BS: Total Hip Replacement

Subject: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: GUEST,I Like My Privacy
Date: 06 Feb 06 - 11:19 PM

Has any one had a hip replacement? I'm having the operation in a few days and there are some things I'm curious about. Essentially, the surgeon and the physical therapist are giving me conflicting information about the rehab phase. One says it'll be 6 weeks, the other says 12; one says range of movement comes quickly and easily, the other says don't do it lest you dislocate the new hip joint. I figure that the surgeon knows the most but the therapist has seen the most and they flat out disagree. Can any one here tell me what it's really like?

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: Kaleea
Date: 06 Feb 06 - 11:59 PM

The surgeons see the person maybe once before, during, & a few weeks after the surgery. Physical therapists see the person for a half or full hour or more, observe the person move, the gait, the level of movement, etc., over weeks &/or months. While I have not had that surgery, I can tell you that every experienced physical therapist I've worked with knew volumes more than the surgeons did about what it would really be like for each person who came to them for therapy.

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: katlaughing
Date: 07 Feb 06 - 12:05 AM

Mudlark had it done a year or two ago. You might PM her and ask.

Good thoughts and speedy recovery to you.

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Feb 06 - 12:10 AM

A friend of mine here in Texas had a hip replacement at the regional public hospital. It is a teaching hospital and it took several tries (all it takes is a nasty six-car pileup to bump all of the elective surgery for months). Aside from that, they told him it would be 4 to 6 weeks before he went back to work. However, when the surgery was performed the hole that part of the replacement was to be placed in was drilled too deep, so my friend had to wait a month before he could put weight on that limb, and then the 4 to 6 weeks of PT kicked in. At that time was disappointed, to say the least, but is now back to work (he's the best hairdresser I know) and is much more comfortable in a job that has him on his feet for much of the day.

You might want to PM Deckman (Bob Nelson) and tell him what you're up to. After his surgery he didn't post all of the details, but he did suggest that anyone with questions was welcome to contact him. (One of the photos in my section here at Mudcat is of Bob, a few weeks following his surgery.)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: Alba
Date: 07 Feb 06 - 06:04 AM

Good thoughts from me to, 'I like my privacy'
Hope your recovery is swift and may you enjoy being free of the discomfort you are obviously in at the momnet once all is complete.
Blessings
Jude

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: Emma B
Date: 07 Feb 06 - 06:14 AM

Hi Guest, I've had several friends and aquaintances who have had this operation; while the time and means of "rehab" have varied from person to person based on age, general fitness, weight etc nevertheless all have been given a new quality of life.
Listen to the "experts" but listen to your own body too!
Best wishes for your "op" and recovery

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: GUEST,G
Date: 07 Feb 06 - 06:36 AM

Guest, most important thing I know to pass on to you is my friend had this several years ago. He had difficulty walking just before the surgery and is now on the golf course several times a week.

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 07 Feb 06 - 07:20 AM

I am also waiting for two hip replacement ops, so I too am curious about the hipafter phase.
Will I still be able to sleep in a car for instance?
Giok

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: artbrooks
Date: 07 Feb 06 - 08:35 AM

Hi. This is really Art's wife--I'm an occupational therapist and see people with hip replacements in a rehab hospital.

Some people go directly home from the hospital. Physical therapy in the hospital gets them walking, usually with a walker, and occupational therapy sees them in the hospital and explains how to dress and (believe it or not) get on and off the toilet and in and out of the shower safely. There are ways to do this to protect the surgery itself and to prevent dislocating the hip, which can be a risk after the surgery. (And also hurt less.) Folks that go straight home see a physical therapist as outpatients. If the surgery is more complicated, like the person who couldn't bear weight for awhile, sometimes they spend time at a rehab hospital where they see PT and OT daily for a week or two.

Anyway, it's important to learn how to do your daily stuff safely for the surgery. The precautions include how much of your weight you can put on the new hip, and what movements of the joint you may do or should avoid. The surgeon is the one who should tell you clearly what your precautions are (to an extent it depends on where he cuts to do the surgery). The PT will help you make a habit of following the precautions as you go about your daily activities. The surgeon, at follow-up visits, will tell you when you can start to give up the precautions.

