Hip Talk Forum About Hip Resurfacing

Well, after years and years dealing with my hip pain, the day to get it fixed it around the corner.  It has been a long time coming, and I have this site to thank for much of the info I learned along my journey.

Like most of the rest of you who suffered from hip pain, it was a gradual process that brought me here.  I'm a 38 year old married father of three.  When I was in high school, college, and grad school I was a pretty active and physically fit person.  I lifted weights, jogged, and loved to play racquetball.  I probably played racquetball at least three times a week through most of that time.  By the time I was in my late 20s I started noticing that after a session of racquetball, my left hip would hurt, and kept hurting the next day or two.  Like most young guys, I shrugged it off as "I pulled something, it will go away.". Well, it didn't go away.  Then, like most guys, I figured if I just ignored it, it would go away.  :). And it didn't.  I finally got it looked at , hoping to find out it was something trivial
That would go away.  I remember not getting a good answer from the doctor.  He could tell me it wasn't bone cancer or anything terminal, but he couldn't say what caused it, or what it was other than minor soft tissue damage.  I. Was told to stop playing sports...which I didn't want to hear.  I got some antiinflammatories and for a brief time, popping a pill let me play sports.  Eventually, the pain pill didn't do much good and I finally gave up playing racquetball, as much as I loved to play, the pain was enough that I just quir playing.  I could, however, still run.  My hip didn't like the later a
Explosive movements of racquetball, but the slow steady straight back n forth motions of jogging didn't seem to bother me, and I kept jogging a couple miles here and there.  I wasn't doing marathons or anything, just 2-3 mile runs to keep fit a couple times a week.

Within the past 5 years even that became too painful.  I can still remember going out for a run and getting very frustrated because I realized mt hip was getting worse and even run ing was becoming too painful to do.  So I stopped that too.  Walking, sitting, and other "regular" activities didn't cause pain, and I wasn't walking with a limp.

I did go see my doctor every  year to check on my hip and I began seeing an orthopedic surgeon a few years ago.  He told me that I would need a hip replacement at some point.  I had heard that before, one of the earlier docs I had seen had told me that i would probably need one "someday", but I always thought that would be in my 60s or something....  Now, as I wasn't even to 40, I was realizing that it would be sooner VS later.  My doctor told me about a procedure called hip resurfacing.  He knew what is was, but didn't know how to do it.  He told me he wouldn't want to do a total hip on me because of my age, but he thought if I did our sue surgery, that i should research hip resurfacing.  I looked into it, read about it on the web, found this site, and watched some YouTube videos of the procedure.  That was 3 or so years ago, and while I was in Pain, it wasn't bad enough to want to do the surgery...not after I saw it on YouTube....I didn't want any part of it.  I was content to leave things status quo..the pain was a nuisance, but I was married, working...I wasn't doing sports anyway....so I adjusted my life to my limitations.

Fast forward to the past couple of years.  The pain seemed to accelerate in how much it hurt and how often it hurt.  The easy things like walking, that never hurt....mow even they were hurting.  Now don't get me wrong...it's not like I'm in deathly excruciating pai.... I would say that there are ti es where it hurts like crazy, but there are still ti es where it really doesn't hurt too bad....but most of the time it hurts a fair amount. 

What I really notice now are the little things that have really forced me to face how limited I am.  I have a hard time getting my left sock and shoe on now.  I can do it, but have to prop my leg up on the edge of a chair to do it.  Cutting my toenail on the left side is almost impossible.  Walking up stairs hurts.  I was the kind of guy who would intentionally take the stairs to go a couple flights of stairs instead of the elevator.  I wanted the exercise.  Now I take the elevator for one floor trips...

My youngest son is 3.  Not long ago he ran off at the park and was running toward the street.  I was trying to run after him and I could not catch him.  He never went in the street...he was just being a 3 year old and wanting to make me chase him...but it really sank in when I couldn't catch him.  My oldest is 9 and in little league.  I really can't do much except play catch, and if the ball goes too wide, I usually can't move fast enough to catch it....stuff that would be an easy catch is not so easy.

Part of why I maybe let this go so long is that my job is a desk job.  I sit all day...maybe walking around the building from room to room sometimes....but I could be in wheelchair and do my job....so I was able to work, be a dad, a husband... And it wasn't necessary thar I be 100% physically fit.  Now I'm even having a hard time doing those things.

I've also noticed that my limp, which used to be rare, is now there all the time.  I have received a lot of comments like "hey, did you hurt yourself this weekend, what's with the limp?". People are noticing.  I don't care if they notice, I freely tell them about my hip problems...but it highlighths how much worse it's getting when even casual acquaintances notice and comment.

Like a lot of you, I atr antiinflammatories like candy.  I started out taking them when I need them, now I need at least two Alegre a day to get by.  This past week of not taking the aleve has really made me see how stiff my hip would get wout the meds!  I'm not I agonizing pain, but it's noticeably worse.

Well....the last couple years changed my mind about getting this surgery.  I decided to do it and seriously look into it.  I consulted with three doctors.  I live in southern California, and there are quite a few good ones very close, but everything I read about Dr. Gross made me want to see him.  I like the idea of the uncemented implant.  I'm a lawyer, not a doctor, but his theories seem to make sense.  If I want to take a chance that the device could last a lifetime, this is the one that seems to have a shot...so it seems worth the risk.  I know the data is only four years old VS 10 + for cemented...but it looks like the uncemented is doing great short term... One would assume it should continue to perform well in the longer .  I guess I'm going to find out firsthand!

I have been really happy with Dr. Gross and his staff so far.  Dr. Gross called me and did a free phone consultation after I sent him my X-rays.  He spent almost an hour on the phone talking to me and answering my questions.  Most other docs wanted a payment for a phone consult.  His staff has been friendly...albeit it's all been on the phone at this point.

I see Dr. Gross Tuesday morning.  Surgery on Wednesday.  I'm sitting in my hotel in Columbia as I write this.  My wife and I flew in last night...got in early this am.  I'm tired from the overnight flight and will just rest today.  We may sightsee tomorrow and keep my mind off of the surgery.  I worry about it....I want to do it, but I'll admit, I'm a big wuss when it comes to stuff like this.  I don't evenlike getting shots..and they don't even really hurt.  So, yes, I'm nervous.

I havent flown on a plane for several years....I didn't expect to be in discomfort on the flight but I was.  The first leg of my flight was about 4.5 hours.....the last hour my hip was very tight....being confined to a little seat was not fun.  I made me rethink the flight home....I am going to make sure I'm good and ready before I try it!

I will post here off and on as I get closer and closer.  I'm also shooting videos....my wife is into photography and has a nice dslr that will also shoot hd video..so I'm doing some "before" videos to show how I am now, so when I'm all healed, I can shoot the "after" videos!  I'll post those up ev entually.

Wish me luck.  I know it is going to turn out fine...but like most of you, I'm looking forward to it being behind me.  I'm still kind of scared about the actual surgery.  I am really grateful to have such a great wife here to help me along the way. 

3 days and counting!

I know it's probably something you keep hearing over and over but you will be fine. 

You'll love the staff, I hope Nancy is still there, my daughter loved her deep southern draw as she said "Hi! I'm Nancy!"  LOL  Being from the North we just love their accent, although being from Pittsburgh she was probably shocked when we said "how are yins doing?"  LOL

Lee is a nice lady and any questions you have in regard to fear ask either her or Dr. Gross, Dr. Gross is the only Dr. that I've ever met that told me that he was sure everything would work out fine.... it's not being cocky, it's his confidence in his abilities.... Gross even told me that he was sure I would awake with an HR not a THR.

When you go in to the hospital you will be taken back to where your family can come with you, later on they give you the happy juice and you'll let them do anything they want after that.

As far as surgeries go (I've had 2) I would rate mine with Dr. Gross an 8 out of 10 and I do not give 10s because I hate hospitals and doctors.


Keep talking to your family about your concerns.


Chuck

VC,

Ditto on everything Chuck said. I have read so many posts I can't remember what day your surgery is this week. If you are still there Thursday, I will stop in and see you. My 6 week doc recheck is Thursday the 24th.

Chuck,

Nancy is still there and yes, I too love their southern accents. We northerners must sound dull when they hear us talk.

Steve (newdog)

P.S. Duhhh! Your surgery date is in the title of the post.

Enjoy the first few days as a vacation!  There are a ton of restaurants on Gervais Street in Columbia near the river.  We ate at Pearlz and enjoyed it.  I had a few beers the night before surgery.  Nobody told me I couldn't :).

This week will simply be an affirmation that you made the right decision!

You drank beer the night before?  Uhhh ohhhh that's not good.  He usually uses cement on those patients that drink beer the night before.  Did you tell them you drank the night before?

Important!

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Just kidding

VC,

I'm scheduled for a HR with Dr. Gross on March 23, so reading the posts from recent Dr. Gross patients is very reassuring.  I relate to your story of chasing your 3-year-old and not being to catch him.  I have an 8-year-old who loves to play sports and is full of energy.  A year ago we were playing tennis all the time, then heading over to the batting cage for some practice hitting, and then heading out on bikes with friends.  Now I can barely climb on a bike.  So in a sense, your surgery is for your kids, as well as for yourself.

