new patient considering hip replacement

[joanne]

I am a 68 year old female, in good health, who has been told I need a hip replacement. I'm told that I have bone on bone in my hip and eventually will need surgery.

I have been given info from my doctor, have read literature, and have talked to mpeople who know people who have had replacements, but I would like to talk to someone who has actually had the surgery to find out the following answers to these questions:

What is the recouperation time?
What are the limitations with hip replacement during recovery and after recovery (i.e., range of motion, sitting arrangements, can I still do my exercises that I do now at the gym, any limitation on what type of car I drive, what kind of complications that may occur during recovery/after surgery, and what type of appliance is better: cement or cementless.

Also, what is the average age of hip replacement candidates?

Right now, my symptoms are that I have restricted or limited range, but mostly pain (on a scale from 1-5, the pain is 4). I can control the pain to some degree with m***age theraphy, heat/cold, topical creams, and aspirin; so I'm wondering how much longer I can put off the surgery or if I should go ahead and do it now.

Frankly, I'm scared and need more information to make a better decision. I'm a very active person who does a lot of walking and goes to the gym 5-6 times a week. I don't want to have to limit this because of the replacement.

Any feedback you all can give me will be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Joanne

[sbrown]

I have not had a hip replacement, but I work in a lab that tests the materials that hips are made of. One web site that lays it out for you is www.hip-replacement-care.com. That may be of some help.
Most artificial hips last 15 - 30 years. If you are 68, that will take you to 83 - 98 years old. Why wait? With a new hip you can walk, play golf, use the gym, etc. You can't sky dive, bungee jump, etc., but a normal active life is possible. Almost everyone I know who has had a hip replacement wishes they had done it sooner. Good luck

[nigel777]

JoAnne, I had my surgery on 10/4. I am soon to be 69, male and in good health. Had played golf 2 times per week and did all my own lawn work except for mowing. I usually paid the price but I am a doer so I did what needed to be done. After being diagnosed with the same symptoms as you I gave PT about 6 weeks. It helped at first, but after much stretching etc. the pain just moved from the nerve to the joint. Went back and signed up as it were.
I had 3 days in the actual hospital and 5 days in the PT ward. I came home on 10/12 and was able to walk w/o a walker for 2-3 days. Then the muscle discomfort set in and the walker became a necessity. On thirsday the 20th, the DR. told me to get a cane and walk....straighten up your back...your leg will not collapse. Well, he is right for the most part. The large thigh muscle is still tender BUT I just walked 2 blocks using the walker like a cane and I was fine. I have also gone to our little gym and rode a stationary bike for 10 minutes each of the last 2 days. Will go again today. I am alternating heat pad & ice packs as needed. Yesterday the cane slipped and I said a reverberant ouch! But heat & ice calmed things down.
I previously walked hunched forward so badly that all my friends now comment on how well I stand. I would recommend it to most anyone. I am fortunate that I received one of the oversize metel to metal prsothesis, so it is virtually impossible to dislocate. That was available to me due to the Dr's knowledge and opinion that my bones were xtra good.
Sorry to ramble, but did not know such a forum existed. E-mail me if you like.
Bob Martin

[Shiela]

Hi There Joanne, I am scheduled for a hip replacement on 6 Dec. I too have had a lot of questions and concerns. I have read a lot from various sites but I also know 2 people personally that have had this replacement ( one male one female) and they are all saying they are back to normal - no pain.

I am 58 and active and find that this hip problem is very painful and debillatating -----can't walk too far; climbing stairs is now difficult and dangerous, getting in and out of cars and above all trying to sleep in the same bed for more than 2 hours at a time; playing golf and walking on uneven ground all cause a lot of pain. I have gotten worse over the last year and decided I can't put up with this any longer - I need to have the hip replacement and get back to active living. I realize of course the recovery could be as long a 3-6 months and this will depend on each individual's healing time. I am hoping that by the spring I should be doing very well.

[sbrown]

Good luck, Shiela. Keep us posted on your progress.

