Update February 23, 2017

5 years a bi-lat bhr as of today, all observations on earlier post above apply, clearly a success for me. 

Update October 5, 2016

5 years yesterday on my left BHR, doing extremely well.  No issues with the implants, walk 20-25 miles/week motivated by keeping weight off to extend hip life, which has improved overall health measurably.  Walk at just under 4mph consistently on hilly terrain.  Managed to impact one of the devices really hard with the tip of shovel handle while cutting sod about a month ago (the more fortunate of 2 places to have impacted in the hip region ) and was concerned for a few days, but nothing came of it thankfully.

In terms of issues/observations:

I have had occasional severe muscle spams/cramps on the inside of each thigh, that started post op after the first hip, after exertion and sweating profusely, sometimes hours after the exercise, the kind of pain that will immediately wake you up from a dead sleep.  Extra hydration and electrolytes seems to help, sometimes.  I am not sure how it relates to the bhr, maybe the process of surgical dislocation of the hip is one thought.  Small price to pay if related.

Also some bursitis (trochanter and illio-psoas) in the hips, that seems to be related to gouty arthritis attacks, once I watched my intake of food that cause the gout (beer, chocolate, purines, excess red meat) the hip bursitis has not returned (I was unaware of the gout/bursitis connection).

All in all I could not be more satisfied with the bhr’s, they were life changing.  Dr Brooks and the team did a fantastic job.

Thanks to Pat, Boomer, Woodstock, Hernanu, Danny, and many others of the 2011/2012 bilateral club or earlier. This site was the thing that really helped get through the non trivial recovery period, thank you ever so much, Dan

Update February 24, 2015

I am 3 years and 2 days away from my second BHR and bilat status, doing incredibly well. Started a regular walking/excercise biking program this winter, to try and avoid the winter weight gain, and have logged something around 200 miles since December. I continued to heal and get better in year 2 – 3, mostly on the second hip. I really never notice the hip joints themselves, (well, except when it is really cold, like most of this crazy February here in the southern great lakes) but do get occasional muscle soreness/stiffness in the area. Staying active and exercising, and getting up from my desk job periodically during the day avoids most issues.

I would do it over again in a heartbeat, and would recommend it to anyone who is a candidate. I would add that anyone considering resurfacing should also plan on a regular exercise program as part of the ongoing life changes, something I should have done years ago. I plan on keeping these as long as possible, and avoiding weight gain, and additional load on the implants, seems to be something that really makes a difference.

With a great surgeon, and support of everyone here at surfacehippy.info, fixing broken hips is a no-brainer.

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Dan’s Original Story Here

November 11, 2011

I started to panic about 4 weeks before my recent LBHR (Dr Brooks, Cleveland Clinic Euclid, October 2011) and can certainly identify with those emotions. The good news is that with an experienced surgeon, this will help you if the experiences of many here are true. Try to focus on the end point and what is to come, that helped me deal with the pre surgery anxiety alot, and the idea that I waited too long does seem true for me also.

I went through 2 rounds of injections in the past year (one time in both, once in right only [4 weeks before surgery]) and they helped for a while, but were temporary. Both labrums for me were torn also and OA is the problem in my case as well. The last year had been a dramatic decline, at 50, and pretty active (hiking, lanscaping, dogs etc, etc) but also realized I was at a point where I needed to do something. Took some advice from the Dr from early this year and lost substantial weight and changed eating behaviors to keep it off, which helped a bit but not as much as hoped, but was ready for the surgery by early October.

I’m doing very well now 5 weeks out, and looking forward to getting off crutches if all is well next week during 6 week follow up. No more pain in the hip joint after about 2 weeks after the operation, and most of what was there was muscle and tendon pain, not the joint itself. Almost no prescription pain meds, just tylenol for me, after week 2. I’m following the home excercise plan to a T and will do so for the first 12 months, and although the recovery is no walk in the park, it gets better virtually every day.

I did learn that my surgeon does not recommend further shots, at least in part due to risk of infection (about 1/2 if one percent per injection chance of that complication), so for me the idea of nursing along the other OA hip with injections is probably not going to happen.

Fooloish just to run again? Hard to say for you, but for me, the idea of not being able to walk, hike, garden, take my dogs ot etc without pain was more than enough motivation to get it done, as those things are pretty important to me, and I am very glad I did. At 50 I know I have to accept some limits– but with the surgery from a doc who has now done over 1100 of them with almost no major complications, — gave me the confidence I needed to see better times ahead with reasonable limits that may or may not be a big deal.

