THR New right hip for DIYSteve

[cold_brew]

I'm looking forward to the start of ski season in November or December

Ooh skiing I am jealous! I hope I can get back to the snow (maybe not this year but next) but I have been trying not to think about it too much and get my hopes up

 

[DIYSteve]

I'm looking forward to the start of ski season in November or December

Ooh skiing I am jealous! I hope I can get back to the snow (maybe not this year but next) but I have been trying not to think about it too much and get my hopes up

I had left knee TKR w/patella button on July 10, 2018, and skied 100 days the following ski season (40% lift-served, 40% touring, 20% XC). I was very careful the first 10 or so days, sticking to groomers or easy XC tracks, then gradually worked to steeper terrain and more difficult snow and longer tours. It was 7 months post-op before I felt confident to ski anything I would have skied 5 years earlier. By the end of the season (June touring and a couple moderate ski mountaineering trips), I was skiing better than ever.

Good luck with your recovery. Maybe I'll see you on the snow someday.

 

[greeneyedjan]

Hi DIY Steve,

Im greeneyedjan, a new member here. I am ready to bite the bullet and have my hip replaced probably this coming spring. One of my many worries is that I wont be able to go skiing again, which is a huge part of my life. I also love to walk, lift weight, ride bikes and have recently taken up golf.
I wanted to chat specifically with a skier, to find out how your expereinces have been and hopefully ease some of my fears now that I have decided to go ahead with the surgery. Id love to hear more from you.

Thanks!

 

[DIYSteve]

Hi DIY Steve,

Im greeneyedjan, a new member here. I am ready to bite the bullet and have my hip replaced probably this coming spring. One of my many worries is that I wont be able to go skiing again, which is a huge part of my life. I also love to walk, lift weight, ride bikes and have recently taken up golf.
I wanted to chat specifically with a skier, to find out how your expereinces have been and hopefully ease some of my fears now that I have decided to go ahead with the surgery. Id love to hear more from you.

Thanks!

PM sent. I look forward to chatting.

 

[DIYSteve]

Has anyone had HR surgery recovery issues linked to taking statins? For years I've been taking a daily dose of 40mg atorvastatin, although I typically skip dosing the day before a big athletic day (e.g., hiking, skiing) and do not take it at all during multi-day mountain travel trips.

The arc of my HR recovery has been generally good, although I've had several episodes of painful muscle strain (iliopsoas and quad), two of which were disabling for a few days. My ARNP wife and MD bud suggested I go on a "stain holiday" for ten days, then switch to a lower dose of rosuvastatin. Both of them have done the same for patients who report muscle strain or muscle weaknesses while taking statins (other than rosuvastatin) with successful results. I plan to get blood work done in a few weeks to assess the effectiveness of the rosuvastatin.

So far, the recommended plan seems to have been working. Since c. 5 days after starting the statin holiday, I have experienced no muscle strain. I've been on 5mg of rosuvastatin for two weeks and still no muscle strain. FTR, I'm 6-1/2 months post-op, hike up to 6 miles/2,500' verts three or four times a week and optimistic that I'm on track for a full ski season. (90-100 days of skiing -- mix of downhill, touring and XC -- is an average full season for me).

I'd be interested in hearing of others' experiences with statins and HR surgery recovery.

 

[Jaycey]

@DIYSteve As a fellow cardiac patient who is also on 40mg of Atorvastatin daily, I strongly recommend you get advice from your cardiologist or family doctor before switching any heart medication.

Just FYI - I do take 200mg COQ10 daily to combat any muscle aches. That works for me but again - please check with your doctors as they are the only people who know your medical history.

 

[DIYSteve]

@DIYSteve As a fellow cardiac patient who is also on 40mg of Atorvastatin daily, I strongly recommend you get advice from your cardiologist or family doctor before switching any heart medication.

Just FYI - I do take 200mg COQ10 daily to combat any muscle aches. That works for me but again - please check with your doctors as they are the only people who know your medical history.

Thanks for the suggestion. My ARNP wife and my MD bud -- both of whom are internal medicine GPs -- are fully informed re my medical history. Also, I ran it by my recently retired GP (of 6 years), an MD who also endorsed the plan. I have an appointment to see my new GP in two weeks, and I'll follow up with blood work and possibly a visit to a cardiologist if my new GP suggests doing so.

ETA: On the advice of my (former, recently retired) GP, I've been taking coQ 10 and vitamin D for several years to counter adverse statin effects.

 

[DIYSteve]

We got some early snow, allowing us to do some XC skiing and skin laps on AT gear. I now have 4 ski days on my new right hip (366 ski days on my 2018 left knee) and my hip and legs are doing fine. I've been walking 4 to 6 flat miles every other day, between ski days or days of hiking with 1,000' verts (usually closer to 2,000' verts, sometimes more).

Before I set out on ski day #1, my OS did a pre-ski season exam, clearing me to ski, so long as I ski carefully. He advised against skiing icy moguls and to avoid situations which could increase risk of dislocation, e.g., stuffing a tip, falling in a tree well, hooking a buried tree.

Update re statins: My new GP MD confirmed my new statin routine, which has correlated with ending of muscle strains. I'll get blood work done in a few weeks to assess the effectiveness of the new statin.

TLDR: HR surgery recovery is on track and I'm looking forward to a full ski season. More snow please!

Vibes to all my fellow joint replacement surgery patients