8 years on BHR. Getting ready for 2nd

[Sappy76]

It's been 8 years since I was told that I needed both my hips to be replaced due to being born with shallow sockets.  I had my right hip done at that time (age 47) with the Birmingham Resurface and it turned out great.  I was able return to a normal lifestyle, actively playing and coaching my son in soccer.  It took a while to become comfortable trusting the hip, especially climbing ladders and walking on scaffolding, but now I don't even think about it.

Next week I go into surgery with the same physician (Dr. Joseph Burkhardt in Michigan) to have my left hip done.  Although I don't remember too much about the recovery, other than I felt depressed with my recovery compared to many on this site,  I feel much more confident that I will return back to my active lifestyle by the end of summer.

Wish me luck!

[John C]

Good Luck! I am betting that you will find the second time easier than the first. I am 11 years out on one, and 1 year on the other, and the second one was easier both physically and psychologically than the first.

[Pat Walter]

Sappy76
Good luck on your upcoming surgery.  8 Years on your BHR sounds great.  Glad it is working well for you.
I look forward to reading your updates after your surgery.
Pat

[jimbone]

Reading lots of the archived postings dating back to 2011/12 and forward it seemed to me the results for HR just kept getting better and better and complications fewer and fewer.  Not a scientific survey at all just my impression from the posts.  Whether devise improvements, surgical techniques, experience of the doctors, better recovery protocols, smarter patience isn't anything I could define  but I would bet the trend for better outcomes is weighed more heavily moving forward.  It works in our favor and will work in yours.  Best of luck and stay in touch during your recovery.

[Mouse Potato]

I also looked at some of the recovery stories in wonder and amazement. One of them interested me, as a golfer, it was Jerry C who was playing 18 holes at 4 weeks post op. Now I am nearly 5 weeks and would struggle to hit a single shot, let alone play a full 18 holes.

So, I have my own recovery plan which is chipping, putting at 8 weeks and hitting full shots at 12 weeks. My surgeon said that these targets are sensible and easily achievable so, whilst finding other people's recovery stories interesting, I am comfortable with my own plans. This is hopefully a long term investment and 4 weeks or 12, in the grand scheme, is irrelevant.

So, good luck with the surgery next week and you'll hopefully be happier with your own recovery schedule.

Russ

[Sappy76]

Thanks everyone for the encouragement.   I haven't been on this site for over 7 years, and I'm glad it's still up and active. 

Yesterday I got a call from the Dr.'s office and the surgery has moved from next Thursday to this coming Monday.  My Dr. told me the biggest changes have to do with the increased use of pain blockers during the operation and less reliant on narcotics.  He said I should feel much better after the operation and indicated they try to have you rely more on Tylenol and less on narcotics during the recovery.

Knowing what I'm in for makes me better prepared, and this site helps a lot.  Everyone's recovery is different, but it seems the final outcome is the same.  I'm going push myself more this time, but also listen to my body and pace myself accordingly.  I'm about 30 lbs lighter this time (which I started working on 6 months ago) remembering that weight is big factor, especially during PT.  Also, I know that in a year I'll be back on the soccer field coaching my son and enjoying life again. 

It's amazing how quickly the joint goes.  Last fall I was running the bleachers at the soccer field while my son was practicing with the team and I felt the first shooting pain in the left hip.  Now, 7 months later, I can hardly walk on it.

I'm hopeful for a fast recovery, less pain, and more positive attitude, but I'll take it day by day knowing I will eventually get back to 100%.  My wife is also hoping for the best.  She told me years after my 1st surgery that she used to go in the closet and cry because I was such a different person when on the narcotics, very demanding and very irritable.  I hope to not put her through that again.  We, as patients, need to be mindful of the people around us who help us during the first few months after surgery.

I'll keep you posted on my recovery.

Thanks again.

[Sappy76]

Well I'm back online and feeling good enough to give an update.

The surgery went well and my recovery is much, much easier this time.  Several things changed from the last time and I'm sure they will continue to improve the process.  The following things are different this time that I remember:
1)  They now request that you start washing the hip area with chlorhexidine one week before the surgery, and gradually progress to washing the entire body 2 days prior.  This is to help reduce possibility of infection.
2)  They now are using a pain blocker injected into the lower back roughly 1 hour before surgery to cut down on the amount of narcotics they use during/after the operation.  The nerve blocker lasted about a day.
3)  They now inject pain medication into the hip area after the operation to help reduce pain.
4)  Within 4 hours of the surgery, I was in my private hospital room, only remembering the part in the operating room where they were strapping my arms down to the operating table (I don't remember entering the operating room last time.)
5)  By 11:00 pm (surgery at 2:30) they had me standing and re-leaving myself in a bed pan.  (Last time I had a catheter and it wasn't removed until day 2.  Thank God that part was missing.)
6)  On the following day of surgery, I had 2 sessions of PT, walking down the hall to the PT area and required to walk up and down steps.  (Last time that came on day 3 if I remember correctly.)
7)  I was released from the hospital by 3:30 the day after surgery, within 24 hours.  (Last time I spent 3 nights at the hospital.

