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Author Topic: How long between each hip going bad if you have bilateral problems?  (Read 4986 times)

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23109VC

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I currently am scheduled for surgery on my left hip next month.  It hurts all the time, and has been a "problem" for the past decade.  It used to just annoy me, and would hurt after major sports...  now it hurts 24/7...  my RIGHT hip feels PERFECT...   *knock on wood*.....

today I was sitting in a weird position and when I got up and walked I felt a very slight ... and let me say.. VERY slight tightness in my right hip.. NOTHING like my left hip.. but maybe now I"m just HYPER sensitive to anything... that it made me stop and think ---- is that "pain" or just from the way I was sitting..

if my right hip WERE to go bad...and it took as long to get as bad as myleft did... I"m a decade + away from any surgery...  but it would suck to think I only have ONE bad one and eventually wind up with two..

for those of you who have bilateral problems - did they go bad at the same time or did they go bad very far apart... I'm hoping that if ten years have gone by and my right hip still feels normal..that I am not going to wind up with both going bad.. but who knows..

thanks.
Sean
Dr. Gross- Left Hip - 2/23/11, Right Hip 7/19/23

Lopsided

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Re: How long between each hip going bad if you have bilateral problems?
« Reply #1 on: January 09, 2011, 08:30:57 PM »
A few months out from having my left hip done, it feels much better than my right hip now. It might be years till I need it done, but if it gets significantly worse tomorrow, I will just book another resurfacing and look forward to it.



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John C

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Re: How long between each hip going bad if you have bilateral problems?
« Reply #2 on: January 09, 2011, 10:06:52 PM »
Heres my story. My left hip was pretty bad for about 10 years before I had my resurfacing; meaning a very bad limp, trouble sleeping, and pain with any movement. My right hip always felt fine. When Dr. Gross looked at my x-rays before surgery, he looked at me quizzically and asked how my right hip felt, because the x-rays did not look that good, and he was wondering if I should consider doing both sides. When I said that it felt fine, there was no question that we would just do the left. At just over two years later, my right hip is starting to act up, and I will probably be looking at surgery within the next year or so. As good as my resurfacing has worked out, my right hip has definitively been the better of the two for the past couple of years. It is a tough call to say whether it would have been worth it to have had just one recovery, or now face another recovery and six months of restricted activity.
John/ Left uncemented Biomet/ Dr Gross/ 6-16-08
Right uncemented Biomet/Dr Gross/ 4/25/18

newdog

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Re: How long between each hip going bad if you have bilateral problems?
« Reply #3 on: January 09, 2011, 10:20:49 PM »
My left hip started to "pinch" probably 3 years ago. I noticed it mostly when I lifted it in and out of my car. It got worse with time and got stiff at times. I knew that I had arthritis but I did not equate the pinching pain with the arthritis. I was an avid hiker and pack packer. In the Spring of 2009, I went for a long day hike with my hiking buddies. I could not finish and had to "bail out" early. The pain in the left hip was bad enough that I could hardly walk. I went home and took ibuprofen and took it easy the rest of the weekend. It got better but the pinch did not go away.

In September 2009 I went to a local orthopedic surgeon to see what was going on. I honestly thought that I had something torn in my hip and with treatment or surgery it would get better. When he showed me my x-rays and told me I had moderate to advanced arthritis in both hips, I was shocked and devastated. Keep in mind that I went to see him about the left hip. The right one was not bothering me at all except for what I thought was normal stiffness and soreness at times. He told me that he was surprised that I was not complaining about the right side. He told me that he could do nothing for me and I would be back in a few years to see him or someone else for surgery. He does THR.

In about two months the right one started to hurt. Now it is worse than the left one (not much). That is a period of about two months so I would think that they were both going bad at about the same time, it's just that the left showed signs first. That is my story, but keep in mind everyone is different. Some people go for years before they need the other side done, some won't ever need it done. X-rays will tell the story of how much cartilage is there.

Just my story and thoughts.

