Guest guest Posted April 13, 2004 Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 Hi I would think sending anybody something like this a couple of days before surgery is down right irresponsible......... I went out and read the actual article and the pictures indicate that he had quite severe arthritis of his hips........... so what is he really recommending to you.........??? I feel you need to keep it in mind that nothing was going to fix his hips but a try at a Resurface and when that failed a THR which he now has............ So what is was the point of his email to you? Tell you to wait until you are bad enough to get a THR..........??? This is your decision.............. everyone has personal luck and given his story as outlined he didn't have too much from the start......... the story of op time and recovery is well outside normal expectations here in Australia........... I am sure the Dr. De Smet people talk of him taking less than an hour........... so something doesn't sound right to me from the start............. and again highlights having a good surgeon who has plenty of experience.......... I would suggest you contact your OS and have a chat at this point........... he is the only person who is familiar with your hips - not any of the rest of us who may take it into our heads to post emails to you................ ask him about waiting etc........... and what you are likely to get waiting.............. for he is the only one in a position to really advise you...........not us.......... For what it is worth.......... Edith LBHR Dr. L Walter Syd Aust 8/02 > I got this e-mail just 3 days before my resurfacing. Talk about > freaking me out...I've pasted it below: > > > > My hip stopped hurting the last six months before my resurfacing > surgery, and I almost bailed out. One week before the surgery I > expressed my reservations to the nurse, and she said, " You don't > have to do this. " But by then everything was arranged--even the > girls in my office had prepared and froze food so I'd have something > to eat during my recovery. Somehow I just couldn't tell everyone > that I had changed my mind. And so I went through with it. In > retrospect I can say that I wish I had listened to the inner voice > that said " Not yet! " because I could have made it a while longer on > my real hip. I had read that nothing works like the real thing, and > I chose to ignore that advice. Some of my activities had become > limited, but not all, and I was not really in excruciating pain yet. > > Unfortunately, I didn't have rosy outcome most others experience. > As with any procedure, there is not a 100% success rate, and there > will always be people who experience problems. I was one of them, > but unfortunately, once you take the plunge, there is no turning > back. I don't know how bad off you are right now, and only you can > make that determination. For many people, there is no choice. For > those of us who have a choice, it can really be a difficult and > heart wrenching decision. Good luck with your decision. > > You can read about my experience on the Hip Surface Replacement page > of www.BananaRepublican.info. > > ph K. Waltenbaugh > Division of Corrective Action > > jwaltenbau@... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 13, 2004 Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 Chris: I'm not really sure what the point of this person's letter to you was. That he had a medical problem that escalated with a hip resurfacing? That he ended up with a THR? That he had surgery before he was totally hobbled by pain? That he even had OA at all? I wish he had simply directed you to his site for reference. I read the whole long saga (and it is long) and I feel much compassion for what this man went through. Though HIS story is the exception and NOT the rule. The point is NOT about waiting until you are unable to walk. Trust me, I was there. I spent a year prior to surgery walking with a cane and only able to walk for about a block. As a result, I almost wasn't able to have a resurf. Perhaps in the hands of a surgeon less skilled then Dr. Mont, I might have a THR today. I am not denigrating THR, but as a YOUNG person, you would be wise to preserve that bone stock. I spoke with my OS recently (my local supportive one who didn't do the surgery) and he was talking to me about young people who have a THR + revision and what a HUGE toll that takes on the human body....that there are cases of people living out their days in a wheelchair because they can't do another revision. Speaking of worst-case stories. I was at a party recently and a few people wanted to know about what hip resurfacing was. After finishing the short version, 2 of the 4 people there had relatives who had nightmare THR stories. One patient was elderly...in her 80's, the other was my age, 52. Both had infections, both had to spend months on antibiotics and both had to stay in bed equally as long. One of them had to have the implant removed during this time as well. Sad. Due to the fact that a THR is more invasive then a resurf, your chances of an infection are higher. As I listened to the stories, I was so thankful to have a resurf. I'm sorry the author implies that you have a " choice " about whether or not to have the surgery. I'm sorry to tell you this you don't have that choice. Regardless if you have the surgery now or in 6 months, you will still have the same hip problem if you don't have the surgery. The pain may have subsided for now, but the x-rays don't lie and neither does your past experience. It's not a question of " IF " , but " WHEN " . Surfacehippys urge sooner rather then later to ensure that you are in decent shape and even still qualify for a resurf. Waiting until one is hobbled is not a good idea, regardless of what the letter to you said. On a final note, there will always be people who had that nightmare story. We feel badly about it and have compassion and support for them here. However, just because a car accident 'can' happen, doesn't mean we will never drive. If we believed that, we'd all never leave the house.... Lois C+ 3/27/03 Dr. Mont A scary letter I got this e-mail just 3 days before my resurfacing. Talk about freaking me out...I've pasted it below: My hip stopped hurting the last six months before my resurfacing surgery, and I almost bailed out. One week before the surgery I expressed my reservations to the nurse, and she said, " You don't have to do this. " But by then everything was arranged--even the girls in my office had prepared and froze food so I'd have something to eat during my recovery. Somehow I just couldn't tell everyone that I had changed my mind. And so I went through