So far, 6 days after surgery, I am doing 100x better than the last one.  I use hardly any pain medications, have been going outside with my walker several times a day, and am just about dressing myself.  I'm not sure if it's because the improvements to the pain management, or if it's my familiarity with the procedure and knowing more about what the pain is telling me.  (It still hurts to try to lift my leg to get in/out of bed or in/out of a car, but it's improving.)

Tomorrow I start formal PT, 1 week from my surgery, and this time I can actually walk.

I'll keep you updated.

[Pat Walter]

Sappy76

Congratulations on your new hip. Great comparison. Very helpful to people deciding on getting their hips fixed.
I wish you the very best and look forward to your updates.
Pat

[jimbone]

Congratulations Sappy.  Great to hear things going so well.  It's a wonderful feeling to lose the arthritis pain and like Pat said- hearing good recoveries that are the standard and not just the exceptional help people faced with making the decision to have surgery to make the right choice.
I thought the chlorhexidine protocol interesting- my two surgeries last year only required its use the day of surgery.  When I discussed infection with my doctor he said it was the reason he opted for outpatient surgery whenever possible to reduce exposure.  Both times I was in the OR in the morning and discharged by the afternoon walking on crutches and feeling great both times.  Happy recuperation and keep us informed.

[Sappy76]

One month down on 2nd Hip and I am progressing better than the last time.  I'm able to walk without a cane, but only like a monkey, so I'm still using the cane.  I'm attending PT 2x a week and the muscles around the implant are strengthening, but it still takes time to recover.

I thought since the surgery went so much better, and the pain much more manageable, that I would recover faster, but not so much. 

I am off pain medication, but the nights after PT are difficult, and I tend to wake up in the middle of the night with soreness and it's hard to get back to sleep.

I would say overall, that this time around has been much much better.

[jimbone]

Well Done Sappy-

1 month is still too early in to barely see where it's going- so remember: healing is a factor of patience, going to take time.

4 weeks is a bit early for PT, especially hard core PT.  I'd check in on how hard to push- all PT are not the same.

At 4 weeks you use pain meds as you need them.  You don't overexpose yourself to or justify excess but you give yourself the respite from pain you need to heal.  This is not a moral issue for anyone except a few random Puritanical Social Groups and the odd cult.  Just ask your doctor, they prescribed them, they'll know if there's a problem.

At 4 weeks I got around the house w/out the cane but practice walks it was always at my side.

You're right on track, doing well- don't fret- you're doing fine.  In 2 weeks ask why you can't yet tie your shoes or put your socks on standing up.  Only because you're not allowed until next week.

Loss of OA pain is always better.  Glad to hear things going well.

[Sappy76]

At the 2 month mark and I'm finally walking without the cane.  It seems like it took longer to progress to this point this time around, but I didn't keep accurate records from the last time. 

Earlier in the week at PT, the therapist encouraged me to concentrate on walking "normally" without the cane.  "Normally" means not swaying from side to side and trying to take a normal gait.  It's painful in both the knee and the quadricep, but I do notice that it is getting progressively easier to walk. 

Yesterday after PT, I went to the local HS track and walked a mile and climbed the bleachers twice.  By the evening my muscles were very sore, but this morning I'm feeling better.

It's slow, but progressing.

[Pat Walter]

Glad to hear things are starting to work better. It just takes more time to heal for some than others.
Sounds like you are slowly working at it.  Don't over stress yourself.  It will come.
Pat

[jimbone]

Way to go Sappy- the 8 week mark is a milestone as you can see for yourself.  A mile walk and bleacher climb is a good workout after major orthopedic surgery.  Remember how well the first hip did after it had time to heal- the second will come around as well.  I was easily 3-4 months before being able to tie my shoes regularly and 5-6 months before some lingering glute pain finally faded.  I discovered the elliptical machine while healing and its become one of my favorite friends.  If you're near one give it try- low impact, good cardio and I really like the way it gets the joint to move and loosen up.  Hill and stair climbing can't be beat either.  Sounds like you're on your way to health- stay at it and congratulations.