Steve (newdog)
« Last Edit: January 11, 2011, 06:54:39 AM by newdog »
Steve, Dr. Gross bilateral, uncemented Biomet, January 10 & 12, 2011, Columbia S.C.

23109VC

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Re: How long between each hip going bad if you have bilateral problems?
« Reply #4 on: January 09, 2011, 11:33:31 PM »
Any of you find out why your hips went bad. I never really got what I considered to be a good answer.

Ive been tolditis misalignment..congenital... Nothing I did via an accident or misuse.. It was destined to happen.. Just bad genetic luck I guess. 

Thanks for the info everyone.  I've had both hips x-rayed and have not been told there is anything wrong with my good side.  The docs usually point to the good hip and tell me that is now my left should look and then point out the probes with the left.  I'm unlucky to have this at all but maybe i will be "lucky" in that I will only have to do this once....

Thanks again.
Sean
Dr. Gross- Left Hip - 2/23/11, Right Hip 7/19/23

Lopsided

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Re: How long between each hip going bad if you have bilateral problems?
« Reply #5 on: January 10, 2011, 06:55:46 AM »
Any of you find out why your hips went bad.

The surgeon said it was mild dysplasia (is that how you spell it?) that is congenital but might have been aggravated by running. My local orthopaedist described it as 'bad design'.


Proud To Be Dr. De Smet's First Uncemented Conserve Plus, Left, August 2010

Mi Corazon

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Re: How long between each hip going bad if you have bilateral problems?
« Reply #6 on: January 10, 2011, 02:18:18 PM »
My story is that I had the one bad hip for a long time, like ten years.  Started gradual, but then led to a limp, then to more frequent pain, stiffness and lack of function.  Okay, bad hip, I thought.  But, this last year, all of a sudden, I started to get clicks in the right hip going up stairs, then muscle weirdness after exercise, and less range of motion in the right leg.  Before I knew it, the right leg was not able to fully perform as in the past years.  Having one bad hip is a bad situation.  Having two bad hips is really unmanageable.  My life has become unmanageable and it happened over the course of about 10 months.  In a lot of ways, I waited too long to start the process.  Now, I have to wait for the one hip surgery and hope that I can space out recovery enough to get to the second one.  And, BTW, the bilateral procedure is not one favored by many doctors.

It is never too soon to start researching and understanding the issues and being fully prepared to pull the trigger, because if the second one goes, you have a lot fewer options.

FlbrkMike

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Re: How long between each hip going bad if you have bilateral problems?
« Reply #7 on: January 10, 2011, 07:04:38 PM »
I've had some decreased ROM on both sides for about as long as I can remember (I'm 55 now).  I always figured I just wasn't as flexible as most and, as it got gradually worse, that it was my age showing.

I used to work out religiously on my erg (Concept II indoor rower) for about 12 years.  Had some lower back problems about 6 years ago, which was diagnosed as "severe degenerative disc disease".  I guess seeing how many bundles of electrical conduit I could carry up stairs at one time when I was working construction in my 20s wasn't such a good idea in the long run.  I had bad pain in my back for a few months which resolved (mostly) with PT and on its own.  My legs seemed to be somewhat weaker, though, which I chalked up to my back problems.  Took about 6 months off the rowing machine and then went back to regular workouts for a couple of years.

One day, almost 3 years ago, I felt a twinge in my left groin while rowing.  It seemed at the time like I snapped back too hard on the stroke and maybe pulled something.  Not much pain at first but it got worse in a day or so.  I finally went to my primary doc at the time and he was positive that it was tendonitis in my hip flexor.  A couple months more of PT, which always felt good when I was done, didn't really help in the long run.  After a few more months of intermittent pain on the left side I went to a local orthopedic surgeon.  He took x-rays and said that I definitely had OA in both hips.  In fact, he thought the bad hip was on the right side, but 90% of my pain is on the left.  I’ve now seen three surgeons and they all say that the right side looks worse, but x-rays don’t always tell the whole story.  The right one has a lot of stiffness and hurts if I drive too long, but the left one is the one that really makes me suffer.

