THR I just turned 30...facing possible THR and pretty nervous.

You got through all that whining on my recovery thread?:heehee:
Well, it is true.
I got my life back.
I can also do this now:chuckmarch:
Amazing!
You Go Girl. :egypdance:
 
Happy Saturday @Skywalker
Wishing you all the best at your appt with the surgeon next Friday.
Make a list of questions and consider bringing someone with as an extra set of ears.
Sometimes it's hard to take it all in and remember what you wanted to ask.
Let us know how it goes.
A great weekend to you!
 
Thank you so much! DO you guys have any recommendation for good questions to ask?
Also, I have a random question... After getting a THR, and after the healing process is over, can you cross your legs? Or criss-cross-applesauce?

@Mojo333 YEs! I found it very refreshingly real and transparent. I appreciate it.
 
Do you guys have any recommendation for good questions to ask?
This was the list of questions I took to my first consultation pre-op RTHR:

Surgical approach?
What type of prosthesis?
Cement or non-cement?
How long does the procedure take?
Can I have anti-nausea meds?
Will I have weight bearing restrictions (if yes for how long)?
Anaesthesia (spinal or GA)?
Will I have a catheter post-op?
What restrictions will I have and for how long?
What is your post-op pain management plan?
Stitches or staples?
Bathing/shower how soon?
Can I function on my own at home from day 1?
PT how soon (home or outpatient)?
When can I drive?
Who can I contact with any post-op problems?
After getting a THR, and after the healing process is over, can you cross your legs? Or criss-cross-applesauce?
Most surgeons will discourage any crossing of legs or ankles. It puts lots of pressure on the joint and especially early on can result in dislocation.

Having said all that I do cross my legs once in awhile but it is usually very short lived as it is no longer comfortable. This is a good question to add to your questions list.
 
Make sure you write down the questions (any questions that are popping into your head) and do not get rushed when the OS is answering but jot down the answers also- or better yet have someone else take notes for you. It gets overwhelming at first and you think you will remember it all but it is nice to have it written down. You could ask if you could record the answers but I am not sure if any doctor will let you record. I have had 3 joint replacements and am waiting for 4th and started making notes on an app on my phone with questions I have regarding this surgery as they pop into my head so I do not forget to ask. I hope your visit goes smoothly and you will be on your way out of pain soon.
 
Most surgeons will discourage any crossing of legs or ankles. It puts lots of pressure on the joint and especially early on can result in dislocation.
is it sad that that feels like the end of my world? Am I pathetic?
 
No, you're not pathetic. Different aspects of the process affect each of us individually. Being advised to refrain from crossing my legs was not on my list of things I was troubled by, but if it bothers you for some reason, it's okay.

We're not here to judge, but to listen, support and encourage. Would you mind sharing why it's troubling to you? Is it because you're afraid you'll forget and cross your legs anyway, or that you don't like restrictions, or that you're most comfortable sitting that way? Or is it something else?
Maybe we can help...
@Skywalker
 
Would you mind sharing why it's troubling to you? Is it because you're afraid you'll forget and cross your legs anyway, or that you don't like restrictions, or that you're most comfortable sitting that way? Or is it something else?
Maybe we can help...

As previously mentioned, I was a dancer, but also I am super short, and so I am seldom comfortable in any chair. Crossing legs, sitting on a foot, or sitting criss-cross has always helped me feel comfortable. To be restrained from being able to do those things feels scary and that I will lose a part of my life and comfort. Of course, the strange ways I sit also aggravate my hip joint, but it prevents me from other pain. I just cant imagine a world where I have to make sure I dont cross... I just keep sobbing about it. I dont want to be in this much pain anymore, and I want to be able to walk normally again, but I dont want to lose being flexible in that joint either. I mean, I expected I wouldnt be able to put my leg behind my head anymore lol, its not like I want to do anything crazy, but to not be able to cross at all? I’m scared.
 
I'm sorry you're afraid. Many of us were fearful for any number of reasons.
You can cross your legs after THR but it's advised against early on. You should receive some type of guidance from your surgeon on doing so. You can sit criss-cross apple sauce also after a time, unless for some reason you're surgeon advises otherwise. I'm sorry I haven't read through your entire thread and until you meet with and select a surgeon, try not to worry about this. You may end up being pleasantly surprised at all you're able to do post THR. I know I was. Hang in there. It WILL be okay.
@Skywalker
 
@Skywalker I think it’s completely normal that you find yourself tearing up - if not over criss cross applesauce, then certainly over something. My primary care physician observed I was grieving over my hip, and I was grateful to him for naming it, because it helped me understand. There is definitely an emotional side to our joint replacement journey, and for some of us, it begins with a real sense of loss.

