L BHR, /with Dr. Su 10/29/11

[dwbitt]

Hi everyone,

I've been able to gain so much from this website and forum that I feel it would be nice to share my experience here.

I'm a 65 year old "Geezer Jock", gave up running about 6 years ago with knee pain and started road biking. I didn't have any pain symptoms till January '11 although it was pointed out to me several years before that my left pedal stroke was, well, 'weird' at the very least. Left knee came way out on the upstroke, totally unknown be me until it was pointed out.

My job provided a lot of free time so I did a lot of cycling, when the job went away 3 years ago I just did some more riding, life was good.

In January I developed some muscle or tendon pain in my left groin, tried some exercises to work through it but ended up in a Sports Medicine Physician's office for evaluation. An Xray showed no more cartilage in the left hip joint, severe osteoarthritis and now bone on bone. 

I sought the advice of an orthopedic surgeon and was advised THR would be my only choice, HR was for younger patients and was proving to not be as good a procedure anyway. So I saw another ortho guy, some response..... I know this sounds familiar to many of you out there, just the way the world works. Be proactive!!
So I consulted the Smith & Nephew website, guess what, they say the procedure is primarily for young active patients, I believe younger than 60 is in their promotional materials (it does say non sedentary patients over 60 yrs old may be considered).
Started to look like a THR was my only option.

One day while limping around my local bike shop the manager asked what was going on, after my explanation he suggested I speak with another local guy, John, who had 'something different' done on his hip recently. I figured he was a younger guy, but called anyway.

Turns out John had just done his second BHR within two years and guess what, he's my age! He pointed me to this website and voila, here I am, another Happy Surface Hippy.

After some research I made an appointment with Dr. Su, took several months to see him. He felt I would be good candidate, the earliest surgery date available was August but I choose the end of October to get in some riding till the end of the good weather.

By the time September rolled around I was second guessing my decision to delay the surgery. My riding was deteriorating and I could no longer walk more than a hundred yards without needing a cane. My fear was I had damaged the remaining bone too severely to make the BHR possible.

My surgery went as scheduled on Saturday 10/29/11 (yes, HSS does surgery's on some Saturdays), Dr. Su was able to perform the expected BHR on my left hip, and was happy with the results.
My hospital stay was two nights, came home yesterday, showered and spent a reasonably comfortable night in my own bed.

I had a visit today from a Visiting Nurse and a Physical Therapist, they both seem to think I'm progressing well, I'm hoping to wean myself off the Vicodin and have taken only Tylenol today, however the PT guy suggested I not rush getting off the Vicodin.

So that's my story to date, happy to answer any questions, and sorry to be a bit long winded with the background info.

Dave

[sdunn4]

Great report!  I had my surgery on October 24th with Dr. Gross in SC, so we're close together in a relative sense.  I have taken up cycling in the past few years and share your enthusiasm for the sport.  In the 8 days since my surgery I have seen tremendous progress, and I am looking forward to some indoor training this winter and getting back out on the roads this spring.

Good luck with your recovery and listen to what the doctors tell you!

Steve

[Boomer]

Great post Dave. As your story indicates, chronological age is, or should be, less and less of a factor today in many things. I'm glad you had a good experience and that your recovery is progressing. Thanks for posting and please stay posted.

Boomer

[Pat Walter]

Hi Dave

Congratulations on the new hip.  Thanks for taking time to tell your story.  It is important, especially because you are not as young as you use to be!   I was 61 when I had my resurfacing.  Your story reminds people that the top surgeons look at each person as an individual and accesses your bone density and activity level - not your age.

I hope you continue to recovery quickly.  I did not take any heavy meds after leaving the hospital except Advil.  Some people don't need a lot of meds.  If you do need the meds, it is best to stay on them and stay ahead of the pain.  If you feel you don't need them, then there is no reason to stay on heavy meds when something lighter like trimodal or even ibuprofen or Tylenol will work.  It is really up to you and what your body is telling you.

The one thing you don't want to do is to push to hard in the beginning.  Take it easy and you will be on the bike next spring.  Stay in touch and Good Luck.

