21 having a BTHR

[Binderella]

Hey YoungGuy,

I'm 21 and am undergoing Double Hip Replacements for Avascular Nercrosis on November 13th. Friday 13th. Lol

Its a result of the steroids given to me to surpress the effects of the Chemotherapy given to me when i was diagnosed with A.L.L (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia) on April 1st, April Fools Day, 2005. I've been waiting since 2006 to get these replacements. I was meant to have them last yr in November, but something happened and it had to be put off for a year. I found out it had to be put off 6 days before my Op.

Id like to talk to or have anyone's advice on any Pre or post op advice... cos to be honest im scared. I've been in and out of hospital all my life and this has been a block in my life holding me back for the past 3 nearly 4 years.

I'm not sure what to expect, what to think or what to look for. Any advice on after the op or person experiences would be great. I just want to get as much info as possible. Especially like the first couple of weeks after.

Im really hopin to hear back from you guys.. All of you.

Thanks and lookin forward to chattin.

Binderella xx

 

[Judles]

Re: Dealing with your Recovery time.

Welcome, Binderella! You've come tothe right place, for sure! You certainly have been through a lot at your young age! Think positive.....it REALLY helps...and pray!! Prayers DEFINITELY help! Friday the 13th will be LUCKY for you!!! Keep posting!!! (0)

 

[JudyS]

Re: Dealing with your Recovery time.

Binderella
WElcome to bonesmart. Great wonderful people here. I don't know what I would do without them.

Wow you have been through a lifetime of problems already. I pray that after you get your new hips, it will be a new beginning for you. Good health and hapiness.

I am 52 and had my right hip replaced last year. I've had a few other orthopedic problems and surgery , the hip was the absolute best. From day one, I would never know there was any prosthesis in there. STill amazes me when i see the x-ray.
I had a great surgeon who was awesome with pain management so not really a problem. Only hurt when I tried to move it or get it off the bed initially. The nurses will help you. Once standing, it was just great.

At 3 weeks I was allowed to swim. By 3 months all restrictions were lifted and I was swimming and hiking almost every day. The only restricition is no running. I was a runner so it is a little difficult at times for me to accept that.
But let me tell you I just love this new hip and am still totally amazed at what a great surgery it is . They really have it perfected.
Please ask any questions . YOu should stay with us and start your own thread. We will all be there for you before and after Friday the 13th. I like that date.
I;'m having back surgery on Oct 1st so I will be around a lot as my restricted life will start again for awhile.

judy

 

[Josephine]

Hello, Binderella, and welcome to BoneSmart. I moved your post into a thread of it's own so you will get your own answers. New members' posts have a tendency to get lost in a longer thread.

You might also like to know that I once worked with a surgeon who had a particular interest in younger patients that had had infant conditions like congenital dislocation of hips. Thus we dealt with a number of patients aged 19, 20 and 21 who had one or both hims replaced. They all did extremely well.

But your anxiety is very normal and has been shared by everyone else on this forum. You might take some time to read around the older threads on this forum and also to look in the Information Centre (link at top of the page) where there is much Recurring Information both general and specific to hips. There is a great deal of information available there. If there are still some questions you want answered, feel free to come and ask them!

 

[TBONE]

Binderella--I had BTHR on April Fool's Day, 2009. For some reason, odd dates like that and Friday the 13th just don't seem to get booked up as quickly. Anyway, I agree taht it will be good luck for you. My date and surgery were near perfect for me and I wish and pray for the same for you. I was discharged on day 3 and had MOM joints and an anterior approach with no restrictions. Your surgery and technique may be quite different and all people recover differently, however. You also have some other complications and while you are young, I would say you are experienced in these medical matters. I had never had surgery and I was terrified. It turned out to be pretty easy and, compared to what you have been through already, I suspect you will do just fine.
The surgery itself was pretty straightforward and I can tell you that BTHR, despite your worst fears, just isn't 2x as bad as a single hip replacement. For some reason, one hip sort of takes over and becomes your good hip and so it sort of feels like a single hip replacement. Hard to explain, but post-op, both hips are better than pre-op so your first experience is an absence of pain. There is some pain to be sure, but if you manage your meds right, it is very doable. I used a walker to start, thinking it would be better for me and less clumsy. I think in hindsight I would use crutches as it is easier to use a normal gait with crutches and it is a bit tough to shed the walker.
I don't know what type of physical condition you are in, but if you can do some exercise, any exercise, to strengthen your legs, then that would help with your recovery.
All the best

 

[Sticker Lady]

welcome Binderella!

