When YOU pulled the trigger.

[imgetinold]

Hi everyone.  In my ongoing battle to remain steadfast to my surgery date, I'm interested in your thoughts - in retrospect - about when you pulled the trigger.  Is there anyone out there that waited until they were in constant, everyday pain to have your surgery (I know there are many).  Do you wish you did it sooner?

Is there anyone - like me - who went from terrible pain some weeks to no pain others (as long as I don't do much activity), but still had it done before it was an everyday thing?

-Andy

[curt]

    Andy, I delayed for several reasons...first, the idea of any surgery is not tops on my list (maybe liposuction?)  Anyway, tried all the lesser evils first:  massage, chiro, PT (2 months), manipulation and release therapy, steroid injections, horsepill ibuprofen.  None provided relief past a few weeks or at all, and eventually the inability to walk without limping and sometimes falling, and the inability to even sleep for more than an hour at a time forced me into action. 
     I felt so bad and miserable that I would NOT have hesitated to have a THR if that was all that I could get to stop the pain and regain my life.  Luckily, like many here, I wanted the added benefits of a return to full activity that the HR promised.  By the time of the surgery, though, I would have placed the future activity far below the need to be pain free and just have a normal walking, sleeping life.
     Knowing where I am now, I would have loved to get it a year earlier.  As it was, I felt blessed to move into a cacellation a month and a half early.  The biggest problem for me was the speed of the decline in my life.  I went from feeling tightness in the front of my hip after a road race, to having spasms in the piriformis area of my butt to being mostly crippled and in pain within 6-8 months.  Not a lot of time to get diagnosed, get bad information from orthos, chase the tail of lesser fixes, and find a surgeon to perform the HR.  But here I am, happy and hippy.
       So, Andy.  If the xrays and the doctors say you can benefit from HR, I would probaby not delay getting the surgery while you feel OK.  Its probaby only temporary.  But it is a BIG decision and you should want to feel and sure and comfortable as you can.

Curt

[Boomer]

Andy,

My wife and I were trying to plan a vacation last summer after returning from a three week bicycling tour of the Pyrenees and Barcelona. We kept skipping things because my hips wouldn't handle the walking. The only options left were another bike tour, with me sitting in the hotel on ice after each days ride, or a cruise. There was nothing else I could do. That was the day I called and started the ball rolling for surgery. It was my moment of truth.

Good luck to you.

Boomer

[Aerial]

I had been dealing with my hip for three years.  I spent about year doing conservative measures like PT, massage and anti inflammatory medication.  During year two I was having horrible pain and found out I had severe labral tearing in my bad hip and some pretty bad bone spurring. An MRI showed a pretty bad hip.  In August of year 2, I had arthroscopic surgery to clean up the joint and was hoping that would buy me some time before having to do a hip replacement.  By year three I  was bone and bone and in pain pretty much all the time (sometimes a lower level but something constant was always there).  I had to ditch cycling, running tennis and even walking.  By mid-year three there was no question in my mind that it was time.  Even if your pain is not constant, I don't suggest waiting to long.  Quality of life tends to suffer when you have constant pain.  As I understand, HR gets more difficult if you wait until the joint is really bad).

[tennisgirl]

I was having trouble walking last summer (2010), but my right hip wasn't ready according to Dr. Gross.  I was told in December 2010 by him it was time when I was ready.  All through 2011 my back on the right side starting giving me bad aches.  What was weird was my hip joint stopped hurting in the spring.  I played tennis until the night before my surgery.  What I was worried about was my back getting worse and also I had concerns about my knee and foot on the right side, which didn't have any problems but I thought could in the future with a compromised hip.  I also considered my age (51) and that it would probably be easier to recover at this age than older, since I was in good shape.

I canceled two surgery dates before going through with it.  Today I am one month out and my hip is doing great.  I've been walking without a cane for over a week, and I attribute that to not waiting 'til I was debilitated and not able to stay in good shape.   I understand your hesitation.  It's easy for those of us who have gone through with HR to say go for it, but you will know when it's time.  We all understand what you are going through mentally.

Mindi

[cassiewoofer]

 I wasn't in constant pain at all, just had the x-rays and knew it wasn't going to get better. When I 'pulled the trigger' was 3 years into the pain but there were days I felt fine,... just knew that in two days I could be getting no sleep and in agony till 9am when I could get big codiene tablets.
 I'm a year after surgery and so glad I did it!

Keith

[Baby Barista]

I've had impingement since I was a teenager, which has been sporadically painful. Once I found out in June that I have end stage osteoarthritis, I started searching for answers. After seeing multiple orthopedists who said THR was the only solution, I began weeks of research on the internet. That led me here, the other forums and ultimately to Dr. Pritchett in Seattle. So for me... a little more than six months after my diagnoses, I will become a surface hippy. While my pain isn't constant, it is consistent enough.

