Hip Replacements, Anyone?

[Tom Winship]

It came as somewhat of a shock yesterday that I found that I need both hips replaced (eventually). Started having some knee pain around Christmas and took this long to chase it down. The ortho guy said they are easier than a knee.

Any of y'all out there have good positive stories about the procedure and recovery (Don't tell me the bad news stories, I'm a wimp).

Tom

[Eric DeSilva]

It came as somewhat of a shock yesterday that I found that I need both hips replaced (eventually). Started having some knee pain around Christmas and took this long to chase it down. The ortho guy said they are easier than a knee.

Any of y'all out there have good positive stories about the procedure and recovery (Don't tell me the bad news stories, I'm a wimp).

Tom

My dad had 'em both replaced. In both cases, they had him up and walking (with a walker) within 24 hours of the surgery. They have this procedure down pretty good--my Dad, at least, has no regrets.

[Robert McGowen]

They have to be easier than a knee, because I had a knee done about 14 months ago and it SUCKS!

I have a friend that had one hip done at the same time my knee was done. He had the other hip done a couple of months later. I saw him a while back JOGGING around the parking lot of Costco while his wife was shopping inside. I started to hit him with the car, but decided he had been in enough pain for a while....... :D I still have to pause and think about going down the stairs without tripping and killing myself.

Seriously, the younger and more active you are the worse it will be. I am under 50 and very active (knee was done because of an injury) and I still wake up in the morning and it is the first thing I think about. Whatever you do, go to all the physical therapy and work on your flexibility, because you won't be going anywhere fast without it.

Good luck!

[Sean Gallagher]

i'm an ortho guy. hips dont really need rehab. in fact a lot of docs dont even suggest physical therapy afterward.

[Tom Winship]

Thanks, guys. Sean, I'm 66 years old and am pretty active. Up until a year ago, I was walking 2 1/2 miles per day. Does 4-6 weeks sound about right on recovery?

[Jon Grider]

Hi Tom,
I had a full hip replacement 4 years ago at 51. I frequently hear SECOND hand accounts about someone's neighbors best friends aunt's hip replacement and she was running marathons in 6 weeks. Truth is, my surgeon warned me NOT to run. There are some movements to avoid and the bouncing and jarring of running is one of them. That said, the pain of bone on bone is now just a memory, and I feel much better overall now than before. I was back to work in a job that has me on my feet all day after seven weeks. There were times during the first couple years after surgery when the pain was substantial, in my case it came from where my femur was cut off and the tapered shaft of the replacement driven in. I think it took a while for the bone/shaft to fuse well. Overall, though, it was a blessing. The pain of hobbling around is thankfully gone.

[Larry Frank]

I had a total hip replacement about 14 years ago. It was titanium with a plastic socket and zirconia ball. It lasted about 7 years and for some reason my body ate the plastic and I had to have the ball and socket replaced with cobalt alloy ball and socket. So far that one is fine.

I will not lie to you and tell you that the surgery and recovery are fun but you can get through it. Personally, I wanted all of the physically therapy that I could get. It got things working better quickly and got me back to work faster. Please do be especially careful for the first six months and then be careful after that so that you do not twist it. One should listen to the doctor about things not to do. After they replaced it the second time, I dislocated the thing about 6 months later and I can tell you that was about as bad as it gets. But, it was my fault for not being careful as I was outside doing something. They told me that after the second replacement (revision they called it) you are more likely to dislocate it.

All in all, I have absolutely no regrets in doing it and the quality of life improved greatly.

[Doug Shepard]

I did a driveway slip-&-fall last Feb and was misdiagnosed for 3 weeks of absolute misery. Then they finally discovered i had broken my hip which by that time was pretty crunched up and need a total replacement. The surgery itself was pretty uneventful. Definitely put as much time in at rehab as you can. Once the rehab ended and i returned to work the healing slowed down. I can definitely forecast the weather with it since the cold set in this winter.

[Bob Rufener]

A very good friend of mine had a hip replaced two years ago. Worked out extremely well. Virtually no pain and was up and around very quickly. Rehab isn't nearly as long as for knee replacement. He had both knees replaced in early December and is doing very well with this procedure as well. Two docs worked on him and the operation took a wee bit more than an hour. Remarkable.

As was mentioned earlier, I think your quality of life will improve a great deal (except when you want to board a plane).