[Kelli M]

Joanne:
Good luck with your decision regarding your hip replacement. I am scheduled to have my 3rd left total hip replacement on December 6th. I've had my current hip for 17 years and have put off having it replaced for as long as I can. I'm considered very young to have had all of the hip problems that I've had. I am 40 and I had my first replacement at the age of 11...so I do know a little about this subject. I can tell you that one year after my replacement in 1988 I got married and had 2 normal pregnancies and delivered them both normally. I have not been on pain relievers all of my life and have relied on motrin and tylonol to take care of my aches and pains. Just now in the last few months I've had to reluctantly take some pain medication. My pain is so intense that I take 4 doses daily but, I still have a full time job. I walk with a slight limp and my surgeon is going to try and fix that for me...my legs are even in length but, he says I need to also have my pelvis re-aligned. I plan to take FMLA leave for my surgery and I'll use all of it if I have to but, my family depends on my income...so this will be a huge financial strain for us. I just wanted to let know that you can have your life back and it can be as normal and you want it to be. I feel like I'm very active and I'm looking forward to feeling better or more like my old self again.

Good luck and take care,
Kelli

[Kelli M]

Sheila-- I just noticed that we have the same surgery date of December 6th. Good luck to you and hopefully everything will go smooth as silk for you.

I plan to return to work at 6-12 weeks post-op...and I think I can do it!!! I remember when I had my 2nd one 17 years ago...I wasn't down for very long at all...and, I'm just praying for a quick recovery this time.

Take care and God bless,
Kelli

[Kraft]

Joanne, I had both of my hips replaced at age 59.

Expect a recuperation time of 3-6 months for full function. My OS told me that strength and function can improve for up to a year. If you work in a sedentary job, you might be able to return to work before 3 months have elapsed. This is so individual that it would be unfair of anyone to give you a firm timeline. Your OS is the best source of this information because he knows you and your condition going in to surgery.

The same advice applies to the kind of prosthesis you receive. This is much less important than some would lead you to believe. It's as or more important that the surgeon knows what he's doing than what kind of implant is used. A state-of-the-art implant implanted improperly by a surgeon who doesn't do many THRs is far worse than a metal/poly implant implanted by a surgeon who has done hundreds of them.

I believe that the average THR patient is 65+. When I showed up in the ortho unit at my hospital at age 59, the nurse chirped: "oh, a young one!" so I think she was used to seeing many THR patients considerably older than I was.

Your fears about not being able to go to your gym after your surgery are unfounded. Once you have recovered you should be able to walk farther (and without pain or pills) than you do now. I go to a gym regularly with my two THRs. I don't use stairmaster machines nor do I use treadmills (I'd rather walk normally) but I find that elliptical trainers and bicycles give me a good workout plus I concentrate on upper body strengthening.

PS: you say that you can walk 5-6 days a week so you must have pretty good pain control to be able to do that. I waited until I couldn't take a step without a cane. That's much too long to wait!

[poochiemama]

I am going to an Orthopedic suregeon in Southern Ca next week. I have been diagnosed last year with a herniated disk and was treated for that but a therapist has suggested my problem is my hip..I have groin pain , side knee pain and a pain that radiates down to my knee. If I sit, when I get up I have pain in walking taking varying lenths of time to subside...I cannot bend over on my left side, touch my toes on my left side and limited flexiblity....lately have difficulty sleeping ...Anyone else with these symptioms?

[Kraft]

Many of the pains that you describe could be caused by hip or even knee OA - or by something else. It's wise of you to see an orthopedist and find out what the real problem might be and what would be recommended to solve it. In my experience, hip arthritis pain would get worse as the day wore on - I'd be good in the AM and barely walking by noon. My only relief would be to get off my feet.

[Sonia S.]

I am going to an Orthopedic suregeon in Southern Ca next week. I have been diagnosed last year with a herniated disk and was treated for that but a therapist has suggested my problem is my hip..I have groin pain , side knee pain and a pain that radiates down to my knee. If I sit, when I get up I have pain in walking taking varying lenths of time to subside...I cannot bend over on my left side, touch my toes on my left side and limited flexiblity....lately have difficulty sleeping ...Anyone else with these symptioms?