I'm a kneesal so I can't help with hippy advise. You'll get plenty from the wonderful folks who have had hips replaced. I do have some experience with "Firday the 13th"--Two of my wonderful children were born on that lucky day! My oldest daugter, Meg, will be 39 on Nov. 13, and my youngest son, Tom's birthday is May 13. One of my daughter-in-laws was also born on April 13 (but it wasn't a Friday) It's a VERY lucky day for our family and I'm sure it will be for you too!

Blessings,
Irene

 

[Texas]

Welcome Binderella, good luck to you just do what your Dr tells you and you will be fine.......best of luck keep us posted......)

 

[Binderella]

Hey everyone!

Thankyou SO MUCH for all your advice and just generally talking. I've been freaking out completely about this, especially cos ive had such mixed results, people with DHR have said that it was great then some say it was agony but i honestly think that it cannot be any worse than the pain i'm in now, Right? I mean, i've missed bike riding and swimming and i've missed out on so darn much. My boyfriend is overseas now and is wishing he could be here for me but ive got the most encouraging and supporting family and my man and i are looking forward to starting a new life together and getting the most out of life :D im getting so excited about it. Is that normal? LOL

I'm a very passionate Christian and i KNOW that God is playing such a big part in my life as to why i havent collapsed completely hehe.

Can i ask, what's it like standing for the first time? Will i have to learn to walk all over again? What are the scars like?
I'm seeing my Dr in Sydney next month, but i'd love to hear people's experiences :D

Hope to hear from you guys soon

Binderella

 

[Binderella]

Where did you get your THRs done?

Hey i'm havin both my hips replaced in November.. where did you guys get yours done? Mine is getting done in Sydney.. Wolpher Hospital i think.. Lol... Were the surgery sites painful?

 

[Binderella]

Re: just after some advice please

So after a while ill be able to do all normal things again? Like be able to walk along the beach without feeling like i look like a loser? LOL and wearing short dresses and Heels comfortably?? im 21 by the way and havent been able to do any of this stuff since i was 16.

 

[TBONE]

Binderella-I will say that standing for the first time is quite an unusual experience. It's not bad, better than you imagine and it never really feels like you have giant artificial prostheses. In fact, your new hips feel pretty much like real hips. But your first day on your feet, well...don't expect much. It would be a big job on the first or second day post-op to stand with a walker, nurse and physical therapist, and walk a few steps to the chair to sit down. If you have a general, you will need to sit down soon because your may get a bit woozy or nauseous. After you've sat in a chair a while, you can walk to the end of your room or even down the hall a bit, all with a walker and a nurse watching you. It's not so much the hips that feel bad, it's the incision and staples, or whatever. It gets easier quickly and PT will help you. Being young will help you alot.
The scars aren't pretty and last a long while. Mine are about 5-6 inches on each hip in the front or anterior. A posterior incision, I think, is generally longer. Some incisions are smaller or on the order of 4", but don't get caught up with needing a small incision as what you really want is a good hip and enough room for the OS to do it the way he is used to doing it. At 5 months, I'm still quite self conscious in a gym changing room. The scars are still not faded very much and are still a bit reddish. but I could care less. They will fade over time.
You are correct that for most successful THRs, there is an immediate lessening of pain. I noticed an immediate increased mobility from the moment I was conscious. And an absence of chronic pain (of course, I'm sure the drugs helped)

 

[Josephine]

Re: Where did you get your THRs done?

Binderella, I moved your posts here because they were in danger of derailing other people's threads and this way you get your own answers. Hope you understand.