Breaking Point

[NewTurn]

Hi All,

I am new to this board, and like most of you, I am trying to find answers.  I am a healthy athletic 35yr male that used to do a lot of activities.  I basically had to stop all my activities about 2 years ago because the pain became too great.  Even riding my motorcycle causes pain to lift up my leg to the peg.  Anyways, I have seen a couple of doctors who all said I was at end stage arthritis in my left hip, so I am seriously contemplating getting a BHR.

Last weekend I took my kids to the zoo (2yr and 3mo) with my wife, and just lifting the baby seat on and off the stroller, plus all the walking, was very painful.  I am soo close to call my doctor and schedule the resurfacing, and get it done already.  But, I have fear about the outcome, even though my local doctor has done about 500 of these procedures.

My question to everyone is, do you remember a point where you said enough is enough; I am going to schedule the surgery.  Was it a specific event or action that you did that made you decide to go through with resurfacing even though it is major surgery.

Your input is appreciated.

[kwarendorf]

What possible outcome could be worse than your current condition?

[CeeJay15]

Sounds to me like you are there!

cj

[bothdone]

Hi NewTurn

In answer to your question.  I was at an athletics track one day walking past the stand when a physio friend of mine came over and said something like "if you don't get that hip sorted you'll damage your back".    Within a month I'd organised a BHR which I had to pay for myself.     No regrets about the operation or paying for it.

Some time later I was watching a video of an athletics meeting when somebody limped past with a horrible walk.  It was me!   It is amazing what you learn to live with.

For my BHR on the other leg I had it done at an earlier point in the hip degredation.   Again, I'm very pleased with the outcome.

As I and others have said on here before you need to be aware that there is a window of opportunity for a BHR.  If you leave it too late they may not be able to fit a BHR.  That's how I understand it but do take professional advice.

Very best wishes

Ed

[stevel]

Hi NewTurn,

My breaking point was when I had to cancel a work field trip last Summer because I couldn't walk up and down slopes near streams anymore.  Even after mowing the lawn, my left hip was toast and I took some ibupropen in the evening.  I was never in severe pain but I was wearing out my bones and possibly reducing my opportunity to have a hip resurfacing.

[Josephine18]

Hi New Turn,

For me, the breaking point was the realization that my life was on hold because of my hips.  I was beginning to make major life decisions based upon my hip pain which I knew was an entirely fixable and therefore temporary condition.  I always have been a very active and athletic person, but I realized I had not done certain activities that I used to love for years.  The functional limitations creep up on you slowly as you try to convince yourself that things aren’t really that bad, but my whole life began to revolve around my hip pain.  I remember one day seeing a piece of paper on the floor and having to pause to think whether or not to pick it up because I knew if I did so,  it would send a shot of pain through my hips.  I thought to myself – this is ridiculous, I am 36 years old, and I have to think about whether and how I am going to get that piece of paper off the ground.  I think most have us probably have numerous “lightbulb” moments that when pieced together gave us the courage to say enough is enough.  You can never advocate too strongly for your own health, and you owe it to yourself to at least explore the option of hip resurfacing.  Do not think that the option will always be there for you.  There is a window of opportunity to perform HSR, and if you miss it, THR becomes the next option. I know because I almost missed my window of opportunity.  I also echo the thoughts of many who have contributed to this forum in that if you have the ability and resources to seek out one of the more experienced surgeons, do so.  There are a few out there (Dr. Gross for starters) who will provide free consultations as long as you send them your X-rays and any other forms they need to get to know you and your history a little bit better.  Good luck!

[Tarhoo2]

My breaking point occurred when, after suffering through several years of increasing pain and discomfort, I finally realized I couldn't even play nine holes of golf without being, essentially, disabled for the rest of the day and very stiff the next day (I had always been very active).  I finally saw a respected orthopaedist to whom I was referred, who only does THR's.  He showed me the x-rays (basically, no cartilage remained in my left hip joint and very little in the right) and told me it wasn't a question of whether I needed to deal with the problem but, rather, a question of whether I was prepared mentally/emotionally to deal with it.  He prescribed a N-SAID, which provided some short-term relief, and sent me on my way.