Hello, the symptoms that you are describing are very familiar to a hip problem the one that is need of change! I have also similar pain and no flexibility like you but at least i can still walk without pain but sometime i'll have bad days. It sounds like you need a THR sooner than me.Good luck on your next appointment. Hip replacement is quite succesfull, go ahead make your day! Sonia.

[Annemarie]

Hello joanne. After having had my first total hip replacement at 65, 10 weeks ago, I am now slated to have the second one done on August 15. The original diagnosis was severe O/A in both hips. The pain in the remaining pre- op leg is so bad that I cannot sleep at night or walk without groaning. I have been told that there should be a rest period of at least four months between those two surgeries. Although not everyone would agree with me, I found the operation a wonderful pain reliver. My uncemented ceramic implant is supposed to last for 20 years. What else can we do once the hips are worn out? If you are basically healthy and you have an experienced surgeon the whole affair should go well. Does anyone have any thoughts on the cause of their own O/A condition?

[john]

hello my name is john
im 36
i just had both hips done simutaniously june 14
its my second day home
ill try try to answer any questions you have
it sure is nice not thinking about the surgury anymore
i was stressed way out
good luck
john

[Annemarie]

Hello John. What a brave fellow having two hips done at the same time. Were you coaxed into it or was that your idea? How do you manage to move about? Are you not supposed to have the stronger leg to support you while going upstairs while using the newly operated leg for going down stairs? You are rather young for such severe operation, did you suffer from O/A or was it a long standing condition? I think my condition began in schildhood. Post war poverty forced us to share beds and I slept for over 10 years on my left side before getting my own contraption which pretended to be a bed by night while turning into a straight back chair by day. By 17 my left hip began to pain, by 37 I was diagnosed with compacted lower disks and arthritis. By 54, after several falls, my sciatic, femoral and piriformis nerves etc. ignited compounding the entire hip issue leading to an increasingly painful, lopsided gait that went undiagnosed for years by numerous doctors only to end up as O/A.

[MarieR]

Hi, I am also looking at THR. My pain started in the groin and after xrays and an MRI I have been told that I need both hips replaced. I have stiffness, bones ache and no cartiledge and bone spurs in both. I am hesitate due to the unknown and am having trouble bending repetitively or walking for long periods.I also have trouble sleeping. I was told that my hips have been like this since birth - they are more upright rather than the 90 degree angle they should be.? Good luck and let me know your outcome.

[MarieR]

Hey - your recovery sounds unbelievable. I think I would do it tomorrow if possible. What were your systems before surgery?

[Annemarie]

Greetings Marie R. Severe sciatica (onwards from age 14) to stiffness, groin pains, and an ***ortment of aches and pains up and down the left leg signalled, somewhere by mid life, that something was amiss. Into a sudden Menopause by 45, brought on by shock, all trauma occoured to my left side. Starting to to walk lop-sided while trying to protect the left side gradually unballanced my overall physical frame. While my mental frame, constantly ***aulted by negative outer forces became ever more weighted down and distorted by thoughts of not wishing to GO ON ANYMORE, I eventually could not,.... do to ever increasing pain. I believe that my initial excruciating SCIATIC pains began with too much SIGH in the ATTIC (my mind temple). Too much thought and memories of too much hunger, too much loss, too much stress, too much horror etc. My cups (mental lobes) did indeed overflow, not with joy but with the exact opposite.

Most people report positive results after their operations. All the best to you. Annemarie

[mendi]

hi, folks. bear with me here:
march of '03 i began to have severe lower back pain, literally overnight. screaming if i was on my stomach and merely lifting my head. had an HMO at the time, and besides it taking 5 months to get pain meds, i was mis-diagnosed, not allowed to see an orthopaedist, underwent 6 separate procedures over a 2-1/2 year period, had to use a wheelchair, give up driving my firebird (chair wouldn't fit) and having to go to "pain management" every month and each time having to explain why i wasn't willing to give up my ONE darvocet and ONE flexeril/day.
having used up all my options, i was released from their care, and soon changed to an 80/20 type insurance. the new GP asked why i ***umed i wasn't a surgical candiate, and it was because i had been repeatedly told so by the people i had been seeing. he handed me an ortho's card and said, just see him, what can it hurt? not wanting to hear more bad news, i put it off until 4 months later, when my hip began to hurt so badly. immediately he discovered the misdiagnoses and scheduled me for major back surgery.
as soon as i was awake, i could tell, despite post-surgical pain, that my back pain was gone.
this was october. i was finally able to walk again after all those months, and i was ecstatic. my hip began to be a problem just as i was able to get out of the house on my own, drive my car again, stand in the shower, etc.
in march, i was back seeing one of my ortho's partners, who looked at me blankly (i was sobbing and incoherent) and said "what is it you would like me to do?" (granted, we were both having bad days, but that was no excuse). the exrays showed very plainly (which we had seen in a back exray) the extent of the damage, but i had to wait a year before more surgery.

