possible hip replacement....

CliffA

CliffA

Well-Known Member
Dec 29, 2009
4,712
Lake Norman, NC
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i am 60 years old and I have been fighting arthritis in my left hip for several years...up to the past couple years I have been able to manage the pain with 4 Aleve a day and a shot of cortisone once in a while....the condition has deteriorated and there is basically no cartilage left in the ball and socket joint....and it hurts...bad...all the time...even with the Aleve (and Jack Daniels :smt001 )....I am not willing to move up to narcotics to control the pain full time....

so my Dr. is encouraging me to get a hip replacement.....he said the surgery is reasonably simple....hospital stay is usually a few days and full recovery can be as little as 2 - 3 weeks.....

his reasoning makes sense....he said I should have the replacement now while I still have many active years in front of me and while I am in good health....he said if I wait I could develop other conditions that could complicate the hip replacement surgery at a later date.....

my question to anyone that has had this done, what are your real life experiences and did the replacement eliminate the hip pain to the point you could carry on normal activities such as walking and playing golf without pain?....

thanks...
cliff
 
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My Mother in law just had her hip replaced a couple months ago, and was here visiting a month after she had it done, and was walking fine without any signs of limp and said her hip felt better than it had in years. She put up with a lot of pain for several years before having the surgery. Now she is back to doing a couple miles a day on the treadmill.
 
Cliff,

I have had both knees replaced andthe hips will need to be done sometime in the near future. I can only echo you doctor's thoughts, get it done....soon. I'm 65 and had the knees done 10 years ago and I wish I had done it 5 years sooner. I will tell you that after you have it done you will ask yourself why you waited so long.

Shawn
 
I had a terrible limp due to a bad car wreck in 1981. At age 27, my Dr. said I was too young for a hip replacement. In 2002, after 20 years of pain, my back starting having trouble from the limping, and the Dr. said, "it's time". Since then, absolutely no pain. My quality of like has improved 100%. I would suggest doing some research, because there are multiple types of materials and attachment methods. in 2002, my replacement was pretty new, because both ball and socket are metal. Many have plastic sockets, and some use ceramics. Some types are more popular in Europe than in the U.S. Also, on the types that get glued in, patents are up and walking the next day. In some attachments, (mine)the bone grows to the material, and bed rest is longer. Your Dr. will have an opinion for what is best for you...it's just good to understand and ask questions. Good luck, you will not regret it.

Don
 
I have a friend that had both replaced a year apart . He had 33,000 bike miles on one and 32,000 on the other last I knew.

Get it done and live a better life.

Good luck,

MM
 
thanks for all the input gentlemen......my wife is also encouraging me to have it done.....my insurance deductible has already been met this year so that is another plus in the decision process....it sure would be nice to walk and move normally without pain...I can't tell you the last time I had full night's sleep without pain....usually I can find only one body position when I lay in bed that gives enough relief from the pain to let me fall asleep....but then I turn in my sleep and usually wake myself up due to the pain...

right now I am leaning towards having it done towards the end of the year....that will give me time to heal during the winter when I am usually less active....

cliff
 
thanks Jim....
 
Cliff,
My mother is 89 she broke her hip at age 82 in a fall going into a store that had a rubber mat sticking up, she had a hip replacement with a stainless steel pulley system attached to her tendons that were torn beyond repair. Her mind was made up when she had to go to a rehab facility that she'd be back in her condo in less than 2 months after seeing several people just give up and lay in bed waiting till the end. She was home in 4 weeks needing only her younger sister for 2 weeks to help with meals & shopping.

She's still doing good with the hip replacement her only problem is the pulley system she can't lay on that side without a lot of pain.

If my mom at 82 can do it you can with the right attitude.

Good luck on whatever choice you make.
 
Cliff - My MIL had her hip replaced last winter. She is 79 and had a pretty good recovery, I know she is definitely glad she did it. Planning to have the other one done now.
 
sfergson727 said:
Sucks getting older, doesn't it?