I agree with Bernie.  While you wait, why not celebrate your soon-to-be new hip.  Wine, song, great food, celebrate how lucky you are to have a great surgeon giving your active life back to you.

And VC, I'm always open to restaurant reviews.  If you find a great seafood restaurant, let me know.  Micro brews would be nice too. 

Best wishes,
Mac     

Thanks for all the kind words.  I will look out for good restaurants.  Tonight we were rushed and just ate at an apple bees... It was close to the grocery store we went to. Tomorrow we will get out and check things out more. 

I realized I didn't put my real name in my thread.... My name is Sean.

I use 23109VC on a lot of the websites I visit..the handle is car reated...and i read a lot of car websites.     It's an inside joke ...  I am a county prosecutor, and I have a lead foot...or at least I used to..I used to have a porsche but sold it... Kids n stuff make those things less practical!  Anyway, in California, the vehicle code section for exhibition of speed is 23109.  So the abbreviation is 23109VC.  I used to joke I'd get that asca custom plate if I bought another sports car.  so please all me Sean.

Steve... 2/24 I will be one day post op! Stop by please!  Would love to meet you in person! 

I wanted to have a beer but I just got over a cold and have a mild lingering cough that I hope is gone by Wednesday...so decided to cut out anything like alcohol that would slow down my immune system.  AFTER the surgery I'm going to celebrate with something for sure.  A cold beer, maybe a scotch!  I bought a bunch of groceries tonight, we r staying at a hotel with kitchens, so we can cook and not have to eat out every meal.  I bought a bottle of wine...maybe I'll pop it open the night before and enjoy a glass!

I will talk to Dr. Gross and his staff about my fears.  I'm hoping they wil give me something when I show up to relax me....that would help.

This is the first time my wife and I have been away from all our kids for an extended time period.our kids are 3,5,9.  We did a Hawaii trip once years ago when we had one...and he was with grandparents a week, but since we've had all three this is the first long trip without them.  One thing we have done is use FaceTime/ skype to video chat.  We have an iPhone and an iPod touch. Both can FaceTime on a wifi network.  Our house where the kids r is wifi, and the hotel has free wifi. So we can call the iPod and FaceTime with my parents and ll our kids.  It's nothing like a real hug but it sure beats a regular phone call.  If you have a phone or laptop that will do that, and small kids you will leave at home...try to set it up before you leave so you can video chat with any loved ones you will be missing.  We r new to video calls...so maybe ouall are already doing it....  I like it, especially to see the litle ones!

I'll keep posting! 

And yes, this surgery is for my kids too....the whole family will benefit from having daddy at 100%!

Sean
2/23 is "D Day".... (drilling day). :)

Sean,

When u have your face to face with Lee and Dr. Gross you will feel better, what you are feeling is what most of us dealt with.  The morning of my surgery I woke up worried at 4:00AM, my family was still sleeping, even though they were in the room I was the most lonely person in Columbia at that moment.  When we finally got to the hospital something clicked and I said to myself "ain't nothing to this but to do it" I sat calmly and read the newspaper and I just relaxed.  I was fine after that.  That happy medicine you get just before surgery is great!

Ain't nothing to this but to do it Sean.

Chuck

Sean,
Once I finished work on the Friday( for a Saturday op) and sorted all the final home/domestic stuff etc, I felt.. this is now my time and the start of my new hip journey. My wife drove me to the hospital at 5.30 am, such a memorable day, I genuinely felt calm and excited to begin the process of rebuilding. Maybe I was lucky-(but lots of us have felt the same-modern surgery and anaesthesia is superb), I found the whole experience wonderful. I'm from the UK but all I have read and heard about Dr Gross leads me to believe that you too will have a fantastic experience and outcome. You are in safe hands, go with the flow and enjoy your hip journey.
All the very best
Toby

Sean,

I know it's hard to leave your kids but it's great that you are able to get this done now rather than later, and you will be thankful that you did.

For over 7 years I was one of the adult leaders of my son's Boy Scout troop (he's now an Eagle Scout and a freshman in college).  For the last 2 or 3 years I had to pretty much avoid most of the fun activities.  It's hard to keep up on long hikes with 15-17 year old kids, hard to sleep on the ground, and almost impossible to get in and out of small sailboats with the hip pain and limited ROM that I was experiencing.  At the time I had no idea what my problem actually was, and was just living with it.  I really wish I could have gotten my hips fixed 4 years ago and not missed out on so much stuff.  No regrets on finally getting it done, though.

You've still got most of your kids' childhoods ahead of you.  Enjoy them as much as you can, and good luck on your surgery!

Mike

Sean,

Great idea about the video chat.  I'm getting ready to buy a new laptop to take to SC.  I'll see if I can set it up to do a video chat with my wife and son. 

Mac

Thanks everyone.  Today was just a fun day.  My wife and I made breakfast in our room and then we headed to charleston.  We have a. Jefe who goes to college there and we had told her we would visit and take her out to dinner.  We went to the downtown area and took the ferry out to fort Sumter.  It was listed on the "things to do in Charleston" websites and it was actually pretty neat.  If you are into historical things you would enjoy it.  You take a 30 minute ferry ride out to the fort, which is out is out in the harbor, then you get one hour to walk around and see it, then you ride back.  Lots of cannons, brick walls....  I enjoy that kind of stuff.

Off to bed and tomorrow I meet Dr. Gross and his staff.

I'm about to get my life back!

Update-

Today i met with Dr. Gross and Lee Web.  I was there for about three hours total.  Everything went very smoothly.  I first was taken to do the dexa bone scan and new x rays.  After those, i was in an exam room and met with Lee Web.  Actually, before that his nurse Nancy went over some info with me.  Lee came in next and answered a lot of m questions.   I then met with Dr. Gross and probably spent 30 min or so talking with him and then looking at my xrays.

Good news on my dexa scan.  My numbers we good, so i will be on the faster track for recovery.  I was worried i might have low numbers because apparently is has very little to do with health or exercise...its more hereditary....  I guess i got lucky on that one...

They got me situated wih m crutches, the ice machine, and my prescriptions.  They gave me my prescriptions and they want you to fill them that day.  They gave me anti inflammatory celebrex, some thing to help coat the stomach to counter the celebrex....i guess it can burn our stomach,  make it upset.  The gave me two painkillers.  One is nucynta and the other ix oxycontin.  You start taking this stuff right after the surgery....

I told Lee I was nervous and she reassured me that the pain killers and sedatives I would get in the waiting areas would have me knocked out and groggy...she said most patients don't even remember getting the spinal or anything else going into the OR.....that made me feel better.  

They let me see the implants and check them out.  I had always thought the ball and socket part "snapped" together....like it had to be popped into the cup...I now know that's not the case....the ball just rests in it, and it's the muscles and tissues that hold it all together.  The devices look cool....it was weird to think those things will be inside me tomorrow....

After that, we drove back to Charleston and visited the Magnolia Plantation.  It was interesting.  Nothing out of this world, but it was something we wanted to check out and it kept me busy.  We had dinner with my niece again...in downtown Charleston.  I had a beer, some good seafood, and really wasn't worried at all about the surgery.

It's midnight here.  My surgery is at 1:30... So I'm going to be hungry, so I got a hamburger and ate it so that I would get through thaw day without being hungry.  


I'm really not that worried at this point.  I know what I need to do.  I'm anxious about the unknown, but very optimistic and excited to live without pain.  

In about twelve hours I'll be at the hospital getting ready to go in the OR.  I'll post from my room when I am up and "on the other side"!   ;D

Thanks Sean.  I appreciate the details.  How far out from the surgery are you supposed to quit eating?  What other restrictions did you have prior to surgery?

Mac

Good luck!

Good luck Sean, tell Lee and Dr. Gross I said hi.

Everything is going to be fine, nothing to it but to do it, and after they give you the happy juice you will not remember the spinal or even know they are doing it.  All I remember is a good sized nurse pulling me towards her and then waking up asking if I got the HR and if they were done.


Chuck

Good luck Sean!

Good luck Sean...

Quote from: obxpelican on February 23, 2011, 08:27:28 AM
All I remember is a good sized nurse pulling me towards her...

:o
A scary thought.  Brings back memories of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

;D

Well, I have been called nuts before and I think the nurse's name was Miss Ratchet????


LOL


Chuck

I have joined the surface hippy club!  I'm done!  Everything went as planned!  It feels great.

Everyone was so right, it was virtually pain free...I'm sitting here in my hospital bed typing on my iPad.... No pain.  Maybe some minor soreness in my hip area, but nothing that bothers me. I think geting the IV was maybe the most painful part....and that was just a little pin prick....  

When I got to the hospital I checked in with admitting.  Then waited for them to come get me.  They put me in preop, and did the standard stiff..blood pressure , temp,

They gave me some pills right away. Some celebrex and oxycontin.  I didn't fel much except some grogginess...very minor.  The IV was put in, and they put so anti bacterial swabs in my nose.  I got an anti nausea patch behind my ear.

They let my wife come back and sit with me afterward...and she was with me almost 30-45 minutes.   Maybe an hour?  It was great to have her there with me for support.

