Hip replacement questions.

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Kevin Johnson
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Re: Hip replacement questions.

Post by Kevin Johnson »

WAG.
Why would my hip stop hurting?

It's funny that it quit hurting...
(a short while ago you wrote...)

But that I needed to lose some weight either way. from like I'm about 212 now down to below 200 pounds or so. I was over 220 pounds a month ago...
Keep losing weight?

Don't even think about lifting cranks and engine blocks.
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Re: Hip replacement questions.

Post by pdq67 »

I just got back from walking around our neighborhood, feel fine.

It's drizzling out so I got wet. It's fairly warm so it was a pleasant walk. Probably walked a good mile or more?

I just don't understand how my hip just quit hurting?? Strange.....

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Re: Hip replacement questions.

Post by pdq67 »

Question??

Why is it that sometimes my left hip really hurts BAD and at other times, doesn't hurt at all??

I went out and push mowed our yard fine the other day, then took a shower, laid down and oh my!!! My hip hurt like a bitch.. Same deal with riding my bicycle around town.... I ride fine, stop and oh boy!!

Like I have said before, I am scared to death to get it replaced, but....

Please talk to me about this because people around me are saying get a hip replacement done!

No big deal at all...

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Re: Hip replacement questions.

Post by pdq67 »

A neighbor Lady over by the cul-de-sac had both of hers replaced and she is telling me to do it NOW!!

She knows our family and is a great ol' Gal, imho...

Trip me over guys!!!!!

pdq67
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Re: Hip replacement questions.

Post by Keith Morganstein »

pdq67 wrote:Question??

Why is it that sometimes my left hip really hurts BAD and at other times, doesn't hurt at all??

I went out and push mowed our yard fine the other day, then took a shower, laid down and oh my!!! My hip hurt like a bitch.. Same deal with riding my bicycle around town.... I ride fine, stop and oh boy!!

Like I have said before, I am scared to death to get it replaced, but....

Please talk to me about this because people around me are saying get a hip replacement done!

No big deal at all...

pdq67
That's very typical of a diseased hip. You can get it working and moving, but afterwards it's aggravated from rough surfaces rubbing each other.

You will know when it's time. When pain increases and quality of life decreases enough, the decision becomes easier.
If your not ready, try the supplements glucosamine and chondrotin. It can help some, but you have to take it for at least a month to feel improvement.

When you decide that it is time, I'd go to a major big city hospital with a very good orthopedic dept. outcomes are significantly better there than smaller regional hospitals. I'd also make sure your getting a ceramic bearing hip implanted (not plastic).

It's a big deal. You want to commit to the pre surgery PT and then post surgery PT and take that seriously as it were your job.

I have had a total hip replacement nine years ago and it's worked out well. I worked very hard at the rehab/PT. I bought a pair of the forearm crutches so I could do lots of walking with a more natural gait during rehab. I was doing pretty good after three weeks and back to full duty in six weeks.
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Re: Hip replacement questions.

Post by 1989TransAm »

From what I said earlier in the post is that people I know with hip replacements they seem to work out just fine. However those with knee replacements the stories are all over the place from not good to working out fine. The neighbor behind me for instance was going to have both knees replaced but after the first one he said no to the second one.
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Re: Hip replacement questions.

Post by Keith Morganstein »

I've had the same hip done twice. The first time it did NOT work out so well. Three years later I was in for a revision. This hip I have now has been in for nine years and is good.

Rural regional hospitals have around a 93% success rate. Big city orthopedic hospitals have around a 98% success rate (and lower complication rates)

I have had three hip operations in my life. I have first hand experience and done a LOT of research, especially after having issues with the first replacement. Take it for what's it's worth to you...
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Re: Hip replacement questions

Post by Keith Morganstein »

Hip replacements are typically approached in three ways. Anterior - from the front, posterior-from the back and lateral from the side

. The old standard is posterior. It's the most invasive, but gives the surgeon the most access. It's also the most likely to dislocate. More tissue/ muscle is disturbed and rehab can be longer. Anterior is gaining popularity as it is less invasive with shorter rehab.

Lateral is minimally invasive, but is performed with computer navigation. Rehab can be very quick and is unlikely to dislocate. I had the lateral, computer navigated surgery the last time at a major orthopedic hospital by a top notch surgeon. There was very little pain and I was off crutches at three weeks. Fully recovered (full duty) at six weeks.

About the implants. There are three common types. Plastic bearing that is comfortable, but doesn't last long for an active person. Typically used for the elderly who aren't very active and prob won't live more than ten years.

Chromium. This is the older hip for for younger more active people. Wears better than plastic, but can give elevated chromium levels in the blood (from wear debris) some people have complications from that. It can be noisy and less comfortable

Ceramic, these are the start of the art implants. Wear rates are virtually unmeasurable. (Early ceramic had brittleness issues, but a different material has been used for quite awhile.

I can't say enough about going to a top orthopedic hospital. To compare to our business, it's the difference between a one man shop and a nascar engine shop. The one man shop may be good, but the Nascar shop has a team of engine builders that work together, top notch equipment and great resources . I remember going the big Hosp cafeteria after a prelim appointment. There was six surgeons at another table discussing some new procedures. (My local hospital has only one surgeon that does hips).

There was also a major difference in the pre procedure planning, from infection prevention, pre procedure PT, pain management, plans for the post op and what should happen when I went home.
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Re: Hip replacement questions.

