pain control - pre -surgical

[arc1]

I haven't yet visited a surgeon, I go to see Dr. Keggi in CT next week. At times the pain is really starting to get in the way, it's limiting what I can do working out, and wierdly ebough walking seems to be the worst after about 15 minutes.
In the past year or so I've gone through times like this, and then it has gotten markedly better. Can anyone offer any good advise on controling the pain?

For the record, I am seriously ticked off about this.

[Jim1957]

I'm sure I'm a typical "hippy" in that I tried medication and lived with pain for years before I finally had the surgery.  I noticed the arthritis bothering my left hip by the time I turned 45.  It was annoying at first then grew worse over the years.  The last few years have been tough.  I tried tylenol, advil and every once in a while when it was really bad a percocet at night, otherwise I couldn't sleep.  It finally came to a head last year for me.  After riding my motorcycle for 15 minutes I could barely walk when I got off.  If we went for a long ride on the weekend, I couldn't move the rest of the day.  Knowing it was going to get worse (and it was now impacting my weekend riding) I got the surgery.  I'm a 52 year old male who's 10 weeks past surgery.  I can't believe how much better I feel already.  I wish I had done the surgery a few years ago.

[obxpelican]

Jim.... your story can probably be copied and pasted into the stories of so many people, just change the name, amen on the "typical hippy"

Arc1, you may want to ask your doctor about some really strong anti-inflammatory meds like celebrex.  I also had vicoden prescribed for me so I could take one at night before I went to bed, if I take one of those I'll usually fall right to sleep without any problems and not wake up until morning.  I took them the last couple months before my surgery.

When I got out of the hospital I think Dr. Gross gave me 40 vicodens, I think somewhere around the house I have a bottle with a bunch of them left as I never even needed the rest of the bottle.

LOL I wish whatever they give you just pre-op to calm you down for surgery was legal, I think they could have told me they were going to give me a sex change operation and I would have been fine with it.... I wonder if that would work for teenagers who do not shut the lights off in the house?


Chuck

[Renee P]

arc1...Dr. Keggi is my doctor, too.  He's wonderful.  I am still pre-surgery because even though I'm in pain all the time, my stupid cartilage still hasn't worn away enough.  I take Aleve and tramadol for pain control.  Celebrex was great but only lasted a few weeks for me and then it stopped working.  I'm sure Dr. Keggi will be able to suggest something for pain.

[Pat Walter]

Hi

You are having typical hip problems many of us expeirnced.  You go from moderate pain meds to stronger and stronger meds.  Sometimes get a shot of steroids into your hip capsule which sometimes works for quite awhile and sometimes doesn't.  You do less so you don't hurt more.  You finally have to do almost nohting to keep the pain away, but you still can't sleep at night without meds.  Then the meds at night won't work either.  There will be days and weeks that seem like your hip is getting better, then it will gets worse.

Once your hip is deteriorating, there is nothing in modern medical treatments that will fix it except having it replaced by a hip resurfacing or THR.  You will eventually come to a point that you are tired of being in pain and decide it is time to do something.  Most people say they wish they had made that decision sooner instead of trying to live with the pain and inactivity.  It is an individual decision as to when to have surgery.

I will also mention that you can wait too long and miss the window of opportunity of having a hip resurfacing.  Sometimes you pain level is not an good indication of the condition of your hip.  Some people have very bad hips and little pain  while others have a great deal of pain with less deterioration.  We are all different and only an experinced hip resurfacing surgeon looking at your x-ray can tell you the condition of your hip and if you are ready to have surgery.

Good Luck and stay in touch.

Pat