I was 46 at the time, took the prescription and had it filled, and got on the internet to see what my options were.  I ended up on the Smith & Nephew website, where I was introduced to the BHR option.  On that website there was a page to look up nearby OS's who were certified to do resurfacing and, fortunately, there was one nearby.  At my first appoinment with Dr. Andy Engh of the Anderson Orthopaedic Clinic in Northern Virginia I scheduled my first surgery.  At that time he had done approx. 100 BHR's and I was totally comfortable with and confident in his ability.

Dr. Andy performed a BHR on my left hip 12/18/07.  The relief from the pain was immediate: I felt better in the recovery room than I had for long time.  Granted, I was on IV pain med's, but from then on, other than swelling and the initial joint instability, which were more a matter of discomfort than pain, I was amazed at how well everything went.

Dr. Andy performed a BHR on my right hip on 4/4/08.  I actually looked forward to having the second surgery done, knowing how well things went with the first.  Perhaps because I knew what to expect and had been "initiated," the second BHR process seemed even smoother than the first.

Bottom line: If you need to have it done, find an OS who does BHR's that you are comfortable with and do it.  Based on my experience, you'll be glad you did.

I'd be happy to speak with you directly, if you'd like.  Best of luck.

[sunny]

Hi there.  I waited for 1 1/2 years.  By this time I was " a furniture walker" and living on pain relievers.  Sounds like you are ready for this procedure.  I am fine, waiting to get my right side done.  I have range of motion on my surgery side and few days after surgery without pain releivers.  Only used a walker for 3 weeks and am doing well now.  This was 8 months ago.    Follow your Doc's advice after your procedure and don't rush the healing, it will come and you will be just fine.  Sunny

[frameworks]

I am active mom of three boys with two recent breaking points for you.

1) I was bending down in a lacrosse shop to read the information on the lower shelf. I could not get up. I held onto the plexiglass shelf for support but it broke with pieces flying like shrapnel, my children were farther from me, I felt hopeless and scared for my children. People were asking if they could help me. They couldn't because I couldn't get up.

2) crying on the WalMart cart, being dragged along by those wheels.

Bilateral is scheduled. I am very scared but the breaking points are too unpredicable for my lifestyle. You will know deep in your heart.

[kmminer4]

hello,
 I am 42 years old and have always been active,played sports and kept my weight down but my hip started bothering me more after I gave birth to our 4th child,so at 1st I thought it was all pregnancy related so  I put it off and put it off because baby was young and needed me and at the time our oldest was 8 so I felt I needed to be super mom and be there for all of their needs....which I was to an extent but little by little i couldnt do all of the things that I liked to do or at least I would try to keep up and then pay for it later. Well This went on for almost 5 years and My breaking point was this summer . We had just finished a 2 week vacation visiting w/ family/friends and I could not walk from the airport terminal to our car in the parking garage,now mind you The Atlanta airport is huge but I'm only 42 I should be able to do this.Thank God I already had an apt. w/ my surgeon set up for after vacation just as a follow up but it turned into more of a scheduling apt. for surgery. I will be going in on Aug. 11th and I could not be happier.Everyone on this forum have said the same thing,you will be so happy that you did it and wonder why did I wait this long.Well I can't answer that yet and I am holding everyone accountable if it is not true.LOL.
 Seriously,if you are researching your options here,then you pretty much know what you need to do. I have exhausted all of my options by keeping weight down,(even lost a few to see if that would help),cortisone injections (didnt work) and PT for 8 months(helped range of motion but not the Pain),so I am here also asking every possible question because you will want to know everything about your surgery before you go in.It's a committment but well worth it in the end,kind of like a marriage...Well at least a good marriage.So good luck w/ everything and keep us posted on what you decide,like I will after August 11th. Take care.
Kelly

[jj76751]

Hello:

I am a dump truck driver and a Pampered Chef Consultant and before all this I used to run 5 miles every morning before work.  Even though I don't have as much experience as some of the others I thought I'd respond. 

