BHR on November 6th

[surf_nwildwood]

I am scheduled for a BHR on my right hip on November 6th with Dr. Friederich Boettner at the Hospital for Special Surgery.  I must say that while I know I am going after the right procedure at the right time (54 y.o., good shape) I do, at times, second guess myself.   My pain occurs primarily when crossing my legs or spreading them. I surf, so you can imagine what that feels like when sitting on my board.  Walking and stairs still don’t give me much trouble.  But I get really stiff after sitting and I can tell that things are progressively getting worse – I haven’t slept much in the last 18 months.

The pain I have manifested itself in my lower back long before it did in my hip.  I mistakenly thought this was the root cause and treated it as such.  It wasn’t until the end of August 2012 when I paddled out on my board, hopped up into a sitting position and nearly flew off when I felt the pinch in my hip.  Still, I thought I simply pulled something and didn’t seek help until April of 2013.  X-Rays showed arthritis in the joint and my local Ortho said I would eventually need THR. After three months of Arthotec which helped my back pain but knocked the crap out of me (literally and figuratively) I decided to research hip replacement.  This research eventually led me to BHR which I had never heard of before. So here I am…

A couple of things before I close this note.  First, I am angry.  Angry that even though I have taken better care of myself that most of my friends,  I am the one with the worn out parts. I am tired. Tired of being just that – tired. I am finally understanding how much this is sucking the energy out of me.  I am getting anxious. I’m two weeks from surgery and I am getting a little nervous.  This isn’t a tattoo that can be lasered off if I change my mind. But deep down, I know this not only the right thing to do it’s the only thing.  I want my life back.

Lastly, I sought out Dr. Boettner because a) he was at HSS and b) he accepts my insurance.  I figured that if I met him and I didn’t like him then I would just keep looking.  I didn’t mind using an out-of-network doc if I had to. However, that wasn’t the case.  Dr. Boettner listened to everything I had to say; didn’t dismiss me or interrupt me.  Then he asked a ton of questions to determine if I was a candidate for BHR and when we decided I was, he explained the benefits and risks associated with it.  In the end I felt very comfortable with him and decided to proceed.  He is a very nice guy and gave me a level of comfort that he highly values patient outcome.  If you are considering a surgeon in the NJ/NY area, I strongly urge you to consider him. And I will provide updates as I go further into this journey.

Thanks for listening…

joe

[oldsoccerplayer]

Thanks for sharing all that including the emotional parts of what you're going through. I went through some of the same experiences. I originally attributed the lower back pain to ongoing effects of spinal stenosis for which I had surgery about 6 years ago, and I was also kayaking when it got bad enough that I realized I needed to get it treated. Besides the chiropractor who I've been seeing regularly for years I tried acupuncture and ensoma (http://ensomabodyworks.com/) to no effect. My chiropractor referred me to a Physiatrist who treated me with steroid shots about every 3 - 4 months for a couple of years. When that stopped working he referred me to a traditional hip surgeon who wanted to do a THR. After I read about all the limitations that come with that I went back and made a sad puppy face to the chiropractor who then said he'd heard of this thing called resurfacing and referred me to Dr. Gross.
At age 58 I also consider myself in better shape than many guys in my age group and don't want to give up on my weekly soccer game. I guess I didn't get angry - and there are a lot of 'hippies' your age or younger - but I understand the frustration. And "tired of being tired" was the expression I used.
I'm about 13 weeks post-op and though I'm not allowed back to soccer until February, I'm back on a fairly rigorous workout routine (no impact allowed yet) and feel better than I have for a long time.
It's not all a bed of roses, the recovery takes time and patience. While I don't necessarily regret not having it done sooner, that wouldn't have been a bad thing.
As a recent 'hippie' myself I've seen the importance of having a (virtual) support group. It really helps to know that what you are going through is normal and that so many have had successful outcomes.
Keep us posted.

[chuckm]

Joe, welcome to the site. Dr. Boettner resurfaced my left hip last November. I was 46 at the time. He implanted my BHR perfectly and I returned to competitive soccer six months later.
That hospital and surgeon are great. You have nothing to be nervous about and there is no way you will change your mind once you have a BHR.

I had the whole back pain thing for years too. That's all gone now with the new hip. But be patient, it does take many months for your muscles to recalibrate to the new functional hip joint. You'll see what I mean when you are there.

Good luck.

Chuckm

[hernanu]

Hey Joe, you've gotten some good advice. As a longer term hippy, I can tell you that this was the right step for me in getting me back to being as active as before.

Like was mentioned, it's not a cakewalk to recover from, but it is progressive and you see the results along the way.

I can understand your frustration and anger. I think all of us faced that in one way or another. There are many athletes here, or people who were very active in other ways, who took good care of things, to then have to face this.

It's normal and part of getting on with things. It's also normal to be nervous (I certainly was, although less so the second time). You are in good hands, and have a very good chance of doing well with this.

Good luck and welcome.