I was - and still am - comforted by those who have walked this road before me. From the perspective of one or two or more years post-op, the leaders on this forum speak of gratitude. I ask myself how they traveled that road from grief to joy. And I ask whether I believe this is something I can do, even if I don’t see every step on the way from where I stand today. I don’t know what I will or won’t be able to do with my new hip - and it will be a long time before I find out. The uncertainty is tough to live with - that’s real - but then I remember the overwhelming majority of hip replacement patients say their procedure was a success, so I know the odds are on my side. The odds are on your side, too.
 
Hi Skywalker: Although I'm 54 and old enough to be your mom, I was in shock when my PCP advised me that double hip replacements were in my not too distant future; I thought hip replacements were for the over-65 crowd only, but boy, was I wrong! I just had the right hip done last month-4 weeks recovery tomorrow-and am scheduled to have the left one done next month. I can tell you that my right hip already feels much better and am looking forward to similar results with my left one, which is now giving me problems.

When I was first diagnosed and began researching hip replacements in younger ages, I found this article about a 24-year-old who had her right hip replaced which truly inspired me. I figured if a 24-year old can do it then so can I: https://health.usnews.com/health-ne...nd-hip-replacements-rising-for-younger-adults

And I just found this one in the New York Post highlighting hip replacements for all ages. One is a 26-year-old female kindergarten teacher who had both hips replaced! https://nypost.com/2017/12/04/people-in-their-20s-are-now-getting-hip-replacements/

Keep in mind what GMA host Lara Spencer says in the Post article: “This isn’t an old person’s problem. It’s an active person’s problem.” She had a hip replacement at age 47.

In any event, you are not alone. You have every right to be scared. I was a nervous wreck right before my surgery. But now that it's over with and I see the results, I only wish I had it sooner. Like you, all I want is to be normal again. Trust me, you will get there. Each day you will feel a little more stronger.

Best wishes to you, and keep us posted!
 
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My primary care physician observed I was grieving over my hip, and I was grateful to him for naming it, because it helped me understand. There is definitely an emotional side to our joint replacement journey, and for some of us, it begins with a real sense of loss.
WOw, yeah. That makes a lot of sense! My husband and I were joking about the five stages of grief and realized we had actually been going through them! This whole journey started out with me being in so much denial over the past several months with how bad it was and refused to acknowledge it, haha. It is true that if I do get the THR, it will be a different life before and after, and that means grieving the old life, even if it was riddled in pain! That was really encouraging, thank you so much. Ill be praying for you and thinking of you leading up to yours.
I saw youre a fellow WAshingtonian. You getting treated in Kirkland by any chance??
 
This isn’t an old person’s problem. It’s an active person’s problem.” She had a hip replacement at age 47.
What a great message, thank you so much! It made me feel nice that this is an “Active persons problem”, haha! Ill try to keep that in mind. I cant imagine having both hips replaced... That would be so much to go through in one year!

Is it possible for your healthy hip to start hurting simply because it is overcompensating? Cause that has been the case for me the last couple weeks.
 
Hi, @Skywalker , my surgery will be at Overlake - so close to Kirkland, but not quite :). Thank you for your kind thoughts. My dad and husband both had surgery at Evergreen, though - I like that hospital, if that’s where you’re headed.

I, too, am old enough to be your mom, and have survived some tough losses. My experience is that grief passes, sooner or later, and it passes more quickly if you just go ahead and feel all the feelings as they come to the surface. Denying emotions doesn’t work any better than denying hip pain. Something else to know: grief comes in waves, periods of pain that gradually get shorter followed by periods of calm that gradually get longer. So don’t be discouraged if you find yourself sad again after you’ve enjoyed a period of relief and acceptance - the next period of calm is already on its way.
 
Hi Skywalker: You are 100% correct that my left hip is overcompensating! I was originally supposed to have the left one, which looked worse than the right one on xrays, done first on 8/19; then the right hip blew out in June and I ended up getting the right one done first last month-4 weeks ago today. So now the poor left one is pretty much done.

Remember, the sooner you get the surgery, the sooner you get your life back!
 
The big Update!
Thank you all for keeping up with me and encouraging me on this journey! It was a long 3 weeks waiting for the Doctor appointment, but this morning, I finally saw him!

