one thing on the bikes…my pt said that sometimes the recumbant puts more strain on the joint.
i have issues with the seats on the upright bikes pushing on the back of the joint.
i actually had the most pain relief from putting on raucous music and running in place in chest deep water, and doing quad machines. for whatever reason, if i really work the quads the hips will shut up for at least a little…
Bikes
The recumbent does not hurt me to pedal, however my heels want to turn in and keep hitting the metal part the pedal is attached to. The regular upright bike hurts me when the pedal comes up…then I get screaming pain.
another idea
Hi Cfourhorses,
You might research (PRP) platelet rich plasma prolotherapy. It uses your own stem cells to regenerate your own damaged tissue. My dr is one of the great gurus (Mayo Friedlis) is using it for hips. I have done it for my back and it has been much less expensive than surgery and no down time.
Check his site for information
www,treatingpain.com
If you want to p.m. me, I can tell you more. I have written about it, so there is more info in my posts, too.
Don’t worry about location, he does referrals that are terrific.
Hi, Cfourhorses. Are you the person I know from About.com who I suggested should post here? Hope so as you have gotten lots of excellent feedback.
I guess I’m not the only person who thinks the “you’re too young for a replacement” line is a bunch of baloney. Hope you can find a doctor who is actually interested in fixing the problem as well as can be done before you’re so damaged that nothing can be done.
Rebecca
As just an FYI…Pam Goodrich had both of her hips replaced when she was 35 (like 15 years ago or something). A number of doctors tried to convince her to just get to the point she was in a wheelchair and wait till she was 50.
That’s mostly because revisions were so difficult. Now if you’re under 60 or so they do uncemented because if they HAVE to revise the femoral component later it’s easier.
Rebecca
Yes I am :winkgrin: Thank you for suggesting it! I ordered the book that was advised by someone on here too, Healing Hips.
Tollertwins: This all sounds so awful!! It is scary because I am the care taker in the house. The only driver, self employed and do not have the funds to carry me over an extended down time. I would have to sell my horses so I would not have the board to pay while I underwent a surgery & recovery like this. Then perhaps once healed I could get another horse. Nothing that makes me feel warm & fuzzy, life changing stuff 
Total bummer…
If you’re not bone-on-bone (which they would have called ‘severe’ in the x-ray), the radiologist who did my HA said that hes seen that keep people going for years…but you need to find somebody who will either sell it to you directly - or at least give you a scrip to get some. I think that they will do cortisone about every 4 or 5 months.
If it’s bone-on-bone, that is REALLY tough to manage.
My concern would be more that given the severity of the pain you’re in, there’s more damage than what is showing up on x-ray.
If it’s mostly synovitis and not something like a labral tear - the cortisone would likely help a lot…Does Celebrex help at all?
Pain
If it were not for riding & trying to ride a bike I would not have really realized I was in pain…I have a dull ache I thought was back muscular pain, but now I know it is the arthritis, nothing huge. I have made some adjustments at home like adding 6" to the toilet seat, with that I am not in pain. I certainly do not feel or hear anything grinding. Once my daughter graduates college and gets her masters she can take over her own horse expenses…that would be a huge help. My husband’s illness last year drained us considerably. He had a rare side effect to his chemo which has left him partially paralyzed and now he is dependent on me. He is back to work. I transport him or a co worker does when available. Have not even seen a Dr. yet, so I have not been on Celebrex for this. I see the Dr. Wed. eve. A pain management Dr., then the Orthopedist mid. Feb. I have started PT.
Just called the pain management Dr.'s office and he does not do PRP.
[QUOTE=Cfourhorses;4597394]
Wow, sounds wonderful! My primary Dr.'s nurse said I was a long way from a replacement because of my age and it is “mild”. I am sure I will have many questions. Thank you so much! Ride on!
Cfourhorses[/QUOTE]
That is a common thing said by docs not familiar with resurfacing. For a resurf, you can’t wait too long. The bone has to be ok but the cartilage can be worn off. The beauty of it is that you retain more bone, keep the femoral neck, and do not run a rod down your leg. If necessary it can be redone later on and worst case a total hip replacement (where they take off the femoral neck and run a shaft down the fermur) can be done later. The docs say wait because (a) they are not trained to do the new type resurfacing and (2)think you can only have a couple replacements in a lifetime. So they make you wait in pain till you’re 70 or something hoping the 2nd one will be at 85 then you are dead. I had my hip resurfaced at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore in 2005 by Dr. Mont and was riding 8 weeks later. It’s the best part of my body now. I was part of the FDA trial and several types are fully approved now. Join the SurfaceHippy group on Yahoo for lots of info and lists of doctors who do it.
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/surfacehippy/?yguid=131672876
[QUOTE=Cfourhorses;4611531]
Tollertwins: This all sounds so awful!! It is scary because I am the care taker in the house. The only driver, self employed and do not have the funds to carry me over an extended down time. I would have to sell my horses so I would not have the board to pay while I underwent a surgery & recovery like this. Then perhaps once healed I could get another horse. Nothing that makes me feel warm & fuzzy, life changing stuff :([/QUOTE]
Depending on where you live I bet a COTHer would board your horse a couple months. Where are you? And do remember to look longer term as hard as it is. You can’t get totally “lame.” These things do not get better. If the cartilage is really going a little glucosamine or hA will not fix it. Been there. Best to beg for help, bite the bullet, tell any relatives it on htem for while, and get it fixed.