I have not had my surgery yet - it is scheduled for August 26th my breaking point was when I was at the Pampered Chef National Convention for three days.  There is some walking and everyone else thought it was miles and miles.  To me it didn't seem like a lot but I was in pain most of the time and when everyone went to do fun things I sat out because of the pain.  I thought if I can't even walk without pain how am I going to work again. 

In the summer time I do a lot of booths at fairs and such.  I would do one for one day and it would take me 3 days to recooperate.  I'm only 45 and I still have 20 years of earning power to go.  The biggest thing -  I remember thinking life is too short to spend it in pain and not be able to travel without being in pain (something I've always loved to do since my dad was an airline captain). 

Everyone has to come to that point where they say enough is enough.  I used to think that if I could just lose some weight it wouldn't be as bad but if you can't walk then losing weight isn't going to happen.

I thought I'd have to wait at least a month to get into surgery so when they gave me a date that was a little over 2 weeks I was thrilled and I couldn't be more sure of my decision. 

I know there are a lot of things that I probably haven't thought of but I am convinced that this is the best decision in order to continue to have a productive life.

Hope this helps!

[NewTurn]

Thank you all for your input.  I would like to schedule the appointment, but I am wondering if I should wait until I feel more pain.  To be honest, in the last couple of weeks my pain seems to have been reduced.  I work out about 3 times a week (upper body) and at the same time I can ride a stationary reciprocating bicycle for a good 15-20min with less pain than before.  I was even able to jog a good 5 min on the treadmill before the pain really kicked in.  So I am thinking, Can the body heel itself?  Is there some way that my hip is trying to fix itself?  I thought the pain is suppose to get worse if there is bone on bone contact?  Granted I have stopped my sporting activity such as wrestling, tennis, snowboarding etc.. for the last couple of years, but if this keeps up maybe I can start it up again.

Sorry for such confusion, but has anyone started feeling better and thought the body can heal itself if under the right circumstance.

[hawaiieric]

Aloha,

My breaking point was the fact that it simply did hurt to walk, not always at full pain, but enough to limp now and then and more then.  It was aging me and stopping me from doing some things(jogging, playing ultimate frisbee, surfing, and even slowing me down at work).  I was taking advil or aspirin or tylenol, and that is not good for your body.  I tried to get deep tissue sports massages there to work it out, tried getting Rolfed by the Ida Rolf restructure program 10 series and that took 3 months, they claimed that your body can heal, so I gave it 3 months, after those sessions, I went back to the doctors to get a MRI, arthritus was what I had, bone on bone, its not gonna heal...

Then I talked to a couple of total hip replacement and a wife of a resurface, everyone said "why didn't I do it earlier".  My mind was set then, I have great insurance, and I didn't like walking like an older then I am guy....do it! 

Its been the best thing for me, Nov 2008 I had my right hip done, 10 months later, I am back to my ole self, (just don't jog as of yet) and I feel younger then pre-operation(even lost a few of those sneaker gray hairs that I was getting from thinking about my limping around and feeling old)

I do remember right before surgery..I felt like I could walk slightly farther without my limp, there was less pain and I thought..maybe I am healing...body playing tricks on you..I love my metal hip!  No more bone on bone.

Eric

[stevel]

The body won't heal itself to replace cartilage.  Review the x-rays with your Dr.  My x-rays showed little or no cartilage and bone spurs on the femoral head.  I was lucky to downhill ski the entire 2007-2008 season and not have much pain.  I did limp after a day of skiing.  The breaking point was the Summer of 2008 when I limped everyday and struggled to walk up and down a trail on a small knoll.  The pain level was mild to moderate.  I put off a hip replacement for a year because I didn't like the limitations and service life (15 years plus or minus) of a conventional THR with a polyethene liner.  During the year, I learned about hip resurfacing and full size THR's.  Had I known about hip resurfacings, I would have had surgery a year or two earlier.  My regular Dr. flat out said I needed a hip replacement in July 2007 and thought I was accommodating pain or had a high pain threshold.  He showed me the x-rays and it was a "no-brainer."

