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Todd's Bilateral Story...as it happens

Started by Todd, January 12, 2009, 06:16:49 PM

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Bionic

Todd, I think I already know how you feel.  My doc strictly limits activity for the first 6 weeks.  I can't even ride my recumbent bike.  Still, my Bowflex is waiting for me downstairs, and the PT at the hospital told me I was free to workout anything above the waist as long as it doesn't affect my hips.
Right uncemented Biomet Recap/Magnum
Feb. 11, 2009 with Dr. Thomas Gross and Lee Webb

obxpelican

I even at 6 weeks post-op+++ find myself seeing imrovements.  For instance a few weeks ago I was able to pull my knee up towards my chest as far as my non operated hip, today we took my daughter and friends bowling, I have not bowled in 3 years!!!  I bowled without even a twinge of pain. 

So many things that change everyday, it's amazing, lately I've noticed sometimes I get zero startup stiffness unless I am seated a long time, I was told that could last a year or better.

You are doing really well, you should be very pleased.


Chuck



Quote from: Todd on February 12, 2009, 09:49:44 AM
John,

You're absolutely right. Patience is not easy to remember sometimes.  If we look back at where we were to where we are in 5 weeks though, what a difference!  There are many small improvements that are evident from day to day that I have to remind myself of.  Happy 5 week anniversary to you too! 
Chuck
RH/Biomet U/C Dr. Gross/Lee Webb
8-6-08

Todd

Thanks Chuck.  I am really thrilled with where I'm at considering where I began this journey.  I keep reminding myself that it's still very early in the recovery process, and I have to take it one day at a time.  What a great feeling to be able to do an activity without pain or compensating to avoid pain!  I bet that was exciting! Were you able to break 100?

Todd  LBHR, Dr. David Palmer 1/7/09; RBHR 5/6/09 St. Croix Orthopedics, Stillwater, MN

jharpjr

Hey Todd:

Had my 6 week post op doctor's appointment this past Friday, 2/20 and received the following news:

  1. all hip restrictions have been lifted
  2. took me off blood thinners (awesome!)
  3. can go back to work at the office.
  4. can start working out with weights, aerobics but not impact stuff (running, etc)
  5. will keep going to PT 3x/week for another 4 weeks

I'm pretty excited about this. Wasn't expecting this news until 12 weeks post op appt. I will continue to do the PT too which I credit my "speedy" recovery, along with patience. My improved flexibility is drastically noticable and ROM is improving everyday. Most importantly, I no longer have pain in my left hip, lower back, or down my left leg. That alone was worth all we've been through. Workouts will start out slow and light on stationary bike, eliptical orbitor, some walking outdoors (weather permiting) and weight training. I'm 20 lbs lighter than the day of my surgery and want to lose another 20. I hope all is going well for you. From your recent posts, it sounds like it is. Keep me updated.

John from Syracuse

PS: Happy 6 weeks.....

Todd

Wow!  John, sounds like you're doing spectacularly!  20lbs is fantastic--It's amazing how much easier exercise can be without the joint pain.  Just wait until you can start running and really getting active.

I meet with Dr. Palmer on 3/5 when he returns from vacation.  Recovery is going pretty well for me too.  I'm continuing with PT 3x week for a couple more weeks, and I've been lifting weights and riding the bike either before or after therapy since I'm in the fitness center already.  With the snow and ice we have outside, it's been harder to get out and walk, but I'm getting around just fine.  I've slipped on the ice a couple times, and last night I was riding my 5 yr. old's scooter in the basement and tweaked my hip a little.  What's encouraging is that the pain was sharp initially, but not horrible. I definitely have some healing to do, but seem to be getting closer to normal every day.  Patience is the key, isn't it.

