Anyone here ever had a Total Hip Replacement?

[pinshooter45]

After too many years of pounding the Pavement as a field technician, and having the bright idea at age 40 something to take a job installing safes. I aquired a new constant companion and his name is Arthur Itis! Been trying to keep him in check since 2007, but after attacking multiple joints in my 1959 model body, he's finally won a battle! I now have a three day reservation at Hotel IU North Hospital in September to get a new left hip installed! The surgeon that is going to do it is supposed to be one of the best, hence the long wait, and his specialty is the Anterior procedure where he makes a smaller incision on the front side and recovery is supposed to be shorter and overall a little less painful. I have done a little research on this but mostly I have found posts by women. With apologies to the ladies here, I was wondering if any of the guys here have had this procedure? I'm ready to go through with it because the pain in my hip is quite disabling. Walking around the NRA Convention for two days took me three days of constant prescribed Narcotic painkillers to recover from, and it is severely limiting my ability to do ANY kind of activity even simple household chores. So tell me your story if you have one!

 

[DRob]

Yep. Had my right hip done on July 2, 2012 at age 66. Was walking with a walker the next day and went home July 5th. Therapist came to the house for 5 days. By then I was using a cane and Medicare cut off the home therapy. I was released to drive in 4 weeks (could have been twice that) and then did outpatient therapy 3 times a week for 3 weeks. At that point, the surgeon told me I could quit formal therapy and just exercise at home. I believe the key to the quick recovery was religiously doing the exercises specified by the surgeon before the surgery to strengthen the hip and continuing them post-op. You will have some serious restrictions to range of motion for a few weeks but nothing you can't deal with. We already had a bathroom set up for my 90+ yr old mom so we didn't need to do this but I would suggest you install a riser under your toilet seat (your hip isn't supposed to bend 90 degrees for a while) and a grab bar or two in your shower. Maybe a stool in the shower as well. I hated being more-or-less helpless for a couple of days but you adapt. I also hate taking prescription pain meds but the surgeon encouraged me to use them so I could tolerate the therapy. I still got off the serious stuff soon as possible. I was back to playing golf before the summer was over. Took a little over a year before I was back to playing softball.

Edit: I forgot to mention that swelling in your feet and lower legs can be an issue. I wore compression stockings a lot for 2-3 weeks.

 

[a.bentonab]

Anterior approach is good stuff. Much quicker recovery than the traditional approach. Know that you must keep up your end of the bargain with regards to medication regimen and especially with physical therapy. I think you'll be happy as long as you do your part too!

 

[freekforge]

My cousin had one when she was 33 IIRC the day she got out of the hospital she went to the demo derby which wasn't a very good idea so when you get out of the hospital dont try to climb bleachers. She healed up pretty fast and was super excited about being about an inch taller.

 

[SmileDocHill]

I think there's an incognito orthopedic surgeon or two on ingo which Ive discovered through pm's. I had a pt that had a really rare side effect from her total hip years ago. It was an interestinv thinv to follow so I've kinda been mining stories from pts for years. My previous practice 6+ years ago was in a location where my neighbor was couple huge orthopedic surgeons. and when I'm not trying to type on my phone I'll share some stories

 

[pinshooter45]

Thanks for the replies guys! I have pretty much done a lot of research on this and will continue to do so. And I was familiar with some of the restrictions. Lots of stuff out there on the Internet but I was needing some personal stories to get a better feel for how everything worked out after the surgery. And this is much more common for women than men. At least that is what you would think from the blogs I have found and they seem to be more worried about their ability to wear High heels than if they can do normal routine things. So I figured I'd ask here where there are probably more men around to tell their stories. And If there are any incognito Ortho's in the INGO community I would love to hear from you. With my luck my surgeon is in here somewhere. But I'll just tell you that He's real concerned and about infections and I appreciate that, because if I do develop an infection It is real bad news! One thing he said was that infections love metal, well I already have three chunks of metal in me and have not had any problems with infections. And from the research I have done so far the Medical community seems to be divided on this subject. As to a patient developing an infection in the hip that started from having dental work done or needing it done before the surgery, then post op that patient develops an abscess and the infection travels to the hip and then you are in a world of hurt! But some surgeons don't seem to be as concerned about that happening from dental work or lack of, or any other "secondary" source. In contrast I have a B-I-L in Florida that is a nurse anesthetist and he tells me that the surgeons down there will work on anything that breathes. Then there is the case of my Mother 20+ years ago when she needed one. The surgeons up here in Indy would not do it because she was to young, she was around 60 something. So while she and my Dad were Snowbirding in Florida the Surgeon down there said Of Course We will do it! Which has me thinking of trying to go and get it done in Florida. My B-I-L knows a good Ortho who does the anterior method and is quite good, and I could probably only have a few weeks wait instead of 3 months! Because this Muthur HURTS! But trying to get the Insurance Co to cooperate might take me three months to accomplish. Any way Keep the stories coming if you have them.

