Now I Know Nickel Allergy to my BHRs - On The Path To Healing

[Dan L]

2fer

Been hoping you were doing well, and happy for your progress.  Sorry to hear the other stuff is still troublesome.  Did everything look good on your one year followup xray etc, as far as your hips?  I know at 15 months on the left one I am still healing and it continues to improve, so hopefully things will also track better for you in the coming months.

Great to hear your update,

Dan

[Woodstock Hippy]

Two4one,  it's good to hear from you.  I m really glad that you are off of the pain meds nod that you can get out and about.  Even if things aren't perfect, they sure are better than before, right.?!

[rbt2011]

Two4-
Good to hear from you.  We've missed you.  Glad to hear that things are better overall with you.  Getting off pain meds permanently is a huge accomplishment.  Now that you have hit your 1 year mark, the exercise should make a big difference.  Best of luck.

[hernanu]

Great to hear from you, like you said, the progress is good, although not perfect. You had some huge challenges because of the enforced bed rest, the large amounts of pain meds, etc.

I know at one year I was not anywhere near where I am now. I can hope that you also improve commensurately over the next year and at that time you are much more pain free and stronger.

I think regaining muscle fitness, your body restoring itself will be a major product of your efforts, not just going forward, but also all the hard work you put in over the last year in combating the result of all that misdiagnosis. Your fight was inspirational, the support from your husband was great, here's hoping you reap the benefits from what you did and what you will do.

[Two4One]

Hello Hippies,

I have intractable pain 26 ½ months later after my bilateral Birmingham Hip Resurfacing implants at all times, albeit minimally less than before my hip replacements.  My hip implants feel like they painfully slip out of place when I walk half a block, and they hurt when I sit and when I’m lying down. 

BHR MOM is now contraindicated for women as of the beginning of 2012 by the National Joint Registry for England and Wales. - http://www.njrcentre.org.uk/njrcentre/NewsandEvents/Hipresurfacingfailurerates/tabid/260/Default.aspx

Here’s my Medical History to catch you all up on my story:

HIP HISTORY

April 2009 â€" moderate bilat knee pain

August ‘09 - tore out both hips protective tissue linings (labral tears) between the top of your femur and the inside of your hip socket while walking the dog
December ’09 & February 2010 - Bilateral Hip surgeries (arthroscopies on each hip) to grind down the top of my femurs & to sew my labrums back together.   Pain exacerbated to becoming bedridden.

2011 â€" Dr. Sampson of California & Dr. Kelly of New York, (surgeons who reviewed my X Rays), emailed me their opinion my femurs were actually cutting through the labrums and protruding too far up in & against my hip sockets, thus explaining why my prior Bilateral Labral repair arthroscopies failed.  Several surgeons in my State disagreed and read my X rays and other tests as normal.

November 1st, 2011 â€" Arrived for scheduled revision arthroscopy (scope) for my Right Hip with Dr. Philippon of The Steadman Clinic of Vail, Colorado; (I also had scheduled for the subsequent revision scope of the Left Hip in February 2012). 

Upon arrival, Dr. Philippon ruled both hips were now bone on bone and required THR and sent me home. 

After a one year waiting list, flying across country twice to consult 1st with his Resident and then Dr. Philippon himself at his The Steadman Clinic of Vail, Colorado, they turned me down for my long anticipated bilateral arthroscopy revisions after concluding I had end stage bilateral bone on bone osteoarthritis in a blind spot on his films - just like all my other consulting surgeons' films' blind spots.

November 11.15.2011 (approx)â€" Ortho Surgeon Dr. Schmitt said that both hips were previously misdiagnosed back in 2009 and that I really had undiagnosed end stage bone on bone osteoarthritis all that time.

December 2011 â€" Bilateral MOM Birmingham Hip Resurfacing Implants with Dr. Schmitt of Commerce, MI. 

He told me the top of both my femurs sheared off was only visible during my December 2011 surgery for bilateral hip implants, (the Birmingham Hip Resurfacing or BHR type).  I was told that the bone on bone location in both hips was very rare & was in the X Ray films' blind spots, thus explaining my previous two years in a hospital bed in my living room. 