The profusionist came in with a big scary needle, but it ended up not hurting.  It looked a lot worse than it really was..and they had given me some happy juice by then so I was fine.  It was a big tube of blood they took to use in the surgery...they docsomething. To that blood and then jee it to aid bne growth and healing. Tjats what the profusionist said at least...

I have no memory of kthe surgery...the whole thing went on while I was sleeping.
I remember going to the operating room and moving off the gurney and onto the surgery table.  I remember the anesthesiologist telling me to bend forward and a nurse helped ,e lean forward....that's the last thing i remember.  I have no memory of the spinal itself.

I woke up and though "I'm done???". Weird feeling! But a good weird....I almost got tears in my eyes...I was so happy.  I have started to realizr that getting this surgery is going to be a life changing event in my life and my family's life too. Instead of being so limited, I'll be able to participate in so much more with my entire family!  The realization of that makes me emotional at times....it's good emotion.... :)

I'm now sitting in recovery.  I apparently missed dinner so all I'll get is a snack...but they said I can eat what i want so my wife went to grab me something to eat...

This whole thing was a million times easier than. I ever thought it would be.  It was not bad at all.  I am not in pain as I type this.  I'm excited to see how my hmew hip feels!  The numbing effect is still there. So i can't really fel my feet 100%.  When I first woke up i could barely wiggle my toes...that is wearing off and I can move my legs a bit more....  I can now move my operated leg side to side and a bit up and down.  I don't feel ANY joint pain!

I was able to call my family members and tell them everything was fine.  I didn't alk to Dr. Gross but he went to talk to my wife after the surfery...she was waiting in the hospital, and told her everything went well. 

I want to thank all of you who responded to my posts, emailed me, and offer words of encouragement!  I really appreciate the support. This website has been wonderful too...providing valuable info to help me research hip resurfacing!

I AM DONE!  WOO! HOO!

Glad to see you joined the club, we're glad you are in it and I am sure everyone will be happy that you are doing so well.

I told you that happy juice is the bomb, I told Lee afterwards that they should bottle that and sell it.

You'll do PT tomorrow as I think the PT staff work daylight.  They will get you on the steps I think the second time around.

Now off to good rehab to you young man, remember lot's of foot pumps and make sure they keep your ice machine filled up all the way till you checkout.

Chuck

Great job Sean!  I was thinking of you today.  That all sounds so recently familiar.  I almost miss the hospital grits. :)

I hear ya on the emotion side.  My wife told me today that I seem happier than I have been in a long time even though I'm running around on crutches.  Went out to dinner tonight with the family and had a blast.  Of course I'm icing it now... :)

Ok, I have to ask.... is Dr. Gross doing just aspirin or is he having people self inject a blood thinner?  I thought he went to the aspirin regime in leu of other drugs for blood clots.



Chuck

Great job Sean! 

Somebody should make an archive of all the "first post out of the OR" entries.

Great to hear you Sean.  I'm impressed you were able to type all of that on an iPad.  I keep getting tempted by those darn things.  I'm wondering what Apple has coming out in a couple of weeks for its iPad update.

Seriously, great stuff you have been writing.  You and Bernie and Chuck and all the other surface hippies, make it so much easier to pick a surgeon, prepare for surgery, and then get through it all.  I'm looking forward to hearing about you first day of PT.

By the way Bernie, how is your PT going?

Mac

Alright Sean! See, what did we tell you. The surgery is no sweat. The same thing happened to me, I was asked to lean forward and ZZzzzzz....... I don't remember a thing after that.
My wife and I are in Columbia right now for my 6 week post-op appointment tomorrow. We will stop at Providence H. tomorrow to visit the new hippys. See you then.

Love that happy juice!!

Steve (newdog)

Sean,
Greetings from London.
I told you not to worry but just enjoy.. glad that you did-it just gets better and better from here on -just take it sensibly.
Best
Toby

By the way Sean.  There is a discussion on the yahoo site about how much an implant weighs.  Evidently the BHR is 1-1/2 to 2 lbs.  I'm assuming the Biomet has a similar weight.  Can you actually feel the extra weight?  It seems to me if you have an extra two pounds on one hip, that would throw off your stride or balance just slightly.

Mac

That's why I told the doc, "make it a double!"  ;)

Quote from: Dayton96 on February 23, 2011, 09:25:34 PM
I'm looking forward to hearing about you first day of PT.

Sean, I think you will have the 'group therapy' tomorrow.  That one is pretty cool since you get put in a room with all the other resurfacing patients.  There is definitely a feeling of 'connection' with the others there that is nice.

I'm lying in my bed at the hospital, about to go to sleep.  Thought I'd give you a quick update.

Pain has been very tolerable.  I'm taking two oxycontins a dat..one in am, one at night. I have another pain medc called Nucynta which I can take if I need it.  The worst pain has simply been a general feeling of stiffness or puffiness?  Not any sharp pain, just a dull kind of ache.  Not bad at all.  When I first woke up from surgery I had zero pain, but the spinal was stil working.  The worst the pain has ever been is a 3 or 4?  Nothing bad.  By taking the meds, the pain has been kept in check.

Today i did some PT in my room in the am, then in the pm we had group physical therapy.  That was fun vc I got to talk with the other people who had it done same day i did.  There were five of us in total.  Everyone there had travelled to see Dr. Gross.  One man was from Ohio, a spam from Colorado, one patient was a doctor himself...an opthamilogist who came from north Carolina.

It was fun to be with other people who had just been through the same thing. Yes, there was that feeling of us all being in the same boat..everyone shared stories of how their hip went bad...

I also got to meet "Newdog" in person!  He was in town for his 6 week followup and he stopped at the hospital to say hi to me. That was great to put a face to the posts and emails we shared!  

I made several trips around the hospital hallways on my crutches.  I can say that my hippain is really gone.  It is an amazing feeling to know the pain is gone.  I still dont have great range of motion..that will come in time...but, I have ben able to sit up straight and be in a position that normally would have made my hip joint give off sharp pain...and now....nothing..zero pain!!  There is the incision pain...but it is different.  The awful pain inside my hip ismgome!  Hasta la vista...baby!  

I do think the stiffness and sore Veling in my hip is worse tonight than it was before..so if you do this, know that it hurts a bit more on day 2.. But still...its not bad.

Dr. Gross stopped in to see me in the am.  I talked to him a fee minutes and he told me the surgery went great! I asked him how mich the implant costs...silly question, but I was curious.  He saidmthe actual hospital cost is $7,000.  Pricey little sucker eh?

The food here is fine.  Nothing to write home about, but it is not bad...I've had worse hospital food.  You will be happy with the meals

Free wifi in my room...but some cites were blocked...and no..I wasn't trying to surf porn...I tried to watch a Netflix movie with my iPad.no luck, Netflix blocked.  I can, however, acres most websites...check email, etc.  Nice.

I'll get released tomorrow.  I'll keep posting my progress.  Bottom line. I am so glad,I did this.  Having my hip pain gone is going to be life changing!



-Sean
Biomet uncemented, Dr. Gross, 2/23/11

It's great to hear that your'e doing so well, Sean.  Too bad about the Netflix, though.  They probably block it because it's such a bandwidth hog.  I kept myself occupied about half the night on my first night in the hospital watching George Carlin stand-up on Netflix.

Sean:

Smooth sailing from here.  Sorry to hear about the Netflix.  I've already loaded up my iPod with a bunch of old time radio programs, lots of music, and lots of podcast radio talk shows like Rick Steves' travel show.  What does your wife think of the experience?

Mac 

That was nice of the dog to visit you.

We're all happy you are doing so well, but we hate to tell you, "we told you so".

People generally have great results with Dr. Gross and crew, they really do have everything down to a science to make sure you have the best possible result.  Dr. Gross pretty much takes up the whole floor you are on, I've heard and I don't know this to be true but he controls who works that floor and how they are trained to take care of you.

I myself if my left goes on me would not be afraid whatsoever to get it done.


Chuck

Dayton - I don't knowwhat the implant weighs.  I played with one at Dr.Gross's office but wasn't paying to much attention to what it weighed... It might weigh 1-2 lbs..it felt dense, but not excessively heavy.  I can tell you this, I can't feel anything in my hip..nothing .  My leg is stif and sore, but when I movemit around, innate ZERO sensation of something artificial being in my hip.  It just feels like me, but without any pain.  I'm not doing anything except wiggling my feet, getting in and out of bed, and walking up and down the hallways here in the hospital.  

I know the pain is gone, though, because before my surgery, even sitting up straighten bed would hurt.  I can sit up and when I get to the angle that should make me feel a sharp pain...there is no pain.  That is awesome.  I'm not allowed to bend my hip past 90 degrees for the next six weeks...but before surgery, bending my hip to even 70-80 degrees caused pain. That pain is gone.

I also had a lot of pain in my knee....I haven't felt any pain in my knee either!  Dr had told me the knee pain wasprobably referred pain from knee..and I say he was right, because the knee pain is gone!!!

I am supposed to be discharged sometime today.  It's 7am here and I am just resting in bed.  The nurse dame in a few minutes ago to remove my IV.