Giok, you won't be able to drive for awhile! And staying still in one position for a long time won't be very comfortable. But I bet your PT can help you figure out how to position yourself in the car to sleep safely, if you must.

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 07 Feb 06 - 09:44 AM

jenn the sleeping in the car remark is a dig at someone, and a bit of an in joke, as over the weekend just gone I was forced to sleep in my car due to unforeseen circumstances.
I am actually waiting for a hip resurfacing operation, where they reline the socket in the hip bone, and resurface the top of the femur with stainlesss steel prosthetics. This removes the source of the pain which is caused by bone rubbing on bone, due to cartilidge loss in the joint.
Giok

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: Peace
Date: 07 Feb 06 - 03:41 PM

Had one to my left hip about seven years back. Message me if you wish.

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: gnu
Date: 08 Feb 06 - 10:57 AM

Is that part of the physio, Peace? Oh.... mEssage... sorry.

I was trying to work "measure" in there, too, but it didn't seam to fit in.

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: gnu
Date: 08 Feb 06 - 11:09 AM

Inside joke, Giok?

Oh... I gotta stop.

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: SINSULL
Date: 08 Feb 06 - 11:12 AM

Giok - are you sure it was an accident?????

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 08 Feb 06 - 11:29 AM

Allegedly Mary!
G. ☺

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: DougR
Date: 08 Feb 06 - 11:35 AM

Good luck with the operation. My wife (now deceased) had both a hip and knee replaced and both much improved her daily life. I don't recall the period of physical therapy but don't remember it as being terribly onerous for her.

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: Peace
Date: 08 Feb 06 - 11:54 AM

I was either 50 or 51 when I had it done. I was back to martial arts after four weeks--albeit using a walker and only fighting with hands, elbows, arms--and I answered a fire call on week seven. After three months I was back to about 90% on the left leg.

I followed the instructions from the physiotherapist and did my exercises as required. Please know you will need a riser for your toilet because it can be bad news if you flex the leg past 90 degrees at the hip (could pop the hip out and you'll be introduced to a whole new conception of pain.

Listen to your surgeon, your physiotherapist and your public health nurse.

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: Deckman
Date: 08 Feb 06 - 11:39 PM

Dear "Guest",

I pm'd your answer.

When it's absolutly necessary, this surgery can be a complete blessing. But, it's not without it's risks and pains. I had my right hip replaced three years ago. I fully expect to wear it out within ten years and have it replaced again. I do NOW need my left hip replaced. After all, I am a DECKBUILDER! I spend countless hours on my hands and knees.

Reminds me of that olde Auzzi song ... "Knees Up Mother Brown" ...! CHEERS, Bob(deckman)Nelson

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement v hip resurfacing
From: Genie
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 03:39 PM

Interesting that the last post was from Bob, who now reports that the second hip replacement has yielded excellent results!

I'm curious how successful your hip resurfacing was, Giok. (I can try the PM, but I find that method of communication more time consuming.)

I guess one major consideration is how mobile you are without the surgery v. how long you can afford to be sidelined (e.g., unable to work, if that requires driving, sitting at a desk for hours, walking around with a guitar or carrying other things, bending a lot, etc.) during recoery abd rehab.   I mean, having to take NSAIDS and sometimes use a cane may be more tolerable than losing 4 to 6 months income and risking serious complications such as infection, dislocation, or developing problems with other joints because you're "favoring" the recently reconstructed one.   

If anyone has experiences with these reconstructive procedures, I'd love to hear your stories (with or without your identities being revealed).    I am doing research, but often I am not sure how unbiased the sources are (e.g., the orthopedist I talked to seemed to me a bit too eager to recommend the surgery and minimize its risks), and the journal articles often report such general findings that it's hard to weigh them.   

G

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: Gurney
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 09:02 PM

Her Indoors is seven weeks past this operation. She is still limping heavily and still using a crutch much of the time.