[Dannywayoflife]

Andy,
       i most certainly could have postponed and waited x amount of time to have my BHR. As i wasnt in pain much but my ROM was so bad and it had totally ruined my lifestyle that i decided if it were clinically appropriate then i would go ahead asap. I got oppinions from Dr's Bose,De smet,Gross and Mr Treacy and they all said that it would be clinically sound to go ahead at the time. I count myself lucky that i diddnt have to suffer like many on here have although i got snippits of the pain i occasionally got the dull tooth ache pain and i irritated it sometimes by slipping or doing certain movements and in these cases the pain was indecribable for about 30 mins!
Mr Treacy told me when i initially saw him that if theres arthritic change within the joint and its effecting your quality of life theres now no point in trying to grit it out like would have een advised years ago. bearing in mind his considerable reputation and massive experience i took this at face value and got him to carve me up as soon as i could!
Danny

[Dan L]

Andy;

I was having increasing issues over past 2-3 years, which after finally going through the conservative stuff (PT-- made much worse, bursa injections with a drastic escalation of pain for 48 hours afterwards) got an MRI in March of this year which documented the many bad things (OA, torn and worn labrums, osteophytes, bruised sockets) in great detail.  Things I really liked doing, like volunteering in our local National Park, walking the dogs, landscaping, hiking, push mowing, were all causing escalated symptoms (with less exertion over time), and made the surgical intervention inevitable.  A preliminary consult from a straight X-ray that the surgeon saw (before the MRI) lead to the feedback that OA and other issues were going to require surgery at some point, and the correlation of that from a true world-class surgeon and the MRI was the tipping point for me.

Turning 50 this year honestly was another one: recognizing I'm not the 20, 30 or 40 something that could endlessly push through all the pain and do what I love doing and deal with the pain, and the recognition that age, mortality and such is not just something you can deny, was a big part of pulling the trigger.

[imgetinold]

Thanks everyone.  I know I am a complete broken record on this topic, going back and forth between "The surgery can't come soon enough" and "I feel pretty good".  And, even though I have basically asked the same thing 3 different ways, I do like hearing the answers you're giving.  If often seems like many here are in constant, all day/night pain when they have it done.  I appreciate the responses from those who moved forward before that point.  Keep 'em coming!

[Jimt]

Andy,

I had surgery Friday with Dr Su and 5 days later I feel so much better you can't imagine.  I am 45 and played college sports, still golf, practice TKD, etc.. Right up to the surgery I had doubts and actually felt like the normal pain was less.   Dr Su's PA made a comment that stuck in my head when she reviewed my X-rays.  As I looked at dates for 2013 ( wanting to put it off) she commented that I was bone on,bone, and the longer you go bone on bone the more potential you have to damage the "good" bone. 

I am so thankful I had the surgery and I am even more thankful I was lucky enough to have it dine BTU Dr Su.  After surgery they said I had severe arthritis and the timing couldn't have been better.

The surgery was not nearly as bad as I had worried.  Pain after surgery ZERO.  I sit here today on Tylenol with range of motion I can't believe.  I know I have a long way to go.  But I have no second guessing.  I am confident I will be better than I ever was and whatever happens from here it is better today than it was before 2:00 pm Friday December 2ND.

But we all have different post op experiences and while some may be harder than others I think 98 percent on here would do it again if they had the option.

Everyone has opinions about everything.  Like mine on Dr Su.  I think he is freaking amazing!

[ScubaDuck]

Andy-

I was definitely not in constant pain.  I would have extended stretches with no pain.  Then usually after long walks or bike rides or even swimming I would have alot of pain.  Even when I wasn't in pain I would limp though.  I was definitely compensating.

I put up with a steady worsening condition until I started working out more.  Then I finally went to a doctor for a diagnosis.  That is when I found out I was bone-on-bone.  The doctor was surprised I was as active as I was.  He suggested a THR when I couldn't stand the pain anymore.

Once I found out about HR and studied the outcomes, I scheduled the surgery.  Of course I had the doubts that you describe.  When I wasn't in much pain I would question whether I could wait.  But I recalled all the activities I gave up or altered.  I recalled those times where I was crippled with pain.  And I knew it wasn't going to get better.

I am over four months post surgery and everything is great! 

You know when you are ready.

Dan

[imgetinold]

Yea.....I know that part of the "good stretches" I have definitely is due to the fact that I'm now only doing 30% of the activity I used to do.  Since it has been such a gradual decline, it becomes easy to forget that.  Today I'm only doing 5% less than 3 or 4 months ago.  But, I'm doing 70% less than I was 2 years ago.  It's easy to lose that perspective.

Like always, this is the best place to come for counsel.....

- Andy

[mslendzion]

Two years ago I started having pain.  Got and Xray and everything was fine.  Mr. Dr. perscribed PT but I thought the pain was musclar and would go away.  I was still walking and skiing but my groin had sharp pains and the hip hurt.  After 2 years the pain was worse so I took my doctor up on the PT.  I went for 2 months and they told me I was not getting better and sent me back to the Dr.

