THR Metal, illiopsoas, or both?? My story

[Poppet]

Just popped by to continually wish you well Mark

 

[MarkC]

why thank you very much.

Hey Jo, I have 2 images from an arthrogram (I think that is what it is called) that are very small in size, I can send themn or post them here if I can figure out how to do it.

I looked at the MRI images of my THR and I can't tell squat from them...I suppose you must know what you are doing to read those things (duh).

 

[MarkC]

OK, here is attempt to post an image of front pelvis...taken just before we did MRI, aspiration etc...

 

[alexthecat]

Hi, Mark!

I'm just posting to wish you well and also to tag Jo so she'll see your x-rays as soon as she is back on line.

@Josephine:

 

[MarkC]

thanks... I just got an opinion from another Dr. that says he does not know for sure without seeing the MRI but thinks I would be a good candidate for the FAI scope. I am sooooooo tempted to go for it. I would not mind releasing the iliopsoas on the right and getting the FAI on the left at same time if they would do it. The release should not take any more than 30 minutes...
Looking at it, I would think it should not hurt me like it does...good space, etc..but, maybe the thrn labrums are starting to bother me now...who knows..but it is not feeling good and has gotten worse.

 

[Josephine]

Mark, I removed the pics of your left hip as that's not what I am looking at yet. And yes they were a little on the large side! :th_heehee: As you can see, I reduced the two of the THR.

I'm just working on a reply so give me a few mins more

 

[MarkC]

hey, I ned that ball trick...these pics are x-rated (could not resist). I tried to do that with photo bucket but could not figure out how. Let me know how to do that (ha ha ha)...it is s must. Also don't know how you made them smaller...that would be nice too.

 

[MarkC]

Well, I had the tendon release scope last Tuesday the 26th. It has been a week. I have to commendm the folks at Duke. I had general anesthesia and had absolutely no trouble with nausea or pain. They are top notch. Dr. Mather released the tendon where it attatches and did not get a look at the hip joint at all. He said that he stayed away from it due to risk of infection. The little pen holes are actually on my upper thigh. I am walking without a cane if I want to and I use it some. I thin this will stress that area on my lower right ab that I thought was a hernia but was not. Might get tricky. However, so far, easy recovery and I will continue to take it nice and slow. Go back to see Dr. in another week.

By the way, I am certainly happy about the ice machine...man this thing works like a charm. I also have a machine that passivley moves my hip through a range of motion to prevent scar tissue build up (where was this after my first scope??). Anyway, have not needed narcotics at all past the first day and taking very little pain meds. I am not proud, just have not needed them. I think the ice machine takes a lot of the pain away.

As far as my left hip goes, I had a great conversation with Dr. Mather about it. He believes that I have a great chance to benefit from FAI scope on left side. He did say there was some arthritis there now and that you never knew for sure how bad, but based on all the info we have now, he gave about an 80% chance that it would be successful and give me at least 5 years or more pain free once recovered. I told him that I was getting a 2nd opinion from Dr. Stubbs who is another OS in NC that does the same proceedure. He said that was great and that he was glad to do it when and if I decided to. They both learned from the Dr. who repaired the torn labrum in Alex Rodriguez's hip. His name is Marc J. Philippon, M.D. Anyway, I can make that decision later. Hope to continue progress and keeping fingers crossed that this will give my rt hip some good relief.

 

[dianemarie]

Congratulations, Mark! Certainly hope this works for you and that you get relief. You certainly have done your research and gone into it armed with great information.

And, hey, if they learned from A-Rod's Dr. they must be doing something right!

 

[Dee205]

Glad to hear the scope went well! Sounds like things are finally looking up for you. It sounds like you are on top of things and really did your homework (oh no, that's the teacher in me). To echo Diane, if they studied under the dr. who worked on A-rod, well, enough said!!! Hope things keep looking up for you!
Dee

 

[C Mac]

Hi Mark,

I hope that you are continuing to do well and finding the release to have been helpful. Nice that you got the ice machine for your hip! I wondered why we didn't get those in hospital for hips as my roommate, at TKR, had one and all I had was that little germy ice pack...

Take care,
Cardie

 

[Poppet]

Hey Mark, glad that the procedure went so well and that you are finding ice is your new friend.