The thing that really makes me wonder is that two physical therapists who worked extensively with my legs and two different internists never even considered that my hips might be arthritic.

I’m looking to get both sides done now ASAP, but definitely the left one first.
« Last Edit: January 10, 2011, 07:06:26 PM by FlbrkMike »
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kwarendorf

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Re: How long between each hip going bad if you have bilateral problems?
« Reply #8 on: January 11, 2011, 09:07:06 AM »
I am coming up on the second anniversary of m left hip resurfacing. At that time, my right hip was just beginning to show signs of the osteo arthritis that had claimed my left hip. Based on my films, the doc thought the right hip would last about another 18 months. February 13 will mark 2 years and my right hip feels really good. There are no signs of trouble. A couple of things have changed in the last two years, not the least of which is my now properly functioning left hip. Now that it works, I may be placing less stress on the right side. The other thing that changed was that I stopped doing road races (walking). Prior to my left hip giving up I was doing almost a race a week of varying distances, from 5K to marathons. I'm sure eliminating that wear and tear has contributed to my right hip's longevity.

Tin Soldier

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Re: How long between each hip going bad if you have bilateral problems?
« Reply #9 on: January 12, 2011, 01:03:05 AM »
I have not had RS yet, but my left hip acted up first and now my right is getting there.  Doc suggested doing both within a year but not at the same event, but separated by 5 weeks or so.  BTW - there is this same question in the polls section here and you should take a look at if you haven't.  Also, I had similar quizzical looks from 3 different surgeons and 1 ortho after looking at the images, right hip has less spacing and more advance OA, yet ROM was better and really no pain in the right.  Left was in pain (probabaly laberal tear) but spacing was greater.  Weird.  Maybe there is some study out there suggesting that right-handed people have worse symptons on their left side.  I played a lot of soccer and I'm right-handed, and I guess you'd say right-legged when it comes to kicking.  Maybe the planting of the left leg during a hard kick caused it.

On the genes issue - my doc thinks its more genes than anything (that would be for bi-lateral impingement-related OA).  None of my grandparents, parents, or my bro have anything like this.  Then my doc said there was a study on Vietnam Vets that were jumping out of helo's several feet off the ground with heavy packs on.  The study suggested that short term acute activities like that can cause OA rather quickly.  I do remember jumping off the roof of the house a few times when I was young but I did a lot of rough stuff to my body when I was young, too.  I'm thinking it could be a combo of both nature and nuture.
LBHR 2/22/11, RBHR 8/23/11 - Pritchett.

23109VC

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Re: How long between each hip going bad if you have bilateral problems?
« Reply #10 on: January 13, 2011, 02:30:58 AM »
I wonder what caused mine all the time...

I'm left handed and I played a LOT of racquetball...  probably 3-5 times a week for over a decade.. i started playing in high school (1988'ish) and played regularly up until around 2000'ish...  racqueball has a lot of explosive movements.. quick sprints in various directions.. i'm sure the sport wreaks havon on the joints... when you are an advanced player and you are trying to crush the ball..you really get your whole body involved in the swing and there is a lot of twisting going on.. i have no idea if all that played a role in my left side going bad...  you typically favor your forehand shot and it's more explosive/fast.... but most of the real speed is in teh shoulder, arms, and torso...  I woudl say the hip joing twists more than in moves forward/backward when you swing..kind of like a golf swing... 

at this point... i wonder what caused it..but don't dwell on it. it's there...it's not going away until I get surgery...  but if I only have to do one side, I'll be very happy.  so far my right hip is excellent.. no pain at all. i'm hoping it stays that way. :)

thanks for all the info.