I’m also confident this hip can last a very long time if I follow what I’m told, so maybe you’ll get more than 10 years.
 

November 28, 2011

I’m nearly 8 weeks out from a LBHR with Dr. Brooks at CCF. Off crutches for almost 2 weeks now, and religiously following the at-home exercises every day (3 sets, 30 reps each set).

I am having no pain laying down at all, and aside from pain/stiffness when first getting up from a seated position, I’m not having lots of unexpected pain while walking, and the pain is less in the morning, but increases somewhat throughout the day. Limp is mostly gone, most notably early in the day, and I’m doing a special exercise to address that.

Most of the annoying pain at this point seems to be from sitting, and it occurs while sitting anywhere (car, couch, home desk chair, work desk chair, etc); it occurs towards the backside area, about 3/4th’s of the way around from the front of my operated leg, and behind the incision by about 4 inches or something, but not as far back as in the middle of the buttock on that side. I have tried a memory foam seat cushion, and that does not seem to impact it one way or another, and sitting on different pieces of furniture. Almost feels like I’m sitting on something. When this occurs, not surprisingly the limp is worse when I get up.
 

December 11, 2011

I am now more than 8 weeks out from the surgery. The cold temps here in the past week seem to have caused some additional muscle pain and stiffness after walking outside. A small set back mid week after a very chilly walk in damp/cold windy weather, pain level was a bit too high to comfortably do excercises and sleep was difficult for about 24 hours afterward. Seems to have quieted down some.

Starting to do some of the things I’ve missed past 2 months. I was able to walk the dogs down and back up long hilly (80 feet rise over 800 feet) driveway in the NY concord grape belt, past 2 nights, mildly stiff and sore after, but able to sleep mostly fine both nights. Incredibly clear nights, stars out, Orion in the southern sky, able to plainly see 40+ miles across Lake Erie into Southern Ontario, feeling pretty darn good about resuming simple things like that. I was also able to walk up the first terrace of our back hill for the first time since the operation, (although I did not go anywhere up the hill beyond as I normally would), which was really, really nice– also one of those simple things that was a morale boost.

Weather fronts coming through seem to raise the symptoms too; fair weather like today seem to help.

Limp mostly gone when pain level goes down and after a number of steps when rising from a seated position. Sitting still seems to be the time when the discomfort is most prevalent, and based on post from Hern and oers, is expected and normal.

Right “good” hip is now 3 months from last intraarticular injection, and hip pain symptoms creeping back into the picture.
 

I returned to work from home 4.5 weeks after surgery, and in the office 6 week after off crutches, and now 9+ weeks out still very tired at end of day. It continues to improve, but it is not 100% yet.
 

December 27, 2011

Almost 12 weeks out now, and finally had a chance to walk for an extended period outside on a flat venue (12 month incline restriction which is almost impossible to follow as we live in hilly areas) yesterday in full sun, at about 40 degrees. Walk went really well, more than 60 minutes on the towpath in our National Park in northern Ohio. Some muscle fatigue, soreness/stiffness afterwards in the soft tissues, but no unexpected pain or other bad things, very little limping, and none of the adverse feelings related to cold weather. Very tired afterwards, probably as much a side effect of 3 very, very busy days around Christmas, and many hours on my feet over those days, than from the walk itself. Was really chilled when back at home, and that lasted a couple hours, which is odd given I was out in the sun and not cold at all while walking. Avoided my hiking boots, as they seem to place too much weight on the hip, and cause more issues that way, so sneakers were nice to wear (but kept me on the trail vs. my habit of going off trail frequently– probably a good thing with the slipperyness of December in Ohio).

My “good” (as of yet unrepaired hip) is now about 4 months from last intra-articular injection, and starting to get back to “normal”; ie some bone on bone pain while walking, which was some needed reinforcement of need for the 2nd BHR scheduled for late February, as that hip has remained mostly symptom free for 16 or so weeks. That side also kept me up last night a bit.

January 7, 2012

Almost 12 weeks out now, and finally had a chance to walk for an extended period outside on a flat venue (12 month incline restriction which is almost impossible to follow as we live in hilly areas) yesterday in full sun, at about 40 degrees. Walk went really well, more than 60 minutes on the towpath in our National Park in northern Ohio. Some muscle fatigue, soreness/stiffness afterwards in the soft tissues, but no unexpected pain or other bad things, very little limping, and none of the adverse feelings related to cold weather. Very tired afterwards, probably as much a side effect of 3 very, very busy days around Christmas, and many hours on my feet over those days, than from the walk itself. Was really chilled when back at home, and that lasted a couple hours, which is odd given I was out in the sun and not cold at all while walking. Avoided my hiking boots, as they seem to place too much weight on the hip, and cause more issues that way, so sneakers were nice to wear (but kept me on the trail vs. my habit of going off trail frequently– probably a good thing with the slipperyness of December in Ohio).