[keepmovin]

Hi Joe,
Ditto to all above comments!  I am 6 days out of having my second BHR (now a bilat) at HSS with Dr. Su.  You can't go wrong with your choice of hospitals, I've heard good things about Dr. Boettner as well.  Dr. Su did my first so I stuck with him for my second.  I am 55, female, but understand your frustration.  I was always in the best of shape, took care of myself better than most of my friends and family, and was angry when I was first diagnosed with hip issues.  I actually do have back issues which will be addressed once my hips have healed.  I'm not sure which came first, the back or the hip.

You will get a lot of support on this site as many of us share the same frustrations as you are experiencing.  I got over the first and moved on never giving a thought that my other hip would go so soon - 2 1/2 years later.  It's been a difficult year as I fought having it done again for many months - cancelled two operations. 

I'm doing better than my first, using one crutch around the house after only 6 days!
You are in good hands at HSS.  I felt very comfortable there, very efficient and caring.  Depending on where you life, getting there is more frustrating than actually being there!   My surgery was scheduled for 2:15 which gave us plenty of time to get in.  A lot of people stay over in the city.

As has already been said, recovery takes time so patience is a virtue. 

Good luck to you and please keep us posted on your progress!

[evant]

Good luck Joe, you're in good hands.

Nice and steady on the rehab and 2014 will be a great year for you.

[surf_nwildwood]

Thanks, all, for the encouragement and feedback.  I must admit at exactly 2 weeks out my mood is changing.  Except for the fact it's going to hurt worse before it hurts less. That hasn’t lost its irony on me.  But I feel good.

I am in the midst of selecting/purchasing the gadgets - sock aid, grabber, etc.  I already picked up gel ice packs the size of a twin bed.  Ok.  Not quite that big but big enough.  If anyone has any suggestions beyond the obvious tools I would like to know.  Especially if there was something you found or came up with out of the ordinary you found particularly useful. In addition, I am in the process of tying up some stuff at work and have one more business trip to go on.  Went to my last Giants game Monday night until the last game on 12/29 which - I hope - I am up for going to.  My son will be home from school so I am looking forward to going with him. He can drive this time...

I plan on keeping a daily log of my progress or as close to daily as I can.  Historically I have healed from things pretty quickly so I hope the tradition holds.  Fingers crossed...

joe

[whyme]

Hi Joe,
I'm just 7 weeks post op today, so I remember well the gadgets, I've used the following:
Crutches, Toilet riser, sock aid, gel ice packs, suction cup handle for the bath tube (I've no walk in shower or handles on the wall), flip-flops when showering to avoid slipping (I still use them).

I didn't need a grabber, maybe could have been useful the first few days (but during those you'll need assistance anyway -and take it!). Soon enough I found if I left the operated leg behind I could lean on my good leg and crutch (or bed, or table, or chair...) and reach everything on the floor!

For me, no need for a cane either, I transitioned from 2 crutches to 1, then from 1 to nothing.

The sock aid works, but is not perfect so it can be a bit frustrating at times.

After the heavy restrictions are lifted regarding hip flexion, crossing legs etc (6 weeks in my case), I've managed to ditch everything except the gel ice packs, and I still use the flip-flops in the shower for peace of mind.
Some people can't reach their toes for a good while and still need the sock aid, but I didn't.


Being angry ... Well, we've all felt it, I guess the younger and active the hippy was before surgery, the more angry we got!
I went through various stages: depressed, angry, in state of denial, acceptance, looking forward to surgery, relieved, grateful. Hopefully, in the following months/years I can add: DELIGHTED!

The physical limitations we endure up to surgery varies a lot with different people. In my case, towards the end it was very simple: pain while moving (walking), no pain if not moving. Until only a couple of months before surgery, sitting for a while (on anything other than firm chairs) was the worst. But then that suddenly stopped, don't know why.
I didn't need to take painkillers, and could still reach my toes.
And had no problems during sleep, except a few nights here and there.
Back pain was part of the process, knee pain towards the end, iliotibial band pain, dull pain in the buttocks/trochanter, stings of pain going down through the leg sometimes.

[bluedevilsadvocate]

Except for the fact it's going to hurt worse before it hurts less. That hasn’t lost its irony on me.

If you are anticipating that you will have a period of significant pain post-surgery, that may not be the case.  I don't recall any significant pain at home or even in the hospital, even though I took only one or two percocets (or whatever prescription pain reliever I was given) in the hospital, after which I took only acetaminaphen.  I did have some aggravating aching in my thighs at home at night, which made sleep difficult.  But I think if I had used a pillow or foam support under my lower legs to elevate them in bed, I might have avoided even that issue.

Soon the surgery will be behind you and you'll be on the mend!

[oldsoccerplayer]

Joe,
I can understand why someone in your condition would voluntarily submit themselves to major surgery .... but a Giants game? 

[surf_nwildwood]

Yes - Been a season ticket holder for a long time. And some things are simply out of our control...