Total hip replacement..oh boy!!!! Update!!!

[guzzi4me]

Attackpug...
Check your PM....

Jeff

[Yukonica]

Excellent news! Congratulations.
If you are setting distance targets like Iron Butt then Yukon/Alaska is about as far away as you are going to get.
I'll provide the beer and bison when you get here.

[SIR REAL ED]

As it now stands, I am scheduled for a right hip replacement on 11/19/2019.

I am looking forward to it.  Everyone I know who has gone thru it says it is much less trauma than they expected.  Most say they wish they had done it sooner.

[larrys]

My mom had a knee and a hip replaced in her 70's, the other knee in her 80's, and the other hip at 91. Heart valve replaced at 90. Was still walking a half mile every day at 100. She passed in February at age 102. Hell of a long ride...
Larry

[SIR REAL ED]

Got my right hip replaced today.  Piece of cake so far.

Arrived at 6:30, went in for prep at 6:45, went in to surgery at 7:30, at 9:05 the surgeon came out and told me wife everything went great, I woke up at 10:30, arrived back home at 11:30.  So far virtually no pain at all, but my right thigh feels like I did a bit too much physical labor.

Anyone who gets this done, spend the $140 for the polar cube!  Otherwise as a buddy says "That's why stupid is supposed to hurt!"

[oldbike54]

 

 Dusty

[Muzz]

Good to hear.  Never looked back since I had my RH one done.

[Lannis]

Got my right hip replaced today.  Piece of cake so far.

Arrived at 6:30, went in for prep at 6:45, went in to surgery at 7:30, at 9:05 the surgeon came out and told me wife everything went great, I woke up at 10:30, arrived back home at 11:30.  So far virtually no pain at all, but my right thigh feels like I did a bit too much physical labor.

Anyone who gets this done, spend the $140 for the polar cube!  Otherwise as a buddy says "That's why stupid is supposed to hurt!"

I don't know what a polar cube is, but I hope it's worth it!   

Amazing what they can do with joint replacement surgery these days; used to be you'd be in the hospital for days. 

You were out riding Saturday; how long before you'll be back riding again?

Lannis

[greer]

Good to hear from you, Ed. 

Sarah

[LowRyter]

I wish you a quick recovery.

I understand the Alabama Football team needs a new Quarterback, you might be ready.  (all in jest, wishing TT a recovery too)

Hope you're on the road soon and best wishes.  Glad you're back home.

[SIR REAL ED]

I don't know what a polar cube is, but I hope it's worth it!   

Amazing what they can do with joint replacement surgery these days; used to be you'd be in the hospital for days. 

You were out riding Saturday; how long before you'll be back riding again?

Lannis

https://mycoldtherapy.com/collections/breg-cube?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsc_rkZL55QIVj5OzCh3gAgmzEAAYAiAAEgJ_GPD_BwE

If they made a whole body suit, you could fill it with hot water and use it under your riding gear.....

Not sure about recovery time.  First follow up appointment in 2 weeks.  General rule of thumb is 6 weeks to get back to 100%.  Not sure if that includes replacing muscle strength lost due to atrophy.

Some say I'm a slow learner...... not sure if that will be a factor.

[Lannis]

https://mycoldtherapy.com/collections/breg-cube?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsc_rkZL55QIVj5OzCh3gAgmzEAAYAiAAEgJ_GPD_BwE

I read the instructions, got to "danger of full thickness skin necrosis", looked at what a hassle it looked like, and decided that pain and discomfort would have to make a REAL case for me to actually use one of those.

I'm a slow learner too, I'm afraid!

Lannis

[frozengoose]

I read the instructions, got to "danger of full thickness skin necrosis", looked at what a hassle it looked like, and decided that pain and discomfort would have to make a REAL case for me to actually use one of those.

I'm a slow learner too, I'm afraid!

Lannis

They gave me the "cube" at the hospital when I had my knee replaced; apparently it was covered by the insurance cause I never saw a bill. It worked fine, but I think you can get the same results with an ice pack. The "necrosis" they discuss would probably be from leaving it on one spot too long and causing frost bite/hypothermia. I never had any issues, used it for 30-40 min. at a time for the first week or two. It helps.

[SIR REAL ED]

I read the instructions, got to "danger of full thickness skin necrosis", looked at what a hassle it looked like, and decided that pain and discomfort would have to make a REAL case for me to actually use one of those.

I'm a slow learner too, I'm afraid!

Lannis

I saw that part.  Always good to read the instructions.  That part struck me as lawyer speak.

So far pain is minimal, but I think I'm still 36 hours away from the operating pain killers wearing off. 

Polar cube says to not put the cooling pad against bare skin, and from science class I know that ice water is at least as warm as 33 degrees F.  To me, the outside of the pad feels about 45 degrees.  More than once I thought it should be colder.  I know gel packs put in the refrigerator (greater than 32 degrees or your milk freezes) are recommended more than bags of frozen peas, exactly for the reason you state.  Never had any problem with the gel packs, other than they don't stay cold long enough. Other instructions from OrthoVirginia say to only use it for 10-15 each hour.