I expect I will go back to work by the end of March, and plan on working for the month of April.  Depending on Dr. Palmer's schedule I'll have my right hip done in early May.  Recovery and rehab will be a little easier without the snow and ice to contend with. Looking forward to getting back to normal by mid summer.

take care!
todd

Glad to hear you're doing so well at 6 weeks--it will only get better!   
Todd  LBHR, Dr. David Palmer 1/7/09; RBHR 5/6/09 St. Croix Orthopedics, Stillwater, MN

Todd

2/26/09 +50 days  Wow...that went quickly

Seems like yesterday in some respects, but where I was on day 1, where I am now, and where I expect to be in a couple months it is truly amazing.  ROM is better than it has been since--forever.  In comparison to my bad hip, it is unbelievable how bad it had been. 
I am going about my daily activities almost without thought of protecting the hip.  In our lovely MN weather, my hip has had to deal with snow, ice, and uneven terrain.  The stabilizing muscles have kept me on my feet although I have slipped and felt a twinge on occassion.  Fortunately, the pain wasn't too severe, and wasn't lasting.  Mostly it gave me confidence that I was getting better.  At the end of a rigorous day however, I've been sore and the hip felt weak.  It certainly isn't fully healed, and needs time to get the strength and stamina back.  I've been conscious of that fact and haven't tried to push it once I felt that fatigue. 

During PT we've checked my ROM against the bad hip, and will monitor that in the coming weeks and when surgery on the bad hip is done we'll have a baseline.  PT in the last week has been a lot of stretching and massage, with some spinning and strengthening.  My PT and I have a pretty good rapport and we are making steady progress without overdoing things.  I've got a pretty good sense of my recovery and status from day to day, and she has been great in recognizing where I'm at and what will be effective on a given day. 
I'm still feeling some pain when putting full weight on my hip in a running/jogging action, so I've been staying off the treadmill and not pushing that envelope yet.  I do check to see if the pain is there every couple of days, and I've found that after a good day of rest that the pain is pretty much gone.  That leads me to believe that it just needs some more time and healing and I need to be patient and let things run their course. 

I continue to limp before getting things stretched and loosened up, and each day is a bit different.  The limp goes away with some concentration and good stretching, so we're still making progress there too.

All in all, I'm satisfied with where I'm at today, and I'm looking forward to seeing Dr. Palmer in a couple weeks to see what he thinks.


In these past 2 months, I've talked to more people with hip issues (OA) than I would ever have expected.  Many have been told (as had I) that THR was their best option, and to wait as long as they can.  Don't take that answer as your only option!!! Please get an opinion from a surgeon who deals with both THR and HR.  You can get your "normal" life back.  Like many people you will read about on this website, there were many days that I didn't have pain, or it was tolerable.  The problem was that I stopped doing the things that I liked to do because of the pain, and I wanted to get back to living without compromising the things that were important to me.  I'm so glad that I found this website and got educated.  Hope you all do the same!
Todd  LBHR, Dr. David Palmer 1/7/09; RBHR 5/6/09 St. Croix Orthopedics, Stillwater, MN

Todd

3/13/09 +65 days...9 weeks right?

Hi everybody.  It's been a busy few weeks wrapping up the youth basketball seasons, playoffs, kids, etc.. and this week we are exhibiting at a wholesale tradeshow in Minneapolis (5 days). 
I had my 6 week check-up with Dr. Palmer last week (actually 8 weeks post-op).  The drive from home is 2.5 hrs, 20 minutes in the waiting room, 15 minutes for xrays, 10 minute wait for Dr.P, 5 minute check-up, and home again.  Not really worth the drive... He had me walk to check my gait which he said looked pretty good, looked over the xrays and everything looked great. 
My ROM is as good as I could hope for at this point.  In the past week my stamina and strength on the bike have improvded considerably.  I'm still having start-up stiffness and some sorness walking which is better some days than others.  The lateral strength/stability is still improving as well.  I've been having an interesting pain that my PT wasn't sure of...When I do an exercise that compresses the joint like a squat or lunge, I am pain free until I release to a standing position and take the load off the hip.  Any ideas folks?  If I had to guess, it seems the elasticity of the muscles hasn't come back fully and that is the source of the pain.  It goes away rather quickly.

I'll return to work at the paper mill next week.  I should be fine to do everything I need to do, and they're pretty good to help ease the burden if needed.  It will be interesting to see how things hold up after a 12 hour day, although I'm sure the hip will be fatigued. 
Right hip is scheduled for May 5.  I look forward to rehabbing that without snow and ice to contend with this time. 
todd
Todd  LBHR, Dr. David Palmer 1/7/09; RBHR 5/6/09 St. Croix Orthopedics, Stillwater, MN

Todd

3/24/09 +76 days (I think)