Some people with insurance problems had it done in Belgium or India. Think 45k here, 8k Belgium, 5k India. In India you recuperate at a 5 star spa! Our medical system is another topic…
[QUOTE=Cfourhorses;4597431]
Interesting. I cannot see the orthopedist until mid Feb. The receptionist at his office said there is a “new” procedure call “scoping”…she did not know if I would be a candidate or not but said it is so new that the Dr.'s there do not do it but would refer me…Good luck with your replacement!!
Cfourhorses[/QUOTE]
That’s not new. You are talking to a real oldoe I think!
Originally Posted by Cfourhorses
Interesting. I cannot see the orthopedist until mid Feb. The receptionist at his office said there is a “new” procedure call “scoping”…she did not know if I would be a candidate or not but said it is so new that the Dr.'s there do not do it
It is not new. If they think it is: they are way behind the times which is a worry unto itself…
Now the minimally invasive techniques like resurfacing are “newer” (as in the past couple years…not yesterday). But as previously noted, you cannot be in very bad shape for them and still need to get there sooner than later for them as well.
I have similar issues to OP, I had arthroscopic surgery in October to shave the bone spur off my femoral neck, clean up the torn labrum (lining of the socket) and make more room in the joint. I was on crutches almost 3 weeks. 2 weeks, no weight bearing, DH had to take care of the horses. The third week I started bearing more weight, using the crutches to regain full range of motion. 12 weeks of PT, 2X a week, I was recently discharged. I am free to run and ride, as tolerated. I am a part time professional and fortunately don’t have many horses to ride right now, which is good because I just can’t. I also had some arthritis in the joint, but the hope is this surgery will prevent a future THR. The doc said I’m young enough (34) that the torn labrum should heal now that the spur isn’t constantly aggravating it. He also said it’ll be a year before I’m fully recovered. I recommend finding a GOOD sports med ortho who will recommend a GOOD surgeon (mine is the doc for an NFL team, formally the doc for an NBA team). You might find all you need is a scope, which is obviously less invasive which =quicker recovery time. Good luck!
CONFUSED TO THE MAX!
I read all your posts and appreciate your responses so much. Right now I am very confused. The local Dr. I see mid. Feb. does not do resurfacing and his office told me to call Rochester. I called Rochester and found a Dr. Drinkwater that does it, however if I see the local orthopedist in mid-Feb. Dr. Drinkwater will not see me for many more months as I would be considered seeking a 2nd opinion, if he sees me 1st I can get in 3/4. I do not know if I am even a candidate for resurfacing…and must cancel my local orthopedist to see Dr. Drinkwater and I may make the trip up to Rochester for nothing if I am not a candidate and then be back to square 1 or worse!!! 
It also seems no practice does all the methods I am looking into…I have yet to find a PRP Dr. within 100 miles of me. I guess what I am learning is that I must choose the treatment that I like the sounds of the most…then find a Dr. book an appointment with him/her and hope it all works out. I am over whelmed:cry:
HOLD ON ! ~ TAKE A BREATH
. I am over whelmed:cry:
[/quote]
Hold on ! Step back and take a breath - you will find the “right” doctor ~ you will get a good plan and you will get this taken care of in the manner in which it should be treated. Please network and find a talented ortho surgeon - go for consult and then see what the next step is for you. Everyone is different ~ doctor will advise on which method is best for your needs. This is a long process to find doctor ~ meds ~treatments and then surgery if necessary. I will even ask my orth surgeon who he recs in your area as he studied in NY - please slow your stress you can do this step by step. I go for my 5 yr check up on 2-23-10. Jingles for you .
Dr.'s
Thank you.
Just talked to Dr. Bishops office, (Local orthopedist), I see 2/15, and they said see him, do NOT cancel…if the resurfacing is what I need they will refer me and I should not be thrown to the back of the bus.
Cfourhorses
Jingles ~ for you during this worrisome time. You can do (this ? )whatever it is that needs to be done! Because you want to ride and enjoy horses with your family ! You WILL !
Yes
You have me pegged Zu Zu…I want to RIDE and enjoy the horses with my family…EXACTLY!
At 5:00 I see the pain management Dr. Be interesting to see what he says about this. I still wake up and cannot believe it. I have this condition that is keeping me from the 1 thing I want to do most…BUT there are millions of people far worse off than I…my poor husband cannot even drive, he has little sympathy that I want to ride, he just wishes he could hold a pen again. Perspective. My prayers are with the poor people of Haiti.
Cfourhorses
Good Luck with DR.
Good Luck with your Dr. ~ I was EXACTLY ! where you are :yes: and now I am where you want to be 
~ keep your spirits up and know although this is not :eek: an easy road ~ you are on the pathway towards WHERE YOU WANT TO BE ! :yes: You will get there. Jingles & AO Always Optimistic !
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