The operation took three hours including the recovery suite stay, was performed under a spinal block, and she was as high as a kite for two days. Completely lucid, just elated. She never used the morphine pump, didn't need it. Her first words: "That was better than going to the dentist!"
Stern warnings for recovery were issued. You sleep on your back with a pillow between your knees, you don't cross your legs, you don't twist the leg. It is possible to dislocate the hip joint in the early days. You need a special adjustable-height chair with arms, and a high toilet seat with arms. Five weeks before she was allowed to drive, awkward to get in a car ay all. She was not allowed to lift her thigh to more than 90degrees.

She is VERY irritated that recovery is so slow. She still can't reach to tie her shoelace. The recovery of the muscles is the biggest problem.
Her best tools? A husband, A bootlace with a strong clip tied to each end (Clip it to your knickers before you sit on the toilet) and a picker-upper tool. She fed the cats using a right-angle type dustpan and brush. There is also a wire frame device that makes it easy to put socks on.
She thinks that it's worth it.

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: Genie
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 11:10 PM

Thanks, Gurney. That is exactly the kind of detailed info I need, to weigh the pros and cons of having the surgery and when.

Given the lifestyle restrictions and hazards that persist for weeks or maybe months, it sounds like a helluva lot of planning and organizing is in order before undertaking this sort of operation.   The recovery and rehab period seems a lot longer and more restrictive than what I went through almost 30 years ago when I had my mangled tibia and fibula reconstructed (with a plate and 9 screws in my tibia for 18 months), even though the actual hospitalization would be shorter.   I'm sure that's because there's a joint involved and one that's pretty much got to bear weight nearly all the time.

What you describe sounds a lot more like the dire restrictions and warnings in the Kaiser post-op pamphlet than like the glowing reports I heard from my (prospective) surgeon and from some hip-replacement patients.   I think that's because so much depends on how long one can take time off from work, etc., and on one's home situation (e.g., availability of family to help out).

Given the nature of both my employment and my recreational activities, it sounds like I need to plan for a month doing pretty much nothing but working on a lot of rather tedious, but necessary rehab exercises. No driving, not a lot of sitting (computer, phoning, or paper work), no gardening, and not even a lot of guitar playing, much less dancing.    Can you really do much while your range of motion is so restricted? I guess you can do a lot of walking, and that's good.   

I so hope Her Indoors' recovery starts speeding up and that she regains her mobility and muscle strength as soon as possible.

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: Genie
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 11:43 PM

Oh, and putting the various pieces of info together, it sounds like it would be a good idea to:
a. have the surgery in the late spring or summer (not when it's likely to be very cold, rainy, or icy and snowy outside) -- to minimize the risk of falling
b. avoid having the surgery during the cold and flu season (to minimize complications from other infections)
c. try to build up your muscles and generally get as fit as possible beforehand, because there will be so much atrophy afterwards

Of course, this is assuming that it really is "elective" surgery and not an immediate necessity.

Does this sound reasonable?

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: Gurney
Date: 29 Sep 09 - 01:09 AM

Well, maybe if it IS elective, but H.I. was done on the state, and you take it when you get it. Her surgeon was the same man in either case, because we are in New Zealand, where the system is more akin to Britain's, and many surgeons work in both systems.
Basically, afterwards, you spend quite lot of time sitting, but you need to push yourself upwards out of the chair and off the toilet, not leaning forward for balance. The leg length of both 'seats' is adjustable for your leg. She keeps a bucket in the shower, to catch the 'warming-up' water and uses that to soak the unreachable foot.
She received a screed after the op on what to and not to do.
Overweight people tend to take longer, (as you conjecture) according to the surgeon. She was on her feet the second day, with two elbow crutches. And what a bloody nuisance they are about the place, getting in the way. She now has a piece of string tied to the one she uses, and loops it onto the chair arm. She was forever saying "Pick my crutch up, please."
A small light table to go with the chair is good, too. Not collapsible, because you sit down and pull it towards you.
I'm sure plenty more information is coming, because this op is very popular in the BS section today :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: Gurney
Date: 29 Sep 09 - 01:13 AM

By the way, my veterinarian had the op. and came back to work too soon. That did him no good at all, and he took longer to recover than would have been the case. A lesson there.