so, here i am, @10-1/2 months post back surgery, waiting for a surgical date. the pain is terrible. the doctor who is actually doing the surgery (another partner, saw him yesterday), let me know the downsides--- i understand most of them, my uncle was a surgeon--- but i'm now having second thoughts. he's just about guaranteed 100% pain relief, but i feel like i won't be able to do ANYTHING, without fear of popping the joint out of the socket (BTW, i will be 47 in october). swimming is okay (thank goodness, we just built the pool), but sitting, TURNING MY FOOT INWARD (i've been pigeon-toed all my life), i don't know if it's worth it anymore. i'm already taking percocet (5/325) and flexeril (and 800 mg ibuprofen, can't take celebrex) 3 times/day. is the loss of mobility worth it? what about, uh, marital relations? i've known for many years my left knee needed replacing, but i was too young.
i wasn't worried before about the surgery, and i can't live with the pain much longer, but now i'm starting to freak out.
sorry this was long, but i really know only the basics here.
thanks.

[mendi]

i forgot my biggest concern:
i have 5 house rabbits, and a diabetic cat that needs twice/day injections.
i get up and down from the floor fairly often. how am i supposed to take care of my babies?

[ripanco]

mendi,

Ouch! Are you in the US? Sorry you had to go through so much baloney to get your back taken care of.

You don't say what is causing your hip (or back) problems. Do you have osteoarthritis? That is my problem and it is in a lot of my joints inclucing my back and hips(opps, not in my hips anymore). I have spondololythisis of L4-5. However since I had my hips replaced much of the back pain has dissapeared to the point that I am not considering surgery.

I had to laugh when you explained your fears about not being able to toe in after surgery. I am wicked pidgeoned toed!! In fact the morning after my hip surgery (simultaneous bilateral THR), the PT had to explain to her student that that was ok for me to stand with my toes pointed in cause it was normal for me!! They want you to stand with toes out, but no way I could. Thank goodness I had a crack PT who recognized that and did not try to force my toes out!! At any rate, I don't think you need to stress about that!

I understand you fears. I am VERY active and athletic and truly was afraid my life would be over if I had to succumb to THR. But let me tell you how wrong I was. Not only can I swim, but I can run, ski, hike, rollerblade, kayak, mountainbike, horseback ride and oh yea (whisper) sex is great, no problems!! I also have 11 dogs, 5 cats, fish and a horse as well as owning a boarding/grooming kennel. We show the Siberians and run them in harness too.

The first week after your surgery will be the toughest, but you already have experience with that so you probably can get ready. After that you will get better and better to the point you will start forgetting about those hips. At my 1 yr checkup, my surgeon felt my hips looked so good and tight that there was practically no chance for dislocation and he has lifted all restrictions.

Make sure you have a very skilled surgeon, one that specializes in hip replacement. Mine does over 360/yr and he is a miracle worker! Try to get yourself in a postitive frame of mind and get your body as strong as possible. Life can be great again without all that hip pain and your babies will be happy as little clams.