Completed my final PT session on Friday, and was set free into the wild.  I'm still experiencing start-up stiffness and soreness when I walk.  That goes away once I am stretched and loosened up.  My flexibility and ROM is hugely improved and I can't wait for the day I can run again, but that won't be for a while as there is still significant pain during the testing I do periodically.  We'll try to be patient.
I return to work on Monday 3/30.  I've been very fortunate to have the extended time off to recover and rehab without worrying about work, and I will return without restrictions, but clearly I'm not at 100% with much of anything, and I'll have support from my employer to help me get through the day as needed. 
Hip #2 is scheduled for May 6, so I will return to work for only one month and then go through this one more time.  It will be helpful to have the snow off the ground and the weather more conducive to outdoor walking, but looking back, there were plenty of indoor walking options with malls, schools, etc. for those of you wondering if you should wait for summer to have surgery-- not that big a deal. 
For those of you preparing for surgery, here are some of my experiences:
1.  PT was extremely helpful for me.  I began at 3 weeks (could have waited another week).
2.  Don't overdo your recovery.  Patience in letting your body heal is difficult, but time is the factor that is needed most along with your bed exercises.  I made the mistake of trying to speed things up by going an extra mile or a little faster.  It did more harm than good.
3.  Use this website to help you through recovery.  People here have experienced what you will be wondering "is this normal".  It eases the mind and helps to hear from those who have gone before.  Your family will get tired of hearing about how your scar looks, but people on this site will appreciate it.
4.  Follow your Dr.'s protocol and ask questions.  Each has their own way and after 500 or  5000 surgeries, it's best to go with what they tell you to do/not do.   
5.  Finally, from my perspective:  There is a lot of discussion on surgical approach, technique, metal/ceramic implants, metal ions, and all sorts of things that I really know very little about.  I never asked my surgeon to explain all of these things, because to me it didn't really matter.  These topics can be debated, but no clear significant difference in quality or patient outcome presents itself.  If there was, we would have studies and published trials that showed such.  A surgeon's preference and experience in approach, technique and implant device is far more telling in how successful a surgery will be.
There remains only one debatable topic in which there is clear consensus among surgeons who do both: RESURFACING is a far better option than THR in most instances.  Find a surgeon who does both (from this site) who has done significant numbers of resurfacings, and can offer you an educated opinion.
-Todd
Todd  LBHR, Dr. David Palmer 1/7/09; RBHR 5/6/09 St. Croix Orthopedics, Stillwater, MN

gcloss

Todd,

You make an excellent point at the end of your post today ...... Find a surgeon that does both resurfacing and THR that can offer an educated opinion.

Just by chance 2 years ago I was introduced to someone who was 3 weeks post-op from resurfacing with Dr. Marwin. I had been to 2 other surgeons previously and they told me my only cure was THR.

I educated myself on resurfacing and decided to make an appointment with Dr. Marwin who does both resurfacing and THR. I spent an hour with Dr. Marwin reviewing my x-rays and the pros/cons of both procedures. I went home and after a year of educating myself I decided that resurfacing was for me. The obvious reasons for the first 2 surgeons recommending THR was that they did not perform resurfacing. When I went to my primary care doctor for surgical clearance, his comment was "your going for that new fangled thing". He all but told me I was crazy.

I'm sure glad I opted for resurfacing.

Todd

The saga continues. I'm officially a bilateral as of 5/6/09.  I had forgotten how weak and useless the operated leg is during the first 24 hours, however I am Happy to report that all went well and I expect a smooth recovery.  It's nice to have been through it once to better know what to expect. 
Todd  LBHR, Dr. David Palmer 1/7/09; RBHR 5/6/09 St. Croix Orthopedics, Stillwater, MN

Pat Walter

Hi Todd

Congratulations on the new hip.  Just give it a little time. 

Good Luck.  Keep in touch.

Pat
Webmaster/Owner of Surface Hippy
3/15/06 LBHR De Smet

Todd

Quick update:  Day +10 on the right hip;
In looking through my own posts from my first hip in January, I'm on a similar recovery pattern with better results so far.  This time, I took a more active role in the hospital in getting enough ice to keep the swelling down.  That has been a huge benefit!  I'm without my cane except for long excursions now, and have been able to ride a bike (leisurely) as well.  Swelling has been down enough that I'm only icing after exercise now.  Got off the narc. pain meds on day 6 and am taking tylenol as needed.  Strength and stability has returned more quickly this time and I haven't overdone things yet.  I know how setbacks happen when doing too much too quickly, so we've set a steady course rather than a sprint. 
todd
Todd  LBHR, Dr. David Palmer 1/7/09; RBHR 5/6/09 St. Croix Orthopedics, Stillwater, MN