I"m about a month from surgyer... i can't believe it's THAT soon!!!
Sean
Dr. Gross- Left Hip - 2/23/11, Right Hip 7/19/23

Anniee

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Re: How long between each hip going bad if you have bilateral problems?
« Reply #11 on: February 19, 2011, 11:04:14 AM »
This has been very interesting reading for me!  I have had problems with my right hip on and off for a while - it got really bad a little over one year ago.  I went to my sports medicine doctor in Augusta, GA, he took an X-ray and saw nothing including no arthritis.  He sent my for 6 weeks of PT, which did not help, then an MRI, which did show "some" osteoarthritis.  He then referred me to the hip specialist in the same practice, he told me my only options short of total hip replacement was medication (does not help much!) and possibly a cortisone shot, which I elected not to do because it is temporary and sounds awful.  And basically said to let him know when I was ready for the total hip replacement.

Fortunately, one of my co-workers had hip resurfacing performed by Dr. Gross 7 years ago.  She had the same hip doctor in Augusta, and had hip replacement surgery scheduled with him when she heard about Dr. Gross.  Since she is very active, and was only 39 at the time, this is the option she went with, and she has been able to do everything ever since.  So when the pain started getting really bad towards the end of last year, I scheduled an appointment with Dr. Gross.  He took X-rays and informed me that my right hip is bone-on-bone.  While he was showing me the X-rays, he looked at me funny and asked about pain in my left hip.  I haven't really noticed any pain there, but Dr. Gross showed me that it is almost as bad as the right one. 

When I asked him why I have this problem, when nobody in my family, including my mother, who is 96, or any of my other relatives who lived well into their late 90's have it, he told me it is because my hip joints are abnormal.  They are deeper than normal, so that almost 100% of the "ball" is inside the socket, rather than the normal 80%.  This is the complete opposite of hip dysplasia and causes abnormal wear.  Not very good news!  It also seems strange that my doctors in Augusta never mentioned this to me. 

I have surgery scheduled for April 20 on my right hip.  By that time, I will be 65.  Now my dilemma is whether or not to have the other one done later this year.  I want to see how my recovery from the first surgery goes first, but I definitely do not want to wait until the left one becomes as painful as my right one is now!  Also, I don't want to wait until I get too old to even be considered for resurfacing, or retire and have to go on Medicare. 

Does anyone have any thoughts on this? 
Annie/ Right Uncemented Biomet 4-20-11/Left Uncemented Biomet 10-12-11/Dr. Gross

Anniee

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Re: How long between each hip going bad if you have bilateral problems?
« Reply #12 on: February 19, 2011, 11:10:54 AM »
BTW - I'm right-handed.  So the right-handed, left hip problem theory is not true in my case!
Annie/ Right Uncemented Biomet 4-20-11/Left Uncemented Biomet 10-12-11/Dr. Gross

hernanu

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Re: How long between each hip going bad if you have bilateral problems?
« Reply #13 on: February 23, 2011, 11:06:34 AM »
I started feeling some issues about seven years ago. I was playing on a basketball league once a week, and indoor soccer league once a week, playing outdoor soccer twice per week, pickup basketball on concrete twice per week and working out in tae kwon do twice a week (at night), also hitting the gym for weights and stuff about three times a week.

I noticed after my league basketball games that I would walk in limping. I first thought this was strictly from being tired, but then it started happening for a longer period of time after the game. It was my right hip that was sore. Eventually it was sore enough that I had it checked out, an ultrasound was done and the orthpedist said that there was a slight decrease in cartilage, but that if I had any hip replacement it would be in my 60's. He also said my left was fine.

The pain got worse over time, with my left becoming much more painful than my right. I did physical therapy, massage, etc. and nothing helped. I eventually (five years later) saw an orthopedic surgeon when my left hip started dislocating and I was having trouble with stairs; he told me I had no cartilage left in my left hip, and only a veneer on my right, I also had bone spurs on both. He suggested THR, but I had read about HR and wanted that, so I found Dr. Snyder and had my left done last August, with my right done last November. We scheduled both at the same time, the intervening time let me get my left leg strong enough to support the right when it was done.