My “good” (as of yet unrepaired hip) is now about 4 months from last intra-articular injection, and starting to get back to “normal”; ie some bone on bone pain while walking, which was some needed reinforcement of need for the 2nd BHR scheduled for late February, as that hip has remained mostly symptom free for 16 or so weeks. That side also kept me up last night a bit.

February 22, 2012

got a late “tee time” today and sitting in the room as the spinal wears off at the moment. Feeling pretty good, all things considered. Some similar day 0 pain in the front of the leg near the joint, we’ll see if I need the toradol this time.

This time was awake and remember going into the operating room, getting ready to go then out cold. Awake the whole time in the recovery room too, other than some shivers and teeth-chattering (normal side effect I’m told) which was solved by a odd plastic blanket that was heated.
The leg pump that is used to inflate the calf stockings is almost silent, huge difference from the one before, hopefully will be able to sleep better with this one, for the next 2 weeks.

Thanks to all for the kind words, well-wishes and encouragement, I literally feel like I have a huge cadre of supportive Hippys right around the corner, very, very comforting.
 

February 25, 2012

Day 4 post 2nd bhr, mostly managing pain (ice, meds) and doing the exercises. Day 1 was rough for first 12 hours after surgery, toradol finally got me down into an expected range of post op pain, the same thing happened last time. Day 2 was remarkably good, pain med only every 6 hours, with zanaflex when needed. Day 3 wasn’t as good, started PT exercises which added to the pain, but the pain was managed well by the staff, including a final dose of toradol before I got in the car. Crashed with the sleep of the dead for a couple hours when I got home, and overall got about 7 hours (in 3-4 chunks one as long at 3.5 hours) of sleep over night.

Longer incision, seems like a lot less swelling/bruising so far. First full day home. Zero appetite and HooverDam dynamic, despite pre surgery diet modifications and colace for more than a week before. It feels like swelling is the culprit with the digestive issue, versus just the pain meds, but I could be wrong

Hip repaired in Oct is doing well, able to support myself on that leg when needed with no apparent issues.

Dr. Brooks provided his customary xray film of the now 2 implants, which almost blew into Lake Erie when my wife went to get the car during discharge, during strong winds from a storm which passed through yesterday. It survived mostly intact, with a section that actually blew over the building, a small bit of one implant is missing from what is left.

February 29, 2012

One week out from my 2nd bhr, doing about as expected. Some things seem a bit easier.

Have had a couple really good days out of the first 7, where I needed less meds and getting around the house was less difficult. Sat outside in the sun yesterday and Saturday, which was a great morale boost. Swelling of thigh and pelvic region about as bad as last time, and bruising now starting to spread downward and outward, but so far less than the first surgery in Oct 2011. Seeing the “black” of black and blue in and around pelvis, really dark bruising, and in areas one would rather not see such bruising.

Sleep has been better than last time, so far less urgent wakeups to pee, but swelling has not reached peak yet. Getting a few hours at a time, at best, but able to fall back to sleep pretty easily. Tylenol at night primarily, to alleviate digestive slowdown, seems to have helped that alot while providing sufficient pain control while laying down.

Hip repaired last year started to complain yesterday, after being up a bit to long making dinner, and that pain added to the one fixed last week, is slightly overwhelming (last time the good hip was injected 1 month prior to bhr and was pain-free for months during recovery). Pain meds and ice continue to help during the day, taking less than last time. Doing all exercises 3x per day, up to 30 reps (as pain allows) for each one: can see ROM improvements daily.

Overall positive so far, but realize the grind of recovery is just starting, so guardedly optimistic at this time.

March 7, 2012

Now 2 weeks out on 2nd BHR and doing very, very well. Was able to get rid of the pump and calf stockings today (for DVT prevention) and got a clean bill of health on the ultrasound of lower extremities this morning (no blood clots). With risk of jinxing, lots less bruising this time (only down to just below knee, and side/back of that leg), more/easier flexibility, can kind of do socks on the new BHR leg if sitting on the side of the tub, and overall much less pain and stiffness, so far anyways. Sleep has been much better with this one, even while tethered to the dvt prevention pump; it should get much better now that the pump is history. I can sleep on the 10/2011 BHR side for short times, which is a god send because I’m not a back sleeper, can’t lie on operated side for more than a couple minutes. Started the additional standing BHR exercises today. Eight hour OTC tylenol at night, and zanaflex for muscle stiffness, and very minimal pain meds past 48 hours.

