Thanks so much, Zu Zu!
I have my appointment tomorrow and am a little bit anxious! I wish I had “your” hip but I don’t think the technology was there when I had my THR. There was about a 20-year period during which there just weren’t many advancements in THR; now, the improvements are coming faster and getting better all the time.
That does sound a lot less scary than what I had read previously about revisions. Thanks. . .I’ll update tomorrow after I get back!
Please do update
Good Luck tomorrow ~ keep us posted ~ Jingles for good news.
[QUOTE=tollertwins;4692329]
I dont thing that a resurf is necessarily riskier than a THR…
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/expert_advice/article6925165.ece
Debating
I am scheduled for my 1st THR 6/22 locally. But Dr. Su in NYC will resurface me if I want, he said I am a “reasonable candidate”. Scared of the resurface…scared of the THR too…must decide. Have no $$ to stay in NYC, have no one to stay w/ me in NYC…really do not want to be tied to having to go back to NYC for check ups etc…would like my own hips thank you!! Dr. Su did not say I am an excellent candidate or a good one…just reasonable…:no:
C4, I think that article mostly points out that you really have to be a good candidate.
Factors that they are finding are really contra-indications are mostly small bone size. This is even in men. The smaller your bone size, the more wear and more metal ions. Also if you have hip dysplasia and would have to have the cup steeply angled.
Dr. Su is one of the ones who has said that he’s tightened up his requirements for picking candidates.
Perhaps you should make your decision by finding out which Dr. has had the most experience with your particular situation.
THR vs Resurf
Based on what I’ve read and heard, if you’re not an optimal resurf candidate, I would go with the THR. I was not an optimal PAO candidate and chose that route out of fear of THR. I ended up with a THR a couple of years later. I’ve had trouble with my THR, but there are many who have had great success. First find the best doctor - the one with the most experience usually. Ask how many they’ve performed. You probably want to avoid ceramic and metal on metal hip joints. You might want to try a couple of local THR surgeons? I had hip injections in Feb '08 to get me through a ski vacation. They worked pretty well. I was in some pain April '08 when I had the first done.
It stinks, but there are much worse medical conditions…
Misocksgal
Bumping this thread up for an update ~ Jingles.
Well everyone, it has been quite some time since I posted and now I am almost four weeks out from my bilateral THR’s! I found a surgeon who would do both hips at once, just 45 miles away. My right hip is coming along great. The left, the one he lengthened, is sorer and much weaker. My hips had no cartlidge left and had begun to fuse. The surgeon said I should be able to ride 6 mos. post op. I use a walker now. My feet feel as heavy as cinder blocks. I am bored out of my skull, I am not used to being a burden and a patient!
The suregon said the surey went GREAT! I lost very little blood and did not need any more…he said he thinks I will like my new hips.
I have 2 big ceramic balls w/poly on metal cups. He knew I still wanted to ride and gave me the big balls for a large range of motion. He said the hips should last 30-40 yrs.
C4horses
I’m so happy your surgery went well. I’m having a right hip replacement in September.
Please keep us updated on your progress.
Glad to read this update ~ have been wondering about you as I tht you were having surgery around June 6th ??? Be patient ~ you will be back in the saddle soon ~
Cfour
What good news. YOU WILL IMPROVE. At four weeks I was still wondering the wisdom of having the surgery. By eight weeks and 12 weeks a hugh improvement. Now at 6 months I can’t believe I even had surgery.
Two at once is a big deal. You can’t just limp along on the good hip. Hang in there, you’re doing well.
Thanks everyone! I am impaitent, LOL. I had the surgery 6/22. I cannot believe it has almost been a month! I switched surgeons after I found one 45 miles away that would do a bilateral on me, (both hips at one time). At the end before the surgery I could barely get around and was on Morphine for the pain. I used a cane inside the house and a walker outside and climbed stairs on all 4’s. I declined rapidly…maybe because the hips were fusing…it definately was time for new hips!!
I ride w/the family down to the barn so I can at least watch them do chores. Sometimes I get the treat of my horse to be brought up to the vehicle window so I can touch a soft muzzle!!
C4
Major congrats on the successful surgery! I’ve been wondering what you ended up doing, and how it went. Can’t wait to hear how you progress.
Rebecca
I had been following this thread and was wondering what you ended up doing, your update makes me 
HA injections
[QUOTE=tollertwins;4599015]
Also - if you are going to try injections, they can inject HA into the hip.
From what the radiologist who did mine said some people who aren’t too far gone can get relief from the HA injections for quite some time.
Be prepared to hurt after the injections…your joint doesn’t like getting all the fluid in it.
Also - it takes about 3 days for the cortisone to take effect, and about a week for the HA.
It DID make a difference for me, but I was so far gone it didn’t last long.
Also - my insurance wouldn’t pay for the HA - I had to pay for it myself (kind of like getting the good stuff in a hock…I think it was about $300).
And like the previous poster said - both docs I talked to re: scope said that they were suprised ALL THE TIME when they actually got in the joint. Apparently things have to be VERY advanced to show on x-ray.[/QUOTE]
Hi, Im in the same boat and cant find any relief. The doc seems to think Im not bad enough for a replacement, Ive had 3 cortisone shots and they dont work. What is HA injections? Im going back to the doc on July 3rd to get another cortisone shot before my 4 day horse camping at the ocean and I can only ride about 1 hr and then get off and walk. I dont want to hinder my friends from riding 4 plus hrs so I just dont ride as much anymore. It is so depressing! 
I was in your boat and just decided to do the minimally invasive surgery anyway.Shots no longer helped. It was either that or not ride much. Who wants that? Find a surgeon who does the anterior approach minimally invasive surgery and get a second opinion.
Regardless of the surgical approach you choose, find an experienced surgeon (or a couple of them) to consult with. You would be amazed at the differing opinions MD’s have about doing joint replacements, especially on younger people. You need to find one with a more open mind that cares more about the quality of your life than what your x-ray looks like, I’m kind of assuming that your x-rays don’t show severe arthritis and that is why the ortho doesn’t think it’s that bad.
X-rays don’t tell the whole story though. When they get in there and actually see the joint, they often find out it was more arthritic than the x-ray showed. I’ve had both hips replaced–the first one was obviously horrible bone on bone on the x-ray. The second showed I still had a thin layer of cartilage, but when the surgeon did the replacement, he said that I had a lot of places that where the bone was exposed … so I really didn’t have anywhere near as much cartilage left as the x-ray showed.
Good luck
To those considering hip surgery… Don’t put it off. I got my life back after the birmingham resurfacing in 2008. It’s a metal/metal joint. The major problem of metal/metal joints was improper installation. If the angle was wrong, the joint was edge loaded and shed metal particles. Thus it’s very important to chose a qualified surgeon. When you’re reseaching the different approaches and devices be aware of the date of the information. The state of the art is evolving quickly.
Has anyone had bilateral THR and can share their experience? I am looking down that road now after trying all other avenues that had to be explored first. I am bone on bone in both hips.
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