two left on my other hip, I would seriously factor in the 11K. 

[FlbrkMike]

I had my two hips done four weeks apart, and have no regrets.

Both hips looked equally bad in my pictures.  The left one gave me a lot of pain.  The right one not so much pain but very limited ROM.  Once I knew that both needed to be done I decided to get them done as closely as possible.  Why get one fixed only to have the other one continue to hold you back?  My surgeon didn't want to do same day bilateral and suggested a month, with the option of pushing it out if I didn't feel ready.  By the fourth week my left hip (first one) was my "good" hip and I was as ready as ever to get the other one done.  As I sit here one year and two weeks after my second surgery I'm as positive as ever that I did it the right way.  The right way for me, at least!!  Everybody is different, but at this point I'm really glad I'm not thinking about getting the second one done.

And, with my $7000 annual out of pocket maximum the money did make a difference.

[Jbennett]

CTB Dr. Gross was thinking a couple years. Maybe three. But thats three years where your waiting and watching the pain gradually increase until it forces you to do it. i'm curious to hit the gym in a month and see how that hip is feeling with some extended workouts on the elliptical.

[Neild5]

Since it is only the end of March see how it does.  When I had my left hip done in Feb. 2011 the doctor said the right was going to need resurfacing in 5 years.  After seeing how much the right was holding me back I had it done last month.  Given the difference in our insurance my out of pocket maxes at $1500.00, if I was looking at $11K, last fall I would have done it in October rather than waiting.

Just my two cents...

[Anniee]

Both of my hips were bone on bone on X-rays prior to my first surgery, but only my right hip was hurting.  I had surgery on my right hip in April, and decided to schedule the left one later in the same year basically for three reasons:  1)  deductible already paid - mine is only $2000, 2) possibility of getting laid off that year and having to go on Medicare, which may not pay for resurfacing, and 3) knowing I would have to have the surgery at some point because of the condition of the hip.

I scheduled my left hip for October.  By July, that hip started hurting worse than my right one ever had.  I really believe that the pain in the right hip masked the pain in the left one, because I had no idea the left one was bad until Dr. Gross told me how it looked on the X-rays. Or else, having to rely on it while my right hip was recovering made it worse - who knows? By the time I had my second surgery, my activity level was severely restricted due to extreme pain in the unoperated hip, and I was very glad I had the surgery already scheduled.

$11K is a lot of money.  If you know you'll need the surgery, I think you should seriously consider having it this year, because the will not get better by itself.