Now just the battle with patience to allow healing, boredom, and continued tempering of enthusiasm to assure I do not do too much, and have a setback. The 10/2011 BHR is a bit painful at the end of the day after hauling me up and down the stairs and around the house all day.

50 weeks away from no restrictions at all, 4 weeks away from driving and walking without crutches.

March 21, 2012

Now 4 weeks out from my second BHR, and doing very well. Pain is minimal, stiffness and such when arising from seated position, which is also normal. This one feels at least a couple weeks ahead of the first one in terms of recovery, and working hard to stay patient and stay on the crutches for 2 more weeks. There are days when the discomfort in the BHR from 10/2011 is equal to this one, which is to say, mostly minimal. Started back to work from home this week, a week ahead of last time.

Got out in the yard yesterday and raked up around a flower bed, which was “interesting” to do with one crutch, but was nice to be able to do just the same.

Have also lost some weight since prior to the surgery, which after adjusting for the 2.4 pounds of implants, is about 5+ pounds lost, presumably due to the loss of appetite for the first few weeks after surgery. Still seems weird since I’m forced to be mostly sedentary while on crutches.

Very, very happy I got this done, and looking forward to many good years to come on these hips.

 

April 3, 2012

Had my 6-week checkup today, off the crutches, and the new (and Oct) implant look perfect on the x-rays. Time to start walking the dogs again, and catching up on yardwork. I feel really quite well, seems to be a couple weeks at least ahead of hip #1.

Restrictions for 10.5 months to come then free to be myself.

My 6-month anniv of my left BHR is this week; that one has been a bit sore hauling me around the place, hoping it will now settle down now that the right leg is back on terra firma 100%. Overall feeling really great to be through this phase.

May 4, 2012

10+ weeks after #2 and one day shy of 7 months on #1. Doing quite well overall for sure. Get some soreness and muscle fatigue on both sides when turning over the garden, or push mowing (particularly in the 88 degree heat yesterday), but the ultra smooth “buttah” feeling when the hip joint moves is just incredible. It makes me smile, automatically.

Little things: sometimes now getting in bed the old way (not backing up to the bed in reverse as I have been since last Oct.); I can get in the car the old way no problem (step in), able to cross legs, do socks, trim toenails, and much of that kind of small but noticable stuff is about 75% normal.

May 21, 2012

this has been such an overwhelmingly positive experience, now almost 3 months after #2 and a few weeks from 8 months on #1.

I continue to obey all the restrictions, which at this point is no lifting over 40 -50 lbs, no high impact for 1 year, and leg exercise for ROM only.

Here are some random expressions of success, at this stage in the year-long recoveries for each side, that really make me feel good about the decision to do this: (PS I’m just an average 50 y/o and non athlete who is very active outdoors whenever possible)

1) walking with the birmingham hip joint super glide makes me smile, the bone on bone pain is gone, and has been since the first day in the hospital.

2) moved a huge woodpile 3′ high and 10 pallet foorprint (with help of yard tractor and cart) starting the first weekend off crutches

3) planted 10 (bare root) aspen trees

4) edged and mulched most beds at our Ohio home (we have many), about 4 yards of mulch, just at a bit slower pace given the recovery.

5) planted many perrenials for my wife

6) Hiking at will on the Allegheny escarpment with our dogs, behind our NY retirement home, slightly slower pace

7) last fall, after #1, spent considerable time on the roof installing and tweaking an OTA antenna and associated wiring and controls (man digital TV from way up on a hill is pretty damn good reception)

8. Been push mowing on my own in Ohio, (started with one crutch BEFORE I was off crutches), while my nephew finishes up the lacrosse season.

9) One huge side benefit, was to lose weight. My surgeon said I should months before I had the surgeries, and I’m down 25 lbs, to assure I keep these new hips as long as possible. Although an indirect benefit not directly attributable to the HR, the motivation was the HR, and I feel better all around because of the loss of flab.

I was poised to remove a couple stumps over this past weekend, but the boss said that should probably wait until off restrictions, and I relented. Also put off some drainage ditch work as well, too much hip action needed for that. I have also not restarted volunteer work in our Nat’l Park, it involves too much walking in uneven and sometimes slippery terrain, and I do not want to fall.

The most I have is stiffness when rising from seated position, and muscle fatigue soreness when doing too much work, otherwise I am doing very, very well. Taking way less meds than for the last few years, most notably during the work week.

