Perthes calve

[DAN]

I'm just wondering if anyone knows if i'm a candidate for hip resurfacing, i have perthes calve and i am 35 years old and i had an xray done it seems that i have a start of osteoarthritis, which is a form of flattening of my hip due to its deformity, i'm scheduled to see an othepiedist, but there is a long waiting list. I hurt when i walk for a long period of time,it also affect my back. I had to quit playing hockey, i'm currently seeing a physiotherapist who is giving me hip strenghening exercises and acupunture. Just desperate!!!!!

[Pat Walter]

Hi Dan

Don't be desperate.  I do know several Hip Resurfacing patients that had Perthes Calve.  Jane from Wales on the large Yahoo Surface Hippy Website http://groups.yahoo.com/group/surfacehippy/
  had a sucessful hip resurfacing.  The Yahoo group is large and if you post there you might get a response from her.  Sometimes people that have been with the group a long time don't read the emails as much as they use to. You will get over 100 emails a day if you join.

Where do you live?

You can send your x-rays to Dr. Bose of India, Dr. De Smet of Belgium, Dr. Gross of SC and Dr. Rubinstein of Chicago to get a free email consultation.  They are excellent doctors and give the consultation free.  You can't beat that.  Then at least you know where you stand as far as hip resurfacing.  If you can't travel, then you can find an experienced hip resurfacing surgeon near you  http://www.surfacehippy.info/listofdoctors.php

I would recommend since you are so young and have a special problem, that you use a really experienced hip resurfacing surgeon.  Don't take any chances with the newer surgeons.  It takes time to become really experienced in hip resurfacing and the more advanced the problem - the more you need an experienced surgeon.

Dr. Bose and De Smet have done some of the most difficult cases I have read about.

Please keep in touch and let us know how we can help.

Pat

[DAN]

thanks for the quick reply, i have been refered here in Calgary alberta (canada) to see an orthepiedic specialist, the crappy part of finding a goo d doctor is that it takes forever o see one. I was refered two weeks ago, they said it could take several months to get in. With my very active lifestyle i would not take anything less than resurfacing, i would not accept a full hip replacement beceause of the limitations that come with it. I have an 11 month old son that i would like to play sports with i'm a very big hockey fan, i played since my early teens.Could you tell me if the after surgery pain is tolerable it concerns me a great deal, i'm finding it hard to sleep sometimes at night, very terrified

[Pat Walter]

Hi Dan

I can tell you my own experience.  I went to Dr. De Smet in Belgium.  I can't even remember the day of surgery.  They keep you on morphine and it worked for me.  I am put out pretty easily. The next day I was not hurting until they put me on the bedpan. Then it hurt the area around my surgery and I was in TERRIBLE pain. Crying. It did not last but a few minutes because in Belgium you don't wait for the hospital to call and find a doctor.  They came in with a great big morphine shot and put it right into my thigh.  Bang - I was out again.  Out for most of the day according to my husband.  The third day when I woke up, I did not have any terrible pain.  Just surgery soreness and I was sent home - back to the Holiday Inn.

After that I only took Advil for muscle stiffness. We got codene pills, but they made me sick.  Many people report the same experience after surgery.  Just needing Advil type medicine.

Then there are some that have woke up in the recovery room with terrible pain. They are quickly given something.  Most good hospitals will not let you lay in pain.  They will figure out what works for you.

Some people have had to take heavy pain killers for several weeks after surgery.  I believe them.  I did not need it nor did the 8 people I was with.  I truely think the surgeons skill makes a big difference in the pain level of your recovery.  The really experienced surgeons seem to have patients with less post op problems.  Just an observation - not a fact based on any study.  I have been reading personal stories for over 3 years on the Yahoo Surface Hippy discussion Group and it seems the people using the newer doctors seem to have more post op pain and slower recoveries.  Partly because the doctors are new and are much more conservative than the overseas doctors.

So don't concentrate on worrying about surgery pain. It will be taken care of. You could also be one of the many lucky ones like me that does not have great pain.

I will also tell you that the surgery experience soon becomes a memory and you are so happy with your hip, you don't think about what it took to get there.  The real pre-op pain from arthritis or whatever problem is gone.  Almost everyone says that. 

I could not sleep for years due to pain. I waited almost 10 years before I found out about hip resurfacing.  After surgery, many people have problems sleeping for a few weeks.  I did a lot of napping in my recliner chair when I got home. 

Believe me - it is all worth it to get out of pain and get back to a normal life.  You son will thank you for getting a great new hip and skating with him.

Good Luck and keep in touch.

Pat

[DAN]

Thank you very much that definitly helps, for me being so active is a good thing, in your experience would i be able to play some recreational hockey. I also like to weightlift alot, i haven't been working my legs alot but i can still ride a bike no problem. Is resurfacing going to stop me from going to the gym. What do you thin k about physiotherapy, my therapist said that i probably have at least another 15 to 20 years out of that hip, he is doing acupuncture and getting me to do hip and leg strengtening excercises, i have been doing them for about two weeks now, i'm willing to try anything before the inevitable. My pain seems to be with my hip getting tired and achy and it seems to through off my lower  back.I think i still have someting left in that hip but if physio doesn't improve my stituation i still have that referal to go to when ever they call. I can go all day without pain but it seems to anoy me around the 3 to 4 pm. I work physical labour for a living i'm on my feet starting at 7:30 am. I was playing a very competitive hockey league before Christmas and i kept pushing and playing with pain, i really think thats what progressed it