Reflection and regret, no recourse.

[RemmyMac52]

I have been reading testimony from this site prior to my Hip Resurfacing and off and on for the 4 years after. I have not posted anything until now because I can't find anyone with a similar condition to where I find myself.
I just turned 60 and at the time I was almost disabled due to the osteoarthritis in my left hip it was made clear to me that at 55 yrs. Old that I was too young for a replacement if I were to continue in construction because it wouldn’t last very long.
After the surgery, the surgeon’s right hand man told me that he had quite a wrestling match holding my leg in position because my 38 years in heavy duty construction had caused extremely muscular legs. As it turns out this is not a good thing for the finished product.
   As it turns out excessive muscle means excessive cutting and this produces other unwanted side effects like strange muscle pain unlike anything I experience in my other leg. I can deal with that as it comes, even causing me to jump out of bed in the middle of the night trying to walk it out so I can sleep.
   The main thing is now 4 plus years later the hip joint is beginning to feel more and more like it did before my surgery. If I work all day in construction I limp around for 2 or 3 consecutive days and if my employer puts me at a desk all day I can hardly walk across the parking lot because I am sore from sitting. Going up and down stairs more than 3 times in a row can ruin me for a couple hours. I can no longer support my weight on my left leg so this makes stairs and ladders a real problem. Many nights it is difficult to go into sleep because the hip aches so severely.  I can’t take anti-inflammatory medication because I only have one kidney. I can take Tylenol but it has little effect. I am avoiding narcotics because I prefer to be coherent.
   Does anyone else have this sort of situation? I am happy for those that have enjoyed the life changing results of the Hip Resurfacing. I hope that no one else has the results I have had but if you have then maybe you are getting some ideas?   

[hernanu]

Hi, really sorry you're hitting this. Have you had a surgeon look at this?

One of the things to look at is whether the device itself is compromised. If so, a set of xrays or a cat scan could let you know if that's the issue. I assume at four years, you've been examined several times, so the xrays from those could be used to track if there's any problem in the device or its connection to the bone.

Maybe you could get the xrays and send them to some of the surgeons on this site that provide free analysis of these.

What was the device put in, and what are the angles they were put in at? If it's a muscular issue, it would require a different treatment than if the device is compromised.

Again, I feel for you that you're dealing with this, the best thing now is to find out what the problem is. I'd go to a good resurfacing surgeon and find out what the problem is or isn't.

Keep in touch, let us know what's happening. There are folks on here who have had trouble with their implant, I'm sure they'll check in, let you know what they think.

[John C]

Sorry to hear that you are having to go through this. I agree with Hernanu, in that it would be a good idea to have one of the top resurfacing surgeons check you,or at least your x-rays, out. You and I are on a similar timeline; I am 61 and about 4 1/2 years post surgery. What really struck me was your reaction to stairs. Part of my conditioning program is running up and down six flights of stairs for 15-20 minutes, and my hip loves it. I am not saying that I do not have twinges now and then that remind me of my hip, but the severity of your description does sound like you really need to have it checked out. With as much trouble as you are having, there is always that possibility that there might be some ongoing damage happening, and I would want some input from at least one of the top surgeons about whether this might be the case.
I hope that you get this resolved soon so that you can move on from all of the discomfort you are having to deal with.
Best of luck.

[obxpelican]

I agree with the x-rays but if it was possible I would (if you are able to) take a few days off, do nothing but stretch lightly and ice down the painful area, if after a few days off (say a 3 day weekend) you are still having problems get the x-rays.

I've heard of patients overdoing things and taking a few days off and them making a complete comeback without any other issues.


It's just a thought.


Chuck

[RemmyMac52]

Thanks for the insight, I really do appreciate it. I had gone back to the surgeon a few months back because while crouching down and overextending I felt a snap and thought I had dislocated the implant. They x-rayed the hip and said everything was where it was supposed to be and that it was a muscle issue and this would be something I would have to deal with.
 My current condition is more like a slow disintegration like how the original osteoarthritis set in, although it does improve somewhat after sleeping and lying still for the night.
I had the surgery when I had really good insurance and sick leave but this is not the case anymore. I suppose I could get the x-rays for someone else to look at. It may cause the surgeon some concern, as though I don't trust his diagnosis but I have to say I am leery to just go back to the same doctor.