Post by pdq67 »

Keith,

I am going with the, "Columbia Orthopedic Group", here in town. I think they keep MU's many sports programs going if not mistaken. They are connected to Boone Hospital, a great place, imho. And MU's great big Medical Center is just spitting distance away.

The, if you will, "Fathers", of the City and the University are trying to make Columbia, the medical center of the state!

I do know that the Surgeon that did my L-4/5 Laminectomy back in Jan./2007 was GREAT!

Thanks for the info. I talked to the Surgeon that will do it, and he said nowadays, they ream out the, "socket", and then put in a round insert that the bone grows around, then put the, "ball & stud", in place.

I think he said that he will go in from the side and I will double-check about ceramic parts.. Might be Titanium parts???

Thanks again,

pdq67
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Re: Hip replacement questions.

Post by Keith Morganstein »

The hip implants are made with several materials. The best bearing is ceramic. The part of the implant that goes into the bones is often coated/fused with titanium beads. The bone grows and adheres to the titanium (called bony ingrowth) that's what holds it in place once healed. (About six weeks).

In my case, with the first implant it was the socket that either did not adhere all the way or it loosened up. It was just enough to cause a lot of pain when standing up, often for a full minute. Then I could do anything until I took pressure off of it again.
The second implant was a different style total hip (less chance of joint impingement which may have caused the socket to loosen) and I requested the surgeon put some screws in the socket just in case. However I was in my 40's and very active. I was more patient with the second recovery and rehab. I'm still very active, walk miles everyday, coach sports up till last year. I impose few limitations except I don't go running or skiing. (I avoid high impact and don't think skiing with a 6 foot lever on my leg is a good idea)

It sounds like you're working with a good hospital and surgeon, but I'd do some research on the doctor and hospital if it were me.

I'd say have good positive attitude, take the pre and post rehab very seriously, work hard at it, but don't do anything reckless until at least six weeks.


Set up for the rehab, make sure you have clear walking lanes around your house, yard and shop. (You'll be on crutches for a 3 weeks and you don't want to trip and fall) I like the forearm crutches, you can buy them online for $50-$60 or so. You can walk much better with a more normal gait. (You'll be putting weight on the hip right away) I used the hospital crutches for a few days, then switched. Also it's much easier to pick things up with the forearm crutches because you can free up a hand without dropping the crutch. I was walking several miles daily and that is hard to do with the traditional crutch.

Anyway like most things practice and prep are important for a good outcome.

In the mechanical business, once we repair things, it's as good as it's going to be. Much different with the human body. The surgeon makes the repair, but the body has to heal to get better. (It gets much better)

I hope this isn't TMI that makes you worried. For me the more I know and prepare the better I feel about it, but everyone is different.
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Re: Hip replacement questions.

Post by aak14 »

From an MD relative: Make sure the surgeon has had 500 plus operations completed.
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Re: Hip replacement questions.

Post by pdq67 »

I thought my surgeon said that they do 125 hip replacements a year, but I may be of because my hearing sucks anymore.

Thanks all of you that have posed back

I feel a lot better knowing how important Post Op. PT is here. I will do it all and mostly walking, mowing my big yard, and riding my old bicycle. Heck, I can't run anymore, too darned old, He, He!!

Same way with packing blocks, cranks and heads... I look back at my parts in the corner of my bedroom that I am/was going to build my 4.155" b x 3.00" s = 325" engine and wonder why I bought everything.

The guy that owned my car for 4 years before I bought it off the guy that had it the next 4 years, dated and married his wife in it like I did earlier and wants it back so bad he can taste it.

He and his Brother are fully capable of restoring it back stock, but I just can't sell my old '67SS/RS car!! It's too much of a part of my life is all.

What's a fair price for it and it is a survivor car with a heck of a bunch of pieces that I have kept all these years that would go with it.

New unlit 496, M-20 4-speed, 3.31 12-bolt posi-, fancy interior, power windows, tilt steering and fake walnut steering wheel, tinted glass all around, console and full gages, I ordered all light groups and have the order copy. Piss poor second Marina Blue paint job and the guy knows the guy that painted it back then. I still have the OEM radio as well as the wheels and dog-dish hubcaps. But one or two of them are in bad shape from storage rust, etc... Hubcaps are fine!!

I have almost completely restified it with full poly, lowered heavy front coils and multi-leaf rear springs because I couldn't buy new mono-leaf springs. ADDCO 1" and 3/4" front and rear sway-bars so it will corner! I want to say Gas-A-Just KYB shocks all around. I would have to look to verify.

Big Summit aluminum rad. to cool the 496. I added power steering because with deep dish Cragars on it and wide tires, it always was a bear to parallel park.

My, "pdqCBB", 13" and 12" disc brakes front and rear with big single piston calipers on the front and Cad. Seville e-brake calipers on the rear. Homemade custom caliper brackets to mount everything. And finally my Pony-Car Bullet rims and new radial tires. I had MOSERS do the Ford wheel stud circle change so it's done right.

pdq67
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Re: Hip replacement questions.

Post by Keith Morganstein »

So PDQ, are you getting that hip replaced? Or are you just lonely and wanting to talk on this forum? For me, I had the hip replaced because I didn't want to continue with a life full of pain!
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Re: Hip replacement questions.

Post by pdq67 »

Keith,

The day after tomorrow is when it gets done! Aug. 30th.

I'm as scared as if I was standing up against, "Iron Mike"!!!

And the Hydroco/APAP, 5-325MG pills don't really help me all that much...

pdq67
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Re: Hip replacement questions.

Post by Keith Morganstein »

Think positive for best results!
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