After struggling with hip pain since summer and gutting it out all fall (including packing out two big bulls) my wife finally nagged me into getting my sore hip checked out. Turns out one of them is that of a 40 year old, and the other one is that of an 80 year old. Since I'm almost 60, I guess I'm splitting the difference.
Tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. I'm getting a new one. I requested that they replace it with an elk socket, or at least a mule deer, but apparently they stopped doing that some time ago. So I'm getting a cool new metal and plastic one.
For those of you who don't care, move along. For those who do, who might want to continue big game hunting into geriatric years through the miracle of modern medicine, I'll provide a play by play of how the surgery goes and the rehab process. I'm thinking there may be more than one of you out there with a sore hip. :)
Any feedback from those who've gone through this will be much appreciated!!
Oh Yeah ! Follow the docs orders !!
RHale
Never experienced this...but I've seen a gajillion patients that come in for stress tests after a replacement.
Cracks me up when they say "I've had a hip (and/or knee) replacement" as an excuse not to walk the treadmill.
I always reply "I thought that's why they replaced it...so it would be BETTER"!
You are gonna BEAST it! Looking forward to the play by play.
Best Wishes, Jeff
Guess which one is the bad one?
I'm going with the relatively new "anterior" method, where they spread the thigh muscles and go in from the front. Supposedly the recovery is very fast, and my surgeon is a young "rock star" who only does hip replacements. I told him I want to be back in the mountains and carrying a backpack by early summer and he seemed to think that would be a piece of cake.
We'll see...
Well, the myth is shattered ;D
Left hip is also on its way to being so.
Let me know if you need something. Im just a few minutes away
Let me fix it. I know how... lol!
I always love it on TV Shows like "Gray's Anatomy" when they hang the Chest XRay up backward!
Good luck with that buddy. Now you're going to get the pat down at the airport every time.
Maybe now you'll have time to get that article we discussed put together and sent to me. Deadline is approaching.
Take care and good luck tomorrow.
Curt
Good luck, Robb
Had mine done with the anterior approach a year ago and it went VERY well! Much easier than the rotator cuff shoulder surgery I had two years ago. I have no limitations. Good luck and reach out if I can help! C
Best of Luck Keep us posted
I think calling your right hip a 40 year old hip was a bit optimistic, but it should last a few more years.
Wish you a speedy recovery. If I'd have had one piece of advise earlier on, it would have been to get a "young rock star" surgeon and do it the new way. Much better recovery.
DJ
Adventurewriter's Link
And for the love of God your junk will haunt me for weeks...you need to have a "junk alert"
cnelk and cityhunter's suggestions combined would comprise the "Obamacare" solution, methinks. Fortunately I still have Blue Shield for the next few months, anyway. But maybe you guys can fix the other side when it's due. I'd trust you more than a gubmint doctor.
Thanks for the positive thoughts. I'm locked and loaded, ready to go! I'll post a narc'ed-up update from recovery tomorrow as soon as I'm lucid - which for me is a relative state anyway..
:-)
I took it on and off for years but my orthopod doesn't believe in it. He thinks it's snake oil. I'll do whatever is necessary to preserve that other hip and my other joints.
For Pete's sake.....when you show us pics of the incision....PLEEEEASE be more like Charlie and show some humility!
Charlie, do you still have the junk cover? Can you get that to whatever hospital Lou in in? Please hurry..
Make sure the doc isn't on the payroll from some mafia elk family looking for payback! LOL! God speed and I'll be checking in often.
There are multiple small studies that show that it is effective.
Meta analysis of multiple studies don't really show any statistical benefit to taking it.
I'm hedging my bets and taking it and will wait another 10 to 20 years before making up my mind. In the mean time, I'm taking it hoping it'll prevent long term joint degeneration. If it does, I'll already be taking it. If it doesn't, I've thrown away a couple hundred bucks.
The downside to taking it is negligible when compared to the possible upside, IMO.
You will do just fine.