Andrea
(Believe in Barbaro)

[mendi]

andrea,
thanks for the reply! yes, i'm in southern california, and i do have confidence in my doctor. he partners with my back surgeon, and is a hip specialist. the back is spondylolisthes (i think i got that right) and i had what they call a TLIF
(transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion) L4-5. and yes, my problems are all degenerative, or OA. most of my life the doctors would automatically blame the ice-skating, but the truth is that i have hyper-extensive joints. i was the kid who could put her ankle behind her head and gross out the adults just by sitting in what was a comfortable position for me! even right now, i'm sitting "indian style". i've always sat with one leg tucked under me and stiil do in my big chair, but i have to be careful with that joint. if it was just certain things that caused pain, i wouldn't consider surgery, but i can't walk without pain, and the use of crutches, or using a shopping cart to lean on is causing back strain.
i did find it hard to believe that my back is now in a state (there was some deformity there as is in my hip socket) where i can't damage it, but that the mere act of sitting forward leaning arms on thighs could dislocate a hip (the position i was sitting in when the doctor came in). i'm not too clear on what he said about the socket, and because of my concerns plan on making another appointment hopefully this week, so my husband can come along and listen (DD was with me, but is not much help). he said disclocation was "a very bad thing". and i'm not a candidate for resurfacing, but i didn't expect i would be, having already seen the xrays. i accept the risk of infection, and actually understand how bad that can be.
of course, i also didn't add that i'm quite overweight...(now, please don't laugh at this) my mother has always said that "life begins at 40". and she was right up to a point! i decided to lose the weight i'd been fighting all my life, and walked two miles several times a week (i'm in the high desert, so walking was not always the best idea), swam a mile every day (in a 24' round pool-now THAT'S dedication! did the low carb thing (with a little medical help) and sometimes did up to 6 hours at a time on the stationary bike if there was good stuff on TV. yes, i was obsessed, but i actually lost 90 lbs (i've got all these great "victoria's secret" dresses packed away). i still had a bit to go, and had decided i was going to try out for "survivor" when i hit my goal (okay, you can laugh a little), bum knee and all.
when the weather cooled down, what with the holidays and other factors, i realized i was starting to gain, and i could feel it. one day in march, DD and i went out to spend our income tax refund :), & after the last stop, collapsed in the car in tears. instead of relaxing, i had to do bunny cages the next day (we had six then) and by that night i knew i was in serious trouble. and pain + depression put all the weight back on. you wouldn't believe how i was treated at the "pain management" place. the doctor in charge (an anaesthesiologist) was terrific, but he hired bad people. and of course the facet injections, epidurals, nerve blocks and finally a RF (that i fought the insurance company over, for 3 months) gave some slight relief, but only on average for about 1-1/2 months (strangely, my father has suffered the exact same symptoms, but his round of the above relieved his pain for 6 years. he had it done again a couple of years ago and feels great. i do get the hyper-extension from mom, tho, so i was double-whammied). oh, and from the day my back went, my blood pressure (which was always on the lower end) went sky high. i hover at normal now.
i'm sorry, i'm lousy on these boards, i never have figured out how to tell a story briefly. and this has been going on for awhile.
my back has healed beautifully, the bone has grown in, i have these really cool looking exrays with all this hardware in my lower back (i'm told i will set off the alarms at airports), and my doctor almost literally is jumping up and down. granted, i'm pretty young for that surgery, too, most of his paitients are older. i even went off the pain meds very early, and the nurses in the hospital said i used amazingly little morphine. but now i'm back on meds because of hip, and even plan on asking for the higher dose of percs. i lost a little weight before surgery (one of my best friends got married the week before) and after surgery, lost nearly 20. got depressed w/ the hip and the stress of the pool construction. gained most of it back. have lost @ 10 in the last few weeks. but i feel it. and it's been an odd summer, weather wise, have no idea how much pool weather we have left.
i'm sorry, i just did it again. i've not really had anyone with similar experience to talk to, can you tell? but i'm pretty much back to where i was before the back surgery. except i try to swim at least 1/4 mile every day. even that will leave me hurting pretty bad if i push at all.
i'm the type that wants to know everything before-hand. i try to do my research. i do find that the one side effect i have from the meds is i lose my chain of thought, tend to ramble. the oxycontin is almost funny when i take it, i chatter non-stop like an idiot, but it also makes me loopy. and yes, i've had to take it every once in a while in the past few months. very seldom, it works great, but i hate it.
i'm stopping now. i'll get better at this, i promise. i haven't figured out all the ins and outs of this board yet, but feel free to email me directly, if that's possible.
thanks for the reply and thanks SO much for listening!
mendi

[Annemarie]

Hello joanne. At 65 I had both hips done this year, April and August. The first week after each op was uncomfortable, feeling like a painfull, bruised lead weight, but after that it went uphill. No bending, twisting, reaching etc. Weeks of Physio and blood tests are to follow after each operation. The incisions (frequently 9") are tender for quite some time. Any cut muscle takes time to heal. All that is an improvement over the previous years of pain.

