2young2Bhippy
06-07-2005, 02:29 PM
Hello everyone,
I'm so glad I found this message board. I have read most of the posts and have found the information very helpful. I am a 37 (!) year old male in Los Angeles with advanced OA in my left hip. My hip has been bothering me since about age 30, and at age 35 I found out it was arthritis (it felt like I had pullled a muscle in my butt). I have no idea what has caused it.
Two years ago I started taking the anti-inflammatory Lodine, at first only a few a week, then one a day, and now two a day. It helped greatly until about 2 months ago.
Now I walk slowly with a limp, I get a lot of sharp pain twinges (especially when sleeping), and my wife (bless her!) has to put on my left sock. I've started using a pain medication, Ultracet. (I also take glocosamine.) I've realized that, like it or not, it's time to get that hip replacement!
But there seem to be so many options, and the old fashioned one-large-incision (4" or longer) total hip replacement is my least favorite. I am young and otherwise healthy, I'm an actor, and I'm highly motivated to get back to work ASAP -- limp free!!!
So I've been looking into this new OUTPATIENT hip replacement, which was started by Dr. Richard Berger in Chicago. Two 1-1/2" incisions (front and back) are made so that the doctor works around the muscle instead of going through it. The patient walks the same day on crutches, and should be off of crutches within two weeks. Has anyone here had this new type of surgery?
There is also hip resurfacing. The advantages of hip resurfacing (which is also a form of THR) include reduced dislocation, restores leg lengths, restores "normal anatomy" and the hip appears to be more durable allowing one to perform higher impact activity.
And then there are the different materials. I have heard that ceramic on ceramic is now the best way to go. Any thoughts?
And then there's cement or non-cement?
I would love to hear your opinions on these options, and also if any of you have a great doctor to recommend in the Los Angeles area, please do.
Thanks for your help.
Greg in L.A.
I'm so glad I found this message board. I have read most of the posts and have found the information very helpful. I am a 37 (!) year old male in Los Angeles with advanced OA in my left hip. My hip has been bothering me since about age 30, and at age 35 I found out it was arthritis (it felt like I had pullled a muscle in my butt). I have no idea what has caused it.
Two years ago I started taking the anti-inflammatory Lodine, at first only a few a week, then one a day, and now two a day. It helped greatly until about 2 months ago.
Now I walk slowly with a limp, I get a lot of sharp pain twinges (especially when sleeping), and my wife (bless her!) has to put on my left sock. I've started using a pain medication, Ultracet. (I also take glocosamine.) I've realized that, like it or not, it's time to get that hip replacement!
But there seem to be so many options, and the old fashioned one-large-incision (4" or longer) total hip replacement is my least favorite. I am young and otherwise healthy, I'm an actor, and I'm highly motivated to get back to work ASAP -- limp free!!!
So I've been looking into this new OUTPATIENT hip replacement, which was started by Dr. Richard Berger in Chicago. Two 1-1/2" incisions (front and back) are made so that the doctor works around the muscle instead of going through it. The patient walks the same day on crutches, and should be off of crutches within two weeks. Has anyone here had this new type of surgery?
There is also hip resurfacing. The advantages of hip resurfacing (which is also a form of THR) include reduced dislocation, restores leg lengths, restores "normal anatomy" and the hip appears to be more durable allowing one to perform higher impact activity.
And then there are the different materials. I have heard that ceramic on ceramic is now the best way to go. Any thoughts?
And then there's cement or non-cement?
I would love to hear your opinions on these options, and also if any of you have a great doctor to recommend in the Los Angeles area, please do.
Thanks for your help.
Greg in L.A.
Sponsor
Ripanco
06-07-2005, 06:15 PM
Hi Greg,
Well, there are plenty of folks here that can sympathize with you, me included. I can let you know what my experience was/is like. I just had both my hips replaced on May 23rd.
I too was/am highly motivated to get on with my life, which was being severly limited by OA. My dh and I are athletes.
Because I met some pretty strict criteria, my surgeon agreed to do both my hips at the same time. The criteria is lean, strong, young, good bone and motivated. I had posterior, minimal, metal/crosslinked poly, non cemeted. If I did not want to run again, my surgeon would have used ceramic/ceramic since that seems to be the longest lasting for young patients. But for running, the highly crosslinked plastic is more forgiving and less likely to fracture.