Rick M
Here is a recent horror story concerning a hip replacement (s), concerning my sister.
At the age of 72 she had both hips replaced with a Stryker hip replacement. All went well for 2 years then Stryker recalled the replacement mechanism. It seems that the cobalt facing on the ball and socket had a tendency to wear off and contaminate the blood. Once in the blood system, she broke out in a terrible rash and blisters on her lower body and became very lethargic. Cobalt levels rose to 60. Her doctor told her that 9 out of the 72 surgeries had had complications like hers.
On November 4th she had a new replacement of the original and is now in rehabilitation and recovery will take nearly 9 months. She will have the other hip replacement, replaced as soon as the cobalt level is at 4, but the level is now at 30.
While most replacements go well, there are a few that turn into a nightmare, pain and suffering.
They have hired an attorney.
My best, Paul
...and, uh, the other package looks fine.
On a lighter note, great article, Butthead! LMAO!!!
Take care!
I drive the I-25 racetrack a couple days a week, where 18 year old girls texting at 85 mph spook me more than a hip joint. :-)
Wyo, thanks, that story was one of those "first draft epiphanies" that worked. It's hell getting old, but no sense losing our sense of humor!
A friend had this done - couple months with a cane - couple months with a limp and he was good to go - actually he said it was better (much better) than previous suffering for the past few years.
Just reading some of your posts I know you have a good sense of humor;
Just before the nurse gets ready to prep you for surgery take 2 viagra and watch her smile, just imagine her conversation with the other nurses. "OMG you should have seen this guy I was prepping this morning" ha ha
If you have time I'll buy you breakfast or lunch after the replacement.
She's a woman with issues. She married me.
I hope that all goes smoothly for you and that your recovery is quicker than anticipated. I'll shoot you a PM this weekend. I've got something for you.
There was a reason I posted Lou's xray with nails in his hip. And that was to avert your eyes from his 'twig and berries'
I can see it didnt work...
Scott Alberda
Sometime I'll share the story of the stunningly gorgeous 22 year old Doc assistant/ ummm..."barber" who groomed me prior to my vasectomy.
Ok, headed to bed and then to the prep room at 6 am. If I survive I'll update from the recovery room, with a pic or two of my (hopefully) beautiful nurse. Though with my luck she'll look like Quasimodo's bride.
For the rest of you, it's gay to look at a man's package.
You guys disgust me.
I have to be honest, I have used Cosamin DS for years. It's a nutraceutical, and I believe that it has helped me....while it could be a placebo effect, I don't care....it seems to help for whatever reason.
Jake
Still on the fence about Glucosamine/ Chondroitin. Many people in the field (Physical Therapists, Sports Medicine guys, Orthopods, etc.)that I've talked to, share the same view as your MD...there is a lot of snake oil out there.
As Ike mentioned, I do not think there are a whole lot of (major)convincing studies to prove otherwise.
But, if you FEEL it is working for you, then by all means stick with it. Everyone's body is different, and if it actually helps you feel good, your brain is probably releasing beneficial chemicals (even placebos can have a positive physical effect in this manner).
Glucosamine can work. I took it religiously for a long time, it helped ankle pain, but did nothing to knee pain, turns out knee was to ruined to have it work. It rejuvinates the fluid that lubricates, if you're bone on bone already (like your hip), you're screwed already.
as for nurses, I had an over night stay after an osteotomy on my knee. The young cute ones work the over night shift!
Please move photos to mule deer forum...:)
Great to see you on here....you lurker!!
...and aren't they supposed to put one of those lead aprons over your, um, sensitive bits when they take an x-ray?
Lou, I hope that you've ben there, done that and are too busy harassing your Bride of Quasimodo nurse right now to give us an update..... Her face, it rings a bell! :)
I too take glucosamine condroitin. No way to prove it helps, but after running for 35 years, it can't hurt! But, I believe that it does help and take one a day.
>>>>-------->
PS - junk? What junk? I didn't see no junk? LOL
Hope you're felling well soon Lou.