March 2014 â€" per my request, referred by local Ortho Surgeon for Immunologist Testing:  Nickel Sensitivity, Cobalt, Chromium, and all the BHR MOM BILAT HIP IMPLANTS’ components.

Patch Test positive for Chromium
M - LTT (lymphocyte transformation test) Re: ‘Metal Allergy’results pending for bloodwork panel - http://www.orthopedicanalysis.com/metal-allergy/Order_metal_allergy_testing.html

I wish you all a healthful journey and a hipper tomorrow.

Two4One

[Pat Walter]

I have been following your posts and am so sorry you are going thru a difficult hip replacement.  You definitely need to keep trying to find out more about what is not working properly with your hip resurfacings.

My only advice, as always, is to try to get input from some of the most experienced hip resurfacing surgeons since many give email consults free.

I will continue to keep you in my thoughts and prayers and hope you can find a solution to be out of pain and active again - whatever it takes.  I am sorry you are going thru such a difficult recovery.

Pat

[Two4One]

I am now corresponding with the top revision orthopedic surgeons in the U.K., Belgium, and Sweden because these countries have the oldest and largest hip registries in the world.

My only advice, as always, is to try to get input from some of the most experienced hip resurfacing surgeons since many give email consults free. - Pat

I will continue to 'work my case', and thank you very much for keeping me in your thoughts and prayers, Pat.  In the meantime, I'd like to contribute and help others.

Along the way of discovering more about what is not working properly with my hip resurfacings, I’ve found one invaluable resource I’d like to share. â€" The Intractable Pain Patient's Handbook For Survival. http://www.foresttennant.com/pdfs/IntractablePainSurvival.pdf   It’s a very short and to the point booklet on Intractable Pain (IP) for IP patients, their medical team members, their caregivers, and their loved ones. 
 
Let’s continue to help each other recover our hips and focus on what we can achieve, regardless of where we are in our hip journey.   Let's watch a fun movie, or better yet a short sitcom, together with our favorite persons, a couple of times a week.  Let's get keep making each laugh.  Let's keep playing with our dog, petting our cat, or watering our plant.

Let's tell each other what each of us are 'doing right', and let us most of all find ways to be kind to each other.

Two4

[Pat Walter]

What a wonderful response.  Thanks for your insight and advice.

Pat

[hernanu]

Wow two4, sorry to hear about your continuing pain!  Have they any idea why it feels that way?

I'm glad you're following up, you deserve a good outcome after a long struggle.

[Two4One]

Thanks, Nanu!  So far the MARS (Magnetic Artifact Reduction Sequences) MRI, X Rays, etc., have all been negative.

The positive patch reaction to Potassium Dichromate which is Chromium tell us my body is having a reaction to the Chromium in my metal implants.  We'll know more once I have all my blood panels complete, and I've had the patch test done a 2nd time.

I just completed another 3 month round of intensive PT while lifting weights and swimming on alternate days, six days a week.  I'm having 'minimal' improvements in strength, but my pain levels are not abating.  Now, I'll be focusing my efforts at the gym.  I like to make myself get out of the house and do something positive for body, but I rest quietly an awful lot due to the pain.  The trick is to obtain and maintain fitness, but not to the point where I'd make it worse.

How are you, Hernan?  Do you have big plans for this weekend?

[hernanu]

Big plan this weekend is going to Chans Egg rolls and Jazz. Best music with the most MSG.

Hope that you find the problem and a good solution, kiddo. I like the gym rat approach; great attitude as usual, Two4.

[Two4One]

Yummm! Feast away, Nanu.  Time for me to get busy and make some Bank today.

