THR Left Hip Replacement - August 12

ken325i

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Hi! I am scheduled for a THR August 12 at Baptist Hospital East in Memphis TN. My OS will be doing an anterior surgery.

My left hip went down very fast! I had retired April 1 and began playing golf 3-4 times per week. Previously, I had worked out at the gym for the last 12 years - circuit weights and cardio (elliptical), so I am in pretty good shape. Early May I started having groin pain, as if I had torn something. I kept playing golf, and after each outing, the pain was worse. By May 10, I could hardly walk, and limped with (primarily) the groin pain. I visited my OS and he gave me a hip joint steroid shot, including a local pain reliever. My groin pain immediately went away. But, over the next 2 weeks, the pain moved from my groin to my hip and upper thigh and then came back to my groin. After a follow up visit with my OS, approx June 10, he recommended the THR. He offered out patient surgery, but I declined, a little weak knee'd for that!

Through mid May to now, needless to say, I have been climbing the walls -- hip pain, groin pain, limping. etc. I have extremely limited physical activity in trying to minimize the pain. I ice 4-5 times per day, which helps. But any hip movement. particularly weight bearing, triggers really bad pain.

August 12 can't get here fast enough!!

Thanks!
Ken
 
Hello @ken325i and welcome to the forum! I'm sorry you are struggling so. You just related a story that is so very similar and familiar to many of us..that groin pain is a special little pain, isn't it?

I'd like to leave you some reading material to help you plan and prepare for your upcoming THR..
I hope you find it helpful.


***
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:

***
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:

***
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:


 
I wanted to add, it's overwhelming when a hip "goes bad" and they do seem to deteriorate quickly..
It's good that you are icing several times a day, I opted for that approach also and it helped a lot. There are other members that seem to get more comfort from using heat.

I hope you can find ways to be comfortable and come on August 12!
 
I wanted to add, it's overwhelming when a hip "goes bad" and they do seem to deteriorate quickly..
It's good that you are icing several times a day, I opted for that approach also and it helped a lot. There are other members that seem to get more comfort from using heat.

I hope you can find ways to be comfortable and come on August 12!
@CricketHip -- thank you so much for you kind words! The biggest problem I am now having the coming from the COVID diet to, now, only setting and watching TV -- I guess this might be the HIPPY diet!

On a personal note - I see you are from PA. I lived in Lancaster PA for 25 years and moved to TN a couple of years ago. Would you be close to Lancaster?

Again, thanks for your comments and article references! I a very impressed with the Bonesmart website and forum!
 
You are most welcome! I hope you can find solace, plus good ideas to help cope while waiting.
I spent long days sitting on our front porch with the required ice pack, reading the forums. I was so prepared by the time my surgery day rolled around! :snork:

We live East of Lancaster but drive there often, just to enjoy the countryside.. I was raised on a farm and then lived on another farm during my early adult years. My husband knows that I still need to see farmland and when we go, my anxiety and stress just slips away.
I love TN!! We did some trail (horse) riding there.. plus we also attended the Loretta Lynn Trail ride each fall... such a pretty state!
 
The hip pain and groin pain really put a damper on our lives in retirement. The good news is that once surgery is done it goes away - at least it did for me immediately. I am glad that the ice is helping. I iced after surgery but before heat seemed to help my leg if not the hip and my back which started hurting from my limping around and the hip pain. I do not know if you have used a cane while waiting but it does help a little bit to take the pressure off. Use the cane in the opposite hand to your bad hip for most effect. Every little bit helps while waiting. I had a 6m wait this last time. As far as diet, eat healthy with lots of fruits and vegetable and lean protein and you will set yourself up for strong healing and not too much weight gain. I actually lost 39# while waiting for my surgery with diet only. I think it was just that it was something I could control when I could not control the pain or when my surgery would occur.

If you have questions after you read some of articles here, please ask anything. With all the members here someone has an idea or a suggestion to help.
 
The hip pain and groin pain really put a damper on our lives in retirement. The good news is that once surgery is done it goes away - at least it did for me immediately. I am glad that the ice is helping. I iced after surgery but before heat seemed to help my leg if not the hip and my back which started hurting from my limping around and the hip pain. I do not know if you have used a cane while waiting but it does help a little bit to take the pressure off. Use the cane in the opposite hand to your bad hip for most effect. Every little bit helps while waiting. I had a 6m wait this last time. As far as diet, eat healthy with lots of fruits and vegetable and lean protein and you will set yourself up for strong healing and not too much weight gain. I actually lost 39# while waiting for my surgery with diet only. I think it was just that it was something I could control when I could not control the pain or when my surgery would occur.

If you have questions after you read some of articles here, please ask anything. With all the members here someone has an idea or a suggestion to help.

@leejaa - Yes, I have started using a cane and it does relieve some of the ache/pain when I walk. I am also going to physical therapy. It seems my hip ligaments/tendons tighten up in correlation with the pain -- the more I push my hip (walking, etc.), the more pain I have, the tighter and weaker my hip becomes. The PT is helping to loosen these tight tendons/muscles, etc. PT is providing deep tissue massage, stretching, electric stimulation and (a few times) dry needle acupuncture. I believe the PT is helping me.
 
Anything to help get you there! I did my own informal PT following doctor and a kinesiologíst’s regimen. It won’t help with the actual hip but I think it kept me at least mobile a while longer. Towards my surgery date, not much helped and I could no longer do the movements. Swimming was all I had left. Good luck to you and I hope Aug 12 gets here fast for your sake!
 
Anything to help get you there! I did my own informal PT following doctor and a kinesiologíst’s regimen. It won’t help with the actual hip but I think it kept me at least mobile a while longer. Towards my surgery date, not much helped and I could no longer do the movements. Swimming was all I had left. Good luck to you and I hope Aug 12 gets here fast for your sake!

@Hip4life - Thanks! Fortunately, I do have a pool. And it does help!
Thanks for your encouragement!
 
Hey Ken,
Tomorrow is your big day. Hope you’ll join us on the healing side once surgery is behind you and you’re resting comfortably at home. See you there soon!
All the best. :)
@ken325i
 
Wishing you the best tomorrow, look forward to hearing from you in the healing , once you're up to it. :friends:
 
Best wishes for your surgery tomorrow and a smooth pain controlled recovery.
 
Thanks to all the Best Wishes!! Yes, tomorrow is the big day!! Been waiting for 3 months! Leaving home at 5 to be at the hospital at 6-6:15. Will be staying one night and returning the next day.

RE my pain over the last 3 months.....
Months 1-2 was excruciating! Pain when I moved, pain when I sat, and pain when I slept.
Month 3 eased somewhat. As long as I am still I have no pain, so, I have been sleeping a lot better. I attribute that to swimming, PT, and tramadol (as needed).
Regardless, I still have pain when moving and walking, and so, will proceed bright and early in the morning!!

Will be back to you once I return home!

Thanks
Ken
 
Blessings for an uneventful surgery with good pain control post op. Will be looking forward to your update from the healing side.
 
Wishing you well and sending healing mojo your way.
Bye bye hip pain.:happydance:
Will look for you on The Healing Side
 

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