[video=youtube;Z7Nu7vamRCA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7Nu7vamRCA[/video]

The pertinent part is at 3:30, but it is all worth watching.
Click to expand...


perfect....:smt043.........

cliff
 
sfergson727 said:
Sucks getting older, doesn't it?

The pertinent part is at 3:30, but it is all worth watching.
Click to expand...


Good one Scott,

Remember being 15 waiting to get your license, then 21 to buy beer? After that you figure out all's left is when do I retire.
When I her someone say I feel better at 60 than I did when I was 20 they sure must of felt like cr-p or full of BS.
 
Hey Cliff,

Due to an accident at work, my wife had to get a new one - so far so good.
Before she got her surgery done, I mentioned this to the owner of my company and he let me know he has two new hips.
The only regret he says he has is waiting so long to get them done.

Good Luck!

-Mike
 
My stepmother was a runner. She had both of hers done like 15years ago. Has been trouble free since. I wouldn't wait. It won't be long before insurance classifies it as a "wear" item and it won't be covered.
 
thanks for the replies.....going to schedule the replacement for later this year......

cliff
 
I was 41 when I had my left hip replaced. It was caused by a fluke accident that is irrelevant, but in essence killed the hip. I lived in pain for 5 years leading to it, I wouldn't even embarrass myself telling you how many ibuprofen I would take a day. Let's just say when my doctor found out, he checked my liver and said it was time.

I am a golfer and at the time a carpenter who turned into a framing carpenter. I worked mostly by myself so carrying heavy treated 2x12-14's for decks was killing me. My wife said I started dragging my leg behind myself.

I got it scheduled and couldn't be happier.

My recover was as a young man, in hip replacement terms. I was in surgery at 0630, walking by 1500 and doing laps around the hospital floor by 1900 and stairs the next day.

I felt great within 2-3 weeks, but was still restricted from driving, which was lifted at 5 weeks. I walked with a cane fir 3 months. Mostly because my surgeon lived a block away! He'd catch me not using it and give me hell about it.

My golf game improved dramatically. My lifestyle improved. My pain is gone, even some 12 plus years later. No regrets!

I was told because of my age and where I was at in life, young and still very active, I would need to replace parts of the replacement. Most likely the cup, but maybe even the ball too.

Now they have perfected the hips, ceramic being a leading type to use for longevity. At the time, they were still working on perfecting them and my doctor said wait, because when they fail, it is a catastrophe. I know in the next 10 years ur will need to be replaced. If you are 60, your doctor will probably advise you of what is best you and your life and activity level. I wish you the best, I promise, you won't regret it!

The only regret I have, is not doing it sooner.

Matt


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Cliff,
Here is my 2cents worth. I had mine done in 01/2011 left hip. I couldn't ski or play golf anymore without pain. Finally got my ortho doc to do it. I wasn't quite 60 when I had it done. I was up walking around the next day. PT for sometime. Had to go back as the muscle kept tightening up but after a few more weeks at PT I was fine. Went back to playing golf (walking) and it has been great. Since my left leg was just slightly shorter than my right my doc leveled them out. Little to no back pain. I have been hip pain free ever since. In 11/2014 I had my left shoulder completely replaced. Had the reverse shoulder replacement method. I had too many dislocations and then a torn rotator cuff that my doc said replace it. Prior to replacing it my swing speed (I golf) was low 80's to high 70's at best. After a round of golf I couldn't play for at least a week or two. My swing speed is back up to upper 90's to low 100's. My swing speed was 118 but I was 40 something then. Today at 64 I am happy.
On a side note my father in law is 77 or 78 had both knees done at the same time. He is up and around and now spends even more time at the marina, if that is possible. LOL
So get it done and good luck.
Joe
 
thanks again for the words of encouragement....now instead of dreading the replacement I am starting to look forward to it...

cliff
 
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