41 yo and needing a new hip????

Hey all....just looking for any advise that you may have for me.

I'm 41yo female, had RNY in March. My high weight was 218 and I am down to 177 today. Getting cardio in has been getting harder and harder due to my right hip.

In 2006 I trained for and completed the Portland, OR marathon. About halfway through our training, I passed out one day from heat exhaustion and fell down a bit of a ravine (thankfully I landed head down so I wasn't "out" too long)!  My girlfriends thought I had a heart attack and were getting ready to run for 911....thankfully they were as tired as I was and no one had anything left to sprint for a phone!!  In the process I tore my right labrum and have since developed arthritis.  I had an arthroscope in 2009 and several steroid injections since then.

I am now stage 4, bone on bone, and just had another injection. This one was of no benefit at all.  I'm currently in PT but I just have such limited range of motion I can't even ride a bike without turning my right leg sideways. 

Some suggested options are 1: another scope with chondroplasty to encourage fluid development and a cam lesion repair (grind off all the osteophytes) 2: total hip arthroplasty 3: a round to synvisc injections (1 shot a week for 5 weeks) to see if that will also increase fluid in the joint.

Anyone out there have a hip replacement? What was your rehab like? Any suggestions would be appreciated!!

I'm so sorry for all you've been through!

I don't know a whole lot about hip replacement etc.  I do know that if you go that route, you will have to do some time in a rehab facility.  You will basically have to learn to walk again.

I was told from my RA that eventually my right knee and right hip will need to be replaced.  Hopefully that's a ways away for me.

I wish the best for you!

I'm a HIPPIE
Total right hip 5 or 6 years ago. The key to the whole deal is just like wls...find the best surgeon and go for it. My surgeon does only hips and knees. I had to go to a nursing home for 2 weeks, but only because of my size at the time. The worst was getting the right leg into bed since the muscles are cut. Walked with a walker at first, but no big deal.
If you can do wls, you can do the hip for sure. I had the open D/S and it was tougher because of where the cut is. I would not hesitate to have either one again if I needed to.
Best of luck and keep kick'in !!!!

Hi Amy,

I had a hip replacement 6 months after my RNY. While recovering from the hip surgery I was walking with a coffee in one hand and my purse in the other. I was thin and could walk again without a cane!!!! I thought to myself, if I could have had only one surgery, which one would I have taken. As much as I love my WLS and loss, the ability to walk without pain, to hike again, gave me back my life. The hip replacement gave me back my life.

I'm happy to talk to you if you want more info. Good luck!

Hi Kathie,

My name is Janet and I am a long term WLS surgery veteran.  Eleven years this coming September.  I am 61 years old and my only regret is I didn't have the surgery earlier.  I've had osteo arthritis since I was in my 30s, and have finally worn down both hips to the point that I have bone on bone and bone spurs complicating the issue.  I've seen two orthopedic surgeons and gotten the same answer that hip replacement surgery on the right hip needs to be done now and the left hip will need it soon.  i was so glad to see your post and hear that you are very happy with your hip replacement.  I've had a number of surgeries to remove and remodel minor, mushy parts of my body - but for some reason, I've been really terrified of the hip replacement.  I'm thinking it's the prospect of the restrictions during recovery.  I KNOW logically that recovery is only a short time, but every time I read the literature the doctors have given me about the various restrictions, I get scared all over again.  I had hoped to have the surgery through an anterior incision, which seemed to be a bit easier recovery - but with the bone spurs, the doctor says he needs to go in through the buttock and really get in there to try to clean out the spurs.  One thing that surprised me (and after 11  years of relatively "normal" weight, I'm not surprised much any more) was that the doctor's secretary told me I was lucky that I wasn't overweight because they have so many overweight patients and it takes much longer to schedule them because they encourage them to try to lose weight.   I'd appreciate any encouragement anyone can give me to get me through my fears! 

I don't usually come here but was cruising the forums and thought I'd let you know how easy mine was. I was 54 when I had a total r. hip replacement. At the time I was over 300 lbs. and bone on bone, saw one surgeon who told me he wouldn't even consider surgery till I lost over 100 lbs. yeah sure how was I supposed to do that?! Well found another surgeon in Gresham OR that said no problem, he could do the surgery and the rest was up to me as far as rehab. The surgery was easy enough spent 4 days in the hospital and then went straight home since hubby was able to take care of me and I had PT people come out for a couple of weeks but they said I was doing fine and didn't need them anymore. By 5 weeks post op I was back driving and walking with a cane. So if you are active and determined you should do fine and believe me not having pain anymore made it more than worth anything I went thru with the surgery!

I will soon need a hip replacement.  I am waiting to loose all the weight before considering a hip replacement.  I am a little concerned because an orthoperic surgeon told me that I should wait as much as possible before getting a replacement due to the fact that they only last 10 to 15 years.   I will get several opionions come next year.

Sunny,
I've only lost 52 pounds so far but it seems to be making a difference already.  I also talked to my surgeon about being so young and the possibility of a second replacement down the road. He said that the second surgery is much less invasive.....they only replace the silicone linings over the head of the femur or the socket, they don't actually have to replace all the hardware. This was a big relief for me...the thought of going through it twice was a little scary.

I do know a few "younger" folks that have had hips replaced and all are very active. One guy I know fractured his in a snowboarding accident. He bikes 10 miles to work each day and back and is very fit....he just makes sure not to do any high impact activities.

Keep in touch and let me know what you decide to do!
Amy

Amy:

Thanks for your answer.  After I loose the weight and reach my goal, I will go to the specialist and see what my options are.  I want to delay surgery as much as I can. 

Hi, I am also in need of a hip replacement. I'm 36 yrs.old, 5'1 and lost 122lbs. the dr. keeps trying different meds with me and nothing seems to help. I also had the steroid right in the joint and still no help. It's my right hip, bone on bone, every night have pain and just not ready for the surgery. My surgeon said due to my age if I have someone at home to help me it isn't need for me to go to nursing home. Good luck with your decision.