The surgery to fix my labral tear in my hip helped for a little while. I really thought I'd get back to running and feeling like it did before. The small amount of arthritis pain was manageable. But it never really got back to what it was. I think it just kept deteriorating and quickly. The pain got worse, on cold days I would sit on the couch with a heating pad wrapped around my hips. Anyone who has arthritis knows of the deep ache you can get. I don't know what I would have done without the anti-inflammatory medicine my rhuematologist gave me. Unfortunately you have to be very careful and have your liver tested every 3 months. I was only on this medicine for 6-8 months. The pain is one thing, I could have dealt with the arthritis if it was just the pain. Osteoarthritis eats away at the joint and my hip would not support me doing every day things. I could walk but I had a limp. I was a fitness director and personal trainer, try demonstrating a lunge or squat when your hip will not support you. It's physics, you can't make it do something if the structure is no longer there. I did try though. I think it was extremely quick how fast my hips deteriorated. My doctors kept saying maybe a hip replacement within the next 10 years.
My range of motion declined dramatically. I could not widen my stance more than maybe 15 inches. Stepping up or over anything was a challenge. Ok, don't laugh, but getting up from the toilet was impossible without pushing myself up with my hands. I broke 2 flush levers before I figured out I was putting my full body weight on it to help me stand up. My hips/legs would not support any weight bearing activities. Very frustrating.
So I have choices, there are always choices. Go after every new injection to see if it will postpone hip replacement or have the surgery? I must have talked with at least 5 orthopedic surgeons. One said partial only on my right hip. Well the studies show very low percentage of it working and at worst I would fracture my femur and have to have a total hip replacement within the first 3 months. If it worked it sounded awesome, very little down time, a lot less bone taken away and use of the hip joint again. You have to go home sleep on it and weigh everything out. It always sounds like that's what you should do when your are in the doctors office and they seem the best person to do it. Go home and let it all percolate for a few days before you decide. Talk to other people about the procedure such as physical therapists. They know with the outcome of most orthopedic surgeries are.
I decided I wanted 10-20 years of pain free, full range of motion activity as opposed to toughing it out for another 5 or 10 years. Who knows what procedures they will have for hip replacement in 15-20 years. What if I get hit by a bus in 3 years, I could have had an awesome 3 years with no pain and the ability to do the activities I love. Then I talked to the doctors about my left hip as well. It hurt but it didn't give me as many problems as my right hip. It didn't catch and it was slightly stronger than my right side. My doctors all said that the arthritis was just as bad in the left hip as the right and I would probably have to have it replaced within the next 6 months anyway.
So that leads to a whole other questions, do both hips at once or 6 months apart? My doctor said the recovery would not be any longer if I did both hips at the same time. I, of course, did research and talked to whoever I could find that had it done. I decided to just do it and get it done with. I made the appointment for surgery and off I go down the journey of a double hip replacement. I talked with so many people but I don't think anyone can prepare you for something that big. Although I did my very best to down play it to everyone.
So many decisions in the osteoarthritis journey, it's tough to know if you've made the best decision for you. All I can say is do your homework!!! Ask questions and then ask more and ask everyone.
My range of motion declined dramatically. I could not widen my stance more than maybe 15 inches. Stepping up or over anything was a challenge. Ok, don't laugh, but getting up from the toilet was impossible without pushing myself up with my hands. I broke 2 flush levers before I figured out I was putting my full body weight on it to help me stand up. My hips/legs would not support any weight bearing activities. Very frustrating.
So I have choices, there are always choices. Go after every new injection to see if it will postpone hip replacement or have the surgery? I must have talked with at least 5 orthopedic surgeons. One said partial only on my right hip. Well the studies show very low percentage of it working and at worst I would fracture my femur and have to have a total hip replacement within the first 3 months. If it worked it sounded awesome, very little down time, a lot less bone taken away and use of the hip joint again. You have to go home sleep on it and weigh everything out. It always sounds like that's what you should do when your are in the doctors office and they seem the best person to do it. Go home and let it all percolate for a few days before you decide. Talk to other people about the procedure such as physical therapists. They know with the outcome of most orthopedic surgeries are.
I decided I wanted 10-20 years of pain free, full range of motion activity as opposed to toughing it out for another 5 or 10 years. Who knows what procedures they will have for hip replacement in 15-20 years. What if I get hit by a bus in 3 years, I could have had an awesome 3 years with no pain and the ability to do the activities I love. Then I talked to the doctors about my left hip as well. It hurt but it didn't give me as many problems as my right hip. It didn't catch and it was slightly stronger than my right side. My doctors all said that the arthritis was just as bad in the left hip as the right and I would probably have to have it replaced within the next 6 months anyway.
So that leads to a whole other questions, do both hips at once or 6 months apart? My doctor said the recovery would not be any longer if I did both hips at the same time. I, of course, did research and talked to whoever I could find that had it done. I decided to just do it and get it done with. I made the appointment for surgery and off I go down the journey of a double hip replacement. I talked with so many people but I don't think anyone can prepare you for something that big. Although I did my very best to down play it to everyone.
So many decisions in the osteoarthritis journey, it's tough to know if you've made the best decision for you. All I can say is do your homework!!! Ask questions and then ask more and ask everyone.
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