2 year HR Anniversary Dr. Phillip Schmitt 2013

[Lauren Lee]

 I celebrate my two year anniversary of RBHR on June 17!  It was a tough recovery and a lot of work but overall it  has been great...I can do things I have not done in a very long time and the pain in my hip is nothing like it was...nothing. Most of the time it is nothing.  I really wanted to get on here and say what a life changing surgery this was (it is) and how perfectly satisfied I am (I was)  and I would do it again even though the recovery was....a pain but....
I checked in over the weekend and was astounded to see the very recent news about BHR in women. Now I am wondering...what about that "clunk" that I still have, the stiffness after sitting for a while that goes away once I shake it out, the dull ache I get sometimes (which is worse and more "constant" since I read about this), what about the vertigo I had a couple of months back, or the ringing in my ears that was diagnosed as an ear infection? My boss has been amazed at how well I have done but today she noticed me limping.  Everytime I go to the gym and do a leg press or hip strengthening exercise or let the hydomassage table do what the roller used to do...am I accelerating  the rate of metal ions into my bloodstream? My head size is 44 mm and cup is 50 mm. I have the OR report and it says  the joint was "taken through range of motion, found to be stable in all planes, with excellent range of motion and stability of the head in the cup. Leg lengths were equal". I had a very experienced surgeon.
I do have an appointment on June 17 for my two year check,  so I won't be making myself crazy for long, but does anyone (particularly women with BHR or anyone who has more experience about this than I do) experience aching and clunking two years past surgery? Is that NORMAL?
Thanks all!

[JHippy]

Lauren, the best thing you can do is get a test of your ion levels. I'm assuming that's what will happen as a matter of routine your two-year follow up (but I'd call and make sure). If your levels are normal, you're good. Level of activity is not linked to metal wear so you can be as active as you want. The massages and leg presses wouldn't affect a good functioning resurfacing. The clunking and stiffness shouldn't be related to metal debris. The dull ache, I don't know. But the test is the 100% certain way to know if there's a metal ion problem or not.

[karlos.bell]

Hi Lauren.
When I was doing my FAI rehab the importance was on the glut minimus to stabilize the hip joint . That is side planks and leg raises when you are side planking. It takes some strength and if you have very solid good hips you can do it. Maybe something to also try (side planking). Squats are good but is the glut max. I am no physio but have had to go thorough rehab 2 times now on my third time. Ringing in the ears man that could be lots of things........
Iliposoas is another that gets forgotten about check those out.

My old hips used to pop (like a balloon) and they ached, burnt like fire was in them and it never went away for 8 years. I will never forget it. I could not sleep nor walk well and was on crutches for 6 years with no orthopedic help. They said you are good to go. like you I never want to go back to those days.   Be positive, optimistic  hope your irons are down then get back onto something simple within the hip as you had a long rehab time.  Cheers K

[Lauren Lee]

Thanks J and Karlos, I will be getting that blood test. I remember specifically asking my surgeon about the whole metal issue pre-op and he wasn't really concerned and I do have the utmost trust in him. I understand that with newer surgical procedures there is no long term history and stuff happens. Just in case though I'm having that test.
I haven't done side planks or leg lifts but I will. I do regular planks and I am much stronger since I joined a gym and I know I can do it. I do a lot of hip work on the machines- abductor and adductors plus core. I focus on those things most.
I will never forget the pain I had for almost 30 years. I had a severe injury on a snowmobile when I was young and was just waiting until I was old enough for THR but then became aware of the BHR and I went for it.   There were times when the pain in the hip, groin,IT band, and back was so severe I could not move. More than once I would get out of my car and just have to stand in the parking lot and I could not move.It would come and go but then became constant. At the time of my surgery my gait was so off I was dragging my right foot so I didn't have to lift my leg and pulling myself up the stairs with both hands on the rail. I remember waking up from surgery and the PT pulling me out of bed and there was none of that kind of pain.  Thanks again for your responses.

[karlos.bell]

  Sounds good. From Dr Desmet there is only 1 in 1000 chance of metal reaction so the chance is pretty low from his experience.  Sounds now you have had 30 years of muscle tone to change. Yep mine is the same. The adductors left leg did all the work (so I have weak gluts).  Groin pain the glut max right leg did most of my work so still have muscle tone to undo from 8 years of bad hip tone due to various pain. Cheers K

[hernanu]

Lauren, it's normal to get hyper about things, especially when people bring up problems with metallosis.


It's good to look at the actual statistics and see that metal issues are a small percentage of the failures from an HR. The overall failure rate over time is much lower than knee or shoulder surgery, so we actually have a good success rate.


This doesn't mean that bad stuff doesn't happen, but our chances are pretty good. I had a fall about three years down the line with a lingering pain in my hip. I also got very nervous, had my metal ions test done and it turned out very well.


Get the test, hopefully you get good results and that clears your mind. It did mine.

[karlos.bell]

Hi Lauren and others who read this post.  There is also a condition that is called Obturator Entrapment. It happens in the groin adductors. Look up
http://www.peterbrukner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/49.-Brukner-Bradshaw-McCrory-Phys-Sportsmed-1999.htm

It may be a connection if you have a long outstanding issue in the groin - hip where the adductors as overused instead of the Quads. People are wired differently on the obturator nerve as well and some plexus can occur when the wiring routes back into the femoral nerve. It is  very difficult nerve system and wiring for any diagnostics of the groin to hip. But by all means get it checked out as it can occur and doctors sports doctors do know about it. My doctor knew about it but not about Femoral Acetabular Impingement FAI for example. Cheers K

[lori.36]

I am a woman that had a BHR performed on 5-2011.
I have had excellent results.  Nill to no pain in my operated hip.
I do have clunking, which I attribute to being hyper mobile.
Perhaps you are to relaxed in the tendons and ligaments?