Ronald Gregush was awesome. I loved talking to him and he really put a lot of thought into everything! So here is the conclusion of the day:

He did not see significant arthritis. Whoa! I asked why the X-ray technician told me he saw arthritis, and Gregush pointed out a spot on the X-ray where the bones were touching. After a physical examination and some more specific xrays, he explained to me what exactly is going on in my joint! I have FAI (you’ll have to look it up! Haha)—but essentially, my hip socket is deformed and at an odd angle, and the head of my femur is also deformed with extra bone. Because of this, the bones have been rubbing up on each other, pinching the labrum and causing tearing. My Labrum is all but destroyed. So he proposed a pretty big surgery:

We need to trim and mold both the pelvis and the femoral head so that they will not be rubbing against each other in the deformed areas, and then he needs to graft in new tissue and reconstruct the labrum. All in all, he says its a really big, long surgery which will take at least 5 hours and have a really long recovery—but it will mean no future hip replacements (hopefully)! He is confident he can reconstruct the joint and with cadaver cartilage rebuild the joint.

So here is the catch: my insurance. I need to “go to PT” to prove that PT wont fix the hip joint, and then he said HOPEFULLY my insurance will clear the surgery. He told me he would do everything he can. I asked, if I jumped through all the hoops, how close would he think he surgery is, and he said about 6-8 weeks.

Has anyone out there experienced any kind of reconstructive surgery like this? I know FAI is a pre-arthritic condition, have any of you out there had it?

I am honestly pretty surprised that the bottom line today wasn’t “get ready for THR surgery!”—as I was told I had severe arthritis, but I am excited that there would be a way to make my joint last longer! Ironically, he said this surgery is a lot bigger than a THR, but will have, hopefully, longer-lasting results!

Thanks for keeping up with my story! I really appreciate the support you all have offered!
 
@Skywalker
I don’t have FAI or a torn labrum, so I can’t answer your questions - I certainly wish I could. I understand the appeal of preserving your hip - and I might try to do it myself if that were an option for me. Even so, the fact that your surgeon proposed something unexpected would definitely make me schedule at least one more consult with a different hip specialist before I made a decision about the best course of action. For comparison, I am scheduled for surgery with the third surgeon I consulted. This is pretty common.

When we read advice about choosing a hip replacement surgeon, there’s always a recommendation to choose one who performs a large number (hundreds per year) of the procedure you’re going to have - not a general orthopedic surgeon who does a small number of a variety of procedures. That’s because we understand mastery comes from repetition, doing the procedure day in and day out.

It seems to me that same advice would apply to reconstructive surgeries. Your surgeon has proposed rebuilding instead of replacing your hip. How many hip reconstructions has he done? How many in the last year? His web page says his specialty is arthroscopic shoulder reconstruction. That raises questions in my mind. That doesn’t mean he isn’t a terrific doctor. It might mean there is a better option for you.

Jamie (forum moderator) might be able to direct you to a top hip reconstruction surgeon in the greater Seattle area. She manages the BoneSmart referral database, and has very astute advice about choosing surgeons. You can tag her, if you want. At the top of this page, you’ll see a “surgeon locator” tab, where you can search the database yourself by zip code. I know 2 surgeons on that list, and they are both exceptional, so I believe it’s a reliable resource.

I appreciate how hard it is to live in pain and uncertainty. It’s worth a small delay to get this step absolutely right.

Edited to add: I have just done a search for “FAI” in the search box up at the top of the page. There are multiple threads, articles, and comments from posters with FAI, moderators and Josephine - all of whom have experience and information that will help you. A number of those posters had hip arthroscopy to address FAI, so you can read about those results and recoveries. It seems that arthroscopy doesn’t always prevent THR, however, so there are important considerations for you here.
 
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Hi there, :wave:
Hopefully having a better understanding in regard to your situation and clear direction in the path you're taking, relieves some anxiety. We know it's overwhelming and fully understand. We'll be here whenever you need us. We'll offer comfort and support, encouraging you throughout the waiting period and during the recovery process.

Here is some info you may find interesting -
http://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/femoro-acetabular-fia-or-cam-impingement.9804/
http://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/fia-a-review-of-diagnosis-and-management.35785/

Let us know when you have a date scheduled and it will be applied as your signature. Hopefully it won't be long now. Wishing you comfort as you prepare and await your surgery.
I hope you have a pleasant weekend! :SUNsmile:
@Skywalker
 
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wow-wee! That's a big surgery, indeed! It's good that you really felt comfortable with Dr. Gregush, that is so important. I'm still confused as to why he wouldn't just advise the THR? Did he say why? Especially if you need to wait another 6-8 weeks and do PT? Ok, I re-read your post and he said this will last longer than a hip replacement, if you go this route I'd love to have you to continue to update us.. it's all very hopeful!
I was diagnosed with FAI in the right hip. My arthritis wasn't as "bad" as the first hip was but like you, my labrum was shredded.
I guess we got in the wrong line when they were giving out hips!
 
I am also in Washington state. You might talk to Dr. cara Beth Lee at Swedish she is a hip preservation specialist. I tried to get in with her but my arthritis was to bad and she turned me down. I also have FAI and a labral tear. I am now working to get my hips replaced in Arizona.
 

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