 

[DRob]

Age? I can't imagine age being an issue unless the patient is too old and/or not in good health. If the hip needs to be replaced it needs to be replaced. My older son had one done in his early 40s. He may have to have it redone later but he sure didn't want to be gimped up for 20+ years waiting for somebody to decide he was old enough. That said, I assume every case is unique.

My surgeon told me about the chance of infection and the chance that they might have to redo it. I think they have to inform patients of even the slightest possibility of problems. IIRC, he stated there was about a 3% chance of an issue cropping up. I'm going to need the other one done eventually. My guy moved his practice from St. Francis in Indy to Riverview in Noblesville. I will probably follow him when the time comes.

 

[spec4]

Had mine done 5 years ago. It changed my life. I was bone on bone and walking became very painful. My family Dr. kept telling me it was my back since I also have back problems. Finally he got an X-ray showing the hip joint was shot. He sent me to Dr. Milton Smits in Bourbonnais, IL. He is supposed to be highly regarded in his specialty of hip and knee replacement. He does the surgery on Monday morning and you go home Thursday. When they got me up the day after I walked a few steps and fainted due to blood loss. Got a pint of blood and felt much better. About 2 weeks with a walker, then a cane for about 3 weeks. Dr. said no running or jumping ever again. Also got a daily exercise regimen that only take a few minutes. Anytime you get a dental cleaning you need to take an antibiotic. If I didn't do this I'd be in a wheel chair.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

My dad had his done at Methodist a few years ago. He was "mid-60s" then. Had him up and walking...kind of... The next day.

His timeline for total healing wasn't standard, though, for he's also an organ transplant recipient / patient.

His wife would tell fun stories of his drugged-up hallucinations as he'd sleep overnight, though. LOL

Seriously, though, if MY dad, who isn't healthy, can come through it A-ok...anyone can.

 

[david890]

My father had his first around '67 or '68, at age 34/35 (damaged his hip as a kid). Lasted for 30 years or so, then a new one. My brother and I stayed with him for 2 days after he got out of the hospital, and he was doing okay.

Based on my 5 spinal surgeries, PT is critical before and after. I know you can't do a full range of motion on the bad hip, so get tips from PTs about strengthening the other joints (and don't forget your good leg, as you'll be using it for weeks to carry the other leg around).

Good pain meds will help, but be careful with those or you'll develop a whole new problem!

 

[ModernGunner]

{knock on wood}, I've been fortunate enough to not even need a partial hip, knee, etc. replacement. Maybe all that stretching and flexibility exercise over the years has helped? :dunno"

 

[X piller X]

I've worked with inpatient therapy for on and off for the past 5 years. I've met id say well over 100 people between the ages of 40-90 that have had hip replacements.

From my perspective, the best advice I can give you is to limit the pain medication you take after the surgery to when you are in absolute dieing pain.Those things are highly addictive and the slugishness/laziness from them will contribute to a slow recovery.

Also, you need to realize that it isnt going to heal on its own. You will have to put ea lot of effort forth. Keep all weight off that leg until the doctor says its okay, and make sure you exercise regularly. And i know the abduction pad (wedge between your legs) is uncomfortable and a hassle, but if the doc recommends it, then take his advice.

 

[pinshooter45]

I've worked with inpatient therapy for on and off for the past 5 years. I've met id say well over 100 people between the ages of 40-90 that have had hip replacements.

From my perspective, the best advice I can give you is to limit the pain medication you take after the surgery to when you are in absolute dieing pain.Those things are highly addictive and the slugishness/laziness from them will contribute to a slow recovery.

Also, you need to realize that it isnt going to heal on its own. You will have to put ea lot of effort forth. Keep all weight off that leg until the doctor says its okay, and make sure you exercise regularly. And i know the abduction pad (wedge between your legs) is uncomfortable and a hassle, but if the doc recommends it, then take his advice.

I'm not worried about the pain meds, I've had a continuous prescription for Vicodin since 2007. The Dr gives me a 90 day supply with 1 refill and I always make it last a year and always have some left over. The opiates do not seem to be a problem for me. In Fact half of the reason I don't take that many is they don't give me that much relief but they are better than nothing. And as far a rehab goes I have been through it several times Broken ankle, broken wrist repaired with a plate by Indiana Hand to shoulder Center, and the worst and most painful I had was achilles tendon surgery that had me out of work for 4 months. So I have s reasonable sense of what I am in for. And I also know what happens if you don't do the therapy My Mother would not and now she is confined to a wheelchair for the most part. The main reason I started this thread was to find out other Men's outcome because all I was finding on the internet was Women wondering if they could wear high heels again. And while I do not want to argue with the DR I found his concern about infections in the implant from other sources strange. Because even though I had run across this in my research it seems to be very rare and I just wonder if he's trying to scare me into doing what he wants. Which he does not need to do and I was a little offended by that if that was his motive. I have also wondered if he does not believe me when I tell him how much pain I am in because I have seen him in the mornings when the pain is much less. So I'm just gathering as much info as I can. Keep it coming!