[Tom Winship]

A very good friend of mine had a hip replaced two years ago. Worked out extremely well. Virtually no pain and was up and around very quickly. Rehab isn't nearly as long as for knee replacement. He had both knees replaced in early December and is doing very well with this procedure as well. Two docs worked on him and the operation took a wee bit more than an hour. Remarkable.

As was mentioned earlier, I think your quality of life will improve a great deal (except when you want to board a plane).

I hope my plane boarding days are behind me. Used to be platinum frequent flyer. Haven't flown in about 4 years. Don't miss it. Thanks for the input all.

[Robert Parrish]

Tom, my 98 year old father had his hip replaced last Jan and he was up and around in 2-3 weeks. He did have some rehab.

[Bonnie Campbell]

Most doctors give you a letter stating if you've had a joint replaced so you can show that at security check points. My sister got one for her knee replacement.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Most doctors give you a letter stating if you've had a joint replaced so you can show that at security check points. My sister got one for her knee replacement.

Sorry to differ, but this is an urban myth: Hip replacement 5 years ago. 45+ round-trip flights per year. Before my operation, I stopped at TSA Supervisor's desk in Atlanta, asked about this type of document. "Sure, you can get one of those. Hang it on your wall, because anyone that lights up the alarm has to go through secondary screening, and presenting a piece of paper means nothing. We must be sure we know what caused the alarm to sound, and a letter doesn't help us do that. In fact, we don't even read them." Made sense to me.

In world's busiest airport -ATL - it adds an average of less than 5 minutes, but that TSA crew is the best in the country, day-in, day-out. In small, regional airports I am more likely to be delayed by up to 10 minutes (but even that is not the norm) - combination of less of a routine, and a higher tendency to find the occasional Napoleonic complex at screening.

Make life easy on yourself - shed everything that can cause an alarm - watch, belt, wallet - all of it - because when the hip sets off the alarm "that's my hip" won't help - the other stuff has to come off, go through the tunnel, and you often have to go back through the "wicket", and you cost yourself a lot of time right there.

No sympathy for travellers that can't get to the airport in plenty of time.

[Kent A Bathurst]

..Any of y'all out there have good positive stories about the procedure and recovery.........Tom

Absolute delight, in all honestly. I cannot describe how much better I felt, and have felt ever since for 5 yrs. Zero issues. I had one of the top guys in the SE - hip and knee replacements only. Someone chops you open, and sticks in some new parts, there's gonna be a bit of discomfort + pain, but that was very short-lived and manageable. In the hospital for 3 days after, then paroled. Walker for a few weeks, then crutches, then a cane. I wish I had done it much earlier, but there were also delays in correct diagnosis, and then I was only a couple monhs away from relocating to Atlanta. "No running" is the rule, but walking, bikes, swimming - all good stuff.

The REALLY COOL part - no general anesthetic for mine. A quart of valium to chill out, an epidural, in recovery 60 minutes later. I could hear the drill and saw and hammer, and could sense the vibrations in the table. They wouldn't let me watch, but I still had a blast. They couldn't understand why I was chuckling.

The only down side - I had my heart set on making a modern version of my own reliquary for the mantle, but they absolutely would not let me take the OEM parts home. I was even negotiating with the head OR nurse while I was on the table, til the surgeon told me "enough, already - it's showtime." Siiigh.

[Robert McGowen]

In world's busiest airport -ATL - it adds an average of less than 5 minutes, but that TSA crew is the best in the country, day-in, day-out. In small, regional airports I am more likely to be delayed by up to 10 minutes (but even that is not the norm) - combination of less of a routine, and a higher tendency to find the occasional Napoleonic complex at screening.


I have flown several times since a knee replacement last year. I actually found that sometimes it is much faster going through security because of my knee (or lack of one!). In Las Vegas, they actually have a "handicap" line. Security said that it was for people with a physical handicap or those that would set off the metal detectors because of implants. The wait was over an hour to get through the regular security line, but only about 10 minutes through the handicap line. All the people in your party get to go through with you also. My son said that he was going to take me with him every time he travels because I make things so convenient for him. :rolleyes::confused::eek:

[Ron Carlton]

I've wondered about the minimally invasive total hip replacements. Seems like a good way to go...less surgical trauma, non-weight bearing for 6-weeks. Roughly 2-inch incision.

For the most part elective hip replacements do very well. I have about 14 years of experience rehabing patients with orthopedic surgeries working as a physical therapist in the acute setting.