 I had a catheter too, but they took it out yesterday. The catheter kind of hurt cming out, butnonly for a split second.  I was out cold in the OR when they put it in, so i have no recollection of it going in, but woke up to see a tube coming out of you know what.. If you aremwondering how they take it out...they just yank it out..fast.  I would analogize it to pulling off a bandmaid...you can do it fast or slow, but fast mnimizesmhow long it hurts....same thing.  For a split second imhadna really uncomfortable feelingnin my penis...kind of a stinging feeling, but once it wasout..it stopped hurting.  So only a split second of pain...no biggie.  Inthink I had the catheter in a total of only like 15 hours.  Just overnight.  The first time I was able to go pee after the catheter was out, I had a harder time than normal going pee...I could go, but the flow would start and stop.   I was told having the catheter in can affect your bladder....ok....I knowmitsma bit weirdposting about bathroom stuff...but I figure a future hip patient is going to readmthis, and hopefully  this info will help you know exactly what to expect.

I am excited to be released and get back home.  I won't fly home until mon or tue, soi have a few more days to get stronger before I fly home.  I really miss my kids, so does my wife, and we are looking forward to being back home.  

If any of you are going to go through this, and you are single...I'd strongly suggest you get someone in your family to accompany you.  I am married and my wife came with me.   No matter how tough you think you are, it is a somewhat frightening experience...especially when you are in preop and you know you are moments away from the OR...once they give you the happy juice you will have no worries and no memories....but at least for me, having my wife here with me made it a million times better.  

I'll keep posting as I get back home and continue to improve.  If you are suffering with hip pain, and you are contemplating surgery, just do it.  I probablymshould have done this a couple years afo, but I opted to avoid surgery and just deal withnthe pain...only you knowmwhen the right time to have surgery is.  My logic was to wait as long as I could until the pain and negative impact on my life reached a point where I felt I couldn't tolerate the pain anymore.  In retrospect, I maybe should have done it a bit sooner.  I was partly willing to wait out of fear of the surgery.  there are positives to waiting, you can wait to see if better devices come out...or better evaluate devices being used.  If I had done my surgery back in 07 when it started getting bad,there would have been less data on Dr. Gross's uncemented setup...by waiting, I got to see four years of data which helped me choose him and that device....buti also suffed with pain for longer than I should have.

Ifmyou are reading this and you are in pain and contemplating surgery, I think you will just know when it is time.  That's how it was with me.  Imstarted researching the process, the doctors, but I wasn't ready to actually do it.  As my hip got worse, I got to a point where I was ready to do it.  

As to the person wondering about the iPad...I love mine. It's small light and simple to use. I've typed all these messages on it's virtual screen..you get the hang of it and get pretty fast.  Wait a bit to buy as I hear an updated iPad will be out soon.  You couldmalso score a sweet deal on a iPad when the nee one comes out, because the apple fans womhave to have the latest n greatest will craigslist theirs to get the new one.  An ipad is not a necessity, andit cant do everything a laptop can do....but it is very convenient.  Once you have one you will love it.

Anyway - the nurse just came in and said I will do morning physical therapy, see Dr. Gross, and then will be released.  I should be on my way to my hotel by lunch.

I'm really excited...I still have surgical,pain, but I can feel that my hip is fixed.  I know am giung to get better day by day and in a matter of weeks i am going to be walking a mile..and my range of motion will come back.  No more pain...ill be able play racquetball, ride my bike, and play with my kids pain free.  I've lived with hip pain for so long it is going to be so great to be able to just move around and not think about my hip!

I'm going to rest until breakfast shows up.... Talk to you all soon.  

Quote from: Dayton96 on February 24, 2011, 07:06:16 AM
Evidently the BHR is 1-1/2 to 2 lbs.

That sounds a bit heavy, Mac. I was told that the C+ (which I got) weights 300 grams, about 10 ounces. I imagine all devices are similar weight.

D.

This topic has come up before and the response from several surgeons-Depends on the femoral/acetabular size-but most devices range ;D from 10-16 ounces.
I don't know how much the cement weighs though-maybe that extra pound!
Toby

Congratulations Sean! great to hear that everything went so well. Now start your life up again, great to have you in the club. Are you going to do PT at home or outpatient PT?

Good job Sean, me too and happy to be done.

I drank too much beer the night before also, kinda stupid.

Glad you are feeling like the rest of us. I will be going for my 3 year checkup in August and my hip has given me no problems at all. The only inconvenience is the gestapo TSA agents at airports but it is only minor. I find it interesting how Dr. Gross is always slightly tweaking his protocols rather than always doing the same things. Everytime I read a new account there is some new procedure his team is doing. My wife is a nurse and has met and worked with many doctors and she told me that Dr. Gross was the most impressive doctor that she had ever met.

It does give you a great feeling to know that your surgery was performed by one of the best. I think we are almost like a cult that has Dr. Gross as our leader. Follow the exercises and you will be doing things you have not been able to do in years. When I answered the questions he asks when you go for your checkup I thanked him for giving me my life back. I think that is a common refrain from everyone that took the plunge and traveled to Columbia for the surgery.

I did an exhaustive search, I lurked on here for months and followed the results of Dr. Gross hippies and it was Dr. Gross or Dr. Su, I think with either I would have gotten great results.  I think what did it for me was the remarks about the hospital and staff of Dr. Gross that basically nailed it for me. Another is the fact that I am not an urban kind of guy.  I loved the look and feel around Columbia, SC.  I've been to NY, I will never go back, it was fun to see but I am far more country ;-) than a city kind of guy.

I've never met a doctor who actually sits or stands away from the door like he does.  He has NEVER acted like he was rushed to move on to the next patient.

I've petitioned Pat for our own Dr. Gross section on this site, email her and help me guys  ;-)  I think it would be handy if we had a meeting place where information could be placed and new Dr. Gross patients could hang out.

Chuck 

Update...

Well, last night was my first night out of the hospital.  I will admit, last night itnhurt a bit.  Nothing agonizing, but it hurt.  When i first woke up on the hospital I was pain freem so a zero out of ten.

The next day in the hospital, it was a bit sore, maybe a 2-3/10.  Lt night was probably a 4-5.  I may have fallen behind on the meds...when inwent to bed in took my two oxycontins and it was ok.  When insole up I was sore again, but once I took my meds it was ok..but it was still sore.  I'd describe it as my leg feeling tight and kind of puffy.  

During the day I felt better and my wife and I drove to downtown Columbia and went to one of the museums and had pizza.  There is a little organiz pizza shop called Z pizza...it was pretty good.  By the end of that little trip my leg had swollen a little,so back to the hotel.  I've had it on ice and it's back to normal.

The polar care ice machine is great!

I bumped into another Dr. Gross patient in my hotel hallway..she had her hip done the same day as me, and we were in group PT together.  It's nice to see some one else who understands what I. Going through ace to face.  The staff at my hotel has also been very helpful.  Some of the staff have commented that they often see guests on crutches who are having procedures done across the street at the hospital.....probably other Gross hippies!

I'm taking it easy the rest of the night.  Wil lay in bed, watch a movie, and go to bed.  I'm hoping to be out of here Tuesday at the latest.

I can still tell that my hip pain is gone, and I'm excited for my leg to stop swelling, heal, and feel back to normal.  IRS going to be so great to walk around, layin bed, walk up stairs, etc etc and have no pain.

Dr. Gross reallydoes give you your life back.  I already feel more cheerful and happy!

Elevate and ice dude.


Chuck

Guess what I am doing now??  Elevated + ice.   ;)

Me too... :)

I found a direct coorelation between activity level, being sore, and swelling.  You feel good, so ya push it, then you pay a bit. It's all good :). Just take it easy.

Guys... Pat created a Dr. Gross section, we would love to see your story on it, even if you've already posted it, copy and paste or just ask and we can move it.

The new section is to be more informational not for recovery or newbie posts, but rather a place where newbies can find out about a particular doctor.


Thanks in advance guys.


Chuck

UPDATE...

I a, back home in southern California!  It feels so good to be home!  I managed to make the flight home on day 5 post op.  Surgery was last we'd, and we flew out Monday. 

When I got to the Columbia airport and was walking into security on my crutches, the TSA person says to me, "Dr. Gross' patient?". I was surprised to see even the airport personnel know about him!  I told her yes....they sent me to secondary where I was patted down by a TSA guy.... I honestly didn't think it was all that invasive...but i guess I will probably have to do that whenever i travel now...  I had iced all morning knowing I had a lot of time ahead of me on a plane.  The 30 minute flight from Columbia to Charlotte was easy.  The plane was half full so I had mo one next me and could stretch out...

We had a couple hour layover in Charlotte and ate lunch.  We got on our flight to san diego and I till felt ok.  The flight was set to be about 5.5 hours.  I planned mt medication so i could take my oxycontin before I got on the plane, so it would be in my system during the flight.... It started raining, and the baggage crew got delayed...we boarded the plane..which was packed....and we sat at the gate for 1.5 hours....just sitting.... That stunk.  So myd 5.5 hour flight turned into 7-7.5....  Imasked the stewardess if I could move to an aisle or bulkhead seat..but the plane I was on had no empty seats.  The stewardess basically sia dit would be up to me to ask someone if they would volunteer to give me their seat....I looked at the bulkhead sears and they had no more legroom than the regular seats.....the best seats were I. The emergency exit...but of course I couldn't sit there because I was on crutches...  So I stuck itout in my coach seat.. I had a center seat which was not good, but luckilymi was sitting next to two small people...so I had space to spread,out.  I explained to the eo people next to me that I was 5 days post op from hip resurfacing and they were very acomldating.  I also hot several bags of ice from the stewardess to use to ice my hip.  I wore loose fitting silky workout pants...and NO UNDERWEAR....  My hip was swollen enough wearing undies felt tight on my thigh....so I just pulled the waistband open and shovedmthe bag of ice on the outside of my hip and had the cold bag of ice directly on my hip...I basically had a bag of ice in my pants the whole flight!  It sure helped.

