October 15, 2015

My name is Rob, I have been reading information on this site since 2012, and never posted anything. I figured if other stories have helped me, maybe my story could help someone else. Words cannot express how helpful this site has been to me!

Thank you Pat!

A little background…When I was a freshman in high school I was 6’4″ 265lbs, so naturally I played football and basketball. My sophomore year I had grown to be a very athletic 6’6″ and 300lbs. I ended up playing 4 years of football and basketball and received a football scholarship to Oregon State University. I played football there for 3 years. After my playing days were over, my weight got away from me. I had weighed as much as 365lbs. So I decided to get active again, after getting back down to 300lbs I dedicated my self to running, by 2009 (at the age of 29) I had gotten down to 250lbs and was running several 10ks a year. Then my goals shifted to marathons. In 2010 I ran my first 1/2 marathon (1hr 48m not bad for a 250lbs man?) I then set my goals on a full marathon. I ended up running and winning my division (Clydesdale) in the 2011 Portland Marathon! I was excited, and already signed up for my next one….one problem, my hip had been bugging me for a while.

I had a friend who had recently had a labrum issue, it sounded like that could be my problem. So I went to a hip specialist to have it checked out. He took x rays, came back and told me he didn’t know if my labrum was bad, but I had very advanced arthritis in both my hips and I should stop all impact activities. I would need to prolong a thr for as long as I could handle it. But I would probably need thr by the time I was 40!

That shocked me.

So I laid low on the running and just did some hiking and biking. As the months went on it felt worse and worse, probably knowing what was wrong made it word in my head. I thought, there has to be something else for me?  I heard a commercial on the radio (in Seattle) for a less invasive hip procedure. So I checked it out, and made am appointment with the Dr who preformed it.

I showed him my x rays, he said I had advanced arthritis, he didn’t understand why o wasn’t in more pain than I was. Nevertheless he told me thr and hr were both serious surgeries and I should wait a couple more years to have either.

That is when I found this site…after reading of other stories and learning of Dr Pritchett being in my backyard, I figured id make an appointment with him. He saw me in the spring of 2013. Told me I was a good candidate and ready for Bhr in both hips right now!

That scared me. But I did it, got my Right Bhr 11/4/13 and my left Bhr 12/17/13. My recovery went really well, I was on the stationary bike within a couple weeks, and I rode the 2014 Seattle to Portland bike ride in 1 day!

I have a very active job and go to the gym daily, have had virtually zero issues. I have not been able to get back to running. Like so many others, I can go for about 10 min then my right hip gets that deep ache that others have described.

I say all that to ask this question, I am almost two years post op. I have had muscle/soft tissue tweeks along the way. Usually called down after a couple days. But about 2 weeks ago I did some squatting and dead lifts for the first time since my surgeries. I have not been able to shake a low back/glute/hip strain on my right side.

I contacted Dr Pritchett, he seemed to think it was soft tissue.

Has anyone else experienced something that lingered lime this two years post op?

Like a lot of people I am hyper sensitive to anything about my hip. Deep down I think everything is fine. Just want to hear other peoples experiences.

Thanks for everybody on this site. You have had a great positive impact on me!

Rob
34 years old male
6’6″ 250lbs
Rbhr 11/4/13
Lbhr  12/17/13

Dr James Pritchett   Seattle, WA

November 13, 2015

I posted my story and a brief question a couple weeks ago.

I had bilateral Bhr by Dr Pritchett in Seattle 2 years ago. My recovery has gone well. Hike, bike, manual labor, no problems.

After my physical therapy was over really slacked on my stretching and hip strengthening exercises. For the most part ot was no problem. Went to gym everyday and did cardio…walk on treadmill at an incline, stair climber, anything to get a good sweat. And that is pretty much been my daily work out for the last 2 years.

Occasionally I would have some weakness, or slight discomfort in my glute, hip, low back area. I would tell my self “I really should start stretching more, and strengthening my hip muscles.

Back in September I was having one of those thoughts. So this time I decided I was going to do it. So I made a weight lifting plan that includes squating, and deadlifting and other lower body lifts. I lifted lower body every Friday for about a month. After about the second week I was feeling pretty weak, but I figured “hey its been 2 years, no reason not to push it.”

But now I am dealing with an injury. I am not sure exactly what it is. Sometimes I am sure it is my low back/top of butt, sometimes it feels bad in the front of my hip at the very top of my thigh.
I wasn’t lifting really heavy weights.

I became worried. Made an appointment with Dr Pritchett, he took x rays. Says implant looks perfect. I asked him about the dreaded Metal allergy. He told me it is not that, he said it is very unlikely in my situation (large boned male, perfect placement, no squeaking or grinding)

Dr Pritchett said probably just a muscle strain. Would get better with time. But it hasn’t gotten better. So I saw my general Dr. He said a similar thing. Prob just a muscle injury that would get better with time. Still not better.

Its been nagging me for a month and a half. I am going to start some physical therapy on Monday to see if it helps.

The pain is definitely worse in the morning and gets much better as the day goes on. Hurts mostly when I bend at the waist. I am 6’6″ so doing little things like bending to flush toilet, or doing dishes are most painful. I also have 2 little kids, so picking up toys is also aggravating.

I have exhausted the message board search, and google looking for answers.

I have come to the conclusion its probably one of 4 things.

Hip flexor strain
Hip bursitis
A low back injury
Or…metal reaction  (although Dr Pritchett says this is very unlikely) its still on my mind.
I would be more worried about the metal allergy if this hadn’t coincided with my weight lifting.

Anyway. I have contacted my surgeon. I have seen my general Dr, I am going to PT.

November 23, 2015

Feeling great now, went to pt and they told me I had a disc issue, gave me a couple of exercises and it was better in a day!

My poor form or weak hip muscles may have contributed…but I feel great now!