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: Genie
Date: 29 Sep 09 - 02:47 AM

Gurney, I really appreciate the personal account. And I suspect you are right that this kind of information is probably of interest to more than a few of us not-spring-chicken Mudcatters.

My dad, who made it into his early nineties before he shuffled off this mortal coil, had 3 hip replacements (one for each hip, as we used to say *g*).   He was a life-long athlete (jogger, mainly) and a stubborn cuss, which was both a blessing and a curse where recovery from surgery was concerned. He would be up walking within hours of a hip replacement and back riding his bike within days. I believe he also drove short distances without waiting a month after surgery. But he also dislocated a newly replaced hip by falling off the side of the bed. (Fortunately, I happened to be visiting at the time and helped get him back to the hospital to get it repositioned.) And had he lived a few years longer, I'm not sure he'd have gotten 15 to 20 years use out of his 2 later hip replacements.   But then, his first one was when he was in his early eighties, IIRC, and the other two in his late eighties.   As I'm not yet 70, and med technology pushes upward and onward, and I'm not quite as stubborn as he was, I might fare better.

Again, I really do value the input from folks like you and H. I.

Thanks,

Genie

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: Newport Boy
Date: 29 Sep 09 - 09:39 AM

Just a few points to add to the good advice in the posts above. I had a hip replacement in February 2006, a month after my 70th birthday.

When to go for surgery - generally when the pain in the hip prevents your normal activities. The Oxford Hip Score is a useful guide (answer the questions for the days when you are at your worst). Things can change rapidly - I was hillwalking daily in May 2005, but could not walk 3 miles on the flat at the end of July.

From July on, I needed 2 sticks to walk more than half a mile. Two sticks are better than one - they keep you upright and discourage limping. I was still able to cycle (although getting on and off was sometime hilarious) and had a fortnight cycling in South Africa in Nov 05 - up to 70 miles a day. I cycled 50 miles 3 days before the op.

For rapid recovery you need to keep the muscles in very good condition - they're all that keeps the hip together. I forced myself to walk a mile every day (sticks and painkillers) and cycled at least 4 days a week.

The general recommended restrictions are:

6 weeks - Sleep on your back, continue to use sticks (or at least one). After 6 weeks you may resume sex with care!

8 weeks - resume driving (UK restriction) - I could probably have done so at 6 weeks.

12 weeks - resume normal activities (including dancing) but without excessive effort. The muscles should be fully healed about now.

My own experience was 1 day in bed, 1 day with walking frame, 2 days with sticks, 5th day climb stairs and 6th day home. The car journey home was the worst part (apart from re-activating my bowels on the 3rd night).

I spent 2 weeks gradually increasing my walking to a mile or so, and then increased the distance. 10 weeks after the op, I completed a week's walking in Andalucia. I restarted cycling when I returned from Spain.

For the first 6 weeks I always had an hour or two on the bed in the afternoon. Apart from this, after the first 2 weeks home, I didn't need to reduce my time at the computer or playing guitar, but I had to chop it into shorter sessions. No more than 45 minutes sitting at a time, then get up and walk around for 15 minutes.

I've had no problems with the hip, and have returned to all my normal activities. I do have some aches after 5 hours in the hills, but a day's rest sorts that.

I don't know your climate, but a Feb op suited me - by the time I wanted to be out for more than 5 minutes the weather was getting warmer and I was back to normal activites before the summer.

Phil

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: Girl Friday
Date: 29 Sep 09 - 10:05 AM

Had my left one done exactly nine years ago. Told six weeks recovery but it was the end of December before I felt able to walk without support. I did, however, have a more complicated operation.

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: Gurney
Date: 29 Sep 09 - 03:37 PM

Another aside to keep the thread at the top, waiting for others to contribute:
I once worked with a guy who had a medical misadventure, he went under expecting a new hip and woke with an unnecessary new elbow.
He was fond of saying that they 'didn't know his arse from his elbow.'

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 29 Sep 09 - 07:32 PM

I'd be inclined to trust a therapist over a surgeon to be more reliable on this kind of thing.

