Surgery - too soon??

[hipgirlatheart]

I've been reading on this site for a few weeks. I'm scheduled for a LBHR in less than a week.

People often or sometimes say that they waited too long. And I have a lot of plans this summer!

I may just need that final nudge to do this. In the back of my mind I can still back out. Today is a good day. I have no trouble walking around the house. It is winter (and we just got a foot of snow) and so I am going to the gym this afternoon to see how far I can actually walk on the treadmill. 

This summer I am scheduled to chaperone our son's choir on tour for two weeks. And I need to be able to walk a lot, all day, and they tell me-on little sleep. That will be hard in my condition I think.

The worst is when I sit on a hard surface-wooden bench- I cannot stand up! I limp until I stretch... super painful, holding onto a rail in a semi- crouch position and pressing my hips back until they find a comfortable position again. I've worked around it. If I avoid sitting on all hard surfaces- I'm fine. I fatigue but I can also sit on a soft cushion and my hip bones ( the right is not far behind 50-90% loss of space ) both seem to find their comfort zone again. Does this make sense?

I guess I have the jitters no doubt. I haven't let it get too far and maybe I could wait awhile. On the other hand, i'm limiting my activities more, stairs are now labored..i used to run them! My dx is acetabular protrusio with secondary joint disease bilateral hips.

My family wants me to get it done. They do hear me complain. As opposed to this summer, maybe getting a sub for the tour. I have one lined up even just in case I decide to put it off.

Any thoughts out there? Put it off and see if it improves, right? I can dream can't I...

[hernanu]

Hi and welcome to the site!

We've all had the jitters as the operation got close. The thing is that it does not get better. Once it starts, it does not stop.

I also had 'good' days, which were really bad days that were not as bad as the REALLY bad ones.

You just described some great reasons to go forward:

• You can't stand up from a hard bench without pain.
• You can't stop limping until you stretch.
• Can't find a comfortable position until you hold a rail and try to position your hips.
• Can't walk on the treadmill without the possibility/probability of pain.
• Can't sit on any hard surfaces.
• Can't run stairs

That's a lot of can'ts in just one small aspect of your life. I'm sure you're compromising in other areas as well.

Your family sees the deterioration. It's not just the hearing complaints, it is seeing someone they love in pain. I saw the stress on my daughter's faces as they saw me limping through life. That look is now gone.

By the summer, depending when it is, you may be able to go. The thing is, why let something that you will probably do many more times, when fully fixed with happiness and vigor restrain you from getting relief?

I had to put things in proper context. Whatever I had scheduled along the way of my recovery pales in importance compared to my well being and that of my family. You are in pain, and it is a degenerative condition that will not leave until shown the door. That happens when you have the surgery.

In the end, it is your decision, but it sounds like in all ways, it's time - just my opinion, having gone through two. We will support you either way, but I would advise you to have it.

[Miguelito]

My advice is to trust your gut.

Who is your surgeon? I think a lot of my (brief) initial trepidation about this surgery disappeared after I spoke with Dr. Gross, the surgeon who did my HR.

Before my decision to travel for this surgery (a short flight so not like I went to India) I think a large part of my nervousness was knowing deep down that I didn't want to have anyone but the best surgeon I could get operate on me. After I made that decision, and Dr. Gross signed off I never looked back.

The overwhelming majority of people on this site are glad that they went thru with it. That being said, this is major surgery and you need to make this decision, not your family or anyone else.

I wish you the very best of luck!

Mike

[hipgirlatheart]

Thanks, guys. Good points and I am thinking them over. I still have to get to the gym. Yes, I've been limiting my activity and mentally that has been stressful. I have the best surgeon. His name is Dr. Palmer. He is here near the Twin Cities, MN. He has done over 1200 of these surgeries. I know personally one of his patients and I have heard of many others who are extremely happy with their outcomes. I feel 100% good about him. I've met twice with him, one year apart.

I have to see how far I can walk without pain or bearable pain. I can usually do 3/4 mile with minor limping, and achy hips toward the end where I can't wait to sit down. Yes this I major surgery. If I don't have it and I deteriorate more by June and cannot do the tour, there's someone to cover me. And if I DO have it and yet not ready to go, I'm covered too. I cannot let down this whole group of kids/leaders etc. But either way I won't. So I can take all that out of the equation. What does my gut say. The main question to myself is how much pain and discomfort do I really want to live with? how have I already curbed my lifestyle? and take all the pressure from the outside off.

Thank you so much for your feedback.

[Miguelito]

Hi again,

Sounds like you are thinking about all the things you need to. I'm sure you will do what's best.

I just wanted to throw out there that I would not have been ready to walk around all day for two weeks at three months post op. Perhaps many others would have. I would not have been. At all.