Went in for an MRI and had joint loss, remodeling, defomity of the acetabulum femoral head w/flattening, cystic change, cysts, and large joint effusion (whatever all that means).  The Dr. sent me to a surgeon.  He advised me to wait as long as possible and referred me to doctors who do HR.  I was shocked and in denial.  I got a steriod shot and the pain still was pretty bad. 

I made the call to have surgery as I now limp, only shop where they have shopping carts, started using a cane in public, and can't sleep or get comfortable laying.  I can't work out, walk, ski, skate and am in pain all the time.  I have to say moving closer to the day (about 1 month away) I'm again having 2nd thoughts that I could be worse after the event.  It is a really, really, scary decision. 

The feedback from our fellow hippies is invaluable to help me deal with this.  The support and feedback from this site is priceless.

[mountaingoat]

Andy,
 You and I are going through such similar things right now...the on-going mental debate that keeps me awake at night. I'm scheduled with Dr. G for 2 weeks after you and I'm totally having the same doubts. I wouldn't have any real doubts except that as I've mentioned in previous posts, I got a Synvisc injection in September that has helped tremendously and I'm experiencing very little pain for the last few two months. I've been quite active - hiking, walking my dogs, biking, etc and all these things I could do only intermittently before the injections. I almost don't remember the pain I was in back a few months ago things are so good right now.

BUT, I have already lived with terrible, terrible debilitating hip pain and I NEVER need to get back to that point. I had two hip scopes previously and between January of 2009 and APril of 2010 I can honestly say I lived with some level of significant pain every single day. I even spent one month on bedrest following my first surgery...I know what chronic pain is and I never want a slice of that life again. It nearly ended my marriage - truthfully   I did have a good year when I finally recovered from the hip scope and before my hips became arthritic but once they started to go downhill again I scheduled surgery. I know, too, that as soon as these injections run out I'll be hobbling around and in a constant state of being pissed off about my hip. So, even though I'm not in pain right now, it makes sense to go forward - even considering how young I am. I want this out of my life and its certainly not going to get better so I may as well fix it now and move on. In a year this will all be behind me.

I have thought nearly every day for the last 3 months about whether to cancel my surgery...I've drafted emails to that effect...but something keeps me from actually doing anything with that surgery date. I guess I've just had enough of life with a bad hip - whether I'm in pain now or tomorrow or not until a month from now.

Good luck!
AMy

[Tin Soldier]

1.  Tripped on sidewalk with a slight bump, maybe a half inch above surrounding concrete
2.  Couldn't climb a tree, anymore
3.  Talked about having trouble getting in and out of a picnic table with someone here (Sean I think)
4.  Daily reminders that I'd given up soccer a couple years prior.
5.  Grumpy all day and prehypertensive, with nothing but a downward spiral in sight

I'd say those were the main catalysts and I was like lots of folks here, not always in major pain, sometimes not much, but sleeping was bad and if I overdid it, like walked a little farther than a mile, ran a bit, or tried to ride a bike, I paid for it.

[mikebaker]

I personally had doubts right until I walked into the surgery room on Tuesday this week. My doctor put me off for a long time. I started seeing him in 2004 and had my first one done in July 2011 and then number two a few days ago. I gave up so much along the way. I am starting to think now that the biggest thing is the toll that the pain takes on all aspects of your life. I have never seen this so clearly until probably week 3 or 4 after my first surgery where I was totally pain free on my operated side and without pain on my right side due to limited activity as instructed by my doctor. I think that we all get there our own way and the first big step is setting a date. The success rate of this surgery is very high and I wish you all the best!!!

[imgetinold]

Thank you all for the thoughtful replies.  It really means a lot right now.  Thursday, I ran 3 miles and had only mild hip pain.  Okay, it woke me up for about an hour during the night, but the next day I was fine (other than the extreme muscle soreness from not having run in....I dunno....six months.  Today, I played 1 set of tennis with my wife (a fitness machine), and....so far...have little pain.

I KNOW that this is how it goes, but.....like Amy pointed out.....it's just so hard to decide when it's not horrible.

Keep them coming!!!!!

Andy

[Boomer]

Andy,

I couldn't run a quarter mile before the pain caused me to stop and walk. Never tried to play tennis, but by the time I scheduled surgery, all I could do without pain was ride a bke. Getting on and off the bike was embarrassing by that time. I walked with a limp for three years.

Nobody can decide when the time is right for you but you and your surgeon.

I'm having a very slow recovery from hip number one, but I am in less pain now then I was previous to the surgery. I still walk poorly, but I know it's going to get better over time, and that beats knowledge that I was getting worse every day.

Be comfortable with your decision. Good luck to you. Stay posted. Good people hang around here at all hours of the night. Mostly us new Hippysnwho can't sleep on their backs! LOL!