Be carefull sending those Xrays out. A buddy sent me this to show me his new back hardware he covered his junk but comfirmed to the world he was full of crap.
;-)
Sandbrew
And now my Hip bothers me, so I'm following along with interest.
I must admit I also wondered why they didn't use a lead apron for that X-Ray.
It's really Department dependent. The amount of rads to the nads is really negligable with a standard pelvis X-Ray. On Children, it is always standard practice
Besides...I'm pretty sure I'm not going out on a limb by saying he doesn't plan on sowing any more wild oats (sheep beware if I am wrong)!
All good but I'm really dizzy so will post more later. Thanks to all for the sick, but inspiring thoughts. Back at you in a bit.
He went from semi-dead back to semi-live!
FWIW I thought this was one of the funniest threads of the year. Thanks for allowing everybody to bring a little Levity to the day.
Waiting for your fog to lift, so you can accurately assess the hotness of your nurses!
Will you be there a couple of days, and have visitors?
Let me know and I can come over and visit.
Paul
I belly laughed out loud for the past ten minutes!!!
How are you doing...update?!
Mark
The hip part is fine, surgeon said my hip and thigh muscles were so toned that it made everything go well and recovery should be a breeze. I've already walked around on it a little. No pain there because there's still some local working.
The bad news is that I'm having a reaction to the spinal anaesthesia and get dizzy and nauseous whenever I try to sit up or stand. They tell me this isn't all that unusual, but I don't like it. Just sitting part way to type this is making me a little queasy.
Plus, as that spinal wore off, it was really itchy and felt like little snakes crawling around inside where I couldn't reach for about three hours. I put some serious rock and roll on the iPod to try to take my mind off it, and that helped.
Next challenge is to pee. So far, no go because of the spinal stuff. If it doesn't happen in another 2.5 hours, two chubby night nurses plan to impale my willy with a 1916 XX75 shaft for encouragement. I'm praying like I've never prayed, for something I never thought I'd ever pray for.
Early this morning I was treated to a "shave" by a cute little Italian number, who also had a sense of humor at 6 a.m. and isn't frightened by reptiles, apparently.
Then after all the IVs were installed and prep completed, they gave me a couple shots of Cuervo and I don't remember anything else until I woke up looking into the beaming smile of Jennifer. I didn't want to wake up during the surgery and told the anaethesiologist that, so he made damn sure of it. I need to remember to tip him well!
I'll be praying for a quick recovery.
Praying, praying.......
It only stings for a bit and you'll have the pleasure of having a 1/2 inch piss stream for quite some time.
Waking your neighbors up at 0200 hrs thinking that there was a major overnight shift in the course of the White River is something you can't put a dollar amount on.
Wishing u the best, a speedy recovery and another shot of tequila!
Wishing u the best, a speedy recovery and another shot of tequila!
Get well soon, Lou.
The prayers worked! Thanks a bunch for all the positive vibes. I feel like I just shot a big buck!! Not much, but enough to spare the javelin, according to my cool night nurse, Kristen, whom I worked very hard to convince of same. Man, was that an effort, both ways! cnelk, you can turn around and go back home now, and take that jagged broken shaft with you.
I'm feeling a bit better tonight, and able to toddle around the room by myself without a walker (which scared the crap out of Kristen when I told her). Still no pain yet, only stiffness. Hey, I hunt elk alone in the wilderness with a wooden stick. This ain't nuthin..!
Ate some chicken noodle soup and now kicking back and watching Ted Ligety win gold. GO USA!!!
Although, I do feel just a tad of remorse not getting the play-by-play of cnelk straight-cathing you with a tube that once was in the chest cavity of an elk. It takes real brotherly love to grab a man's wang and shove a broken arrow down it.
Chicken soup is good for getting on the mend, but I smell more appetizing dishes on your future menu!
If your surgeon specializes in Anterior Hips, and has done them for a few years, you will be set and doing awesome in no time.