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 29 Sep 09 - 11:03 PM

I had total hip replacement in 2007. I work a fairly physical job and was off for about 8 weeks. First week back was hell, but I got through. Everyone I talked to said do the exercises in physical therapy, I did and it worked out. The sleeping on the back thing was the hardest, in my opinion. I'm a slide sleeper and it took some getting used to. I spent many a night on the lazy boy chair, rather then in bed, because it was easier to get comfortable.

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: Genie
Date: 30 Sep 09 - 04:20 PM

Phil, I was wondering about that recliner chair thing.   If you can't afford an easily adjustable hospital bed (e.g., a motorized one that lets you raise various parts of the bed), it seems like a comfortably padded "laz-y-boy" might make for better back sleeping than most beds would.   The only way I can sleep on my back for any length of time is with my knees and feet raised on several pillows.   


And I'm with you, McGrath, re the PT. In fact, since my pains tend to wander around a lot (more than I can, in many cases) I'm inclined to work with PT for a few months and maybe even a chiropractor before being cut open.    The thing I wonder most about is whether, during the post-hip-replacement rehab period, the motion restrictions and modifications to take care of that vulnerable joint might cause or exacerbate problems in other joints, including the spine and the other hip.    I'm wondering if anyone who has had hip replacement encountered any such "iatrogenic" issues like that.

Genie

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: Donuel
Date: 30 Sep 09 - 06:35 PM

A reminder to click Trace to get back to this thread one day.

The reason is, you never know

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: Gurney
Date: 01 Oct 09 - 01:29 AM

Directly after the op, recliner chairs are specifically discouraged (here) because they want you to sit very upright and not have to struggle out of the chair by leaning forward. You would need a trapeze to get out of most recliners!
They suggest an exercycle immediately, and to not use a stepper for five weeks. After the wound has closed, aquaerobics or just walking in the shallow end is recommended. A programme of escalating exercise.
Her Indoors 'trick' back has worsened since the op. She sleeps with in bed with a wedge of pillows lifting her spine, the requisite one between her knees, and another for a footrest.
Make sure you have plenty.:-)
We also found a torch or the bedside lamp useful initially.
If you like to be 'tucked in,' bad luck. You have to slide in sideways, not downwards.
As I wrote initially, a spouse is very useful.

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: Genie
Date: 14 Oct 09 - 04:05 PM

Thanks for that info, Gurney.   (I was thinking of the recliner more for sleeping than for sitting, but you're right about them being hard to get out of.

I'm seriously reconsidering doing anything as drastic as surgery very soon. Partly it's because I've actually been walking pretty well without using a cane about 90% of the time over the past two weeks.   And largely it's because I realize how much I would be sidelined for the better part of 2 months after such a surgery (e.g., no income during that time, no housework gets done) and there's a good chance my pain would shift to other joints, etc., as a result of the rehab for the new hip.   
But also, I'm concerned about having to be afraid of falling or twisting for maybe the rest of my life. Monday I put in about 3 hours of yard work, harvesting grapes, trimming blackberry vines and grapevines and stuffing them into my yard debris containers and then stomping them down.   The hardest part was getting my right leg up high enough to get my foot into the yard debris can.   From there it was easy to push down on the vines with my foot. But in trying to get my foot back out of the can, I lost my balance and fell over onto my right hip on the ground.   Not really a problem, since the ground, covered in grass and leaves, was pretty soft.   I haven't even had any extra pain in that hip since. (Both hips were a bit sore from all the walking and bending, but nothing severe, and it's easily controlled with fairly low doses of NSAIDS.)   
But from what I've been told, a fall like that could cause severe complications if I'd had an artificial hip --- partly because of the impact and partly because of the twisting at the hip joint.   Is that true? Even months or years after a hip replacement?

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 14 Oct 09 - 04:53 PM

In the interest of prevention being the best policy, I have a theory that those who are experiencing discomfort in their hips, or other joints, do not take adequate MSM/Glucosamine to support the connective tissue. I am hopeful that I will be able to avoid, or at least stave off longer, the perils of surgery by taking adequate doses of this very helpful supplement. When I feel needful, I take - not what is recommended but what my "pendulum" tells me I need. This could be considerably more (10-15/day) after a period of strenuous exercise - such as 11 hours of Bulgarian dancing, tapering down to none at all during ordinary times. I am 72 this year, on no prescription meds.