I have not heard of "outpatient" hip replacement, but I have heard of the 2 incision minimal approach. Every surgeon has their own method and it is important to find one that is good at what they do. The newer minimal incision takes considerable skill and different equipment. I think my surgeon is outstanding.
Just to give you an idea, my replacements where not easy, I had no cartilgage left and the bone was not in great shape. My surgery was a little over 4 hrs long and I did end up have to have one socket screwed in since there was not enough bone left. But I have a 3" incision on the right side and a almost 4" on the left side (the tough one). This approach does not cut any tendons or muscles, just pushes them aside.
I did not to my room until nearly 6:00 pm so I did not try walk that nite, but the very next morning I was up and around with a walker and little pain. By the next morning they took the walker away, gave me crutches, showed me how to do stairs and sent me home!! It was a hospital record for the shortest stay for a bilateral replacement and even singles never go home before 2 days. I contibute my fast recovery to being prepared. I approched this surgery the same as training for an athletic advent.
I can walk easily with no aid now, very little pain, mostly stiffness and not much of a limp at all. I have been getting back to work a little at a time since it is pretty physical, but find I am very functional.
So is it worth it? To me, absolutly!! Just do a lot of research, find a good doctor and get yourself prepared physically, emotionally and intellectually.
Good luck and let us know what you decide to do.
Well, there are plenty of folks here that can sympathize with you, me included. I can let you know what my experience was/is like. I just had both my hips replaced on May 23rd.
I too was/am highly motivated to get on with my life, which was being severly limited by OA. My dh and I are athletes.
Because I met some pretty strict criteria, my surgeon agreed to do both my hips at the same time. The criteria is lean, strong, young, good bone and motivated. I had posterior, minimal, metal/crosslinked poly, non cemeted. If I did not want to run again, my surgeon would have used ceramic/ceramic since that seems to be the longest lasting for young patients. But for running, the highly crosslinked plastic is more forgiving and less likely to fracture.
I have not heard of "outpatient" hip replacement, but I have heard of the 2 incision minimal approach. Every surgeon has their own method and it is important to find one that is good at what they do. The newer minimal incision takes considerable skill and different equipment. I think my surgeon is outstanding.
Just to give you an idea, my replacements where not easy, I had no cartilgage left and the bone was not in great shape. My surgery was a little over 4 hrs long and I did end up have to have one socket screwed in since there was not enough bone left. But I have a 3" incision on the right side and a almost 4" on the left side (the tough one). This approach does not cut any tendons or muscles, just pushes them aside.
I did not to my room until nearly 6:00 pm so I did not try walk that nite, but the very next morning I was up and around with a walker and little pain. By the next morning they took the walker away, gave me crutches, showed me how to do stairs and sent me home!! It was a hospital record for the shortest stay for a bilateral replacement and even singles never go home before 2 days. I contibute my fast recovery to being prepared. I approched this surgery the same as training for an athletic advent.
I can walk easily with no aid now, very little pain, mostly stiffness and not much of a limp at all. I have been getting back to work a little at a time since it is pretty physical, but find I am very functional.
So is it worth it? To me, absolutly!! Just do a lot of research, find a good doctor and get yourself prepared physically, emotionally and intellectually.
Good luck and let us know what you decide to do.
2young2Bhippy
06-07-2005, 09:13 PM
Ripanco, I can't tell you how much I appreciate your quick response! I just (finally) finished reading all the posts at the BIG thread -- the one with 217 replies and all the people. It has just occurred to me that I should have added my post there instead of creating this new thread.... (That seems to be where the action is!) So I'm going to re-post my questions there to make it simpler.
Your story of having to return five days later to replace a ball was amazing and a little scary, but you seemed to have pulled through it quickly.
These threads are so amazingly helpful.... Looking forward to corresponding with you again.
Greg
Your story of having to return five days later to replace a ball was amazing and a little scary, but you seemed to have pulled through it quickly.
These threads are so amazingly helpful.... Looking forward to corresponding with you again.
Greg