41 yo and needing a new hip????

I've been in PT for the past two months and that combined with losing some weight does seem to be making a difference. I am in no way saying I have a new hip~but have been at least able to climb a ladder, ride a bike, etc.

My surgeon is looking to get approval from my insurance company to use a trial of Synvisc in my hip. Right now it is only labeled for knees, so not sure if the insurance company will agree for the hip. But he said that it is worth a shot and might buy another few years if they work. Might be something for you to look into....

Amy

I had a hip replacement at 49 three hrs ago...just wanted to tell you how easy it is! I was so sorry I waited 3 hrs in severe pain that so limited my ability to be active or do much of anything. If you are athletic like I was it'll be a breeze and you will wonder why you waited. Recovery was easy and almost no pain....no nursing home needed if you have someone at your house. I could drive in 2 wks. Don't wait and live with the pain! Good luck!

Well...I tried the synvisc injection last month and didn't make a difference at all. I had a follow up with the ortho about two weeks ago and he said that I just need to get it replaced and stop messing around with it.  He said he does an anterior approach and the surgery is only about 90 minutes and I would be up, around and released from his care within 2 months. Now I just need to be able to schedule it around work!  Thanks again for the encouragement.

So here I am almost two years from my original post. I am day 8 post op from my anterior hip replacement. AMAZING! I was in the hospital 48 hours and went home. I occasionally use pain med at night to sleep but other than that am only using Tylenol. I had ditched my crutches by the end of Day 5 and other than stiffness I feel wonderful. I've maintained my weight at 137 for the past year with limited cardio so I'm hoping that after I can be more active that I will finally make my goal weight of 125#. My suggestion is that if you are having lots of hip pain....don't wait. The new hips are lasting longer and longer and I would rather feel good and be active now and worry about another replacement in 20 years!

HI there! At age 48 I had RNY surgery.   This September I will be 5 years post-op.  I have maintained the 150 lbs I have lost.  I am 5' 1" and most days weigh in at 117 lbs. One of the many deciding factors of having WLS was the daily severe pain of osteoarthritis and hip impingement.  The pain meds were not making much of a difference either.  For the first couple of years after WLS the pain was some what controlled with meds.  However, over the last 2 years the pain is not controlled.  Trying to sleep is restless at best.  Thank goodness we live in a ranch house and only have a couple of stairs to manage.  Getting in and out of the car is excruciating. I did 6 weeks of PT and  I have had cortisone shots.  Which one shot was under anesthesia directly into my left hip joint. This worked for "maybe" 5 days.  Then the pain returned to its full strength again.  So, here I am now schedule for Left Total Hip Replacement at the end of July.  I am more nervous about the hip replacement surgery than I was about my WLS.  Reading your post has helped elevate some of my anxiety.  Would love to hear how your recovery is continuing?

Thanks

Robin

 

Robin,

Thank you for posting. I can understand where you are...so many of the same complaints that I had---stairs, getting in a low car, trying to put on socks--uuugghhh! I ended up waiting 15 months for my surgery after my ortho first suggested it. I now know that I should NOT have waited so long. After my surgery I told my doctor how great I felt and he said the worst part about this surgery is "getting here".  The procedure itself was only about 90 minutes---which I think was less than my RNY.  Are you having the anterior approach? You certainly should if you can.  I was surprised when I talked with the anesthesiologist prior to the surgery and found out that they weren't even giving me a general---just a spinal with conscious sedation. They preferred that so you don't have to deal with the nausea post op.  I woke up right after surgery feeling not the least bit groggy.

I'll be two months post op this weekend and I'm nearing the point that it doesn't feel like I had surgery. I still have some numbness over the incision and it make take a year for that to completely subside. But even if it doesn't, it is more just a passing bother than anything else and well worth the trade-off. No one really told me about the thigh numbness and that was my biggest problem post op---numb from groin all the way to the side of my thigh. But the numb area (sometimes pins/needles) shrank daily to the point it is just over the incision. 

My husband and I coach softball (10U this year) and I was out there last night batting and running the bases with the girls! I started going to practice at 10 days post op--just catching and throwing--but it felt so good just to be able to move around.  I have some arthritis in my "good" hip and ortho said that hopefully I'm 5-10 years out on needing that one replaced, but I can tell you that I certainly won't wait as long as I did the first time!