This is a suggestion for those who are still in good enough shape, and willing, to give it a try.

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: Gurney
Date: 14 Oct 09 - 04:58 PM

A fall like that can be serious whether you have an artificial hip or not, after a certain age! Broken hips are a hazard for oldies, and one of the tiresome complications of old age is the time that injuries take to heal.
In the period immediately after the operation, it is possible to dislocate the joint with comparative ease. Reading between the lines, I suspect that the artificial joint is more likely to disconnect anyway, particularly before the muscles have healed, and probably forever. Warnings have been issued not to engage in extreme athletics. Not a problem at Her Indoors age.

She is still limping as if she has a rubber leg, lurching towards the weak side, and using a walking-stick outside of the house. She has been heard to wonder "If it was worth it." And that is the decision that you have to make.

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: Genie
Date: 14 Oct 09 - 05:18 PM

Yes, it is, Gurney.   It's a matter of weighing the pros and cons of each option.   I've been scheduled for arthoscopic knee surgery twice in the past 20 years - about 5 years apart and not in the past 10 years - but each time, my "condromalasia" symptoms cleared up beforehand, so I posponed the surgery.   Even though my knee sometimes bothers me, I'm glad I haven't had to have that surgery yet.

I know that falls can be serious, even with the original hip. But this one wasn't. (If I hurt anything, it was my back -- but I think I did more damage to that by carrying the trays of grapes than by falling over on the ground.)   The point is that you can't really do much of anything -- hiking, dancing, gardening, running, even just plain walking and housework -- without some risk of falling or twisting a joint. And if a hip replacement is not going to allow me to do things like hiking and dancing and yard work with less pain and risk than I have now, I can't see doing it. I have never been engaged in "extreme athletics" (unless you count routine figure skating and swing dancing as "extreme"), and I don't need to do skating jumps and assisted back flips on the dance floor any more, but it would be nice to do brisk walking and hiking (up and down hill), folk dancing (even clogging) and waltzing and swing again, as well as doing leg workouts with enough resistance to keep muscles strong.    I'm still wondering how likely it is that people can do those things safely after a hip replacement if they're in their sixties or so.

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: Genie
Date: 14 Oct 09 - 05:56 PM

Oh, and, Dorothy, I'm glad you brought up Glucosamine (and MSM).

I know at least one MD (with a background in kinesiology and knowledge of holistic medicine too) who says that Glucosamine has been shown to help rebuild cartilege sometimes.   She says there's not much evidence that Chondroitin can and that MSM is mainly for pain relief (which can also be important).   What I have decided to do -- and hope it's not too late -- is to undertake a serious program of getting a lot of calcium and vitamin D plus glucosamine, plus exercises and phys. therapy -- with emphasis on frequent short walking and exercise sessions, slow stretching of the legs, back, etc., and on exercises that will build up the quads, glutes, and calf muscles.    This plus getting the kind of mattress that will allow the right kind of rest and sleep.   (I may even invest in a back swing or slant board so that I can use my inversion boots again and stretch out the lower vertebrae.   When I used to do this sort of thing back in the '80s and '90s, it really made my back feel better.)   
As I said above, if I'm going to have to undergo a serious physical therapy regimen, why not try it out BEFORE having the hip replacement? At least then, if I have to have the surgery, my muscles and bones should be in better shape to deal with the surgery and its aftermath.

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: Janie
Date: 14 Oct 09 - 08:08 PM

Research regarding the efficacy of glucosamine is still not definitive, though it may tend to indicate that a subset of people with oesteoarthritis do experience some significant decrease in pain, so it is probably worth a try if your gi system can handle it.

Here is the first fairly major study, conducted under the auspices of the NIH. I didn't do an extensive search, and think there are additional, well-designed studies that are underway.