 

[MarkC]

OK, can report after a month. The pain from the tendon is gone. I have some other pain still but I am going through some PT and I realized that I was doing some things wrong. Anyway, I went to see the great Dr. Stubbs yesterday for a 2nd opinion on my left hip scope. He does the proceedure and has been doing it longer than my OS at Duke. I know to always get at least two opinions now and they are really the only two guys in the State that are experts in this procedure. He st with me and listened to my entire sagga of rt hip trouble and gave me some very good advice I think. He also took time to show me the MRI and fresh x-rays of my left hip. I mean he went over them with me in GREAT detail. He probably spent over 45 minutes with me. He said "no way" to the scope. He said that there were to many signs of possible arthritis (grade 4) to his experienced eye and that he did not think he could give me any more time on it with the scope. He said that there was too much of a chance of me going thorugh a really difficult rehab only to find that it is no better but worse (just like happened with the right one). He said the next surgery I should do with that hip should be a replacement (or resurfacing depending on whether or not I wanted to do that). He knew all the Docs I had been to and commented very favorably about all of them. Said he would take a new hip from any of them (he does scopes only). It has given me peace of mind about my left hip. When it goes, I will take care of that and have an idea of the OS that I want to do it. He said that if he were me, he would give the rt hip 6 months to let things settle out from the tendon release, and then if I was still haveing pain, go back to my OS and tell them. He gave my left hip 2 years on the outside really (which is about what I figured). So, for now, I will move forward with no surgery in sight and see where we are in 6 months. I will have my ions tested before that though and of course if they are high, we will revise the hip.

 

[MarkC]

well, here we are over a year later. Rt. Hip has been better but still hurts with any real activity. I consulted with another OS (Dr. Clifford) who just shook his head and said that I had waited 3 years and that was long enough. He was very specific in talking about the pain I was having on the right hip. It is mostly groin pain (but some outer pain as well). It is hurting worse when I move ly leg inwards (as in getting out of a car). We are taking the metal on metal bearings out. He did a ct and I have not talked to him about the cup position, but we will at the very least, exchange the metal on metal bearings and he will address anything else that he finds. It has not been right from the start. I suspect that it never will be , but I will hope for "better". If we need to revise the entire cup, so be it. My left hip has finally started to go down the hill faster and I am going to replace that one at the same time. Longer surgery, yes, but I want to get this behind me. I look forward to one slow, hellacious rehab, with my eyes looking toward a time when I have no arthritis pain in my left hip and no worries about metal on metal issues. What a long disastrous trip it has been. I am very confident in this Surgeon as he is one of the ones that Dr. Alston Stubbs recommended.

I have surgery tomorrow morning at 1030am. Can't get here quick enough for me. Wish me luck and say a prayer for me. If you don't believe in God, then say one anyway, it's for me.

 

[C Mac]

Good luck tomorrow MarkC I hope that your surgery goes smoothly and that you have a really good nap while the OS is taking care of both your hips. I do hope that the recovery and rehab are not hellacious but manageable. Please do keep us posted!

Healing thoughts and prayers to you,
Cardie

 

[Kim22]

Hi MarkC I have just read through your entire thread and boy have you been through it.I just want to wish you all the luck in the world for tomorrow and to let you know that you will be in my thoughts and my prayers.It will be tough going through even more surgery but well worth it to you and your family when you get your life back.

 

[sharonslp]

Mark, I'll be rooting for you tomorrow, and for the foreseeable recovery period. Many of our folks are doing bilateral surgeries these days, and the first few weeks can be rugged, but it's ONE surgery, ONE recovery. Now you are taking positive action and it should be all forward motion. TWO healthy hips ahead....keep that goal in sight.

Sharon

 

[Poppet]

Good luck for tomorrow Mark, you certainly have my prayers.

I am sure it will be a positive boost to know that the uncertainty of the past year has now come to a strategy for your future. I will be looking forward to reading your first post surgery update.. Good luck!

 

[Dee205]

Mark,
Good luck! You are in my prayers and hopefully things will be getting better soon. You know the drill...Rest, Ice.....
Keep us updated when you can!

 

[Z15]

Good luck Mark. I hope the metal removal and a little time is the entire answer.

We all look forward to great news post-surgery and the weeks and months that follow.

Z