Debating hip replacement

I had a THR in January. Unfortunately i developed anemia with the surgery, which delayed my recovery. I was off the prescription pain med within 2 weeks after surgery with an occasional one at night. I was driving 3 weeks post op. I went to PT twice a week for almost 3 months. I was able to go back to the gym around 2 1/2 months post op. At 7 months post op i don’t have any pain and am still working on getting back to my previous level of exercise. I am glad i had the surgery, but i did not have the quick recovery that others did.

Here is the bad experience I mentioned. Upon leaving the hospital, I received one week of pain meds. So after one week, I had to call my Orthopod for refills. I only received a refill on one (tramadol 3×/day) I thought "well, that seems a bit rough, but, okay." A couple days later I felt like I had been run over by a truck! There was not one position that gave me relief or comfort, and the Tramadol had NO effect. I LITERALLY did not sleep for 2 nights. Although I had my 2 week post Op follow up appointment on Tuesday, I could not endure this one more day, so I called my Orthopod Monday. They said they indeed DID order both pain meds. The pharmacy, without notifying anyone rejected the Norco order because it was signed by a different person, (completely authorized to order and sign for this med) from my Orthopod's office. Unless these crazy rules have changed again, I call this Patient Abuse by a Pharmacist who doesn't know what they're doing, and is shaking in their boots!!! RIDICULOUS!!! It took me some time to get down to my semi-acceptable level of pain.😞

I just had my left & right hips replaced at the age of 55 & they were done 7 weeks apart. I was in so much pain before & couldn’t take walks or do any exercise. The hip replacements have made me happy & pain free! Now I’m walking 2 plus miles again! You will not regret it! Best decision I ever made! Good luck to you!

THR is generally a very successful procedure. It is not without risk and recovery varies from person to person. The younger, healthier, and more active you are preoperatively, the better recovery is likely to go. The pain/disability before surgery should be significant enough that you are willing to endure the discomfort of recovery. Don’t wait so long that your age, health, or fitness level make the recovery more difficult or risky, however. While deciding, work on optimizing your health, fitness, and weight so that you are in the best position to benefit from the procedure, reduce risks, and ensure the easiest recovery possible.

Some times bad things just happen. But...we can minimize that if we research. There are two things I would look for: how many hip replacements has she done and what kind of bad events had occurred (If the surgeon said none I would look elsewhere; as I said above sometimes stuff happens no matter how good the surgeon is). The second thing is the method. There are currently three principal methods -- posterior, anterior and superpath. The research I have seen suggests that the ultimate outcomes are similar but the pain is less as you go from posterior to anterior and then to superpath. I went for superpath but I was fortunate that the lead inventor was here and it was incredibly successful. He threw away the hospital instructions on what to do after a hip replacement and said he had only two instructions: be a couch potato for five weeks and take my medicine. He added that the one thing he couldn't do was make bones grow...hence the five weeks of relative inaction. With his permission, I also didn't take the medicine as I had no pain.

But...and this is a big but, he obviously was incredibly skilled at the operation. I was at my rheumatologist what is the top rated expert in his field in the city and his wife called while I was there and she was going to have the same surgeon do her hip the next day.

While I would choose the methodology in this order: superpath to anterior to posterior, I would put the experience and skill of the surgeon first. I would prefer the surgeon who has done hundreds of anterior replacements to one using superpath who is on his tenth even if his first nine were super successful. I want at least some muscle memory.

More important, IMO, than the age of the patient is the level of pain. My unscientific fear is that the longer the patient waits and his nerves continue to be irritated, the harder the recovery will be. I was in my mid seventies when I had mine done.

I was just 80…..had first hip replaced 25 years ago….the other 3 years later….Had I known that recovery was not hard….would have had first one done a few years earlier. Especially since I was on feet a lot at work and am allergic to all NSAIDS. I was warned eventually would need other hip done. So after folk dancing for 90 minutes….the familiar pain began in other hip. Did not bother with PT or steroid injections….got the replacement. Doing it earlier made recovery very very easy compared to first time.
I went to the best Orthopod….sadly he retired 3 years ago….I asked him how long before I would need new replacements, he said “ as long as you don’t jog or fall…you will be fine”
I said back.. “my mother lived to 101” he made no comment and was wearing a mask so I could not read his expression.
Go for it now…..if you wait too long you may develop other health issues that might preclude the surgery.

Try chiropractor first to see if you need an alignment

Xrays to get baseline? And excellent Physical Therapist

I have had both hips replaced. Had one done at 60. No problems. Just remember to do PT and exercises.
Had second hip done at 64. Got infection, and took 3 years to get it right, BUT I still recommend that people get it done. The acute pain is something you shouldn’t have to live with. I did a lot of walking in a pool to get strength and balance back. Good luck.

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