I saw a post about a Stryker Hip and issues, etc...That is called a metal on metal hip and those designs have cost the industry Hundreds of millions of dollars if not billions. The metal would wear and release ions into the blood and was exacerbated by poor implantation techniques....
To the gentleman who has just gotten a new hip, don't worry about it, i guarantee you didn't get a metal on metal hip because no surgeon would risk their reputation on them.
Best of luck on the recovery!!
We'll take care of it.
I agree with the Injexion shaft too!!!
>>>>-------->
Good luck J f
Glad to see you on the mend, Lou!
Wapitidung
Had a bit of a rough night last night - residual nausea from the anaesthesia and the pisser not working right kept me awake for most of the night. The dam totally broke about 3 a.m. and I was able to sleep for a few hours after that. I was very spooked about needing the XX75 and was pretty close to biting the bullet (literally..) before forcing the issue. Major relief (figuratively and literally)!!!
Had my first PT this morning, and everybody was laughing because I was only using this walker to humor them for the first few steps out of the room. I can get around pretty good, albeit gingerly, with no assistance. The P Therapist is also an elk hunter who rifle hunts near my longtime archery spot, so we told hunting stories while I was going up and down stairs and flexing.
I said goodbye to my beloved Nurse Jennifer and headed home an hour ago. Now I have my good wife nurse here to care for me, so traded one good one for another. I got lucky.
Also got lucky with finding the right surgeon, and the fact that I went into this thing in really good shape. The PT, nurse, and surgeon all remarked that I was doing way better than expected so soon because of that.
I'll keep updating on how the recovery goes, along with the therapy. Might help some of you who need, or are contemplating the same thing. I feel like this is miraculous.
I'll ask my surgeon about the brand of replacement. Really, guys, I appreciate all the positive thoughts and the humor. Helped me out a ton!!
Thanks, and back at ya!
I am laughing so hard right now, it's gonna be tough to ask, but I need your surgeons for my next "knee" surgery...He evidently does great work.
Thanks SDHNTR.
I suspect he was holding the Blackberry camera at an angle. If my legs were really THAT short, after what I saw in SDHUNTER's x-ray I could truly change my name to "Peter Dragon"..
I am sure there will be a brown belt in the near future.
Paul
Charlie, good advice and taken to heart. No reason to screw things up by rushing anything. I'm going to follow the PT to the letter, and will use crutches for support here in the house for the next few days
After all of the talk about your Junk, and the artificially enhanced Photo, there is certainly a joke to be made here.
Something along the lines of:
Got Lucky? Hell you've only been out of the hospital a few hours, Go easy easy big man!
Or maybe:
Just remember Lou, after 4 hours you have to call your doctor.
I'm sure a few others will chime in here.
Little over a week later one of his girlfriends came to the hospital for a conjugal visit.
Best I could do in the area of tittilation was having Jennifer describe her breast pumping procedure. But after enduring that spinal anaesthesia and the aftermath, I'm just relieved to have ANY feeling in my nether regions.
About six hours after the surgery was completed, I was seriously wondering if something had gone TERRIBLY wrong. Then Jen told me that part was the last to regain sensation - hence the near-collision with the catheter.
Good luck with the rehab Lou...oh yeah, and on the hip as well!
Glad you are OK! Best wishes.
...or maybe we don't need that clarification!
Junk jokes just never get old.
I wish that I had read this thread earlier. By the time I got to it, all of the good "Junk jokes" had already been taken!
Goin in ain't so bad, but I never heard my dad scream in agony my entire life until they pulled that thing out.
Seriously, stick to the rehab, don't push it and get well.
Rick
My replacement was in May so I took that season of elk hunting off. Right back at it the next season and the parts have worked great for me ever since.
Wishing you a speedy recovery!!
You have a great spirit, Lou! Too funny! Hope to see ya in Arizona in 2015. Great thread!
Guys, I sure appreciate the positive thoughts and good humor. Today pretty much sucks.
Dale, there's a "plastic" cup in the socket that the ball rotates inside. I'm sure it's some sort of polymer so it will hold up for decades.