Mike

[hipgirlatheart]

Hm. So much to think about. My husband has stopped asking me what I'm going to do, but he has taken most of next week off. I am self-employed many years as a massage therapist and I need to work (get to work-i *love*my job) but can take some time off..

Well I worked out and at the time felt pretty darn good. At 3/4 mile the ache came on but I kept going. The gym was hoppin and that gets me charged. Went at a normal pace- to 1.5 miles- it felt good to MOVE! Stretches after, plus the usual yoga-like stretches- downdog and cat for back and legs. The dull ache is stronger now and frankly both hips feel the same. This is no way to go through life. I was surprised at how drawn together my knees had become. Left knee has a dull ache. If I could head off the symptoms with just stretching, strengthening and massage I would. But getting motivated keeps getting harder and i can see i'm headed down the wrong slope... Knowing how this can go from bad to sudden REALLY BAD.. why would I need it to get that far? I know I'm rambling and I need rest most of all. Thanks for the site -

[kimberly52]

Hello all,

I am brand new here and glad I saw this as the first post to read.  I too have been vacillating about this.  I am scheduled in 4 weeks.  Like you, I go to the gym and have great days like today and then start to question whether the surgery is necessary.  Until I have nights like this.  I went to the gym today and did have an excellent day but now at 12:37am I am in agony.  Pillows to support my leg do not help, no position can make me comfortable enough to sleep. I have Vicodin available but felt that I didn't need it tonight and decided that I would have a couple of cocktails to unwind. Now I am stuck because you can't do both or you are asking for trouble.

So today I talked myself out of surgery.  Tonight it was a no brainer that I will go forward.  I used to run distance and have not been able to run at all for over a year.  My once very active lifestyle of running, downhill skiing, and road biking have all dwindled down to nearly nill.

I have to keep reminding myself that I have seriously adjusted my lifestyle and this hip has taken over my entire household by limiting me.  Can't even prepare holiday dinners anymore because I can't stand for extended periods in the kitchen.  Walking the 3 blocks uphill to my office each day is also a problem. Can't sit in lengthy meetings either and can hardly get out of my chair afterward.

So yes, I ask myself how is it that I can go to the gym and even downhill ski up in the Rockies this past January, why I would need this to be done.  My answer is that although I can do these things, I pay dearly for it and can hardly walk afterward.

I hope that you make the right decision for yourself.  One thing that someone said to me was that you really need to consider the extend of the impact on the quality of your life.  As for me, I am tired of this being the elephant in the room and counting the days until I can start my recovery and the retirement travel my husband and I have planned for fall.

Wishing you the best with whatever decision you make.

[Dannywayoflife]

If the surgeon says its appropriate then they are the ones who know best. It's a scary thing major surgery it's only natural to question the choice but its worth it in the end when you get your life back!

[Jason0411]

A ggod surgeon is not going to operate on a good hip. If the Surgeon says he will do it now then I would bet a large amount of money that it needs doing now.

[Dee Dee]

I went to Disneyworld 4 months after my left hip resurfacing and my right hip was symptomatic.  I was on my feet for long hours every day for 6 days, with little sleep.  My hips were fine.  I did take some of my left over narcotics at night to help with my tired, aching lower legs and help me sleep. 

Everyone is different.  I was so ready for my first surgery, but I had to wrap my head around doing it again. 

I hope you get a peace. 

Dee

[hipgirlatheart]

The hospital admitting nurse is calling today apparently to finalize the time and I'll go get the comfort stuff they recommend for post op at home this weekend. There's nothing I can do about a structural issue. Surgeon recommended it a year ago or a cortisone shot-which I declined. They have a hammer, everyrhing looks like a nail. The hip felt better most of this past year with deep soft tissue work/ massage, diet & exercise. As a bodyworker, i think i have to try natural resources first and we all know some surgeries that could've been avoided. Kimberly - sounds familiar! The hubbie's co-worker was back to work in a few weeks with a resurfacing. I know- DON'T compare stories. It really helps to listen tho to everyone and to verbally unwind my busy brain. Wish I were getting them BOTH done at the same time now.  But he doesn't do that

[kimberly52]

Well it sounds like you are going to forge ahead with your surgery.  I hear you about trying the natural options first.  I was scouring the internet looking for any less invasive treatment that I could find and shooting my images and reports off to docs like Su and Phillipon looking for any alternative as well as a second opinion.

But then you get to the point of acceptance that there really are no other options except THR which for me is the absolutely last thing I would ever want to do.  And also, I do feel very fortunate to even be a candidate for a resurface.  My girlfriend is not and she has no alternative except a THR.  It has something to do with her insurance not willing to cover a resurface because their cut off age is 60 and she is 62.