I've been going to PT 2 xweek and now down to 1 xweek. It was optional but I'm glad that I did it. We are working on strength and flexibility---I lost so much on that right leg! The PT is able to really get it stretched out further than I could on my own.  I'm able to take stairs without any problem (38 of them at work) and I am now walking to work since the weather turned nice. It is about 15-20 minute walk.

Please try not to be anxious---the anxiety is worse that any problem you will have with the hip surgery! Especially given your small stature, you will be a model patient.  Get your crutches ahead of time and practice with stairs, steps and getting in/out of the car before your surgery. If you have never used crutches before, there are lots of tutorials on YouTube. It really made a difference post op. PT at the hospital cleared me during the afternoon session of my first day because I was already "well versed"---I did admit to her that I had been practicing ;o)

Congrats on being five years out and maintaining. That is AWESOME! I'm just over two years out and have maintained the same weight for just over a year  (5'4"--137#). I'm hoping now that I'm finally 'mobile' I can drop another 12# and finally reach my goal weight--although I'm content to stay where I am too!!

Please let me know if you have any other questions--either pre or post surgery. I'm sure you will do great and be so very happy that you finally made the leap to have it done!

Blessings,

Amy

Amy,

Congrats on your weight loss success!  You look great!

Thank you so much for your candid explanation of your surgery and recovery!  You being two months post-op and out with the softball team is AMAZING!!  I know I will be so excited to be as active as I really want!  Since my WLS I have been an avid stair climber, until the pain of the arthritis/hip impingement returned.  I will definitely be looking forward to the day I can return to that!   I continue to hope my ortho's prediction of 1-5 years replacement of my "good" (right) hip will be on the far end of the range.

My surgeon explained that I will be having the anterior approach hip replacement.  I am not sure which type of sedation and or block I will be given for surgery.  I would assume that my sedation would be similar to what you have described.  My experience with sedation is not pleasant, the result is severe nausea. 

PT will be making home visits the day after I am released from the hospital.  These visits will be 2-3 times a week for 6 weeks (based on my progress).  Your recovery makes me hopeful that I will not need them that long!!  

My actual surgery date is July 29th.  When I am home and settled I will post an update.

Thanks again for sharing your story!

Robin

 

 

 

Hi Robin!

I wanted to check in to see how your surgery went and how you are feeling now that you are about a month out? Was thinking about you and your surgery--hope all is well!

 

Amy

Hi Amy,

Thanks for checking in on me!!  My surgery went well.  It was scheduled for 6:30 am.  My husband and I were back home by 1:30 pm.  I was walking with the walker from the car into the house.  I still find that amazing!  As I figured the sedation meds caused severe nausea.  The anesthesiologist even used all his "tricks" to prevent the nausea to no avail.

Physical therapy wasn't too bad at all. I only used walker for a few days, then by the weekend I advanced to a cane.  Only using the cane for a week.  I do have the thigh numbness that you mentioned.  Although, it has decreased somewhat, it is more bothersome than any discomfort.  Every once in a while I feel a stabbing sensation in the thigh area, but it is quick.  Otherwise, I feel great!  I will definitely not wait so long if my "good" hip goes bad to have hip replacement surgery.  Actually, this was the easiest surgery I have ever had.  

My nephew has a starting position on our high school football team.  Of course, a proud aunt & uncle have to go to the game to support him.  My husband asked me if I wanted to sit in the first row at the stadium (like years past).  No way!!  I was able to walk up as many steps as I wanted to get to a seat with a great view of the entire field.  All pain free!!  Still amazing!

Yesterday was my post-op appointment.  The surgeon was very pleased with my progress.  He released me to return to work. 

Thanks again!

Robin

 

 

So glad to hear that it went so well!  Sounds a lot like mine except I only had conscious sedation so no nausea :o)  I am just this week four months out and feel amazing too. I still have some thigh numbness and like you said, it is more bothersome than anything else. My surgeon said that it should decrease over a year but some main remain--an easy tradeoff for me.

Glad to hear that about being able to walk up the bleachers!! Isn't it a wonderful feeling after all those years of having to limit ourselves.  Keep up the great work!