Looking for a total hip replacement surgeon in Atlanta that will do surgery on BMI over 40

[Brich]

I am 53 5 foot 11 and 340 pounds with a BMI of 47. My hip has been bone on bone for three years and I have now been turned down by three surgeons in the Atlanta area over the last two years it’s pretty hard to lose weight, when you can’t stand for more than 20 minutes, I’m desperate to find a good surgeon that can fix my hip. I have no other health issues that are holding me back other than the BMI. Has anyone had their hip replaced in or around Atlanta with a higher BMI Than 40 my muscle mass is much higher than most guys my age which accounts for some of the extra weight. I have gained 50 pounds of this weight since my hip started bothering me about 3 1/2 years ago. I have insurance that will pay for it here but I’m about ready to fly to Singapore and pay the 40,000 to get it done there.

 

[Jaycey]

@Brich Welcome to BoneSmart! I am in the UK so can't personally recommend anyone for you.

We do have a list of recommended surgeons in the US, but none of the entries in the Atlanta area indicate they work with patients with high BMI.

I'm going to tag my colleague @Jamie to see if she has any suggestions.

 

[Brich]

Ok thank you

 

[Eman85]

I wouldn't limit myself to Atlanta and Singapore, I'd look at the rest of the US first.

 

[benne68]

Welcome to BoneSmart, @Brich. Have you looked into Hospital for Special Surgery? HSS is consistently ranked #1 for orthopedic surgery, and with its size and decades-long track record, I suspect has plenty of experience with high BMI patients.

HSS has a location in West Palm Beach Florida. If you are willing to travel, that's a lot closer than Singapore.

 

[Jamie]

@Brich .... let's see if we can keep you in the USA, okay? You'll have a better chance for success that way. Below are some surgeons we've discovered who are willing to work with high BMI patients. Unfortunately, as you've discovered, most surgeons do not do this. But there are some angels among us, so hopefully you can find one or two doctors within this listing to consult with. Please let us know how things go.

Orthopedic Surgeons for Hig BMI Patients
Washington DC

Bethesda
Dr. Sridhar M. Durbhakula
Hip and knee primary and complex revision (recommended by Mark)
Works with high BMI patients also


Chattanooga, Tennessee
Dr. Kristopher Case Sanders, MD
Anterior/posterior hips, works with high BMI patients
Erlanger Orthopaedics
979 E 3rd St,, Suite C-430
Chattanooga, TN 37403
423-778-4900


Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland Clinic
Primary and revision hips and knees
Dr. Bernie Stulberg(Cleveland Clinic) - works with high BMI patients
Dr. Ken Greene(Medina/Cleveland Clinic) - works with high BMI patients


Durham, North Carolina
Dr. Ralph Liebelt (now retired)
120 William Penn Plaza
Independence Park
Durham, NC 27704
Phone: 877-959-2856
Works with high BMI patients. Recommended by Mark (via Daniel Hill; Area Director, NC, Joint Replacement; (919) 632-6352 Call to see if other doctors in practice will accept high BMI patients.


Richmond, Indiana (on the border with Ohio)
Works with high BMI patients.
Mario Lee, M.D.
Reid Health
1400 Highland Rd, Richmond, IN 47374
(765) 935-8905
Reid Hospital Orthopedics

 

[Brich]

Thank you so much for your help Jamie. Chattanooga is really close to us. I’ll reach out and see if I can schedule a appointment.

 

[Jaycey]

@Brich Please keep us updated!

 

[celynda]

Thank you so much for your help Jamie. Chattanooga is really close to us. I’ll reach out and see if I can schedule a appointment.

Good luck in Chattanooga. If not, I highly recommend the Hospital for Special Surgery in wither Ft Lauderdale or NYC. I have a high BMI as well and sent my records to HSS and their conference reviewed them and selected an OS for me who was fine with my BMI. Another option is checking with your PCP about Wegovy. I decided to try and lose as much weight as possible before surgery. I started Wegovy in late Feb and have lost 7% (~20 pounds) so far. My surgery is next week (in NYC) so I didn’t make a much of a dent in the BMI but I know it will help in the short and long term.

Like you, I’m not able to exercise but it doesn’t matter with Wegovy. The weight still comes off and the side effects are manageable. It is expensive but there the vendor has a savings card which cuts the price to $25.

Good Luck,

Christa

 

[Brich]

Thanks Christa, I actually started with Wegovy five weeks ago, so haven’t made much headway yet, but I plan too. It took at least six months before there was enough stock available where they would approve me. I did the research and knew that was the only drug that I wanted to try. So I had to wait until it was available. I’ve actually lost 40 pounds on my own before I started, but couldn’t lose any more. Not be in the able to work out like I used to just putting me in a stagnant place. I am hoping the Wegovy will help me lose more before the surgery.

 

[celynda]

@Brich, good luck with the Wegovy. As part of my pre-Op appointments at HSS, I met with an endocrinologist who suggested not automatically using the Wegovy dose every month. Instead I’m staying at .5 dose until I plateau and then will go up to the 3rd dose. According to her, if you automatically adjust the dosage, you get to the maximum too fast. It’s better to stretch it out. I’ve been on this dosage for almost two months and and still slowly losing weight.

My surgery is on Wednesday (5/24) so I took my last dose on Friday. I won’t take another dose until I get home after rehab. I’m very happy with my progress so far. The biggest issue has been constipation which I manage with Miralax and a stool softener.

Good Luck!

 

[Zorro]

Good luck to you. I am glad that you reached out to BS and that you are determined to find relief. Three years of bone on bone is way too long to endure. God bless you.

 

[Lupyhippie]

Good luck. I was going to suggest Ozempic. It can take awhile for it to start to week. Don’t give up if side effects like nausea and heartburn come. Get on Reddit and look at all the work arounds. If you can stick to it then that plus the surgery, you will be a new man. Good luck.