[donnamae]

Hi, I am a new patient of hip replacement...4 weeks..am having problem with muscle weakness inside thigh area..I am walking with a cane... age 65..just can't see to get that tightness out of thigh area..

[Annemarie]

hello donnamae. As far as I can tell the tightness in the hip area are muscles. My first hip replacement 6 months ago had similar tightness, but after leg lifting excersises etc. all that faded. When my other hip was replaced 2 months ago the inner thigh problem seemed similar, tight, painful and somewhat lumpy. I am also still walking with a cane because I cannot yet stand on one leg only (the 2 months old one) in order to be balanced enough to use stairs unaided. All in all, walking has improved greatly. Next year we will be as new..! Annemarie

[JGosse]

I was told a year ago that my hips were "N" stage, bone on bone and that it was surgery or a wheelchair. I am 56 years old and everyone in my family has osteoarthritis. So, I had the first surgery (left hip) in January of this year. I was able to go back to work in 5 weeks. I thought I would have to get a taller car, but 4 weeks out I just got in my little Honda and drove off. Since I had the non-glued type I was on crutches for 6 weeks (mostly one crutch) and had almost no pain. My worst problem came 3 weeks after surgery when I got an impacted bowel (too aweful to go into) from the Vicodin Cumadin combo and had to go back to the hospital. Take a laxative!!! Second surgery in September was even easier. No problems. Back to work again in 5 weeks, driving in 4 but with a little bit more difficulty getting in and out because it was my right hip. No problems accelerating or braking fast. I do have a bit more pain in this one. It was the more damaged hip. The top of my femur hurts when I walk, but for the first time in years I can sleep through the entire night. I think the wet winter weather may be contributing to the pain. I recommend you don't hesitate. I am far better off now than I was. Far better.

[UKBrian]

I know it is early days for me yet,had my Rt THR on 10th April ,so not even 6 weeks yet. However I would say "go for it! " pre op I was in lots of pain and hadn't had a good nights undisturbed sleep for years. I am fully mobile and pain free except for a feeling a bit like bruising over the scar area,only to be expected tho.

the night of the op was bliss no prob sleeping or anything,next day ouch ! The soreness and pain on moving was quite bad, I was out of bed and mobile that day and it improved that much by the next day I went to the hospital shop for a paper,on my own and got told off,but that gives an indication of how quickly i was improving. Discharged home 4 days post op,couild have gone the day before but no physio to show me the exercises.

Within days I was walking outside with a crutch ,stick after 2 weeks,no stick or any support after 3 weeks. I am now 5 weeks post op and my wife is telling me to slow down,why? Thinks I am over doing it? may damage something? nope she is shorter than me and her pace is shorter also and she has a problem keeping up lol.

I feel fit to drive and would be if it wasn't for the insurance company saying no. (motor insurance not health). i am looking forward to going camping next month and have already taken my son fishing.

And night times I sleep very very well. (Shhh ,but the rest of bedtime is fine as well thank you ;-) )

In my honest opinion it is brilliant,I appreciate some people may have a few problems post operatively but relatively few when you take into account the number of procedures carried out each year and most of these tend to be resolved.

I was due to have a bi lateral THR but elected to have them done individually, 2 days post op i had resrvations about having the 2nd done ,now I am looking forward to it.

Another thing i treated myself to was a 4x4 auto transmission Mitsubishi thinking i may have some discomfort when driving for a while,well forget that,this summer i am going off roading in it ! Life begins after THR !!!!!!

Good luck evrybody considering it. Hope your recovery goes as well as mine.

Brian in sunny Devon (UK)

[Josephine]

Brian - this is a VERY old thread! And the other members have long since moved on.

In order to prevent it being reactivated, I am closing it. But please feel free to start a new one.