rehab hospital

[mitch]

Hello evryone, I am having BHR on 10-27. (end stage OA) I havent read about anyone going to rehab hospital and my surgeon said I would likely be going for 2 weeks. I am 45 and this freaks me out. next is the bone on bone issue, last night at work as I stood up I swear i felt like grinding in my hip, it hurt so bad I thought I was going to get sick .Am I blowing this out of proportion? is that even possable? Once in a freak boating accident I was stabbed in the abdomen and the er doctor stuck his finger inside me and was rubbing my hip bone and I was ok with that, I only mention it because I didn't want you all to think i was some kind of baby. lol  Anyways thanks alot for this sight
Mitch

[obxpelican]

Hi Mitch,


End stage OA is usually seen as bone on bone, in other words you have no cartilage left in your hip joint.  You are not being a baby because many of us have had that and it's real painful.  45 is not too young for needing a new hip, many of us were in denial for a long time. I kept thinking my hip would get better, it got worse.  You found a good site for information right here Mitch.


Chuck

Hello evryone, I am having BHR on 10-27. (end stage OA) I havent read about anyone going to rehab hospital and my surgeon said I would likely be going for 2 weeks. I am 45 and this freaks me out. next is the bone on bone issue, last night at work as I stood up I swear i felt like grinding in my hip, it hurt so bad I thought I was going to get sick .Am I blowing this out of proportion? is that even possable? Once in a freak boating accident I was stabbed in the abdomen and the er doctor stuck his finger inside me and was rubbing my hip bone and I was ok with that, I only mention it because I didn't want you all to think i was some kind of baby. lol  Anyways thanks alot for this sight
Mitch

[Pat Walter]

Hi Mitch

You are very young to need to be going to a rehab facility after hip resurfacing.

Normally people stay in the hospital several days and then go home.  Dr. Rogerson in WI has a rehab facility like Dr. De Smet in Belgium and he often rehabs people. It is not like a nursing home though.  He has a pool and patients do water therapy and exercises.

I stayed at the Holiday Inn in Belgium after my resurfaicng.  I was in the hospital 2 1/2 days and then released to the Holiday Inn.  I had to stay in Belgium 9 days after surgery to make sure I was healed properly.  I was walking around and eating in the resturant for every meal.  We did some exercises every day with a PT, but they were very easy.  I was able to go sight seeing at 5 days post op.  That only meant I was walking afew blocks, but quite able to move around and enjoy myself.

So you need to ask why you would go to a rehab facility unless you are overseas.  Then they keep you awhile before you fly home.

Who is your doctor?  How many resurfacings has he/she done?  Have you talked with other patients of your doctor to see how they have done?

Hip pain can be very severe.  Sounds like you are ready for a new hip.

Pat

[mitch]

My surgeons name is Dr. Barba in Rockford IL. I meet with him again in a couple weeks about 3 days before surgery. I have been dealing with this for about 7 years now. It's funny because I read some of the post and it's like I can relate so much. And some of the post are just funny and thats a good thing. I have a lot of questions for my doctor thanks to this websight, stuff I would never have thought of. We have alot of appointments leading up to the actual surgery. Oct. 8 is Joint replacement class "WOOT". You guys are great thanks
Mitch

[blmjumper]

Mitch...end state bone on bone is pretty rough. I'm there myself and scheduled for Dec. 1. Some days it feels good...and (it's only happened twice over the last year) it's locked up and pretty much brings tears to my eyes to get it to move again.

Good luck and ask lots of questions here...folks are very helpful.

[JeanM]

Mitch,
A 45 year old patient having to go to a rehab hospital for two weeks following a hip resurfacing surgery just doesn't sound right to me.  I'm 41.  I had my surgery on Wednesday and I was released from the hospital on Friday.  It was absolutely no problem to re-hab in a home environment after that.  Although everyone's recovery is different, I believe that having to spend two weeks in a rehab hospital is unusual.  Why does your doctor require that?  How many resurfacing surgeries has he done?

Jeanie

[obxpelican]

I agree with everyone else, unless you have some other determining factor you should not need to be in a rehab hospital for 2 weeks.  Most of us were out 1-3 days post op and some were full weight bearing the day of surgery.

Did they do a bone density test that came up real bad?  Any other issues other than end stage OA?


Chuck

[mitch]

I don't have answers to most of your questions. Although you can bet I will have after our next visit. All I know is what the papers say and I saw the X-rays. The paper says end stage OA  with associated displacia. I also know that while I have been dealing with this for several years that last few months have gotten alot harder. The last few weeks especialy. When I asked my pcp to take me off work a couple weeks before the surgery because I'm having a hard time she said that I've been bone on bone for months and the pain now can't be any worse then it was a few weeks ago!! So needless to say after my surgery I 'm getting a new pcp.
Mitch

[TomBuell]

Hi Mitch - I don't know about the rehab hospital, but, like the man says, "I feel your pain." Obviously every case is different, but a lot of us on this site, myself included, remember that morning after the surgery when we felt a bit sore and woozy and wobbly, but there was no mistaking that the old grinding pain was GONE.
Wow, still brings a tear to my eye.
Good luck, and keep us posted.
- Tom
RBHR 7/1/08
Dr. Ari Pressman - Pittsburgh - Excellent

[Donna]

Hi Mitch.  I just had double hip resurfacing Monday, Sept. 8th.  I'm 49.  By Thur. I was questioning them on going home as opposed to a facility.  I think I was just nervous and was afraid to go home.  Most of the Drs. and nurses on staff all talked me into going home.  It was the best decision I made.  I believe I do more (and am more motivated) at home than I would have ever done at a facility.  Something to think about as well, risking infection by going to another 'place'.  You will need some help the first week but it's doable.

