Newbie Surfer as of Star Wars Day - A Recovery Journal and random musings.

[GlasgowP]

Hi everyone,

First of all, I just wanted to thank Pat for setting up this wonderful community. I would have been lost without it, and in fact, probably still am. I'm learning every time I visit.

I have just had my right hip resurfaced by Professor Dominic Meek in Glasgow, at Ross Hall Hospital on Saturday and got out today. I'm still ultra cautious and double thinking any minor twinge and worrying about ifs buts and maybes. I'm very gingerly using my crutches and the basic exercises the physio gave me. Leg is very swollen and I feel entirely listless, has anyone else had this? Most people's stories have been around them desperate to get out, I think I wanted to stay in for as long as possible!

I'll detail my story in another post, but the TLDR version is that I'm 38 years old and played a lot of football (soccer) and badminton, many times a week. My hips have always been tight and things like sitting cross-legged were impossible, no matter how hard I tried to force it. I started going to the gym last year and tried some hack squats, but was in real pain the day after. Eventually, after it didn't go away, I went to the physio who thought is was a labral tear. We did 10 weeks of physio and it would never get much better, no matter how dedicated I was to the exercises. Eventually, I decided to try get referred and found out I had OA in both hips, albeit the left one isn't currently painful, significant CAM impingements at either side of the femoral head. First consultation I had, they suggested THR. I was just so beat up by it all I said ok and booked it in, knowing it was likely my team sports were over. Then randomly, I was googling THR and this forum came up, and as I started to read I realised there was another option. I researched it religiously, read journal articles, watched the operation being performed, learned all the lingo and the different types of implants etc and asked for a second opinion. The original consultant wasn't a fan of a BHR and without saying so, felt they were dissuading me. Nonetheless, I persevered and met with Mr. Meek who told me I was the ideal BHR candidate. 4 weeks later. Boom!

Lots and lots of pain relief provided, albeit I'm not sure I definitely need it all. Did anyone else get this? I don't want to ignore the professionals' guidance, but I don't think I need as much as I've been prescribed...

Today is day 3 and it feels like I'm looking up at Everest, with sliders on, it's all a bit daunting, so I thought I'd ask the many helpful people on here!

[Pat Walter]

GlasgowP    Congratulations on your new hip resurfacing.  I'm glad my website and discussion forum was helpful.
I wish you the very best and a quick recovery.  Looking forward to reading your updates.
Pat

[Svcsvc]

Haha I’m
Not sure how much pain relief you weee provided? I was on 5mg slow release oxy twice a day then had 5mg normal oxy to use when needed up to twice a day,plus paracetamol on top. I took that for two weeks following hospital, I did realise the paracetamol was giving me night sweats after a while so ditched that and slept better without it! Horrible waking up in a pool of sweat lol

[GlasgowP]

GlasgowP    Congratulations on your new hip resurfacing.  I'm glad my website and discussion forum was helpful.
I wish you the very best and a quick recovery.  Looking forward to reading your updates.
Pat

Thanks Pat, will definitely set out some thoughts about recovery etc here, if it helps anyone then I'd like to pay it forward.

[GlasgowP]

Haha I’m
Not sure how much pain relief you weee provided? I was on 5mg slow release oxy twice a day then had 5mg normal oxy to use when needed up to twice a day,plus paracetamol on top. I took that for two weeks following hospital, I did realise the paracetamol was giving me night sweats after a while so ditched that and slept better without it! Horrible waking up in a pool of sweat lol

I reckon enough to fill up a family bag size of jelly beans! I've had the waking up in sweats but hadn't managed to figure out what was causing it, I'll try your paracetamol trick, thanks for the tip!

[GlasgowP]

I chose to go private. In the UK the NHS is amazing, but it's been underfunded for decades, so there was a three year waiting list. Mr Meek does work for the NHS and then private too. Insurance didn't cover crutches so I brought these with me. As a tip, I only had the hand support crutches - you might want to think about the under arm support, I go to the gym and do dips etc, so I can handle a bit of weight through my palms, but you definitely feel it.

Anyway:

Day 1

I had my op fairly late on the Saturday, and for most of the first day I lay in bed doped up. The room was great, the bed comfy and although I had a TV I didn't feel like watching anything. The staff at Ross Hall hospital were unbelievably kind and caring, as someone fiercely independent and never wanting help, that still took some getting used to.

Day 1 was a lot of attention from the nurses and staying in bed. No physios, maybe because it was a Sunday. Told to pee or I'd get a catheter. I peed but wasn't aware of it - that's something to watch for...

