Judy’s Hip Resurfacing with Dr. Rector 2009
Judy’s Hip Resurfacing with Dr. Rector 2009
August 24, 2009
I leave for Boulder tomorrow for surgery with Dr. Rector on Wed., Aug. 26th. I thought I would be nervous but I’m still excited. I am just really looking forward to walking without pain. I imagine the nervousness will set in eventually but so far I’m still looking forward to it.
August 31, 2009
I had a right BHR at age 45.
All in all it wasn’t too bad once we figured what pain meds I could handle. Yesterday I was on Percocet. Felt like I was going to faint, my head and neck were sweating really bad and my mom said I got the shakes really bad was nauseated and thought I was going to get really sick. We finally figured out that by putting the bed part way up and switching to an anti-inflammatory and one Vicodin I was able to do the things they wanted me to do. Also right after surgery got the itches.
Dr. Rector and his staff are so awesome as well as Boulder Community Hospital. Michelle and Stacie came to see me both days and they were very supportive.
All seems to be going well from what I can tell. Sometimes my knee & ankle will still get sore but can’t tell if that’s from overdoing it or from hip. My guess is that it’s from doing too much since hip doesn’t hurt. I get tired really easy. I feel like I’m educating home health since they haven’t heard of bhr. Pain is very minimal my biggest challenge is not getting sick from pain meds.
September 1, 2009
I am 5 days post op on my right hip. Pain on hip is being managed but I feel I have shin splints on the same side – is this normal?
September 5, 2009
I still have to take pain meds but it is under control for the most part. Sometimes when I go to a store and they have a rug at the entrance it flips up from my walker and I will feel a pain it isn’t excruciating but it always makes me a little worried that I’m not doing things right and that maybe something isn’t quite right. Is this normal? I’m supposed to be 50% weight bearing but knowing what that is is sometimes hard. I haven’t crossed over midline like they told me but sometimes I worry about it.
I know that the only way to know for sure is to have it x-rayed. My follow-up is September 22 is this something to worry about based on other people’s experience.
Secondly my surgeon gave me a prescription for outpatient PT. I thought I wasn’t supposed to start this until after my three week apt. but now I’m second guessing myself.
September 9, 2009]
I have graduated to a cane since day 10. Things basically seem to be going well most days.
I felt I was making progress until yesterday. I don’t know if it was all the sitting or what. We took a road trip and I was sitting for about 5 hours not constant but I’m not used to sitting that much and last night and today I’ve had a pain close to my hip and a slight limp. I’ve also had a slight back pain hope all this is normal. I may go back to my walker for a day or 2 just to make sure everything’s okay. I’m still struggling with the meds feeling like I’m going to faint, getting the shakes, etc. but not as much as before.
I called yesterday for outpatient PT and my insurance will only cover one PT in my area and she can’t get me in until the 17th. I called my doctor’s office yesterday and they said once the PT starts that the incision shouldn’t feel so tight and some of the pain should subside. I hope they’re right. All in all I’ve never regretted having the surgery done.
September 19, 2009
I was at 3 weeks on Aug. 16, 2009. I have to say that I have never regretted having the surgery. It was the best thing I could have done. I am feeling great most of the time. I’m only taking Vicadin on occasion when I over do it. I am walking with a cane I could go without but when I go 2 days in a row I usually pay for it on the 3rd day so I feel it is better to continue to use it rather than have to pay the price. One of my problems now is that I want to get out there and do things but remembering that I still need to take it easy. I am having a problem sleeping but it’s not due to pain so I end up napping in the middle of the day.
The incision is healing up very well and I had very little if any swelling. Does anyone know when they usually let you start swimming again? Does the scab from the incision have to be completely gone? I really want to start swimming again.
Tuesday the 22nd I go for my 3 week apt. with Dr. Rector.