Taking my meds when the flight started helped to.  It knocked me out for part of the flight which made it go faster.  Th elate hour or so my leg started to feel pretty swollen....I got up and just stood I the aisle for about 30 minutes a couple times during th flight too.

I was a bit worriedabout whether the flight home would be too difficult, but it was ok.  I think a first class seatwould have been better...but it was fine.  I made it and I was on the plane almost 8 hours....  Ifmthe flight had bgwm 3-4 joursmit would have been a piece of cake.

My hip is still sore, but only when off the ice too long or when my meds wear off.

I can walk on my hip...i can walk sjort distances wout the crutches but limp.  But the pain is not from my hip, it's the tissue soreness from surgery.  I was actually somewhat more comfortable on the flight back VS the flight TO the surgery, because beforethe surgery, if I sat up...like how younare forced to sit on an airline seat...my hip hurt because of my reduced range of motion.  Now, postop, I can sit up, and at 90 degrees there is no more hip pain!  It's strange to sit up and expect to feel the pain I've felt for so long...but it's not there! 

I'm still using my ivpce machine.slept last night with it hooked up overnight.  I think my leg got swollen even though I had ice on it I flight, because it wasn't elevated....  The overnight icing in bed with elevation really helped.

I am surprised how good i i feel at only 5 days.  I can't wait to see how I am as time progresses.

Thanks for the update! Glad to see that even though the trip was more of a hassle than expected that it was bearable. Now the good part starts as you see the improvement without the old pain.

Quote from: 23109VC on March 01, 2011, 01:30:34 PM

I am surprised how good i i feel at only 5 days.  I can't wait to see how I am as time progresses.

Good job and congrats on getting home!

Being a week ahead of you, I can assure you that the next week will make for another huge jump in improvement.  I'm sitting here completely pain free with no swelling at all.  I'm so ready to go for a walk, but I'll have to wait a bit with 2 more weeks at 10%... :)

Sounds great!!

Today I noticed that my foot was swollen...I've done a good job at icing my leg...but I think maybe the long flight , and being stuck in a sitting. Position caused my foot to swell....

I'm using my crutches for longer trips around the house, but can walk short distances without them.  I was fortunate to have a good dexa scan and didn't get the 10% weight limitation....

We are off to pickup my son from school and are bringing the litle ones with us and will stop by our neighborhood pond to feed the ducks on the way back... It's fun being home from work...I'm going to enjoy the next couple weeks while I recover...my leg is getting better and its good to stay home to rest, but I'm not home "sick"....  I had a good time with my kids, playing on the ps3... Just taking fit easy...and of course icing and elevating!

I'll update more later

Are you able to sleep through the night or do you find yourself having to get up and move around?

I'm  normally  a very sound sleeper.

Since ive been recovering i do think ive woke up more than often, but not because im in pain.  I have awakened several times a night, but its because my mouth bedame VERY dry..  I think its the pain killers.  So i wake up, but not because it hurts...i wake up because i need a drink really badly.  I keep a glass of water by my bed, and take a sip, then go nack to sleep.

As far as night time pain and discomfort, I've been ok at night in that dept.  I notice when I wake up, I'm sore still and once I take my meds I feel a lot better.

I may post. General thread to address my footmselling.  I'm curious who else had their foot swell?  Didn't really notice it much right after surgery, but today and last night I noticed my foot was swollen and itchy.  My calf feels a bit swollen too.

My wife says, maybe you're allergic to the metal in the implant.... I told her to stop it..she was getting met worried.  I'm hoping it's just leftov swelling from our long flight yesterday and will subside.

Is it Normal to get swelling all the way down at my foot?

my foot and calf swelled up 8 days out then went down just as quick .. keep an eye on it but i wouldnt be to concerned from my experience

and ice and elevate ... ::) ;)

I had to read your post twice to realize you were talking about your foot swelling as opposed to your leg.  I'm used to reading about leg swellings, but I don't remember complaining about their foot.  I hope you dropped Lee a note about it, just to play it safe.  On the other hand, I suspect you are right about the flight (and duck feeding) leading to the foot swelling.  Still, I would keep Lee informed.

Mac

My legs and feet swelled on the way home from South Carolina to PA. Not  real bad but enough that you could see it and I could feel it. I think it was from the long car ride. I elevated and iced and in a day or two the swelling went completely down. I still get some swelling in my feet and I can feel it on the back of my knees when I bend my legs. This happens when I sit for a long period with my feet lower than the rest of me. If I sit or lay with my feet level or elevated, the swelling goes down. My left foot and ankle has been slightly swelling for the last eight years or so because the veins in my left leg are damaged from a DVT I had in that leg. From what I have read, some swelling can be expected up to even a year post op. I would still call Lee or Nancy and ask them. I'm sure they will tell you it's normal due to the surgery.

This morning my foot was a lot less swollen.  I iced overnight and that probably helped a lot.

I noticed as this day has progressed that my foot has slightly become more swollen again.  Nothing crazy, but swollen a bit.I think it's a bit less than yesterday, but enough that I can feel it and see it.

Today is my last day of oxycontin.  I took two this morning, and I have one for tonight.  Tomorrow I will only have the nucynta for pain.  I noticed today that my butt was hurting a bit more...the area where my incision isnseemed more tender today.  Also, I haven't bought an elevated toilet seat, I just sit with my leg straight out...and this am I sat on the toilet a while....and whei got up my hip seemed more sore...I wondered if by sitting on the seat so long I agitated the incision site.

Did most of you b an elevated seat or just take care of business by keeping your foot extended?  I tried the raised gilet seats that looked like chairs..and hated them.  They were too confining.  They have arms that come up on both sides of you, and for me, they pressed my hips and butt together, making going to the bathroom difficult.  

If there was a raised seat that just rested on top of the toilet seat but allowed you to spade would legs out,that might work,better...I can't go if feet are pressed together...and those seatsmthat look like chairs do that.

I actualy got kind of worried when I got up off the toilet seat and my hip area felt ,ore sore..of course I panicked and thought that my sitting there too long at that angle maybe I hurt myself or moved the implant....  I think the soreness I'm feeling is just because I agitated the tissue/ skin and because I'm on less pain killers today too.

When I do my exercises, nothin in my joint hurts.  I do those leg slides, where I slide my heel backward, and flex the joint and I'm fine.

I would assume you'd have to do something pretty bad to movement implant...and I'm not doing anything like that!  I sit on the couch, ice, then intermittently get up and move around the house.  I may go get the mail today...that is a short walk across the street!

At what point should the pain from the incision start to go away?  Right now, its there still, but not too bad...but. Still get swelling and tightness.

I guess, I'm wondering when do you start to feel "fixed" without any sort of pain?  And when did most of you feel you could walk unassisted and without a limp?  

Shouod I invest in a raised toilet seat?  Am I risking hurting my implant by getting on and off the toilet without one?  I'm not violating the 90 degree rule because I have my leg out in front of me...but it probably would be easier to get on and offmidpf the seat was up more....

My foot would be normal as long as I had it elevated but when I got out it would swell. It took a few weeks for this to go away but it eventually did. Swelling is normal. Your body has suffered a trauma. When you think what happened, your hip was dislocated and a device was pounded into your femur. The problem with most of us is we want to get back sooner than our bodies are ready but in the end it is all worth it.

Sean,
I think it would be wise to buy a raised seat. The one I have does not have handles and I used my crutches or cane to help get up and down. One hand on the crutch and the other on the toilet tank. Be sure it is stable! Yes it is a pain to sit on them and try to do "both". I had to do #1 while standing, then sit for #2. It was tough when I had to do both real bad at the same time. Once you get used to it, sitting down then standing when done is a lot easier with a raised seat. Sorry for the graphic description.

I wouldn't worry about moving a implant. They have to be hit pretty hard and direct to loosen. I asked the Doc that and that is what he said. Falling down or getting struck hard in that area is the biggest concern. That's why we shouldn't ride bicycles until there is significant bone ingrowth into the implant. In case we wreck. Usually 6 months. Everyone should go by what their surgeon says.

Not using a raised seat is probably causing some strain on the surrounding soft tissues. Just be careful until you get one. I was told that if there was no raised seat or raised toilet available, do just what you are doing. Watch the 90 degree angle and stick your legs straight out and lean back if you can.
 
I am 7 weeks post op and my incisions are still sore. When I sit on them it feels like I am sitting on fat wallets (I wish!).
I still cannot lay on them in bed for more than maybe 5 or 10 minutes until they start to hurt. I was told to expect this for 2 or 3 months. I'm sure everyone is different. Oh and they still get itchy at times. Hope this helps.