I did not enjoy lying on my back and the small of my back was aching until a nurse gave me a small towel tip.

Mr. Meek came in post op and said everything went really well, which gave me a real confidence boost when I needed it, I appreciated that. He said that the OA was worse than expected and it was definitely time to address it, again, that helped me mentally. He used the Adept and I have in me a 52mm head and 58mm cap I think - I was a bit drowsy, but pretty sure he said that. He also mentioned that whilst doing the op, I had something else up with my hips. I think it was alignment, he used a shorthand "SIFU" or something, apparently it happened at some point in my teen years. Anyway, he did some realignment which was a bonus. I have OA on the left side too, but no pain atm and he mentioned this might prolong how much time I get out of my left hip.

I didn't see him again, but will be asking the question at the six week review. No sports or anything over the next few weeks, but he encouraged sensible use of the hip, so once I'm comfortable, some walking after week 2 or 3, perhaps a stationary bike with no resistance after week 3 and then when the wound is healed some water walking. Great bedside manner and really positive, transmits this to the patient as well.

Day 2

Couldn't sleep in increments of more than an hour or two for the first night, which was not fun, and I was constantly thirsty, filled up the catheter bag twice in a night. I was on two different types of morphine based tablets and a bunch of other painkillers. The side effects for me were drowsiness, nausea, dizzyness and hallucinations. Especially from one of the morphine based drugs. I was speaking with nurses and the physio but my eyes felt like they were circling around all over the place and I couldn't focus, at points seeing double. They also made me feel sick, so I was given anti sickness tablets which helped me sleep through the day.

Physio came around and gave the standard exercises to begin with, ankle pumps, heel slides, sliding knee raises, glute clenches etc. My right leg was a log though and I had no movement or ability to shift it about initially, but stayed determined to try the exercises through the day.

I also was taught how to slide in and out of bed, which really sucked! Mobilising for me was and still is one of the bits I dislike the most. We did some training on how to use the crutches and weight bearing, albeit I was not really mimicking a normal step with my right but almost swinging forward my leg, pushing off from heel and landing on heel. Encouraged to go very slowly and try to step with my right.

Oh, also, spinal block messes with your ability to go to the toilet. I'd eaten four meals and normally regular, but nothing, so they gave an aid. Rumbly tummy overnight not fun. Night was again an inability to sleep longer than in two hour increments, before waking up sweaty and I needed to buzz the Nurse for some additional painkillers. Again, went through easily 4L water overnight.

As someone who is obsessed with personal hygiene, acutely aware I haven't bathed since Saturday morning and it's now Monday night.

----

Will post more later!

[GlasgowP]

So sorry I've been MIA, this was something I was genuinely keen to keep up to date with but unfortunately I've been in a bit of a black hole.

I'm constantly in pain, I attended rehab and did all the exercises, pushed myself, ate healthy and made sure that I followed the steps the surgeon suggested to a T.

I'm having issues in being able to lift my leg up, and upon a review the surgeon initially stated this should ease off over time, but the physio seemed to be making it worse. After this, I demanded a further review, at which point an X ray showed that the implant was perfect, but in an admittedly fuzzy MRI, apparently there seemed to be indication of the iliacus psoas being inflamed and an oedema (build up of fluid).

I then had a corticosteroid injection three weeks ago, hoping this would solve it. There's been absolutely no impact though and it feels as worse as before. It's hugely frustrating and I feel like I'm just in a well of darkness with no hope of escape.

I'm going to book a follow up appointment again, but at this stage it seems like it's pointless, the surgeon had suggested that the next step was another injection and that if this didn't work, then there's nothing he could do, and he did not recommend debridement, which I think is the cutting of the tendon, and is not recommended at all?

Apparently this happens to one in a hundred patients. Tbh I couldn't care less if it was one in a million. I am that one.

I have no idea if there's any hope.

[MattFL]

I'm really sorry to hear of your pain, I know what it's like to not know if there's an end to it.  Can you get a second opinion from another doctor?  Maybe in a worst case a revision to full replacement is possible.

[GlasgowP]

I'm really sorry to hear of your pain, I know what it's like to not know if there's an end to it.  Can you get a second opinion from another doctor?  Maybe in a worst case a revision to full replacement is possible.

Thanks Matt, so the Surgeon who carried out the BHR is not the same one I'm seeing now as this guy is an expert with the iliopsoas. He seemed to say that if the injections don't work, then he does not recommend release surgery at all.

[fakelord99]

Looks like somebody will be able to spend the New Year with no stress on their shoulders