Both my primary care provider, and my parents' primary care provider suggested at different times that we try glucosamine supplements (I have a double genetic predisposition whammy, and started having problems in my mid 40's.) Unfortunately, none of us could tolerate the GI side effects, regardless of formulation, and had to stop taking glucosamine before enough time had passed to know if it might have been helpful in our particular situations.

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: Jeri
Date: 14 Oct 09 - 08:32 PM

I've tried glucosamine and could tolerate it, but it didn't seem to have much of an effect. Perhaps it was because cartilage wasn't my problem.

As to the hip surgery, my mom had both of hers done at different times. The results included adverse effects: the ball/femur side of her second one was loose and moved. It was painful, but said it was still better than her pre-surgery hip. Then again, her hips had deteriorated so badly that the new-to-us doctor who referred her to the surgeons was amazed she could walk, since the bone in the first hip's joint was virtually non-existent and her muscles were functioning as a joint.

Recovery was difficult, but she was positively giddy once she realized she could do things she hadn't been able to do for more than 20 years. Walk without limping, ride a bike, run (just a little bit)...

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: Jeri
Date: 14 Oct 09 - 08:37 PM

Oh yeah, Dorothy, I would have thought you were about my age chronologically. It's totally unnecessary to tell people your age, except I'd imagine it's a lot of fun watching the jaws drop!

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: Deckman
Date: 18 Oct 09 - 07:53 PM

Genie ... it sounds like it's time for you to bite the bullet, and DO IT! bob

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: Genie
Date: 18 Oct 09 - 11:42 PM

Nah, Bob.   Problem is, it's not basically a one-joint problem. If I start doin' the surgery thing now, they're gonna have to do one hip, then one knee, then the spine, then the other hip ...
I'll be in hospital or rehab for at least a couple years. (Egad!) That's why I need to do the rehab FIRST.   Get as healthy and strong and flexible as I can - so I can survive the surgery and have a good chance to regain mobility quickly. Then if I still need it, I'll have the surgery.
Honestly, I think if I had the surgery right now there's a good chance I would either not survive that and the hospitalization or I'd be unable to work much for up to 4 months. Using a can for short spurts every now and then isn't all that horrible and is much less likely to kill me or bankrupt me. : )

Still, I would like to hear more testimonials -- both ways - from people who have had joint replacement surgery or know others who have.   From what I gather, the results are often - maybe in the vast majority of cases - very positive, but in some not-so-small percentage of cases the results are rather disastrous, leaving the person much more restricted in movement and in a lot more pain than beforehand.

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 19 Oct 09 - 03:21 PM

Sounds wise, Genie. I totally believe that anything we can do to avoid invasive measures are a plus. I have mentioned in another thread my use of a pendulum to choose supplements. This "hocus pocus" is geared to inner wisdom - listening to our inner self in a special way. So, when my legs hurt like the dickens after 8 hours of Bulgarian dancing, I went to the supplement shop and asked the pendulum what brand of Glucosamine to buy and ended up with glucosamine/MSM in a high dosage. I then was "told" to take large quantities for a couple days, decreasing to none on the fourth day. I usually have no problem with joint pain so have taken none since April. But if I feel twinges I will ask pendulum if I need more and, if so, how much. This works for me but it takes total focus - and commitment/belief!

I had no GI problems at that time. Perhaps the combination? Perhaps the other food I eat? Or do not eat? So many factors! I do try to stick to a low acid diet to prevent the discomfort of arthritis; this also works for me.

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: Genie
Date: 19 Oct 09 - 04:31 PM

Of course, the first thing I should probably do is cut out all alcohol (again).   I did, for 8 months a couple years ago (and almost immediately dropped 15-20 lb). My ETOH consumption is moderate now, but any alcohol use can contribute to arthritis (and other health problems).    As I've probably said above, it sounds like you need a really healthy living arrangement and diet and exercise regimen for post-op rehab, so it makes sense to get that sort of thing going, if you can, BEFOREHAND. Then, if you still need the surgery, you're likely to recover from it sooner.