Growing up in the great white north (Monroe County, NY) seems like half the year up there is less than 45 degrees, I remember what frostbite feels like.  You are in absolutely miserable pain for quite a while before your skin even turns white.  Don't want to do that again.  Unless someone has nerve damage on that part of their body, and they have no feeling there, I think the chance of any tissue damage from cold sneaking up on them is next to impossible.

I'd like to think I learned something from my previous frostbite experience.  Next few weeks will determine whether I have or not!!!  If I haven't, I'll be really disappointed in you if the next time we meet you don't say "Hey dummy, didn't I tell you not to....."  Us slow learner gotta look out for each other....

But then again, you Virginians are afraid of snow too....    up north, we're afraid of sunshine....   

[Lannis]

I saw that part.  Always good to read the instructions.  That part struck me as lawyer speak.

So far pain is minimal, but I think I'm still 36 hours away from the operating pain killers wearing off. 

Polar cube says to not put the cooling pad against bare skin, and from science class I know that ice water is at least as warm as 33 degrees F..... 

Well, whatever the doc says.   They've got this whole process refined down to an art now.   My Mom's gall bladder got out of whack and her blood chemistry was weird, so they had to take out her gall bladder.   They do a little incision, and go in there and take it out a bit at a time, and tape you back up and done.

Used to be, they'd make a huge incision like cutting open a watermelon, and you were in the hospital for a week, and laying about the house for a month trying to keep your insides in.  My Mom kept asking me "Now tell me again what they did?   They took out my GALL BLADDER?   I never even felt anything .... "

Lannis

[Sasquatch Jim]

 All you hipsters sure have a lot of ways to deal with the  problem.

[SIR REAL ED]

Well, whatever the doc says.   They've got this whole process refined down to an art now.   My Mom's gall bladder got out of whack and her blood chemistry was weird, so they had to take out her gall bladder.   They do a little incision, and go in there and take it out a bit at a time, and tape you back up and done.

Used to be, they'd make a huge incision like cutting open a watermelon, and you were in the hospital for a week, and laying about the house for a month trying to keep your insides in.  My Mom kept asking me "Now tell me again what they did?   They took out my GALL BLADDER?   I never even felt anything .... "

Lannis

Amazing time to be alive and need medical care.  Amen.  that's the way I'm proceeding. 

You inspired me to do some more thinking.  One one hand there's the bag of frozen peas that was pulled out of the 10 degree freezer having it against your skin for more than 15 seconds or so is painful.  Now the challenge is how much insulation to put between the peas and your skin. 

On the other hand I can control the temperature of the polar cube pad from 33 degrees to water heater temperature simply by varying the ice/water mixture.  Anytime I think it is getting too cold, I just pull the wire that stops the pump and the pad slowly warms up to body temperature.  When the pain starts up again, I plug the wire back in.  I'm gonna buy a thermometer and drill a hole in the top of the cube so I can check fluid temperature without pulling the cover off.

So far it's a no brainer for me.   I know.... famous last words......

[Lannis]

All you hipsters sure have a lot of ways to deal with the  problem.

Hipsters.   I just now got that.   Slow this morning ....

[SIR REAL ED]

2 weeks and 4 days after surgery, other than the occasional reminder that some of the muscle in my right thigh got stretched a bit too much somehow, I would have no idea that my hip has been replaced.

I never took any of the pain meds after surgery day, and I'm being a bit conservative doing anything, simply because the rule of thumb is "DON'T let pain be your guide!"  As the Doctor said, "Let mild discomfort be your guide!  Don't push it too far too fast!"

At the two week checkup the surgeon said everything looks great and he was pleased with my range of motion.  I asked "What percent of full, normal, structural strength do I have right now?"  The reply "100%!  But your muscle are used to several years of compensating for the bad hip geometry, so they are susceptible to injury for a while."

Even on the day of surgery it was obvious that the stability of my right hip was better.

too cool.

[greer]

Good, good.  Thanks for the update.

Sarah

[SIR REAL ED]

Gearman,

here is the older thread.

[Philnewbike]

Best of luck. Out of curiosity do you know what the make and model of the hip replacement is?

basically others have covered everything, but exercises based on physio advice is important, especially to build muscle stability that will reduce risk of dislocating hip in extremes of range of motion.

 

[ohiorider]

No first hand experience.  Best wishes on a speedy recovery.   

Bob

[SIR REAL ED]

Best of luck. Out of curiosity do you know what the make and model of the hip replacement is?

basically others have covered everything, but exercises based on physio advice is important, especially to build muscle stability that will reduce risk of dislocating hip in extremes of range of motion.

 

If you are asking me, I do not know make and model of the installed parts.

Surgeon said according to lab tests, it should last 600 years.  No typo.  In reality the expectation is 15-20 years with many lasting much longer.  Update is simply replace the cup (Nylon type material?) which the surgeon says is mine compared to replacing the whole hip.

So far, everything is great!