kwarendorf


hippypreacher

Todd,

I can't thank you enough for your wonderful posts to this site.  You have helped me so much in gaining confidence to take the plunge when I go for my initial visit with Dr. Palmer in Stillwater on June 4th.  I talked with you yesterday on the phone after finding you on Surface Hippy and that was so nice of you to take time with me.  You talk as eloquently as you write, and that's saying something.  I don't know what you do at the paper mill in Duluth, but you need to be in the HR department (no, not Hip Resurfacing...which is what HR stands for in my mind anymore with all this reading).  Your story via this blog is so informative and allows me to know what to expect if and when Dr. Palmer approves me for a bilateral BHR.  I've been hurting since 2000 and have reached a point of "I've had it with this shuffle routine!"  I'm no longer intimidated by this surgery, and in fact am looking forward to it.  I had two Ortho docs tell me to do the THR, but I'm soooooo glad I found this site and did the research on BHR.  Thanks again for your writing, and your phone conversation.  You da man! 
Rick

Todd

Maybe I'll go into politics...I have gained a lot of insight from this website, and I am so glad that sharing my experiences have helped ease the way for you!  I wish you luck and as I said on the phone, keep us informed. 

Todd
Todd  LBHR, Dr. David Palmer 1/7/09; RBHR 5/6/09 St. Croix Orthopedics, Stillwater, MN

Tarhoo2

Todd:  Congratulations on your second resurfacing and welcome to the Double Surface Hippy Club!  Glad to hear things are going well for you.  My second (3-1/2 months after my first) was much easier as well.

Rick:  I think Todd speaks very eloquently for a host of us.  His story is pretty typical in terms of the very positive experience he has had.  As I have said many times before on this site, my first surgery went so well (including the tremedous relief in the pain I had been experiencing) that I actually looked forward to the second operation.  I knew what to expect and was very comfortable with the whole thing.  This procedure has been life-changing for me.

Personally, while I'm sure the concurrent bilateral hip surgery is very doable, I'm happy that I had some time between my surgeries.  The pain is very manageable, but I was not fully prepared for how unstable the joint -- muscles having been cut, etc. -- would be post-surgery.

Best wishes to both of you!

Jim

Todd

Thanks Jim!  Glad to be in the elite club.
I think knowing what to expect certainly helps when recovering the second time around.  The family and I took a 9 mile bike ride (day 18) today. Leisurely ride with a gentle down slope, so there was not a whole lot of effort other than staying on the trail.  We left a vehicle at the end of the ride to transport the bikes back.  I'm trying to decide whether to go to PT again or not.  I'm a little bit concerned because I feel like I'm progressing well on my own, and I don't want to get pushed beyond what I'm ready for.  I kind of like the pace I'm on right now.  With my first hip I thought that the PT I had was very helpful.  With the nice spring weather though, I may be best to work through my recovery on my own.  We'll see how the next week or two progress.
Todd  LBHR, Dr. David Palmer 1/7/09; RBHR 5/6/09 St. Croix Orthopedics, Stillwater, MN

bothdone

Hi Todd

I've just discovered your thread - it makes very interesting reading.

Like you, I'm a double-hippy, though with nearly four years between operations.    I'll be posting something about how it worked out for me fairly soon.  The main reason for the gap was that the second hip didn't need doing at the same time as the first - I could more than cope with it.   

I've found lots of ups and downs in recovery - it is easy to overdo things.    I haven't had any PT apart from the few days I was in hospital and then only a couple of very brief sessions.     I have, however, been doing lots of stretches and exercises.

I hope your recovery continues well.

Ed
LBHR 25 May 2004
RBHR 19 March 2008

Tekka

Hi Todd,

The pt thing is really subjective, I had only two sessions which were a waist of time, I think if you are motivated enough to do what is needed for the hip on your own and listen to your body then you can progress fine, that said pt is a real help for some of us..ie strengh and stability etc, I know that I found the wobble board really helpful for a 2/3 week period early on.

I over pushed my own pt once and it took me a week to get over it and as you say you have the spring to get out and about and do stuff.

Good luck

Terry


LBHR 23/01/2009 Mr Mcminn

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