BANK OF FOOD & LOVE: 
Monday 3/24/2014

7am       1 cup Coffee & Cream, 16oz Water
             Opioids:  Better Living Through Chemistry in order to get out of bed for my Day

8am       Green Protein Smoothie:  3 TBSP Fresh Organic Coconut Shavings,
              2 scoops Naturade 100% Whey Protein Booster, Vanilla, 24 Ounces
              2 Tsp Organic Honey, 2 Fistfuls of Organic Power Greens like Kale/Chard/
              Spinach, ½ Banana, a small handful of Raspberries & Strawberries, and a
              ½ cup Organic Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk

9am        Walked Dog

11am      Gym Upper Body/Pool Lower Body
              (Due to being unable to bend over to tie laces/put on shoes)
              First day of my brand new Slip On Athletic Shoes!! - New Balance
              Women's Minimus WT10 Trail Running Shoe,Black/Pink/Yellow,8.5 B US
              Opioids, 8oz water

1pm        Metal Sensitivity/Metal Ions Test - blood drawn & Sent to Rush/Chicago/

2pm          Huge Salad: Mixed Greens, bell pepper, carrots, green onions, pecans,
                Roast Chicken, Parmesan cheese, mushrooms, bacon, avocado, Raspberry
                Vinaigrette, Olive Oil, & smidge of Honey
                1 small Hershey Bar, 1 cup Skim Milk

3:45pm     Walked Dog

4pm          Reclined
                Opioids, 16oz Water

[Two4One]

My chest is pounding because my Metal-LTT Analysis Report Panel 2 bloodwork unequivocally shows I'm 'Highly Reactive' to the nickel in my Bilateral Birmingham Resurfacing Implants.

I've got a lot to process, but at least I now have the answer as to why my hips have intractable pain 27 months later after my bilateral Birmingham Hip Resurfacing implants.

Here's The FDA's General Recommendations for Orthopaedic Surgeons BEFORE Metal-on-Metal Hip Replacement Surgery -

Do not implant MoM hip systems in:  Patients with known metal sensitivity (e.g. cobalt, chromium, nickel) - http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/ImplantsandProsthetics/MetalonMetalHipImplants/ucm241667.htm

Now, on to the Next Phase of getting these hips revised, perhaps with Titanium.

[moe]

241, Sorry to hear of your problems, many have had revisions and moved on successfully. I'm sure you will also. Good luck.

Hern, if I knew you were going to Chan's I may have met up for a cold one with you.

Moe

[Two4One]

Thanks, Moe!

...many have had revisions and moved on successfully

You know, I'm on it already!  Just this morning, I was 'walking' my little Bichon Frise and sent up a little prayer of Thanks to The Universe for giving me the wit and capacity to 'work my case'.

BTW, the Bichon Frise is the best Therapy Dog EVER! - http://www.bichon.org/

2fer

[hernanu]

Damn! I'm sorry to hear that Two4... I'm glad you have the usual good two4 attitude.

So what is the 17.3 mean? Is it a reaction metric to the Nickel?

Sorry your path is longer, but getting pain free in the end will be good.

[atl2013]

Hi, "two4one".... am very interested in your situation ,27 MONTHS IS A VERY LONG TIME.
I hope you maintain contact and keep us updated on how you are.
Do you have a total hip or resurfacing,and did you get it revised an stilll have this problem?
Good Luck !!!!

ATL2013

[Debcoco]

Two4One,

I was in awe of your menu planning and assumed you must be some type of nutritionist.  Please keep us posted...we are all pulling for you!!

deb

[Two4One]

Do you have a total hip or resurfacing,and did you get it revised an stilll have this problem?
Good Luck !!!! - atl2013

Yes, I had both my biological hips replaced with Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (BHR) Metal on Metal (MOM) hip implants in December 2011.

Yes, I've had Chronic Pain (CP) ever since and now have Intractable Pain (IP).  All my tests up til now were negative, and a 2nd round of Physical Therapy from Dec. 2013 thru March 2014 also failed to alleviate my hip prosthesis pain.

No, I have not had my BHR hips revised.  I just now learned on Thursday, March 27th that I am allergic to Nickel which is in all the Chromium Cobalt, also known as MOM, type resurfacing implants

I recommend new 'Hippies' or folks like you that are new to this hip forum to read from the beginning of a Member Post.  Nine times out of ten all the answers to any questions are there for the reading.  Just click on "Page 1" on the upper left corner and read from the beginning of any story or "thread".

Thank you for your well wishes. 

2fer

[Two4One]

Thank you, Deb!