Kaiser Patients---working the system a bit?

[ShellBell727]

When they do call to schedule you, you can always say you need another month. You won't get bumped off the list. But thats a long time from now. A lot of people's hips go bad quickly, I know that really happened to me the last several months. By the time June or July comes you might be begging for the soonest possible surgery. I'm sure you dont want to, but you might even end up having to modify the family vacation you have planned. If your family knows the pain you're dealing with, they should understand! My family couldn't go camping, hiking, and our other normal things this past summer because my hip got so bad I could barely walk with a cane, and only a block or two before I collapsed. We had to modify and do other fun things that we could do all together.

Keep in mind, the longer you limp the longer it will take your body to recover. Your muscles get used to your crooked gait that's used to compensate for your bad hip. They will take time to train not to limp. And you're supposed to use an assisive device (walker, then cane) after surgery until you can walk without a limp. Do some reading about "Trendelenburg gait."

 

[kymammovanner]

Just wondering...is the wait that long for all joint replacement surgeries, or just hips? I'm having my second TKR in two weeks, and went from having enough pain in my knees in August to be considering new joints, to having a hard time getting through a day's work by the end of the year. (My supervisor told me "It's a good thing you're getting new knees, because when you walk, you look horrible!" Gee, thanks, boss!) I chose to put my surgeries off for 4-5 months due to the type of work I do (busy versus slow time of year) but a 6 to 8 month wait would have probably put me over the edge. Sorry you have to wait so long when you are in pain!

 

[M1ke]

I think it has more to do with what hospital your working with. My belief is kaiser provides excellent care for stuff like this but the wait can be lengthy.

 

[M1ke]

When they do call to schedule you, you can always say you need another month. You won't get bumped off the list. But thats a long time from now. A lot of people's hips go bad quickly, I know that really happened to me the last several months. By the time June or July comes you might be begging for the soonest possible surgery. I'm sure you dont want to, but you might even end up having to modify the family vacation you have planned. If your family knows the pain you're dealing with, they should understand! My family couldn't go camping, hiking, and our other normal things this past summer because my hip got so bad I could barely walk with a cane, and only a block or two before I collapsed. We had to modify and do other fun things that we could do all together.

Keep in mind, the longer you limp the longer it will take your body to recover. Your muscles get used to your crooked gait that's used to compensate for your bad hip. They will take time to train not to limp. And you're supposed to use an assisive device (walker, then cane) after surgery until you can walk without a limp. Do some reading about "Trendelenburg gait."

This is why I joined this forum. Thanks shellbell that sounds like excellent info. I'm going to play it by ear and try to come to grips with the fact that I might be begging to get it done. I know things were really bad in December.

I have limped since 2006 some days worse than others but after the cortisone shot it was easy to loose the limp. I don't think my gate is perfect seems like I'm flinging my left foot out but it is much improved. So yeah I'll take this advice to heart. Thanks!