Steve (newdog)

Sean,

Do as much around the house as your hip allows you to, be active as much as possible, between then elevate and ice as you have been.

The more you stay active the better, I can't remember if you were on a restricted rehab, if not put as much weight on that hip as your body will allow.

You sound like you are doing well with exception of that toilet seat.

Protect the hip, do the excercises.  When you are permitted WALK WALK WALK, it will help a lot.

Chuck

Toilet seat: I had one with the handles but still stood up a lot as it was more comfortable (and I am female!)..I also used the trick of leaning back and sticking the leg straight out. Once you can break the 90 degree rule, usually at 4 weeks, it will be so much better! Your flexibility and strength will improve even faster once that restriction is lifted.

As far as the incision: my PT told me to massage it with unscented lotion or cream to work out the hard knots and built up scar tissue. That works wonders and makes the area less tender. I have fair skin and I can tell you that I can still feel where the incision is (as in I know it is there, it feels different) and I am at 3 1/2 mths post-op.

I had lots of swelling at first and I think because I am a small person, it was very noticeable to me. I think once I went off the crutches at 4 weeks and was allowed to walk unassisted full weight-bearing, the remaining swelling went away. I don't quite have back the muslce tone in the surgical side, but it is getting there. No one else notices, but I can see a difference between my quad muscles.  I haven't limped since before my surgery!

Remember, it takes time to heal!

June

Steve...

Thanks!  As always, you have good things to say and it is helpful to get reassuring info from a fellow surface hippy!  I'm going to get one those seats today!

I probably should have had it already, but I managed to use the hotel seat by the leg out, lean back method...but I guess today was a "longer" session on the throne and it ended up agitating the tissues.  Also, I'm on my last day of pills and took less of them today than normal.

My incision is still pretty sore and tender.  If I sit on a hard chair it hurts still from the pressure on the site..... But when I got off the toilet today it was REALLY sore. You are probably right..i agitated the incision and underlying tissue too much by sitting for too lomg in one position....

I'm just going to take it easy the rest of the day, ice, elevate.

Are those raised seats soft or hard?

Thanks for the info Steve, and thanks so much for visiting me at the hospital.  It was great to meet you in person!  I sincerely appreciate you info, support, and help along this journey!

Quote from: obxpelican on March 02, 2011, 06:02:43 PM
Sean,

Do as much around the house as your hip allows you to, be active as much as possible, between then elevate and ice as you have been.

The more you stay active the better, I can't remember if you were on a restricted rehab, if not put as much weight on that hip as your body will allow.

You sound like you are doing well with exception of that toilet seat.

Protect the hip, do the excercises.  When you are permitted WALK WALK WALK, it will help a lot.

Chuck

Chuck-

I was fortunate and had a good dexa scan.  I have no restrictions and can do full weight on the hip.  I am kind of nervous to put full weight on it...like to stand on just my and leg...but I can stand without crutches.  I take showers without them and don't hang onto anything...I'm very careful not to move fast in the shower to avoid slipping..... But I can stand on the bad hip.  I can walk short distances without the crutches...but have a pretty good limp.... I avoid walking without the crutches as I an balance better with them.  I have walked around the house on one crutch..that is not too bad.

Are you guys icing mostly the incision site? Or are you moving the pad around your leg and icing different parts of it?

Sometimes after I get up from icing my hip for an hour or so, I swear my butt feels numb!  I am wearing gym shorts and putting the padmover my clothes, so I'm not putting the pad directly on my skin, but itnstill gets really cold!  I just took the pad thing off about ten minutes ago, and my left butt cheek still feels cold! 

,y incision sitemismsore, but also has a sort of numb feeling to it.  I think that is normal.  I cut my arm pretty badly Manu years ago and I remember going throu various stages of sensations where I was cut.  At first it hurt, then it was numb..then I would get weird cold and wet sensations depending on what touched my arm...if I rested my arm on a cold desk it felt like I putnit in water....  I assume this incision will have similar odd sensations...

Right now my incision feels kind of numb, puffy, and sore.  I guess it's going to be a while before that goes away!

Sean,

Do what your body will allow, nothing crazy, if you feel pain or are too weak to try to walk a few steps, don't.  But, remember your implants are sort of pressed together, when you put some weight on you are helping the press.  Baby steps lead to big steps.

By all means be careful in the shower... you sound like you are doing really well.


Chuck

Quote from: 23109VC on March 02, 2011, 07:31:57 PM

Chuck-

I was fortunate and had a good dexa scan.  I have no restrictions and can do full weight on the hip.  I am kind of nervous to put full weight on it...like to stand on just my and leg...but I can stand without crutches.  I take showers without them and don't hang onto anything...I'm very careful not to move fast in the shower to avoid slipping..... But I can stand on the bad hip.  I can walk short distances without the crutches...but have a pretty good limp.... I avoid walking without the crutches as I an balance better with them.  I have walked around the house on one crutch..that is not too bad.

Right now my incision feels kind of numb, puffy, and sore.  I guess it's going to be a while before that goes away!
[/quote]

The seat I have is not padded. It's hollow plastic. Bought it at WalMart for under $20. It's molded so it can not slip off of the toilet.

When I iced I tried to locate the ice on the incision site as much as possible. If it seems to be too cold, maybe try to add more padding like a towel. My spots felt cold and a little numb too. Maybe other hippys have other ideas.

Again, what would we do without this website? It's just amazing to be able to share and learn.

I think the raised toilet seat is nice and worth the $.  At 6'1", its actually the correct height for me and jokingly told my wife that its staying.  I can understand the concept of different efforts for #1 and #2.  First few times sitting down it was not easy to get everything pointed in the right direction.   I suspect that's super tough on bilats.

I think the limp will go away as the supporting muscles recover, especially the abductors.  I had a nice email back from Lee Webb on that question for me.  There are specific things that get targeted at 6 weeks to bring strength back to the rest of the leg 'system'.  At this point, do what you are allowed (walking for you!) and let your body recover.   Its not a race.

I was thinking I was told that I would get a HR kit from Dr. Gross prior to being sent home.  Doesn't it include a toilet seat?

Mac

Sorry Mac, but no it doesn't include a seat. Other hippys go out the night before and dine and try to relax. I was out looking for a raised toilet seat. Exciting!

I bought that kit, and it came with several items (reacher grabber, sponge on a stick, thing to help put on dicks, long shoe horn...) but no toilet seat.

My wifeis going to grab one at walmart or target tonight.  Both stores appear to carry something like that about $20.

I love this site.  It is very comforting to come here and get quick answers to stuff that bothers me, or I wonder about.  My bathroom incident really stressed me.  When i got up off the seat I knew I felt more discomfort in my hip...I didn't know exactly what it was, but of course, I'm a worry wart and I panicked -  I thought I hurt myself or moved the implant... It wasn't a happy thought  to feel something hurt differently....

But, I'm also on less pain meds today, so I may just be feeling it more now.  I am doing my exercises, and those dont really hurt.  Even the heel slide thing. I can do 15 reps of that and it doesn't hurt at all.  When imwalk though, im feel  more discomfort in the incision area.. I think sitting on the seat today must have dome something to the incision site...and with less meeds on boardi felt it more.

I'm icing again.  I am going to get a good night sleep and see how it all feels in the am.

It sure makes  me feel better to have this site.  When something worries me, it is nice to get info from youmguys who are ahead of me in the process.

before the surgery this site was a real source of comfort....and it still is as I recover.

As I type this I'm on my couch... And it feels fine.  Did my foot pumps, butt squeezes, heel slides... All feels really good.  I took a nucynta and nowi feel a bit groggy.

When did most of you guys stop the narcotic meds?  I was hoping to be really pain free by today and not need them but maybe my toilet seat set incident set me back a day or so?

Thanks for all the info and support guys!

Oh, I have also noticed that my leg has little red bumps on it...like pimples... Its almost like a rash.  Not sure if it's because of all the meds, all the icing, or just some byproduct of the trauma to my leg. Since is one leg I wonder if it's not the medicine..or you would think I'd get it all over my body....  Did any of you guys get rashes?

Sometimes it's the stuff they put on your leg before they wrapped it, I forgot the name of that stuff, sometimes people are allergic to it. 

Sometimes it's the result of the meds they used during the surgery, some people have taken 10 days to 2 weeks to clear from their system.

It will go away.


Chuck

I am on week four and was off pain meds after 9 days, just use Advil once in a while, go in for my other hip in the morning. Glad to hear that you are doing good. Raised seat is a must, I thought it was tough with a raised seat, I would not want to try without one for about three weeks

OK.  Live and learn.  I will have that seat before I leave for Columbia.  I''m looking forward to a good southern meal the night before my surgery, not a trip to Target.  I'm wondering now though how challenging the rest stops will be on my 9 hour drive back to Ohio after the surgery.  Please don't tell me I have to shag a potty seat into rest stop restroom at every stop.

I went out and wined and dined the night before and had to have my neighbor get me a raised toilet seat before we got home from the hospital.  I know it's not too exciting, actually it is.  I love my raised toilet seat and I also use it as a walker to get around the bathroom sometimes.  Definitely a great tool.

