boese1978

I am scheduled for total hip replacement 2 weeks from today. Just wondering if others have had it and how things went, recovery time etc.
Stroker rebuild is put on hold for a bit, hope to be back at it after surgery.

2blu442

I think Ted Thompson had a hip done in the past. He just had a knee done recently and I had both my knees done four months ago. A lot of the recovery time depends on your general health I think. I'm walking find now but still can't get down on my hands and knees. I will say it was well worth it to make the pain go away! Yeah, I'm telling everyone I know with chronic joint pain to just bite the bullet and get it over with. I feel so much better now than I did before the surgery.

Good Luck and keep us posted on how it goes!!!

John

2blu442

HEY! Nice post count

kitfoxdave

Had it hip done about 4 years ago. Recovery takes a while. BEST advice is to build up your core strength ahead of time. there are some simple PT excercises online that will not hurt too bad to get your arm strength and core toned up a bit... it helps you get up and around after surgery. There is a minimal impact surgery from the front that reduces recovery time by an amazing amount. I hope that is what you are having done. Smaller cut, they move the muscles instead of cutting. work colleague recovered VERY quickly from that!
Best of luck and I'll drink to your speedy recovery!

boese1978

Thanks guys, I am having it done from the anterior so not the quicker recovery as the other way. I have been using the bowflex and am in good health. The pain is unbelievable, I can't wait to get that behind me.....well there goes my post count.....443 anyone?

BLUE72RAGTOP

I've had both knees done and have a bad hip, so I listened and watched carefully in the year I spent in the physical therapy department. Pain is a little rough the first week and a half. Then you'll be tapering off the narcotics for a few days. PT isn't pleasant, but not two bad. There is a deep dull persistent pain leftover from the bone work that lasts four to five weeks. At that point you'll be much better than you are now and congratulating yourself on making a good decision. I've got this from speaking with over 20 people who had it done. Not one had any nasty surprises or additional surgery, so that risk appears to be low. In the same time period, I met two people who had knees "redone" and four who had manual manipulations back on the operating table. Good luck!

oldsboyDino

I had my hip replaced a year and a half ago at 50 years old. The only issue that I have is the flexibility is not as good as I can't bend over enough to tie my shoe on the side that my hip was replaced. The first two weeks a little painful. Now, I walk at least 10,000 steps a day, ride my bike to work, and at lunch, swim at least 20 lengths in the pool. Now if I could only keep food away from my mouth!!

lshlsh2

My Aunt had it done, she was in her 60's. It has kept her out of a wheel chair but she would be much better if she had done her PT. I think doing your PT will be the big thing. The rest of my family has had verious things replaced and havr come out much better. The followed orders did what they needed too

Larry

kitfoxdave

PT after the surgery is KEY! I had mine done anterior with the big scar, as I had my hip screwed back together 30 years ago after being hit head on... so they had to go back in the same way. Take your drugs prior to PT and it will not be so bad. may want to review your regular bowflex excercise routine with your surgeon so you don't accidently cause a problem. some positions can be trouble. Feeling a little slack in the joint after it is done is unnearving but normal....as your muscles build back up they hold it in place much better. (there is a little play in the ball joint). Hope you have a speedy recovery!

boese1978

Good info all, I appreciate the well wishes and advice. I did talk to the Dr. about the Bowflex and all is good. I have so much pain and am so anxious to be pain free and mobile that I doubt I'll have any issues with being motivated for the PT.

oldsboydino, I am 53 so same age or so, hell I have not been able to tie my show for over a year now If you were in a lot of pain beforehand how does post op feel? different pain?

jaunty75

Here's an encouraging story. It just happened to be in yesterday's local paper.


Double hip replacement lets El Paso man resume active life

http://www.lcsun-news.com/las_cruces...64/staying-hip

kitfoxdave

My pain was a continous burning pain before surgery. Post Op was the bone healing pain. I still had some pain after the surgery but MUCH reduced. Started acupuncture for ankle arthritis and it has helped an INCREDIBLE amount! Hip, knee and ankle feel MUCH better. I'm 57...

Tedd Thompson

I've had both hips and a knee (will have the second knee done this winter) and given a choice I like hips better. My recovery on the hips were much easier (read that shorter) than the knee. But as mentioned before get in the best physical shape as you can because you will be using your upper body strength to supplement your repairing healing hip.

Its been my experience that what ever they (doctors) fix its better than what you went in with but never as good as it once was when you were young and industritable. Each fix takes something away till one becomes prematurely old...Just my thoughts...Tedd

Boiler_81

I have a friend who is a orthopedic surgeon. He swears by this process:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hip_resurfacing I would explore it before having the full replacement.