Pat

[Anniee]

Hi Dave,

Your story sound very familiar to me - I'm 65 also, and a woman.  Fortunately, I found doctor Gross and had my right hip resurfaced last April, and the left one a little less than 3 weeks ago.  So glad you're doing well!  I  hope you will keep us posted on your recovery!

[ScubaDuck]

Dave-

Definitely not a long-winded report.  That was the perfect amount of background.  I too had the less than conventional left pedal stroke you described.

It is great to hear the perspective of a more seasoned Hippy.  It helps dispel the myth that HR is only for younger patients.  As Pat said, each case needs to be reviewed individually.

Please keep us updated on the progress.  I plan on lots of indoor training this winter so I can hit the roads this spring.

Best wishes

Dan

[newdog]

Dave,

You weren't long winded at all. Very good report, a good read. Keep us posted.

[hernanu]

Excellent report and news Dave. Glad you're doing well.

[dwbitt]

Update at 7 days post op:
Nothing remarkable here, doing the standard PT exercises and did some walking on Thursday and yesterday, kind of surprised at how an easy walk would be fatiguing and cause discomfort 8 hours later. Listening to your body 'post op' is a learning experience, there was nothing during my walks to indicate they were stressful. I'm told the healing process uses a great deal of energy so I'll go with that explanation, as an athlete it's hard to accept fatigue with such a minute level of effort.

Moving / walking is some of the best advice I've gained from this forum, sitting for more than 45 minutes allows everything to stiffen up, moving keeps that from happening. Sleeping violates this practice, getting up to use the toilet is an achey experience, this will improve with time I hope.

I am icing frequently, the wound looks ok and I have very little swelling or bruising.

Thanks to all for you responses and encouragement.
Later,
Dave

[Pat Walter]

Hi Dave

Thanks for the update.  It reminds me to tell people about "hitting the wall" as some hippies call it.  You feel great and go out for a walk.  Feeling fantastic - you forget you have to return as far as you have gone, then Bang, you hit the wall and are ready to collapse and sit down, BUT you have to return home! 

Don't forget when you are early in your recovery, you will have times you feel fantastic and want to walk, walk, and walk, but you must return home!  So keep in mind you need to keep enough energy to return.

Yes, often it takes time for the pain to develop after doing too much.  It is best to pace yourself in the begining and be conservative.  You will have plenty of time to push yourself after 6 months or so. Listen to your body, it will tell you when you have done too much so the next time you will remember your limits.

Have fun and stay in touch.

Pat

[Anniee]

Dave, it sounds to me like you're doing very well.  I experienced all the things you describe after my surgeries.  For me, it started getting much better after the first 2 weeks - less pain, and more energy.  That's when you have to be extra careful not to overdo, because you usually pay for it later!

[Woodstock Hippy]

Congratulations Dave,  65 is the new 45!  You'll be back on the bicycle in no time.

[dwbitt]

An update;
Nothing remarkable here, at day 17 post op now. PT is going well, I'm finding Abduction to be a weak point and doing Heel Slides with the leg elevated is quite limited.

Managed to get on the Bike Trainer around day 8 and have been doing an easy 20 min spin every day, pretty remarkable how my operated leg is now in line with the top tube!!

Walking about 1 mile with one crutch, using a cane (or unassisted) around the house or for shorter distances. No longer need the raised toilet seat and noticed yesterday I was tying my sneakers, I still don't have the ROM to put my sock on normally, I'm not yet able to keep the knee in as I raise my leg to reach the toes, this will improve with time.

Most of my discomfort seems to be the IT Band and Quad on the operated leg, it was VERY tender to the touch but is getting better, ice and massage seem to be helping.

Sleeping is less than optimal, while on the Norco I was more able to get back to sleep after my frequent bathroom visits, now with just Acetaminophen it's a bit harder to do so.
Getting in and out of bed has gotten progressively better.

In all, life is good.

Dave

[hernanu]

Sounds great, Dave. The ROM, as you've seen will come fairly quickly.

[dwbitt]

Happy Thanksgiving, sunny day, I took the road bike out, 1st Ride, 26 days post op. Sweet!!   

Dave