Dayton,
Public and restaurant restrooms are supposed to have raised or "handicap" toilets. On my ride home there was a stretch of 35 miles of a road that connected two interstate highways. Wouldn't you know that's when nature called "real loud"! The only thing we could find was a little Mom and Pop store. It was way out in the "boonies" as they say. They had a regular toilet, so I carefully sat down. It worked.

Tin Soldier,
A walker!! It makes me laugh picturing it! One thing about it, no one else wants to touch it. It's yours!

DAY 8 POST OP

well, here is a summary of how i felt on day 8.

On day 7 i think I agitated my incision using the bathroom,  but today it felt better.  After that "incident" I had my wife head out to walmart for a raised toilet seat, the one thing I had neglected to buy.  Boy didmthat make things easier!

I iced my leg in the am.  At lunch we to the kids outnto a local dairy that sells fresh milk and freshly made chocolate milk...wow was it good.  They also have some small pens with little goats that the kids can feed through the fence.....kids had a good time and it was good to get out of the house.  We stopped at Costco for a hot dog, some quick groceries..and I managed to do all right.  We only needed coffee and I just waited near the front of the store....I really didn't feel like trekking al over Costco on my crutches... So mo..it wasn't a usual Costco run with a fully loaded shopping cart....

I rested back at home.

I only took one nucynta around lunch....this was my first day totally off oxycontin...and normally I had ramen several nucynta along with the oxy throughoutnthe day...so this was a big reduction in pain medicine.

I would describe the pain as manageable.  It was more of a soreness and stiffness near the incision.  I felt a little more discomfort late in the evening, but nothing terrible.

The area that hurts is my incision.  I have had some pain in my knee at time, but it seems to set in in the evening after a day of activity..not siren if it is from being tired, or from walking , limping around on it.  The knee that hurts is on the operated leg.

I have some discomfort in the hamstring muscle on my operated leg.  I can feel that is seems weak.  I also feel that I have a lot of weakness in the muscles that pull the hip up..like if you were standing up and tried to raise your knee up...those muscles...I had a real loss of range of motion in that area before the surgery, so I'm sire theynwere weak to startwith, but theynseem weaker.  If i am gettnginto bed and trying to het my legs situated, ot is very hard to move my left leg because the muscles that would raise it up don't want to do it..so I usually use my arms, grab my leg and physically lift itmup. Sometimes when I do that I notice a small pain in my hip...not sure what it is...but I'll watch it....

Overall I'd say it was a good day.  Perhaps slightly more discomfort than some prior days, BUT day 8 was pretty much pain med free and the prior days I was pretty medicated so the same pains were there but just masked.

All in al, I feel pretty good for being 8'days post op from a surgery like what i had,  I'm able to motor around on two crutches easily.  I can walk on one crutch fine too.  I wil intermittently stop using one crutch and rake a handful of steps on one crutch to see how I do.  It feels ok.  I can keep a somewhat more normalmgait by using the one crutch on the opposite side as the bad leg.  Ifmimtrynto walk without any crutch I can do it but limp quite a bit.  The muscles aren't quite ready for that yet.  My joint feels good though, and the only real pain I feel when putting a lot of weight ontovthe operated leg is theincision.  It's like a big dull tugging, puffy, soreness.  Not a sharp pain that hurts...just a constant dull one reminding me that I still have a ways to go before I'm all better.

I also have noticed a slight rash on my operated leg.  It almost looks like my hair follicles are just red or agitated...it's not just where they shaved my leg...they kind if itch...I think it may be from the medicine?  But it's only on the operated leg...  Any of you get something like that?

I'm take it a day at a time and feel good.  Those old sharp arthritic pains are gone.... That is nice.  Like many have said...there is stilmpain, but it is different and I know this pain will go away.  It will feel so amazing when I am finally able to walk without the crutches,mor a Cain, without pain...and actually feel like I am "fixed"!!!

I will get there..today or tomorrow, but I will get there.

After I got home I broke out in a rash. It turns out I was allergic to the vicodin. Lee told me to take benadryl and the rash went away. From that time on the only thing I took was x-tra strength tylenol and to be honest I never noticed any difference.

Sean -

Just wondering...how well are you sleeping?

Mike

At first, I was waking up several times during the night because my mouth was getting dry...one of the meds gave me dry mouth and it would get so dry it would wake me up...I'd drink some water, fall back asleep, and would wake up a few hours later, same routine.  I was probably up and down 3-4 times a night because of my mouth.  Luckily I fall back asleep instantly....so it didn't really bother me much....

It's was like that most nights since the surgery.

Last night, I was off the meds, and didn't wake up, although I had the ice thing on my leg and I woke up with my leg in a cramp...the pillow I propped under my leg must have been at a weird angle...

I did not ice my hip at all today and have not noticed much swelling.

When did most of you stop icing?



I've only been o

Quote from: 23109VC on March 04, 2011, 08:52:36 PM
I did not ice my hip at all today and have not noticed much swelling.

When did most of you stop icing?

I iced for the first ten days and had virtually no swelling. Then I did not bother icing, and on day fourteen, my a**e cheek swelled up and I could not sit comfortably. I Started icing again and it went down quickly.

So I would suggest you keep icing, even if you have no swelling.

D.

DAY 9 POST OP UPDATE

today I was officially off the narcotic pain meds.  Yesterday I took one pill around lunch, today I took none.  I felt really good too .  There is still that incision pain, and when I walk on my crutches, I can feel a soreness that almost feels like it's in my butt cheek.

I'm still using two crutches for my trips out of the house, but am using one inside the house.   A few times I have been successful without using any crutches at all.  I can limp around ok on no crutches, but I'd rather not push it, so I try to have at least one.

I can tell the discomfort level was slightly less today.  I also felt that I did better getting in and out of the car on my own.  I'm still slow bringing my leg up and into the car, but it is getting better.

I'll do some icing today just to be safe.

I was allowed to take off my bandage but didn't ake it off.  I figured I'd leave it one ome extra day...today I'll take it off and see how things look underneath.  Hope it all looks good! They sent me home with an antibiotic ointment that I can use, but Dr. Gross's discharge info says once I remove the dressing, I should apply the ointment, but can then leave it exposed.  No need to redress it anymore.  Is that what most of your docs did? 

Anyway...things are getting better day by day!

I iced the whole first week I was home. It was probably about 10 days total. I was off the narcotics at 6 days. The reason I stopped was I became nauseous for a few days and blamed it on the drugs. Not sure if that was what caused it. I was fine using X-strength Tylenol from then on.


Sean,
When you remove the bandage, there will be left over residue that will take a while to wash off. So don't be alarmed, it's normal. Just gently wash the area, don't scrub it hard. I think it took about 3 weeks to get the stuff completely off. It's not sticky or messy, it just doesn't come off easily.

Sounds to me like you are doing very well.

Steve,

Took off the hand age this AM and noticedmthat leftover residue...like black stuff...glad that wasn't me....  :o

It does look kind of strange to see a big slice on my hip, but it doesn't look that bad.  I'll put the ointment on it as directed and will wash gently.  No way I could scrub it if I wanted to, that would hurt!

Thanks for the heads up!

TWO WEEK UPDATE

I am nowslightly past the two week mark, but rather than post every day at this point, I figured I'd slow down and post weekly.

At about the two week point I think one noticeable change for me is that when I am out of the house walking around now, I am only using one crutch.  Before, I found it necessaryto use two for going out to a store, and things like that.  Now, my leg seems to have improved to where I can go lager distances and only use one.

Around the house I am walking without any crutch, but I limp still. 

I still have pain in the incision site, and I still feel a weird weakness and numb type sensation in my leg at times.  If I sit in a chair for too long, my leg feels weird, and weak when. I get up.  If I am up on it, it fels better.

I don't notice any pain in my hip like I used to!

I'm not taking the narcotic pain meds, and were off those around day 5 or 6 after I was out of the hospital.  I am still taking Tylenol and that seems to be enough.  I ran out of Tylenol yesterday and didn't get more until this evening.  Being off it all day, I do think I detected slightly more discomfort in my leg, but nothing substantial.

I'm hoping to go into work on a limited part time basis next week....I think I'll do fine...I just won't sit in one place too long!

Thanks for the update!  Its nice to hear about your progress.  :)

ONE MONTH UPDATE

Ok, I'm a Couple days early, but this Wednesday will be the one month mark!

I have continued to improve gradually.  The little nagging pains and sensations are lessening.  They are still there, but they seem less noticeable.

I am still on celebrex for a few more days until my prescription runs put, and the only pain med I am taking is Tylenol.

I have totally stopped using crutches and have been using the cane for the past week or so.  I can tell my walking has improved a lot since going to the cane.  I think since you can't put as much weight on the cane, it's making my leg do more work and get stronger?

I take the cane when I leave the house, but I only use it off and on in the house.  

Yesterday my wife and took the kids to the wild animal park, we live near san diego and the park is close to out house and we have passes...so I've walked there many times beforemthe surgery.....this was my first time there post op.  If have been there, you know it has a lot of hills.  

I used the cane, but there were a few times where I picked the cane up, and just walked on my own.  At one point I was going up a mild incline, did not use my cane, and started smiling...because I was walking uphill with no assistance and for one of the first times in as long as I can remember, I had no pain!!   :D

Everyone probably had unique things that really hurt their hip...for me it was walkinguphill.  I could walk on flat ground and itmwas ok....uphill HURT.  To be able to walk uphill, put weight on my hip, and feel normal....it was Unbelievable!