Gary M

I'm 53. I got to where I had to use a Cain to walk in a short period of time and would hear popping when I moved. I had the total replacement hip surgery. It has since gotten to where I forget I had it but you will be down some and will have to get Therapy. Do what they recommend. It will suck at first. Definitely put in a grab bar near the toilet and in the shower. Also a hand held sprayer and a seat for the shower. You will quickly forget that those things are for elderly folks' while you are still sore. I was back to work in less than a month. Gradual movement improvement will follow if you do the exercises.

pcard

I fell in Santorini, Greece and broke my hip in 2011. I had no prior pain or problems with my hip. The fall shattered the ball and socket, and I had to have a full replacement.
Trauma replacement is the worst. The emergency surgery was done in Athens, Greece after a turbo prop air ambulance from the island. The hospital was a private one, and was fantastic. My local ortho guy says they did a good job, but I still cannot get any surgery records from them (Greek law does not require them to keep any records at all), so I do not know who the manufacturer is.
I have a lot of nerve damage from the fall and surgery, and so have constant pain and weakness. It has changed my life, no more mountaineering or even trekking for me.
Elective surgery is much different. You will probably feel better immediately, but as said above, pre and post op physio is critical. Work your *** off from day 1 and it will be much better. Depending on your age, you should be off crutches in 4-6 weeks, cane two weeks later. You should be careful with body positions for a good 6 months to a year after in order to avoid dislocation, but your body will tell you when you are asking too much. Walk a lot. Swimming is good too.

boese1978

Again, Thanks all, great articles and stories. I am not a candidate for the resurfacing, too much damage already. I have one of the top 2 Ortho surgeons in the Mpls. area so am following his advice at this point. Doing the last few things around the house- raising the couch up a bit, grab bars, additional railings etc.
Pcard- your fall sounds just awful, I commiserate with you regarding the constant pain and weakness. It is draining at the minimum and excruciating when flaring.
Were sciatic problems in the affected leg common for all of you too?

Tedd Thompson

I'm no doc but you may not have real sciatic problems but raw nerves located in the hip causing sympathetic pain. My knee and ankles would hurt like hell before the operation, after operation that pain went away....Just my experience , your mileage may differ.....Tedd

oldsboyDino

I was in a lot of pain, taking pills and I had 3 cortisone shots in the joint. I have not felt any pain in the hip joint since they drugged me in pre op. Post op my leg was black and blue and every muscle hurt, but no pain at the joint. My surgeon told me that he did his job and to get everything back to where it was is my job. Physio is very important. I did my exercises twice a day and every day I did 1 more rep. A green garbage bag on the seat of the car makes it easy to slide in and out of a vehicle. If the other hip bothers me I will not suffer in pain and will get it repaired.

boese1978

. A green garbage bag on the seat of the car makes it easy to slide in and out of a vehicle. I.[/QUOTE]


That is a great idea, going to try it now as it is hell getting in and out.

kitfoxdave

A taller toilet is VERY helpfull (SOFT seat!) A satin pillow case makes getting in and out of car easier.

boese1978

Raised toilet seat is in my possession! Sounds fun, perhaps a couple practice dumps are in order !

kitfoxdave

Also put 4x4 blocks to raise my reclining chair higher off the floor. I am 5-11. It makes a big difference in leverage to get in and out. Be very careful of rocking or rolling chairs for many months. I had a computer chair at work hang up on the carpet seam and ended up on the floor about 3 months after surgery. Nothing broke or loosened but man did it hurt!

boese1978

Cool, I am using blocks under my couch and have a firm taller chair with solid arms. Any feedback from anyone in regards to being able to go up and down steps? Now I lead with my good leg and pull the bad one up behind me......

Gary's 2 442-S

I have a friend of mine who last year had both hips totally replaced. We are competitive bowlers. Beginning of the season last year he could not bowl because he was in so much pain. He is about 55. Well he found out his hip was bad and elected to have surgery. He had both of the replaced within 2 months of each other. No what was amazing to me is that he was able to come back to bowling within 3 months of the surgery and he is pain free and bowling just a well as he was previously. I was really amazed that he came back so quickly. He says he now has no pain at all.

kitfoxdave

Steps are bad you go up with your good leg first and drag the operated on one after one step at a time... going down is bad leg first then good leg. PT will drill that into you. Handrails both sides are your friend.

jaunty75

Does it have to be green?

jaunty75

Boy, in reading through this thread, one is immediately reminded of the often-expressed concern about this hobby and that's that those who participate in it are old and getting older. The mere existence of a thread like this on a site like classicoldmsobile is all you need to see to verify how true that concern is.

Nothing against those who have had or are having this surgery. All the best to you, of course. But it is sure depressing!

boese1978

And I am "only" 53. luck of the draw I guess! But you do make an interesting point.

jaunty75

Hey, I'm in the midst of this age range myself, being 57. Fortunately, though (knock on wood), the joints have so far been holding up.

But I can just see a young guy coming onto this site, seeing this thread, and checking his browser's address bar to make sure that it really is classicoldsmobile.com and not aarp.org.

oldsboyDino

I framed the bottom of the couch and bed up with 2 x 4 's so that the height was 2 inches above my knee. It made it much easier to get off and on. My kids liked the jacked up look.

Koda

Do what the doc says, is all I can add. Therapy is good.

As for the bowflex, anyone remember the 90s ad with the guy singing
what sounded like "gonna make your HORNY!!!" (I think it was "going to make you want it.")