You are not blowing it out of proportion.  Bone on bone is very painful!

Good luck!
Donna I.

[fenceman]

Hi Mitch.  I am 44 and had my left hip done 7 weeks ago.  I was in the hospital for 4 days.  My PT for 2 weeks at home consisted of walking on my crutches, butt and thigh squeezes,  ankle pumps, and knee bends on that leg (sitting or lying).  My thigh was pretty swollen so it was pretty hard to move my leg below the knee. The Dr. wanted the hip to heel and did not want me to work it very much until after 6 weeks.  It is great to not have pain in that leg anymore.  Bill 

PS.  Notice a lot of guys named Bill on this site.  Think the name has something to do with bad hips????

[obxpelican]

They (PCP) did that with my wife when she was pregnant and having problems the last few weeks, she had to work almost right up until the birth of my daughter.  Thankfully she and the baby did well.

I am wondering if the displacia is the reason for the 2 weeks in the rehab facility? 

Mitch.... tell your doctor to give you a call and ask lots of questions to him, ask him why.  Also ask how many surgeries he's done, how many slipped cups, how many revisions due to other problems, pain protocol etc.

You only get one shot at this operation Mitch.

I wish you lots of luck with your surgery Mitch.



Chuck

I don't have answers to most of your questions. Although you can bet I will have after our next visit. All I know is what the papers say and I saw the X-rays. The paper says end stage OA  with associated displacia. I also know that while I have been dealing with this for several years that last few months have gotten alot harder. The last few weeks especialy. When I asked my pcp to take me off work a couple weeks before the surgery because I'm having a hard time she said that I've been bone on bone for months and the pain now can't be any worse then it was a few weeks ago!! So needless to say after my surgery I 'm getting a new pcp.
Mitch

[mitch]

I know everything is gonna work out ok, But during the week climbing in and out of machines at work I tend to bitchy my wife says. ( I can't hardly believe that not me ) lol  I know alot more about whats gonna happen thanks to you folks and have tons of questions which I will have answered in the next couple weeks.
Mitch

[mitch]

I had to go to some joint replacement class at the hospital today. ( what a joke ) But anyway, the nurse said 99.9% of all hip replacements go to rehab hospital after leaving there. I'm hoping thats because most of the people in that class were realy old like in there 50s or 60s lol  ;D ( just kidding please don't send me hate mail )I couldn't believe it. I have no intention of going to one. I"m coming home, Homemade chicken noodle soup, My own bed, cold beer with the neighbor you know what I mean. Thats the kind of stuff makes you better. Oh Ya ordered one of those zero gravity chairs that lady was talking about, I think her name was sharkbait.
Mitch

[Pat Walter]

Did the nurse say what percent of the 99.9% were hip resurfacing patients?

Hey - watch that 60's stuff.  I was 61 when I had my resurfacing and was on one crutch at 4 days and sight seeing at 5 days.  Walking about 1 mile a day at 12 days post op. 

You are right, a beer with your friends is perfect post op therapy. At 2 1/2 days post op leaving the hospital I meet with all the other hippies at the Holiday Inn and we had Belgium Beer.  We all did that every night for 9 days post op.  That's why De Smet patients heal so fast - it's the Belgium beer ( which they also serve in the hospital in Belgium in the snack bar and vending machines at the Holiday Inn!)

Most hospitals are use to dealing with THR patients.  I tried some PT when I came home from Belgium and they only kept me 2 sessions.  They said I was so far ahead of THR patients that they did not know what to do with me. 

Pat

[mitch]

Yes we asked alot of questionsand she had no answers. All we left there with was knowing what elavators to use when I go in for surgery and my wife found the gift shop :(. We meet with the surgeon in a few days so I'll find out then. Dr. Barba is on your list. Mitch

[sherry]

I agree w/Pat, watch that 60's stuff.  :D  I'm 61 and getting my rt hip resurfed. Bone on Bone pain is HELL and my left hip (resurfed 2 yrs ago) was 1/4" cartlidge gone. I could hardly stand it. I came home from hosp w/just Pt for a couple times.  I'd ask a lot of questions of your Dr as why so long in rehab. The 1st pain free step after surgery is WOW.

I remember Pat when you were in Belgium and having those beers.


Sherry LC+ 11-10-06 Kennedy
RBHR in 28 days 11-06-08

[Pat Walter]

Hi Sherry

Sometimes it only seems like a dream now.  But I still have a gift glass one of the waiters gave me to take home. In Belgium, every brand of beer has its own glass, so he gave me the glass that went with my favorite Leffe Blond Beer.

Our hips are almost the same age.

I want to wish you Good Luck with your upcoming surgery.  I hope you will have a quick and easy recovery.  You will be able to have another WOW moment when you take that first pain free step!

Nov 6 is not too far away.

Good Luck to all the 60+ folks  ;D

Pat

[sherry]

Pat,

We're not getting older we're getting better. Baby boomers keep on going.
Our hips are almost the same age. I'm glad I only have 2 hips. This is one great surgery but 2 is my limit.
I go to the hosp a wk from Tues for blood type, registration and a joint class. I'm sure it's for a replacement and will be boring. Been there, done that. I do see Dr Raterman for pre-op visit. Going to be a long day w/160 RT drive.
I'll keep you posted.
Sherry