September 22, 2009
I just got back to Grand Junction from my apt. w/ Dr. Rector and he gave me the go ahead to swim, recumbant bike, elliptical trainer, leg presses, leg extensions, etc. but no running which doesn’t break my heart. I was glad to see the x-ray as it calmed me know that there was nothing wrong going on in there. It is kind of weird to see the hardware on your own x-ray though. Dr. Rector said my incision looks great and it looked great on the x-rays as well. Can’t wait to start exercising and get some of this weight off. All I can say is that I have absolutely no regrets and would definitely recommend Dr. Rector and his staff to anyone contemplating or who is on the fence.
September 23, 2009
This morning was a definite eye opener. I finally got to take a bath and oh it felt so good. Some of the things I couldn’t do before the surgery was I couldn’t shave my right leg without tweaking my body (shifting it) in a position to where I could reach to shave, I couldn’t put on my socks without making adjustments as well. Some of the things that you take for granted when you have a good hip with just daily living I can now do and was so excited to be able to do those things in a normal way. I am so thankful for my new hip!
October 16, 2009
I had hoped to be doing better than I am. I do great until about 2p.m. and then I get sore but not in the hip more in the thigh and knee area. We had some friends come see us about 2 weeks ago and we ended up out in the parking lot standing and talking for about 2 1/2 hours. After that it took me about a week until I was doing okay again which was disappointing. Anyone have pain in the late afternoon but feel pretty good in the morn? I hope things start turning back around. I felt better at 3 weeks than I do right now but I’m not giving up. Can’t do anymore PT because my insurance won’t pay for anymore (just had 3 sessions)
February 1, 2012
I had an EXTREMELY successful right BHR done August, 2009. I have never regretted for a moment having the surgery. I still go to the surgeon once a year for him to x-ray my hip and make sure everything is looking good.
After my surgery I was laid off (not because of the surgery – because of lack of work) I have found it difficult finding insurance without them putting a rider on both hips. I do have an individual plan, but they have put a rider on both hips as well as my migraines. I was wondering if anyone has found a company that will insure without the rider? Thanks for all the help this site has provided.
February 1, 2012
I just thought I would let you know my experience. 2 1/2 years post op.
I live in a somewhat small town. I went to a surgeon here in town that did my mom’s THR. He took x-rays and told me what my problem was (I had been suffering with the pain 3 years prior). Finally getting a doctor to tell me what was wrong was a big accomplishment. I did an injection and that only lasted about 1 month. Although this surgeon did a good job with my mom he had only done 1 resurfacing. I then went on the internet and found Dr Rector. I called him and he asked me some questions over the phone but I knew then that this was the doctor for me.
I made an appointment with Dr. Rector he examined me and looked at the x-rays and less than a month later I had the surgery done. I was 45 years old at the time of surgery. For me the most painful part was getting the anesthesia shot in my spine.
My experience at the hospital was very uneventful except for the pain killers. They put me on Percocet and the day after my surgery when they got me up to walk I about fainted and turned white as a ghost. Once they switched me to Vicodin I was fine. Dr. Rector recommends some kind of ice wrap/machine. My insurance ended up not paying for that stating that it was not necessary but I had no swelling so I think it was worth it.
I live 300 miles away from Dr. Rector’s office and I did the 3 month, 6 month, and 1 year followup appointments. My insurance would only cover a limited amount of physical therapy but my neighbor is a physical therapist and he worked with me on the side. I followed Dr. Rector’s instructions to a T. Most of the time I forget that it is there (but I am glad that it is).
I still go see Dr. Rector once a year even though he told me I don’t have to because I like to be proactive. He says I am doing great and my flexibility is great as well. Sometimes their office will call me and ask if they can give my number to a patient who is thinking about the surgery so they can ask me some questions because I was such a success. It has been 2 1/2 years since I had the surgery and I cannot say enough good things about it.
I have never regretted having the surgery and there are so many things I can do now without pain. I would highly recommend Dr. Rector.