[Dannywayoflife]

Hmmmm who was your surgeon? I had 28.5" quads at the time of my surgery and yes it ment more soft tissue trauma but it's done nothing to restrict my longterm recovery. I would get advice from a top doc

[woldaudio]

I don't think the size and development of your muscles are or were a contributing factor. As a competitive powerlifter I have genetically large and strong legs and worked hard and making then stronger and larger. At a year post (having surgery at 64 years of age) I  experience  pain after sitting for a long time. I am back training heavy and do experience some pain several hours after training and during the next day. Stretching by a trained massage therapist has helped.  Good luck!

[RemmyMac52]

Thanks guys for the feed back.
Another thing I was pondering this morning is what if the pelvic area around the implant had developed a crack?
All I know is that I can't put weight on the leg and I am limping around like I did before the surgery. I don't believe it has anything to do with the muscle this time.
  To Dannywayoflife, I don't know if I should give the name of the surgeon in this open forum. I can email it to you if I can figure out how to do that. =)
  I can see if I can get the last x-rays in digital format and see if one of the surgeons on this sight could check them out.
  Thanks everyone.

[hernanu]

I think your best course of action is to move away from speculating and get some answers.

The x-rays of your hip belong to you. You may have to pay a small fee to have them copied to a CD, (I paid $5 US), but they were originally paid for either out of your pocket or by your insurance - they are yours.

You need to clear your mind, get all of the information possible and go from there. I trust my surgeon, but have no problem at all both demanding (and getting) information from him and going to other surgeons for second opinions.

I think in the medical field, it is both expected and a good thing; surgeons are human and can make mistakes. If it weren't for second opinions I would have had to go with a THR right off, since the first two surgeons I saw were adamantly against HR.

I've always taken the approach that doctors work for me. They are highly skilled people who are motivated and committed, but are going to be guided by my concern for myself and how well I push for things to be done. You are your own best (and sometimes only) advocate, so be good to yourself and push for some answers from both the doctors you've seen and those you will see.

You deserve to get this worked out, keep in touch...

[obxpelican]

I agree with Hernanu, either get new x-rays or get the most recent from your doctor, Dr. Gross will give you a phone evaluation if you mail them to him with a written description of your problem, Pat has a list of other doctors who will give you their opinions.

It's time to be your own best patient advocate.


Chuck

[Tin Soldier]

Again, I'm a little late, and all I'm doing here is reiterating.  I emphatically agree with everyone who has responded.

Monster quads - Wold, Dannyway, and others who have monster quads, aren't having problems.  I didn't want to say it, when I first read the post, but I doubt big muscles are the issue.

Surgeon's name - With regards to surgeon's names on the website.  I understand your perspective, folks here are generally pretty cautious about surgeon slander.  Certainly, Danny wasn't going there.  It's more about the experience that the doc has and that should be public info from both the patient's interest and the doc's/docs' practices interest.  In HR, experience is the main factor in really really awesome results and moderately awesome results.  However, I think you're onto something and I really think a second opinion is in order.  Quite possibly a third would be good too. 

Don't worry about the surgeon if you go looking for others.  They shouldn't have a problem with that and if they do, you should leave even sooner.   

Good luck, Hope you get this worked out. 

[RemmyMac52]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I apologize for not checking in on the site. I thought I had selected to get notification if anyone posted but apparently I checked the wrong box?
A major obstacle is what most people deal with and that is the financial considerations. When I had the surgery I was working for a local municipality with really good benefits. Once the surgery was done I had this goal to back in to business for myself as a contractor with my specialty being carpentry. So I left the gravy job and about that time the economy took a dive and I spent all of my retirement money trying to build a business so now we are broke and with some insurance through my wife's job but it isn't as good as what I gave up.
I love to work, but my only recourse may be to go on disability.
  I am considering going back to the surgeon that performed the hip resurfacing just to see what they may say. I will post what becomes of it. I am going to have to do something soon as I can barely make it across the parking lot. God bless you all.
Robert
P.S. if you want to email me I will give you the name of the surgeon.