[Kent A Bathurst]

I've wondered about the minimally invasive total hip replacements. Seems like a good way to go...less surgical trauma, non-weight bearing for 6-weeks. Roughly 2-inch incision.

For the most part elective hip replacements do very well. I have about 14 years of experience rehabing patients with orthopedic surgeries working as a physical therapist in the acute setting.

I asked my guy about that. "Some people have started using that procedure. I'm not not of them." But this guy and his team were organized like a NASCAR pit crew. I was very impressed wtih the discipline and efficiency in the OR. He does many hunderds per year.

My hat's off to people in your profession too, Ron. My PT was a talented young woman, kind of slight in stature.......but she brooked no crap. Period. I was bored silly, of course, and was taking a prohibited extra lap or two around the wing with my walker, rounded a corner and there she was with a knee patient. I stopped cold - she says "you are so busted. I'll be in your room in 5 minutes and you butt had better be in bed."

Threatened to confiscate the walker and have a catheter put back in, ratted me out to the surgeon, ratted me out to my wife. After that, I did my best boot camp imitation "Ma'am, Yes Ma'am" for another day and a half - she'd just give me a teriffic smile and say "Damn right!!.'

[Ernie Nyvall]

Tom, my oldest brother is in his 60s and had a hip replacement. Not sure how long it took, but he's out playing tennis every day.

I just had my left knee replaced in December, and it is coming along well. My brother told me "DO THE EXERCISES THEY GIVE YOU EVEN BEFORE THE SURGERY". I did, and I am doing much better than people who had their operation 2 months before me. I was not the exercising type either, and it's not something ya really feel like doing, but the problems you can have if you don't scared me so bad that I did everything they asked. Anyway, because of the exercising, I was walking a mile/day 2 weeks after my surgery without the walker, and I never went to a cane like they said I would. Now I walk 2 miles/day with no limp, although it does take a few steps for me o get my mind around NOT limping. I think part of that though is because I had limped for 2 years before the operation.

I am still sore, but the joint is smooth, and no pain from that part at all which is where all the pain was before the operation.

One thing to just get set for is that Physical Therapists are EVIL.:D

[John alder]

Im 72 and have had knee pain for several years,a year ago my doc put me on fish oil and cq o 10 pills.I dont know if one or both worked but I can now go up and down stairs without pain.

[Don Bergren]

My mom had her hip replaced on December 21st. She is 83, has pretty much dragged that leg around for close to two years, and came through the surgery great. She went in for surgery at 1 pm on a Monday and was back home the following day at 3:30 pm. Living two hours from the hospital, it was 24 hours from the time she entered surgery to her discharge from the hospital.

The day after surgery she was using a walker and could get out of a chair better than she has for a few years. She got in and out of her chair a lot the day after surgery. She used a walker for one week, then went to a cane. At the end of two weeks she was given the go ahead to drive if she felt like it, but she waited much longer before driving. By the third day after surgery she was already in the mode of running her kitchen and preparing meals, doing laundry, and other things. Since the surgery, we have someone come in and vacuum, dust, and wash the floors, but that will end soon.

Physical therapy has been done twice a week right at home, and a checkup with the surgeon on Feb. 12th will determine if she needs any additional therapy. It is now abut six weeks post surgery and she walks normally, but still uses the cane outside due to conditions underfoot during the winter months of Maine.

The surgery was minimally invasive and lasted only an hour. They call it "the 24 hour hip" She went into the operating room at 1 pm and the surgeon was reporting the success of the surgery at 2:15 pm. The single incision is only about three inches long, and her hip pain was gone when she awoke from the anesthesia.

The key is to follow the advice of the therapist and do the exercises faithfully. She still has sore muscles in the leg as she continues to build up the strength that was lost over a few years of not using them. Honestly, the worst part of it has been the lame muscles she has dealt with as the therapy has gone on. But that pain has been nothing compared to the hip pain. The hardest thing is to give up her old habits of favoring the leg, limping, etc.

She has had to get into a new mindset and realize that now she can do the things she couldn't before. A big help is to have a family member act as a coach and tell her to walk normally when they observe her using an old and now unnecessary habit. The mind has to learn that the body is now healthy.

She still is in the healing stages, but that is only the muscle lameness at this point. She drives, cooks, does laundry, and lives a much better life than before surgery. She feels like she has been let out of a prison of pain.

