Marie, Sunita, Eleanor

[Guest guest]

First thing I am going to say is that I believe that resurf is terrific.

Unfortunately mine failed and I now believe that THR is terrific. I would opt

for

the resurf because it may give you more time if you need a revision. The

fact that there is less bone removed is always a plus. BUT...........if yours

fails there is light at the end of the tunnel. I am choosing a THR on my other

hip that I think I will have done in September. I might be able to wait but I

am tired of the pain. It is not as severe as most of those on this list, but

I don't want anymore pain at all. I also want to get my legs the same length

that will probably relieve my low back pain. I should be wearing the lift but

I don't. ANYWAY.........knowledge is power. Learning from other's past

experiences is a way to add to your knowledge base. You need to make the right

choice for yourself. Hopefully it is the right one, but there are times when it

is not despite all the research that you did to prepare yourself in making

the decision you think is correct. So, Marie...you keep asking questions and

weigh this when making your choice. How can you make an educated choice without

all the facts??????

I am sure that there are others on this list that are having troubles but are

not posting. This is a very supportive positive group and sometimes people

feel like they should not talk about the negatives they are experiencing.

There have been people on the list that are soooo adamant that resurf is the

best

for everyone that they have made people feel that they should be quiet unless

they have praises for the resurf. I hope that that is changing here and what

needs to happen is that everyone needs to post the problems they are having as

well as the good things. This group is here to help others, so let's give

them all the facts and all the experiences, good or bad.

My first surgery was awful. I was never right. I was taking vicadin for six

months at night. I was depressed. I also went through another surgery six

months later. I had a partial thyroidectomy when they discovered a tumor on my

thyroid. Not having the proper thyroid hormone was the most devastating thing

that happened to me ... coupled that with continued pain with my operated hip.

I experienced a few months where I could cope. It didn't hurt as bad but I

knew that something was not right. In Oct 03, a year after my first surgery, I

began going downhill fast. The pain was horrible. I had my second surgery

scheduled for December but I knew that this date would have to be used to

correct my first hip. The pain would shoot down my shin. Very nasty stuff. It

even

went into my ankle. A lot of doctors say that hip pain cannot go into the

shin and ankle and that is caused by back problems. NOT TRUE!!!! I remember

Thanksgiving..........I was back on the cane and tried to avoid the worst pain

that I have ever had in my life. This pain came when I was sitting. I could

move one centimeter and it felt like someone was stabbing me with a knife. I

would even see stars at times. This pain was in the hip, not the shin at this

time. The shin pain came when walking the hip pain came when sitting My doc

shot me with steroids to see if the pain would subside. If it did he knew that

pain was coming from the hip, and if not he would suspect the back. He also

did an aspiration and used the XRay machine when injecting the steroids. He

said that I could experience relief in the next 48 hours and depending on what

was wrong with me, this may cure the problem. I had relief for one day and it

was beautiful. Knowing it was in the hip, my Dec. 30 surgery was going to be

used to go back into the right hip. My doc thought that the ball might be

loose and he said that he could fix that. He was very encouraging and said he

doubted that he would have to perform a THR. I knew different. I just knew

that

that is what I would end up with. I woke up and was so pleased with the way

I felt. I was so much better and I knew then that I would be OK. Doc told me

that I had developed AVN and said it was probably because I had small bones.

He said he was able to pick the devise up in his hand and that my bone was

mushy. I did not have a hip joint.

I recovered very quickly and never felt sick like I did with the first

surgery. This surgery was also less invasive and they were able to keep the cup.

Doc said that he picked my up on the table by the cup and that it is very solid.

I continue to do better and am so happy about a pain free hip. My hip is

still stiff after sitting for a long time but after ten steps it is like nothing

is wrong. I am also taking it easy with activities and stretching. I don't

want to screw anything up. I am six months now and am sure it is OK to do

whatever, but I still have a fear and respect for the devise. When I stretch by

bringing my leg up while sitting (like I am going to cross my legs) I feel/hear

a thump. I believe that this is OK, but it is nerve racking to say the least.

This makes me a bit more cautious which is fine with me as long as the pain

is gone.

I also posted about the other guy, ph, who went through the same things

as me. He wrote to me yesterday and told me that his doctor was very caring

and encouraging. He doesn't know why the doc changed his attitude, but it was

very welcome. He now feels much more comfortable with his doc. In my last post

I was rather negative about his doctor. I was angry with the way my buddy

was being treated so I maybe popped off without thinking and letting him do it.

My apologies to ph for saying these things about his doctor, DR. Goldberg

in Ohio.

My advise..especially to women and petite women (I am 5'1 " .....but now am

5 " 2 " on my operated hip.) The doctors are not very experienced with AVN

following this surgery. The odds of developing AVN post surgery is 1:1000. It

happens

when the blood supply is disrupted during surgery. There are two veins that

go up to the head of the femur. My blood supply was cut off and therefore my

bone died. I was worried about AVN developing at the top of the bone where

they had to cut it off and my doc said that that would never happen. My other

friend, ph also developed AVN. He had his surgery three weeks before me.

We had been communicating and realized that we had a lot of the same symptoms.

He informed me that he had AVN and I knew that is what I had. Somehow during

his surgery his blood supply was compromised. He is still having problems

even after his THR. There may be ossification. Poor ph...it is never

ending

for him. so, this can also happen to men. But small women are especially at

risk even though the risk is low. I bet that if all the people that have

developed AVN following resurf...most are women, and small women. So, if we

take a

group of petite women and figured out the odds, I bet it would be different

than 1:1000. I am not saying that petite women are going to develop this. I

am saying that they are at a higher risk. especially if they have small bones.

I always thought that I had large bones because I am stocky. My doc assured

me that I have small bones. I think that petite women should have the

thickness of their bones checked before they make a decision.

Sorry this post is so long but I am hoping that I have shared some

information that may be valuable to someone. If anyone needs to talk to me feel

free to

email me.

Jan aka/Wannie