I am very interested in following your progress so I know what to expect in less than 3 weeks now.

Best Regards,
Kim

[mustang4172]

Hipgirl and Kim-

You're going to be amazed at how good you're going to start to feel just few weeks post-op.  I'm 9 1/2 weeks post-op and I'm feeling really good.  My first days post-op are still fresh in my mind. I had them both done at once and while I was uncomfortable for a couple days, it wasn't really that bad.  If I had to do it again, I would still have them both done at the same time. 

All the best.

[Dan L]

Welcome!

It is a major decision and only you can determine what makes sense for you.  What many can offer here is what their experiences were like and how they feel about the decision, which will be overwhelmingly positive in the context of this site. Me too, incredibly positive experience and would do again in a heartbeat.

As Hern aluded to above, OA and other apsects of the hip degeneration never gets better, over time it only gets worse.

I'd offer one more thing I've learned recently: for me (your results may vary  ) I have noticed that many other things seemingly afar from my hip pains have also improved in my life.  Work, overall outlook, general health, mood etc have all been huge, unanticipated "downstream" improvements.  I was in pain for so long I did not realize how all of these other things had suffered so much, bad moods, lower tolerance for BS all around due to pain and sleep problems, weight gain, side effects from meds for pain, etc, etc.  All soooooo much better now.  I expected my hips to improve but did not anticipate how much the other elements would be better as well.

Good luck, I'm sure you'll be impressed with the outcome.

Dan

[Miguelito]

Hello. I just have to weigh in on an earlier comment.

"I had them both done at once and while I was uncomfortable for a couple days, it wasn't really that bad."

If that was that person's experience, great. It was not my experience and I believe that that comment seriously understates the experience of most. I have no regrets about having the surgery done, not one. But I was not quite prepared for how difficult the first two weeks were after surgery, mainly because of comments like that. If I'm being honest I would say the above quote is irresponsible. I do not believe that anyone's recovery was just uncomfortable for a couple of days. I think our human brains aren't wired to remember painful experiences.

I will say that my mother and aunt (in their late fifties at the time) had THR's and they didn't seem to have the degree of pain/discomfort post-surgery that I did, but I believe my experience was close to the average. I was very active (and 41 and male) until the hip really started to go and so I still had a good deal of muscle to cut through and to roll a femur through, so maybe the more muscle, the more pain. I don't really know.

I wish the original poster nothing but the best and hope she doesn't have one scintilla of discomfort. I just need to point out that recovery typically involves more than being uncomfortable.

Having said all that, just take the pain medicine you are prescribed and you will get through just fine.

Mike

[Dan L]

Mike;

Mostly agree, the surgery is no picnic and the recovery for the first couple of weeks for me, particularly the first one, was pretty difficult.  Physical and emotional hurdles, sleep deprivation, pain med side effects, cabin fever, etc.  Nothing to undersell.  For some writing here, it seemed more managable than my first, we're all different after all.

Would add though that ice, ice, ice--, muscle relaxants and pain meds when needed all helped alot; the second time the muscle relaxants were used more than the pain meds and helped offset all the side effects of the pain meds.  Staying ahead of the pain was my goal.

Thanks

[kimberly52]

I am going in with my eyes wide open and prepared for what is to come.  Having been through two major abdominal surgeries I think I have a pretty good idea of post op. And I have to agree that being uncomfortable seems like an understatement.  Having experienced the two priors, has a lot to do with my apprehension.  The 2 priors were 30 years ago so I can imagine it will be much tougher now.  However, on the flip side, all that needs to be done is to clear this hurdle and there is an end in sight.  By not doing the surgery, there is no end and it will only go on and get worse forever.  Please though, I am speaking for myself and do not intend to influence anyone.  We all must choose our own roads and go where they take us.

[hipgirlatheart]

Sincere thanks for chiming in everyone. Knowing I'm gonna need the second hip resurfaced and knowing my surgeon prefers to do them 6-8 weeks apart, is not a great feeling at all, but I am choosing this now and going ahead with the first hip Monday morning.

The ice, ice, ice and using the muscle relaxants (because i would've thought just pain meds) are super helpful. Staying ahead of the pain for sure my goal. And that's doable.

The negative moods one gives up after the surgery is well, promising to think about. I think someone wrote about vitality and happiness and those were like foreign concepts to me, huh, too weird, how far away we get from our selves.

[hipgirlatheart]

I wish I would've asked why he prefers to do them 6-8 weeks apart instead of at the same time, but it's a little late for that now. Does anyone know why it is a good idea?? (My R hip was also not as bad as it is now on our last appointment...)

[kimberly52]

I don't k ow the answer being so new to this world.  I just want to wish you all the best for Monday.  I hope that when you are up to it that you post your progress.

Take care,

Kim