She will be having the other hip replaced later this year, and has no reservations about doing it. She expects her recovery from the next hip surgery to be much quicker as that hip isn't bothering her that much at this point. She had been told four years ago that she needed her hip replaced, but only did it when the pain became too hard to bear. The hip to be done next is nowhere near as bad so her body will be strong going into surgery, unlike the first time.

[Tom Winship]

Well, I got it done last Thursday and came home Sunday. Will be on home healthcare for a couple of weeks then to outpatient Thursday. Have to say it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be, especially with the comments from many of you concerning your personal experience. I think I will wait and see how recovery goes before I commit to doing the right hip as it isn't bothering me that much.
Thanks again,
Tom

[Robert McGowen]

Good luck with your recovery, Tom!

[Michael Weber]

Wife had both knees done. She always gets frisked in airports and she looks about as unlike a mad bomber as anyone could. Also, she just returned from Washington DC on some education business and she was frisked at the entrance to every building she entered that had metal detectors. One guard ask her if she had been frisked before, she just rolled her eyes and said "Oh yes".

[Kent A Bathurst]

Best wishes. The PT is important, and in my case and yours, a literal PITA.

I have my "gear" decorating a far, unuseable, wall in the shop - the 3 stages of recovery - walker, crutches, canes........:D Am planning on never taking them down, but you never know......Oh - I also have a strap-on walker boot from a subsequent broken foot - labelled Das Boot.

Am sure you will be delighted with the results in a very short time.

[Jason Roehl]

My FIL had his hip done a few years ago after changing docs--the original doc was focusing too much on his knee problems, which went away with the new hip. He's a beef-cattle farmer, and the doc said he'd be lucky to get 15 years out of it, so the doc didn't want to do it. But, at the time, he was about 55, and he told the doc that most males in his family don't live past 65, so he didn't figure he'd live long enough to wear it out. They did the surgery.

I think that everyone I've talked to with replacements are happy with them--if they did ALL the physical therapy. Those who aren't, didn't.

Also, from my FIL's experiment, take whatever pain medication is necessary for you to get moving. Movement is the key to healing, and he didn't want the pain meds at first, and couldn't even sit up after a day. They finally talked him into some pain meds and had him up and walking within hours.

[Mike Archambeau]

Tom; here's hoping you have a fast recovery!

[Leigh Costello]

Tom, Good luck and have a speedy recovery. That is one thing my ortho didn't get to do for me before he retired. Drink your milk and do your therapy. Have a great spring!

[John Shuk]

My mother in law had both hips replaced. She felt better immediately after the first hip and couldn't wait to get the second one done. She gets around just fine now with no problems.

[Bill Cunningham]

My knees don't bother me at all no matter where I'm walking, in the bush, on a sidewalk, up a hill or even crossing a plowed field, but they made me give up my love of back country Canoeing. After paddling a canoe for a few hours, my knees are simply in agony trying to get up and out of the canoe again. I'm 63, and I can't see this getting any better. My kids were getting worried with me spending 8-10 days solo Canoe camping, and although I still have my Canoe, I miss the camping trips. I bought a bigger canoe (24' 260 hp, sleeps 4) but it's not the same.. Replacement knees would solve the problem, but I doubt if the doctors would allow me to do it seeing I have no other problem with them.. It's SUCKS to get old!

[Tom Winship]

Well after being out of the shop for almost 3 weeks, I ventured out yesterday to make a cane out of a scrap piece of mesquite. Started plaining it round and the the sounds of the shavings were sweet. Healing is more than just skin growing back together. In a few weeks this will be just a memory.

[jeremy levine]

My mother had her hip done, it was easy. But there were a few things that she needed help with in the days following (Like putting on socks). She was up and moving in no time. The best advice is _follow_ the doctor's advice ( and PT if you end up with one )

[Craig D Peltier]

It came as somewhat of a shock yesterday that I found that I need both hips replaced (eventually). Started having some knee pain around Christmas and took this long to chase it down. The ortho guy said they are easier than a knee.

Any of y'all out there have good positive stories about the procedure and recovery (Don't tell me the bad news stories, I'm a wimp).

Tom

Hi Tom , this months Mens Journal magazine has an entire indeth article based on hip replacements and other hip surgerys. Id di get as far as metal hips arent as good as other types of material. Theres also a way of resurfacing the socket with metal I think. Maybe you should read it. Its got Robert Downey on the front. Last months was knee surgery, it was a really good article.