[imgetinold]

Robert,

I extra-super emphatically agree with the others.  Get a second opinion, particularly if your doctor isn't helping find the root cause of this pain.  If I went to my doctor with this level of issues, and he said everything was fine, I would find another doctor.  Clearly, everything is NOT fine.

Good luck.  Keep us posted.

[phillwad]

Thanks for being so open about your recovery.  I think the advise here has been stady and reasonable - time for a second look.

Cheers - Phill

[RemmyMac52]

Thanks guys.
     I just have to get the money to pay my copay to see my family doctor so he can refer me to another surgeon and get the second opinion. Another surgery isn't possible for me since our income is half of what it was and the insurance we have isn't as good.
     I was putting a sock on this morning and it felt like something moved in my hip and I felt nauseous for a while from the pain.
     It's all I can do to make it up a flight of stairs. If they say my only recourse is surgery again I may have to look at disablilty. I want to work and this isn't how I want to go out.
     Robert

[RemmyMac52]

     Has anyone heard of someone having the bowl or cup part of the resurfacing break loose from inside the pelvic bone?
     I had instruction from the surgeon to use my crutches a little longer than what was typical because he wasn't as confident in the seating of the cup in my pelvic bone and he wanted to give it a little more time grab on.
     The pain I am experiencing isn't really a muscle kind of pain and it very closely resembles how the pain was prior to the surgery with bone against bone. If the cup part is able to move at all then that would explain a lot and this wouldn't show up in an x-ray would it? I am just a carpenter and so I think in these mechanical ways of looking at things.

[obxpelican]

Typically when the cup is loose when implanted it usually does not ever seat, or if it does find a place it's not in the correct position and requires either a re-setting of the cup or total revision.

What is really suspect is what your doctor said, that statement about him thinking the cup did not seat, cup mistakes are just that, doctor mistakes. 

Get an x-ray, they are not expensive, get your x-ray to another doctor then you will know what you are dealing with.

It's always possible that it's not the cup but you will never know without an x-ray and whatever it takes to get you back walking straight lines do it.  There is a happy ending but you need to make it happen.


Chuck

[RemmyMac52]

Thanks Chuck.
     I will get an update posted after I see another surgeon. We have no way of paying for another surgery but I at least have to know what I am dealing with. Our town is not that big so I have to hope there is another reputable surgeon that is not pals with mine so he will be objective. In the meantime I am going to use my cane again and start treating my hip as though it is not seated because that is what it feels like.
   Robert

[Pat Walter]

Robert

I am sorry to hear you are having problems.  I would suggest you get your new x-rays and send them out for free consultations from the top surgeons like Dr. Gross, Dr. Brooks, Dr. Su, Dr. Rogerson and the overseas surgeons will give free consultations Dr. DeSmet of Belgium and Dr. Bose of India.

Choose several and send an email with your x-rays in a digital format as a .jpg   They will all answer your emails personally and Dr. Gross will call you.  It is free so you don't have to spend any money to find out what is happening.

It is diffiuclt to tell by pain or guessing.  Take time and get some input form the top surgeons so you have good info.  Then you can decide how to solve the problem.  You can go to Dr. Bose in India for $10,000 or even less for all costs including travel, hotel and medical expenses.  Some hospitals also a sliding scale for people without much money. I could have gotten a free large ball THR at Grant in Columbus OH.  If you are even making money in the low $30,000 it is almost free.  You have to go to the financial folks at the hospital to find out about their programs.  Some are better than others.

Pat

[RemmyMac52]

Thanks Pat for taking the time to give such good feedback.
     I made an appointment with my family doctor to get a referral to another surgeon and the appointment is tomorrow on Tuesday.
     I live in Coeur D Alene, ID and my gross pay for this year might reach $25,000 if I can keep working. My wife has some insurance through her work but the time I miss from work and the copay is the hurdle to cross.
     I may have to go to Spokane, Washington (30 miles from home) to get an objective opinion. I will make sure I get the images from the x-rays and do as you suggest. The hard part is I just want to work, it is all I know, the idea of not being able to do carpentry anymore really crushes me because that is why I did this. They told me a hip replacement would never hold up to the demand so I would have to do the resurfacing or go to work in a shoe store or something like that.
     After I get the x-rays I will look up the contacts you have suggested.

Thanks again,
Robert