[bothdone]

Perhaps we could start a check list of symptoms to help people decide if they are ready.   As a start, mine would include:

I can't walk a mile without pain.
I limp. (ask other people to tell you if you do)
I find it difficult to put a sock on.
I wake up in the night with aches.
If I sit in an arnchair, after a while my leg aches.

Any more?

[B.I.L.L.]

Perhaps we could start a check list of symptoms to help people decide if they are ready.   As a start, mine would include:

I can't walk a mile without pain.
I limp. (ask other people to tell you if you do)
I find it difficult to put a sock on.
I wake up in the night with aches.
If I sit in an arnchair, after a while my leg aches.

Any more?

Any more    How many you want ? Ha Ha...

How about you adjust your car seat 42 times a day for 3 years and you still can't find a comfortable position ?

Your ready to punch the next guy who say's
 "Looks like you gotta hitch in yer giddyup there"  

Your toenails look like Eagle Claws because they haven't been trimmed in years....

Your wear out one shoe in 3 months but the other one looks fine ?

You only sleep as long as the pain medication works.

You tie your shoe on your desk and then slip it on.

Some days you get your foot from the gas to the brake by grabbing your pants and lifting with your hand.  mmmm...thats safe.

You forget something at the market but say ahhh forget it when you get to your car because you don't want to get out of the car and walk anymore.

Your'e starting to spend a lot of time on THIS SITE !!

HaHa that shits funny now right...?

I bet the crew in here can come up with a bunch  

[obxpelican]

When you stop doing things that you love to do is a good reason get r dun.

I could not surf fish anymore.
I had been wanting to buy a boat but no way could I stand the pounding, nor could I have gotten in the boat.
I could not coach softball anymore, too much time on your feet.

If your hip is preventing you from living YOUR life the way YOU want to live it, don't waste your time, get your hip done.   I waited way too long.

I have to laugh when I read Bill's reasons, some of the most embarassing things he posted was me for sure.  My daughter had to cut my nails, tie my shoes and put my socks on...... wow, Bill you sure opened my eyes up.



Chuck

[stevel]

I just had my routine annual physical yesterday and showed my Dr. of Internal Medicine an X-ray of my new left hip resurfacing.  He wondered why I waited so long since my x-rays taken in July 2007 showed my left hip was in such bad shape.  I said I wasn't in much pain and could still downhill ski the entire 2007-2008 season.  I wasn't keen on having a conventional THR which could wear out in 15 years or so and dislocate from a fall during skiing.  I didn't know about hip resurfacing until I found this website (although I knew Floyd Landis had one).  He asked for this website's address and I also gave him Vicky Marlow's and Dr. Su's website so other patients from Juneau can research their options.  The local OS's certainly do not steer you toward a hip resurfacing because they only do conventional THRs and apparently haven't addended any of the hip resurfacing courses given such as the one coming up in Baltimore on Sept 4 & 5.

A couple more symptoms:

You reserve a hotel room close to the elevator.
Your colon is distressed because you've been "eating" too much ibupropen to control pain.

I heard about these symptoms from a THR patient and a BHR patient respectively.

[Gav]

I've very recently reached my breaking point with the pain.

Glad I have scheduled my op for 4th Sept now. I thought I could put it off until next summer due to work committments!

I am struggling to get through 18 holes of golf now, so it must be serious!

Hopefully in a few months time I'll be able to get back playing and playing well.

I have a terrible pain in my groin, and backache as well. But I'm not one to moan!!

[obxpelican]

Glad to hear you are going through with it.... I golfed yesterday and am eating breakfast and heading out for 18 more today the later catching up with my family at a local amusement park for the rest of the day.  Those activities would have been out of the question last Summer for me.

@ 7 weeks post-op I played my first round of golf not only did I beat my 3 buddies but I also won the long drive contest on 18 and I took some greenie money off of them.   

This past Summer I've water skied white water rafted and spent many weekends coaching my daughters travel softball team.

It's all when you decide that enough is enough.


Chuck