Hip replacement. It's my turn.

[KFC911]

I always thought you were hip...now I think you're artificially hip . Heal up and giddyup soon...

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

Any thoughts? Any advice?

I have none for you, but since you have gone though this maybe you can share what your doctors may have told you about preventative exercises or diet tips that may delay needing such a procedure done.

Earlier this summer I ran into a guy that I've know for years as a customer of his. He is about 10 year younger than me and was hobbling about like a cripple. Said he had hip problems and thought losing weight would help, but lost so much weight so quickly that it actually made things worse. He was slated to hip replacement surgery when last we spoke.

[GH85Carrera]

In my case the cartilage between the socket and the top of the ball was just eaten away. It was rubbing bone on bone. My doc said when he opened it up there was no sign of cartilage, just blood from the bones. No PT, no drugs or magic fairy dust was going to regrow it.

The other hip is fine.

Only surgery and a hip replacement fix my problem.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

In my case the cartilage between the socket and the top of the ball was just eaten away. It was rubbing bone on bone. My doc said when he opened it up there was no sign of cartilage, just blood from the bones. No PT, no drugs or magic fairy dust was going to regrow it.

The other hip is fine.

Only surgery and a hip replacement fix my problem.

Did the doctor say if starting 20 years ago you were on a diet of XX or did XX type of exercise regularly the condition could have been managed and not become so critical?

Were you overweight for many years prior?

25 lbs, 50 lbs, 100 lbs?

https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/avoiding-knee-or-hip-surgery

Harvard Health Letter
Avoiding knee or hip surgery
Published: June, 2013

Losing weight, strengthening muscles, and increasing flexibility may help you stave off joint replacement.

You may be putting off a doctor visit to address knee or hip osteoarthritis because you believe it will end with joint replacement surgery, but that's not always the case. "Exercise and weight loss are actually the first line of defense," says Dr. Eric Berkson, director of the Sports Performance Center at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital. "It may help prevent the pain and prevent surgery."

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

(You must have been a young man to have been able to get back up and attem so quickly. That's not going to happen here, I can tell already, but I'm going to do the work to return to life as soon as I can.)

No, 58...you may be pleasantly surprised. The first 3/4 days really sucked (especially at night) but the pain subsided very quickly. To be honest, my hip was so far gone that the pain was less after the replacement.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by kach22i

Did the doctor say if starting 20 years ago you were on a diet of XX or did XX type of exercise regularly the condition could have been managed and not become so critical?

Were you overweight for many years prior?

25 lbs, 50 lbs, 100 lbs?

https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/avoiding-knee-or-hip-surgery

The other hip still looks great in the x-rays and has zero issues. No other joints have problems.

My mom had her first hip replacement at age 50. She had her fourth hip replacement at age 75. No she did not have 4 legs, she wore out the original hips. They have improved a lot over the years. My dad never had any joint replacements. I just figure my right hip was from mom's genetics and my left hip is from dad's genetics.

[Tobra]

Yeah, yeah, car wreck, still too young to get it done, 58 is too young too, Captain.

Minimally invasive is the way to go, anterior approach I believe.

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

No, 58...you may be pleasantly surprised. The first 3/4 days really sucked (especially at night) but the pain subsided very quickly. To be honest, my hip was so far gone that the pain was less after the replacement.

That's me almost to a tee. The surgeon told me he couldn't believe I was walking around it looked so bad. (Do they say that to everyone, just to make them feel mighty?)

Getting everything facilitated for nighttime really helps. A place for everything. Lots of water. A kindle for the insomnia that comes and goes, just enough extra bedding so it's handy but not in the way. I've got swelling in my hip that would make Kim Kardashian jealous, but I just got off the phone with the Doc and he said that's normal, just continue to work on range of motion and walking.

I showered today for the first time. That's real luxury.

In-house PT would be fancy, but I can't have everything.

How long before you could work the clutch pedal?

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by Tobra

58 is too young too, Captain.

I know. I was hit by a car riding my bike to baseball practice in college. I lost over 1/2 inch off my left leg. 40 years and a million games, runs, dicking around later the joint was gone.

I tried injections, creams, Llama spit all to no avail - 58 is too young to be in chronic pain, which I was. Not no mo'.

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by Jim Richards

It’s the bionic man! Heal up quickly, Herr-O.

Thanks! I hope to!

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by kach22i

I have none for you, but since you have gone though this maybe you can share what your doctors may have told you about preventative exercises or diet tips that may delay needing such a procedure done.

Earlier this summer I ran into a guy that I've know for years as a customer of his. He is about 10 year younger than me and was hobbling about like a cripple. Said he had hip problems and thought losing weight would help, but lost so much weight so quickly that it actually made things worse. He was slated to hip replacement surgery when last we spoke.

I'm not overweight, 6'1", 180# 59 Y/O. But, I have sort of abnormaly formed hip structure; the bone that connects the femoral head to the femor is longer than normal, and more perpendicular to the spine than normal. When I broke my left kneecap a few years ago my gait changed and began to wear out the cartilage, till pretty soon it was bone on bone.

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by KC911

I always thought you were hip...now I think you're artificially hip . Heal up and giddyup soon...

I guess I wasn't hip enough to hang out here!

Thanks! for the nice thought!

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by pete3799

Pictures or it didn't happen........well.....maybe not.
Get well soon.

Thanks, Pete! Much appreciated!

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by LWJ

Heal up!

I'm sendin' it! Thanks!

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by GG Allin

Careful how far down you reach. My dad had his done back in May, dislocated it last week reaching to put lotion on his foot. It was the most pain he's ever felt in his life, the X-Ray portion of the ordeal. He's 88 BTW.

Ouch! A cautionary tale! Thank you!

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

Juts keep plowing forward! ... Listen to the advice and take it slow.

Thanks, I will!

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by Jim Richards

It’s the bionic man! Heal up quickly, Herr-O.

Thanks, Jim! That's the plan!

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by Tobra

Do the stuff they tell you to do, don't do the stuff they tell you not to do. Have someone who knows their business measure to make sure you are even.

It's so weird how much latitude they gave me. I had the Anterior Lateral procedure, and the surgeon basically just said listen to your body. He wasn't worried that I would be doing anything that would cause a dislocation. (Bending past 90 or crossing my legs as in a Posterior procedure. (Obviously, he warned against the signs of infection and blood clots)

The surgeon said that measurements post surgery were good. Do you have better advice on who should measure?

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Never had hip replacement, bit other surgery taught me to listen to the old bod during the healing process. Some pain, okay..but if pushing it brings a lot of pain, ease off.

Pretty much the doc's advice!

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by Don Ro

Good for you that you're body mends quickly, Herr Oberst. Best of a quick and total recovery.

Thanks Don!