Getting my HR was a great decision, hands down.
 

June 8, 2012

Just passed 8 months on my first BHR, and it is doing really well. Noticing the start up stiffness on that side, when arising from seated position, is noticably decreasing, as is the muscle soreness after activity. The motion in the joint is incredibly smooth and completely pain free, and continues to produce spontaneous smiles. Squeaking (not painful whatsoever) seems figured out and easily avoided by staying hydrated or by using sports drink to address dehydration when it does occur.

This may sound trivial, but moving to work/dress shoes with no heel during the work day seems to have really helped when walking, on both sides.
 

August 20, 2012

Will reach my 6 month milestone on my right BHR this week, and about 10.5 months on the left side. Mostly boring recovery which is exactly what I was hoping for.

Doing really well overall. Some muscle soreness after exertion on the 6 month old BHR, particularly when activities include bending at the waist, but nothing to write home about. Very occasional more extensive pain, usually following over exertion of various types or dumb things I may have done. Taking less meds for pain that I have in probably over a decade, which is really, really nice. Startup stiffness on the 6 month side is still present but noticably decreasing, all but gone on the other side.

I do seem prone to changes in the weather, a couple cool fronts and low pressure systems have come through over the past couple weeks, (we have had months of dry and fair weather), causing some muscle soreness and ache, but nothing major.

I remain thrilled with my resurfaced hips. One huge added bonus has been the weight I dropped last year before the surgeries, and managed to keep off, which has lead to a much better overall health outlook, far better diet, all resulting in lower BP, better labs, ec, etc, and annual physicals that are markedly improved.

Looking forward to 1st anniversary of #1 in October.
 

October 5, 2012

Today is my 1 year anniversary of my first BHR, and it has been quite a year indeed. Starting with the presurgical jitters (Ok, outright panic at times) for a couple months leading up to it, through the first few rollercoaster weeks of recovery after #1 which were far from easy, the rush of having no more OA pain on that side, the many little bumps (which seemed huge at the time) and many small and celebrated victories along the way, then a second BHR 4.5 months later, have all added up to a markedly improved, super smooth hip action that I could not even conceive up prior to all of this. If I had known how well this would have turned out, I would not have waited so long to get it done, and certainly would have not worried so much about it.

I have followed all restrictions, did all the post op exercises religiously, walked every day a couple times at least, and gone about all my normal vigorous outside and inside work and fun pretty much as normal, with simple muscle soreness and stiffness that subsides over time. My October 2011 BHR is only sore now when I do too much, and rarely stiff or at all troublesome. All squeaking has subsided (the other hip never squeaked).

I feel amazingly blessed to have had such an incredibly good surgeon and surgical/recovery team, such a supportive and tolerant spouse, two everpresent canine “therapy assistants”, and of course all the outrageously superlative, massively informed, unbelievably unselfish, really funny, and supportive Hippy’s here, that all combined to make a very, very difficult situation seem simply easy. I am humbled and eternally grateful to everyone here for your help and support, so Thank You from the bottom of my acetabular cups, particularly but in no way limited to Pat, Boomer, Hernanu, Kiwi, Curt, Tin, Woody, Danny, 2fer, Dozer, Biscuit, and so many others. You are a unique bunch of people and the bond that exists in this community is beyond description, and the profound appreciation I have for all of you will remain with me the rest of my life.

There are a number of frosty beverages in my near future to celebrate this, probably combined with some aglio olio, cobalt-chrome enabled “gymnastics”, and a huge campfire as soon as possible (but not necessarily in that order).

February 22, 2013

Today is the 1st anniversary of my second BHR, ending the 16 and 1/2 months of restrictions on activity since my first BHR in October, 2011.

I could not be more happy with my resurfacings. Not only have my hips gone from bad prior to “easy to forget” now, my health generally has improved as part of the effort to keep weight off to preserve my new implants, so I have had a double-barreled benefit from all of this. Both sides continue to get better.

I have been ramping up physical activity and exercise, and put some additional stress on the hips with no issues. Took a big spill while walking downhill at night on some iced-over snow last weekend, landing awkwardly and hard on the ice, with no issues other than a little soreness. (The dogs thought I was down for the count, and came rushing to see what happpened, which was funny to see). Hiking the big hills along the escarpment behind our home in WNY have been pain free for some time, most noticable when descending, which is something that was really painful prior to the surgeries. Many, many other things are now possible as well.

Thanks once again to Pat and all the fellow surface hippies here, you have all been critically important to my recovery and I am forever in your debt.