Why it happened? Don't know for sure, but I have pounded my body over the years. I played linebacker in high school, have done martial arts since I was 15, had several injuries in doing both, including two I remembered to my hips (overextended). Martial arts relies on hip power and rotation for almost everything, and I was doing four to five workouts a week for two hours each for an extended period of time. 35 years in all. I also have weight lifted for power, so that may have had an impact, but I do remember that since I was 21, if I didn't stretch my muscles for three weeks, I would start to have sciatica, so something was playing in there.

I'm just glad I had the procedure done. I am 6 months out from my left hip being done, and about 8 weeks out from my right. No pain in either leg/hip and the constant tiredness in my back and shoulders is gone. My right is still not 100% feeling, some unsteadiness when doing balancing exercises, but I can sleep through the night for the first time in 7 years.
« Last Edit: February 23, 2011, 11:11:56 AM by hernanu »
Hernan, LHR 8/24/2010, RHR 11/29/2010 - Cormet, Dr. Snyder

bothdone

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Re: How long between each hip going bad if you have bilateral problems?
« Reply #14 on: February 23, 2011, 11:26:00 AM »
I had a BHR on my left hip in May 2004.   It was in a bad state.    The surgeon couldn't guarantee a BHR until he got in there during surgery.    You can guess what my first question was when I came to after the surgery.   It was a BHR.

I was told my right hip would probably need a BHR within two years.  

After my left hip BHR I did a few jogs (for old times sake) and then decided to conserve the right hip by not doing any more running.     It was nearly 4 years before I had the BHR on that one.  I didn't have it done until March 2008.  Like kwarendorf posted, I think eliminating some of the wear and tear lengthened the life of the right hip before BHR.    When I had the second surgery it was much less worn than the first one, but obviously still needed doing.

One thing I would say, I certainly wouldn't have surgery on a hip which still had significant life in it just to bring it closer to surgery on the other hip.   Who knows what developments are just aroound the corner.

Hope everything works well for all up-coming bi-lats.

Ed
Bothdone.
« Last Edit: February 23, 2011, 11:27:31 AM by bothdone »
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FlbrkMike

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Re: How long between each hip going bad if you have bilateral problems?
« Reply #15 on: March 02, 2011, 09:25:55 PM »
I had my left hip done on 2/11, and at the same time I scheduled that one I scheduled my right hip for 3/11.  They both looked equally bad on film, but the left one hurt a lot more.  My doctor told me he wouldn't hold me to the quick turnaround if I changed my mind, but now I'm even more sure than I was before.  This is because the operated leg now has better ROM than the other one.  When I walk a fair distance it's already the right leg that holds me back more than the left one.  Not much point in me getting one hip done if the other will then be causing problems.
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23109VC

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Re: How long between each hip going bad if you have bilateral problems?
« Reply #16 on: March 02, 2011, 09:58:51 PM »
Thanks for all the info!  I'm pretty sure I'm not going to need two...at least not anytime soon..who knows when I'm much much older..
Dr. Gross thinks my problem is a slipped cap. He said there is growth plate between the shaft of the femur and the ball, and thatnthey are not fully fusedmuntil sometime in adolescence.

He said it's likely I suffered some kind of injury to my hip that was a good enough hit to knock the ball ever so slightly off center....then when the bones finally fuse it is off a bit.  He said if its only off a little, you won't have any real  serious symptoms except the pain of the impact, which will go away.  He saidmi then would have been pain free but my hip was wearing too faston that one side....now I'm close to 40 and I am where I am.

I told him when I was a teenager I rode dirt bikes....and likeall dirt bikers, I had my share of good spills..hesaidmthat could have done it.

Who knows...maybe it was that?

He saidmmy other hip looked good.  I sympathize with you hippies who need both....one bad hip was hard to deal with... I have a lot of sympathy and respect for those of you that had to brave dealing with and having bilateral surgery....

   
Sean
Dr. Gross- Left Hip - 2/23/11, Right Hip 7/19/23

 

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