THR Need hip replacement and frustrated

CG'sknees

member
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Dec 2, 2008
Messages
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Age
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Location
Southern California, United States
I’ve posted before about my situation, here we go with update.
I’ll start at the beginning...I started having hip pain Sep 2020, and called my ortho for appt (I have had both knees replaced by him, latest one Jan 2010). Because of Covid protocols etc, appt wasn’t until mid-Dec 2020. At that time LA was having huge surge of infections so I only had telehealth visit, where ortho thought I might have hip bursitis. But I made follow up appt, for March 30, which was later rescheduled to April 13 because ortho was to be on vacation.
Finally able to see him this past week, and get x-rays which confirmed left hip has bone on bone. BUT ortho wants me to lose weight, do pool therapy, and come back in 3 months. He said I might be a lot better by then and can delay surgery (!!). I called yesterday to ask if I could go ahead and schedule surgery for August, and was told ortho has to approve it but since he is not back in office until Tuesday I have to wait to hear back. Also, no elective surgeries are possible until Sep 2021 because of hospital Covid protocols and those spots are filled!!!
I really like my surgeon and trust him but I’m so tired of getting worse and worse and waiting and waiting. And I’m mad at myself for not losing weight since last Sep so I would be ready for surgery now. Apparently it’s a big deal for hip surgery to be thin, which is weird as I’m lower in weight than either previous knee replacements. So this makes me reluctant to seek other orthopedist. I’m on food plan now and consulting with a nutritionist, so I am working on getting my mobility back.

Any observations, advice, etc, you might offer me is welcome. I’ve always found the BoneSmart family to be so helpful.
Thanks for listening to my sad tale.
 
@CG'sknees,
So this makes me reluctant to seek other orthopedist
Every orthopedist has a different opinion about weight, some want you to lose weight, others will go ahead and do a joint replacement.
Suggest you seek several 2nd opinions from orthopedic surgeons that are independent from your present surgeon. You can start your search with the Surgeon Locator at the top of the page.

In the reading below there is an article about BMI and reluctant surgeons.

New BoneSmart members like you are in various stages of their journey to joint replacement. Making the decision whether or not to have surgery and preparing for surgery can be easier once you have done your research and know what lies ahead. Here are some tools that can help you decide what is best for you.

If you are at the stage where you have joint pain but don't know for sure if you are ready to have surgery, these links may help:
Score Chart: How bad is my arthritic hip?
Choosing a surgeon and a prosthesis
BMI Calculator - What to do if your surgeon says you're too heavy for joint replacement surgery
Longevity of implants and revisions: How long will my new joint last?

If you are at the stage where you are planning to have surgery but are looking for information so you can be better prepared for what is to come, take a look at these links:
Recovery Aids: A comprehensive list for hospital and home
Recliner Chairs: Things you need to know if buying one for your recovery
Pre-Op Interviews: What's involved?

And if you want to picture what your life might be like with a replaced hip, take a look at the posts and threads from other BoneSmarties provided in this link:
Stories of amazing hip recoveries
 
How thin are you supposed to be before hip replacement? I'm interested as I'm in a lot of pain with mine and have appt with a surgeon in 10 days. I've been dieting quite successfully to try to help but not sure if it's enough!
 
How thin are you supposed to be before hip replacement?
Every surgeon is different, some surgeons require a lower BMI, other surgeons will go ahead with joint replacement regardless of BMI.
You will have to talk to your surgeon for his protocol for BMI.
 

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