Going to bite down on a stick and try some light PT later today. Not looking forward to that at all!
Hang touch and good luck.
Good work getting this down now, it seems like bad hips and knees end up taking down the good ones as well. Hopefully that pain subsides. You will be back at em in no time.
The "pros" on here like Idyllwild and Elkmtngear might be able to offer something more enlightening. Might just be that one degenerated - stuff happens.
I had no issues with either hip until one day last summer when I rode my bike further than normal. Started hurting the next day. It was pretty painful all throughout the fall hunting seasons, but I managed it.
Exercising now and it hurts, but I have to do it. Lovely Jennifer just called to offer encouragement, which inspired me. Being able to pee right is an outstanding thing, too!!!
Ace's Link
After seeing those X rays I can see why Jennifer is checking up on ya:)
Get Well.
The body's ability to repair is remarkable as long as we do not get in the way.
Good luck...
Another possibility is that one of your legs is shorter than the other, but this possibility along with others are increasingly a stretch.
Either way it's speculation.
Chris, agree about getting off the pain meds. I don't like the way they make me feel, even though these are wimpy ones. Ice is helping and I've done all but one of my PT exercises today. Need a slight assist with the heel slide. All in all, it's amazing that any of this is possible, considering they sawed my femur off 48 hours ago.
Now that it's loosened up some I'm getting around ok, but still using a crutch for balance. So far, so good. Jennifer and my wife were just talking on the phone about what a good patient I am, my yellow dog is lying beside me on the couch with her head in my lap, and you guys are STILL giving me good-natured grief.
Feeling the love!!
Glad to know the surgery went well and you are up and on the road to recovery. Listen to your PT !!
I have taken a couple of things from this thread:
After seeing SDHNTR's xray I have realized why my hips don't hurt.
With a little bit of peroxide and that white belt you could be Buck Medleys Doppleganger.
....and I haven't laughed this hard in a long time. My wife keeps asking me what is so funny but I am afraid she will see those pics. I told her that they all look like "this" when we got married. :)
Get well soon... hope ya bought the extended warranty, I think you're a bit harder on equipment than your average biped, er... triped, whatever.....
Once the activity levels increase, your body will start producing its own pain meds (opiates)
Hoping pain will go down, and spirits up!
Figures Jennifer would already have you on speed dial...you're such a charmer!
Best of luck and prayers continue to be sen out from here.
Best regards, Scott Alberda
Judging by that one photo, Lou's wife and Jennifer weren't just talking about his hip.
Maybe Jennifer can move to Wyoming and be our resident elk hunting guide.
So with the new hip, can u still enter animals into P&Y or is that considered cheating?!?!
So with the new hip, can u still enter animals into P&Y or is that considered cheating?!?!
Cocoon man, that's funny, as my new shock-absorbing trekking pole arrived while I was in the hospital..
:-)
I'm surprised at how much better I feel today. Still soreness, of course, but I can feel the improvement steadily progressing. I can put on my own sock now. Monday is my first session with a PT, so I may be in a different mood after she gets through with me. But it's all heading in the right direction.
You guys have been great entertainment. Thanks very much!!!!!!
I wish you a speedy recovery and many more great bow hunts. BB
I've been walking on my own with no cane since Monday morning. Today was my first official session with the PT after Monday got postponed. Wouldn't you know, I lucked into an attractive "Jennifer II" who isn't nearly as mean as some others I've had. No hairy wart on her chin or Navy tattoos on her forearms or anything. Didn't have my camera phone today but I'll post a photo of this Jen next time. Me and JenII will be going steady for the next five weeks.
After she maniuplated my...er...hind leg and had me do some stuff, she said she couldn't believe I'd had this done just a week ago. (Yeah, I know, they say that to everyone to pump them up. She also commented on my strong muscles and nice butt... ;-) But another guy came in who had his done the same day, still pushing a walker..)