I still get a slightly weird sensation in my left butt...deep in the glut...I don't think it's my implant, I think it's the muscle...it comes and goes..and I noticemit less than I used to....but it reminds me I am not totally better...and I have no plans to push things.  My walk at the animal park was not all day, we were there a few hours and I had chances to sit.  The tram ride was all sitting, but it was a fair amount of walking.

Having dealt with pain for so long, and after compromising so many aspects of my life due to that pain...that one moment of walking uphill without pain - felt great!!

Things are only going to get better!

That is awesome.  Talking about your uphill walk makes me smile (and to be honest a little emotional!).  I know exactly what you mean and can't wait to have those moments for myself in a couple of months time.  It's the little things that will change in my life that are making this whole process such a big deal for me and I can't wait. Thanks for your story!

Sean,
Sounds like really good progress. Yes, walking uphill was real bad for me too. My driveway is on a hill and I hated walking up it. Not anymore! Thanks for the update.

Quote from: 23109VC on March 21, 2011, 09:04:30 PM
ONE MONTH UPDATE
Yesterday my wife and I took the kids to the wild animal park ...
Things are only going to get better!

I have often thought about doing that too.

Quote from: Lori Cee on March 21, 2011, 10:00:14 PM
That is awesome.  Talking about your uphill walk makes me smile (and to be honest a little emotional!).  I know exactly what you mean and can't wait to have those moments for myself in a couple of months time.  It's the little things that will change in my life that are making this whole process such a big deal for me and I can't wait. Thanks for your story!

I didn't want to admit to it, but when I walked up that hill, it actually did make me a tad emotional too!  I didnt cry or anything like that.... Butmit was an emotional experience.  Going from being somewhat crippled to suddenly feeling like I have my life back..... Almost... I'm only a month out...but it gave me a major taste of what things will be like at six months out and I  Can't wait!

FIVE WEEK UPDATE

Well, today is the fifth week!  wow, time has gone by so quickly.  It is hard to believe that six weeks have already gone by.... and when I think about how good I feel right now....it's amazing how fast my body has recovered!  

This week has been my first official week back to work.  I have done really well.  One thing I've noticed at work is that sitting too long really makes my hip sore.  I have a desk job..and sit a lot.  I have tried to get up and just walk about, but there were times where I saw in my work work chair for a couple hours straight, and when I got up, my leg muscles felt sore and I had my limp back.  After walking around for 10 minutes though, I felt fine and almost felt like my limp was gone.  So it's NOT the joint and there's nothing wrong with my recovery...but sitting agitates things!

I used my cane on Friday, and a bit over the weekend.  When I went to work on Monday, I didn't use it.  I left it in the car.  It has STAYED in the car all week.  I keep bringing it as a sort of security blanket, but I feel good enough to walk without it.  I think I am getting very close to not needing the cane at all.  If I was going to walk a LONG distance, I think I'd still want it and would use it.  Monday night we went for a walk.  My commmunity is built around a man made lake..and the lake is very close to my house.  If I walk to the lake, around the lake, and back home, it's maybe a total of 3/4 of a mile, maybe a mile max.  We took the kids, the stroller for the little guy, and I tossed my fold up cane in the bottom of the stroller.  I walked almost the entire way without the cane.  I walked to the lake and around the lake without the cane.  I even pushed the stroller a while. :)  I remember commenting to my wife how it was first time I had walked around the lake and not had pain in my hip!  and that was the truth.  I have been TO the lake since my surgery... but only on the crutches and we drove there... yes, we drove down the street to the lake. a place we usually walked to...Monday was the first time I walked around it after surgery.  When we moved to this community I had plenty of hip pain and everyh time we walked it....it hurt.  Monday night was fun.  I walked around  my pretty lake and never once thought "ouch".  :)   you all know what I"m talking about!!!  at least you who are POST OP do!

Toward teh end of that walk my hip did get tired.  i coudl have pushed myself and tried to "make it"..but I'm not out to prove anything, so I unfoled the cane and used it the last few hundred yards...  the next time we do the lake, maybe I will finish it sans cane!  :)  something to look forward to.

the funky pain in the back of my butt seems to be subsiding.  i feel it now and then, but i think it's going away...

i feel so much better.  like i said, sitting too long makes my hip sore and the limp come back.  walking helps.  i honestly feel l ike if I am up on m y feet for a while, i can almost walk with zero limp.. not quite...but im getting there.  i feel so much better than before myh surgery it is amazing.  living without pain is a blessing.

if you are one of the people who is on this website, living with hip pain that is afffecting your quality of life, and reading all of the posts.. jus tlike I was about a year ago... don't wait.  go get your hip fixed.  I shoudl have done this sooner.  I have read other people say that they should have fixed their hip sooner, but waited out of fear regarding the surgery, and now I know exactly what they mean.  the surgery was NOTHING.  I don't even remember it.  I remember getting an IV, and I have a vague recollection of someone telling me to sit up.. the next thing I knew I was waking up, NOG in pain, and over the past 5 weeks I have steadily become better, stronger, and the horrible pain that  lived with day ina nd day out is HASTA LA VISTA!


I'm going to restring my racquetball racquet soon, and start making plans for my racquetball debut in about 5 more months.  :)

Nice post, Sean - happy to hear you're doing well.

Awesome Sean, thanks for posting this.

I was just about where you are now, after my first surgery, when I went in for my second.  A little frustrating to have all that progress and then go back to "square one".  I'm now 21 days past my second and still on crutches due to doctor's orders, but I know (don't ask me how I know  ;) ) that I can walk on it fine.  I just can't wait until next Wednesday for my follow-up when I can hopefully get rid of the crutches and start walking the neighborhood again with my wife.

Golf weather is here, and the pool will soon be warm enough to swim in too.

Keep up the good work.

Thanks for posting your progress. At 11 weeks PO I still get pains and strange sensations. I just accept it as normal and part of healing.

don't get me wrong.. I still get pains and weird sensations at times...  I think they are definitely less noticeable as time goes by... but they are there.

I have noticed that since I"m back at work - sitting for an hour in my chair makes my hip muscles / the incision area agitated... when I first get up i feel tight and limp.. then by the time i have walked a few minutes, i feel much better and looser...  maybe that too will disipate over time...

i'm taking it day by day / week by week - I k now that I am getting better..  i'm not rushing it.  i am very happy with how things are going.  I am by no means ready to do a carthweel or jump up and down...  i'm taking it very easy on my hip... but walking is getting much much better.

next update at 6 weeks!  i have to start planning to get xrays and a PT exam as I don't think I will be heading back to SC to see Dr. Gross in person... maybe I will see him at the one year anniversary?? 

Nice job Sean -

Your progress sounds like about like mine.  I'm 5 weeks out and doing pretty good, but getting up off my duff and moving is probably th ehardest part.  I need to keep moving and the joint stays nicely lubed up.  I am beginning to notice the right leg a lot.  The pain is just starting to impact my recovery.  I probabaly should have stuck to orginal schedule and doen both hips within the 5/6 week span.  Oh well.

*****THREE MONTH UPDATE *****

Today is about the three month mark for me.  I'm doing GREAT!!!

It's really amazing how the human body recovers.  At the one month mark I was mobile but nothing like I am now.  I have no doubt that if I wanted I could take off and run full speed....but I haven't tried it because Dr. Gross says not to until six months...I can wait!

I go up and down stairs with no problem.  I can squat down and tie my shoes with ease.

I still get pain and minor stiffness after sitting down...but it goes away after I walk for a short distance.  I have had several coworkers comment thar they have really noticed my walking has become virtually normal with zero limp.  Very cool compliment!

I'm doing the phase 2 physical therapy which is really just leg lifts and some stretching.  I noticed when I first started that my leg was really weak.  The leg lifts hurt after 5 reps...now I'm doing 20-30 reps and it's not nearly as hard. 

My life has literally transformed from being partially crippled and horribly limited to being virtually normal and almost entirely pain free.  I feel so amazing.  I have zero regrets about having surgery...it was the best damn thing I have ever done.  In three more months I'm goi to be running, playing racquetball, and who knows what else.  I think I will not go crazy..I don't plan to run or jog as a main exercise activity...I'll try bikes and swimming...but I will do it pain free. 

If you have hip pain and are sick of living in 24/7 pain...and you area candidate for thus surgery...get it fixed.  I watched the YouTube videos of the surgery, was all freaked out by how gross it looked, and put off surgery at least a year or two...I wish I had done it sooner.  The surgery was apiece of cake.  The most painful part was the IV.  Seriously, it was not bad.  I was out before anything scary happened and when I woke up I felt fine.

Now at three mo this post op I feel so great.  I'm anxious to hit the six month hark so I ave the green light to really try my new hip out!
;D

Quote from: 23109VC on May 27, 2011, 12:34:18 AM
My life has literally transformed from being partially crippled and horribly limited to being virtually normal and almost entirely pain free.  I feel so amazing.  I have zero regrets about having surgery...it was the best damn thing I have ever done.

Sean,

I hear you! People around me are taking it for granted what I had done because I move so normal. Not me though!

Steve