One thing they tell you, for instance, is to get all your dental work taken care of before you have surgery, since an infection in your teeth or gums could cause serious complications when you have surgery on some other part of the body. Also the stronger your leg muscles and bones are before hip replacement surgery, the better the post-op prognosis.

Did I also mention that I don't think flu season (especially with H1N1 kind of running rampant) is the best time to get cut open and spend time in a building full of sick people and the staff who are in contact with them all the time?

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: radriano
Date: 19 Oct 09 - 05:23 PM

Okay, I'm headed to hip replacement as well. My situation is extreme as my hips have been dislocated since birth. All the posts here have been very helpful and informative.

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: Genie
Date: 04 Jun 10 - 11:51 PM

I've become increasingly more reluctant to rush into a hip replacement as I've learned more about the probable length of the recovery period, the risks of complications, and the likelihood of not regaining full mobility for months or years following the surgery (if ever).
I guess if you have a certain lifestyle (job, family support, housing situation, etc.) it may not mean a lengthy inability to work or to function normally, but in other cases it can be a severe hardship (e.g., not being able to drive for months, not being able to bend normally, being afraid of ever falling down).
And a musician friend of mine lost her husband a year or two ago rather unexpectedly as a result of complications from hip replacement surgery. His body was trying to reject the prosthetic hip and the antibiotics damaged his liver and he got infections in hospital and within a couple months his vital organs failed. It may be rare, but I think that's always a risk with major surgery, especially when a foreign substance such as ceramics or titanium is going to be introduced into the body and left there.

So I've been pursuing less invasive options and got a referral to a physiatrist.   She and my new primary care physician both agreed that there was more going on with me than just arthritis in the hip joint and that my level of arthritis should not, in itself, be causing such erratic and wandering pain or such disabling pain when it's at its worst.   The physiatrist evaluated me more holistically than the hip surgeon guy, I think, and she thinks the main source of my pain is tendonitis in the hip joint, so she gave me a cortisone shot and referred me to PT and put me on an exercise regimen, for now.   I can already feel a huge difference and am able to walk much more normally and with minimal pain, though I've been instructed to use a cane whenever I can, because my gait tends to be more normal when I use it (at least if there's any pain) than when I don't.

The doc doesn't think I need the surgical alternative(s) yet, and I may not for years if I follow the noninvasive treatment regimen faithfully (stretching, swimming, daily walks with the cane, etc. I know the cortisone isn't without its own risks, but I've already been able to skip the pain killers I was taking daily, so maybe it's a good trade-off.

Genie

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: LadyJean
Date: 05 Jun 10 - 12:15 AM

My mom had three hip replacements. She had degenerative arthritis in both hips, and she had to have the procedure done, because the joints weren't there anymore.
She was an active lady, a tourguide for Pittsburgh History and Landmarks, a member of a collection of clubs and a potter. She had to miss out on all of it for seven weeks. Which was fine in the winter time. She had her second hip replacement in July, and I came close to matricide. It just isn't a good idea for an active person to be stuck in bed for six weeks in July.

There are 2 kinds of hip replacements. The old kind the new joint, made of titanium and plastic, is cemented to the bone. The new kind doesn't use cement. The bone is supposed to grow into the joint. It's fine for a young person who broke a hip. It's not such a great idea for someone with degenerative arthritis.

Mom had one of each kind of hip replacement. This explains why she had the third. Mom was not happy about it.

As I posted in another thread, try to be as active as you can. The doctor told my mother, "Do you exercises as steadily as you practice your religion." Sez Mum, "I'm not very religious. I'll do them more often."

You can't wear high heels after a hip replacement. But you don't have to wear orthopedic oxfords either. Mom had some gorgeous flats!

The old gent next door has had trouble backing up his minivan since his surgery. That wasn't a problem mum had, but I take it seriously. I have to. The old *&^!! calls the police if anyone parks too close to his rear bumper. Worse, when he does the police come!

Subject: RE: BS: Total Hip Replacement
From: kendall
Date: 05 Jun 10 - 05:43 AM

I have a dear friend whose wife had a hip replacement a year ago and she still walks like a ruptured duck. Check out the surgeon who is doing the job; like other professions, some are better than others.