I'm on a bike for 15 minutes a day now. If it wasn't muddy I'd walk around the block. This is all so freakin' amazing to me that if I could get the insurance to pay for it I'd go in and get the other one, just because.
Thanks, BB, for that. Note to all, that photo was taken BEFORE they shaved my ass for the surgery!
Glad you're doing well.
Crazy they can do that whole thing with only about a 4" incision. I've seen bigger cuts from Rages. :-P
JenII huh, bring on the pics! I can just imagine that PT session: "I am a great white hunter respected by many for my uncanny ability to slay giant beasts, what's your sign?"
Glad you're doing good Lou. Like many, I never had a doubt.
I had both of mine done 3 months apart at age of 52
I wish I would have done it years earlier
Thanks for all the positive vibes!
What's with all of this hip hype???
My best, Paul
I had a over year of it on my shoulder, nothing was getting better. FINALLY after much yelling the HMO sent me to the orthopedic specialist.
I was in his room all of 5 min when he told me "what are they doing? no therapy is going to fix this, you need surgery. Check with the nurse at the desk and we'll schedule it..." I was back shooting a (light) bow in like 6 weeks.
Glad it's going along well for you! Gettin' strong.. (cue the Rocky theme song...)
BTW the pics we wanted were of Jen II.... not you ....
Did they tell ya how much fun TSA is gonna be! =D
The PT told me the biggest reason why I'm progressing so fast is because that area of my body was in such good shape before I went in. She's already dropped some of the "beginner" exercises and added a couple others that are a bit more aggressive. But when I feel like it's a bit much, I back down. This is a marathon, not a race.
And yeah, TD, really looking forward to my weekly TSA body scans now. So much for being "TSA Pre". Now I'll have to either have a wand scan or go through the naked machine like everybody else. Jen II photo coming Monday.
Nice smile, though!
I've been diligently doing my PT exercises 2x daily, going in for supervised PT with JenII twice a week, and had the follow up with the surgeon a week and a half ago. All indications are that it's going absolutely as well as can be expected.
Each day is a little better than the last. The PT has been adding more rigorous stuff, including 4-way band resistance, increasing the time and tension on my bike, and additional sets of different balance and flexibility/strength exercises. I'm sore afterward, but each day is better. No limp anymore, no pigeon-toe on the repaired hip, pretty much 100% flexibility now without pain. When I walked the plank today JenII said she couldn't tell which hip had been repaired.
The short answer is that I've now been cleared to start hiking on uneven ground, and she predicted I could start with a light pack in a couple weeks. Should be packing out marmot quarters in a month.
I highly recommend this procedure for everybody, whether you need it or not, Hell, I might get the other one done just because! :-)
Thanks to all for the positive thoughts and the advice throughout. I've had advice from Bowsiters who are MDs, Orthopedic surgeons - including one who did hip replacements for two decades, and physical therapists. Where else can one find that kind of great advice, along with semi-expert opinions on what broadhead I should use to kill elk, arrow weight, bow poundage, and which Mountain House meals produce the worst gas and diarrhea.
Bowsite rocks!!!
Take it easy on that first hike.
I would hate to be a Marmot right now!
Heal well!
Thanks for the good wishes. I took my doggy for a hike in the snow on Saturday and it was a little sore Sunday, but really felt pretty good, considering. Did a light workout Sunday and felt fine his morning so I did 2x today and feel great.
No longer am I like a one-legged man in an azz-kicking contest!
Curvebow, I'll try to remember to take a pic of Jen II Wednesday. I'm down to one session of supervised PT a week, only two more sessions before I'm "released". She's been so positive and pushing me to where I need to be, but said she couldn't tell I'd even had a replacement after last Wednesday's workout.
Good to hear you're makin' a strong comeback. Sounds like no worries for this fall. Hopefully the plains mule deer will be warm this year so nothing freezes up. =D
Best of luck with the replacement! Do your rehab and PT religiously. It's going to be sore at first but push through it. I now have hundreds of miles on mine and it's wonderful!