with it. In retrospect I can say that I wish I had listened to the inner voice that said " Not yet! " because I could have made it a while longer on my real hip. I had read that nothing works like the real thing, and I chose to ignore that advice. Some of my activities had become limited, but not all, and I was not really in excruciating pain yet. Unfortunately, I didn't have rosy outcome most others experience. As with any procedure, there is not a 100% success rate, and there will always be people who experience problems. I was one of them, but unfortunately, once you take the plunge, there is no turning back. I don't know how bad off you are right now, and only you can make that determination. For many people, there is no choice. For those of us who have a choice, it can really be a difficult and heart wrenching decision. Good luck with your decision. You can read about my experience on the Hip Surface Replacement page of www.BananaRepublican.info. ph K. Waltenbaugh Division of Corrective Action jwaltenbau@... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 13, 2004 Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 A while back on this board while discussing a problem I was having, this gentleman sent me his story and website as well. While I sympathize with his situation and I understand no procedure is perfect, His assessment of my problem and his likening it to his was far from accurate. I have a problem with my psoas muscle as some hippies do. And every now and then if I overdo things it bites me. We all know of the pains of deciding which procedure to go with for our hips. You must include the failures of THR as well and the dramatic failure rates as they apply to younger patients. Im not saying some of the New bearings might not have better success rates. But with those as well, the long term data isnt in yet! Anyway, hopefully we can discuss this in 20 years! be safe, ny > I got this e-mail just 3 days before my resurfacing. Talk about > freaking me out...I've pasted it below: > > > > My hip stopped hurting the last six months before my resurfacing > surgery, and I almost bailed out. One week before the surgery I > expressed my reservations to the nurse, and she said, " You don't > have to do this. " But by then everything was arranged--even the > girls in my office had prepared and froze food so I'd have something > to eat during my recovery. Somehow I just couldn't tell everyone > that I had changed my mind. And so I went through with it. In > retrospect I can say that I wish I had listened to the inner voice > that said " Not yet! " because I could have made it a while longer on > my real hip. I had read that nothing works like the real thing, and > I chose to ignore that advice. Some of my activities had become > limited, but not all, and I was not really in excruciating pain yet. > > Unfortunately, I didn't have rosy outcome most others experience. > As with any procedure, there is not a 100% success rate, and there > will always be people who experience problems. I was one of them, > but unfortunately, once you take the plunge, there is no turning > back. I don't know how bad off you are right now, and only you can > make that determination. For many people, there is no choice. For > those of us who have a choice, it can really be a difficult and > heart wrenching decision. Good luck with your decision. > > You can read about my experience on the Hip Surface Replacement page > of www.BananaRepublican.info. > > ph K. Waltenbaugh > Division of Corrective Action > > jwaltenbau@s... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 13, 2004 Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 Edith, As always you are here with me, thick and thin...and you helped me to see some very important points to the letter that I was unable to see. I was scared by it and failed to remain logical. I appreciate you, and the time you take to help me (us) as we sort this whole thing out. My Dr. is Dr. Amstutz at JRI, so I feel comfortable with his experience. I meet with him tommorrow, and I have a list of questions the size of an Aussie bar tab. Thanks you again so much for being such a pal in this tough time!!!!! Chris > > Hi > > I would think sending anybody something like this a couple of days before > surgery is down right irresponsible......... I went out and read the actual > article and the pictures indicate that he had quite severe arthritis of his > hips........... so what is he really recommending to you.........??? > I feel you need to keep it in mind that nothing was going to fix his hips > but a try at a Resurface and when that failed a THR which he now > has............ So what is was the point of his email to you? Tell you to > wait until you are bad enough to get a THR..........??? > > This is your decision.............. everyone has personal luck and given his > story as outlined he didn't have too much from the start......... the story > of op time and recovery is well outside normal expectations here in > Australia........... I am sure the Dr. De Smet people talk of him taking > less than an hour........... so something doesn't sound right to me from the > start............. and again highlights having a good surgeon who has plenty > of experience.......... > > I would suggest you contact your OS and have a chat at this point........... > he is the only person who is familiar with your hips - not any of the rest > of us who may take it into our heads to post emails to you................ > ask him about waiting etc........... and what you are likely to get > waiting.............. for he is the only one in a position to really advise > you...........not us.......... > > For what it is worth.......... > > Edith LBHR Dr. L Walter Syd Aust 8/02 > > > > > > I got this e-mail just 3 days before my resurfacing. Talk about > > freaking me out...I've pasted it below: > > > > > > > > My hip stopped hurting the last six months before my resurfacing > > surgery, and I almost bailed out. One week before the surgery I > > expressed my reservations to the nurse, and she said, " You don't > > have to do this. " But by then everything was arranged--even the > > girls in my office had prepared and froze food so I'd have something > > to eat during my recovery. Somehow I just couldn't tell everyone > > that I had changed my mind. And so I went through with it. In > > retrospect I can say that I wish I had listened to the inner voice > > that said " Not yet! " because I could have made it a while longer on > > my real hip. I had read that nothing works like the real thing, and > > I chose to ignore that advice. Some of my activities had become > > limited, but not all, and I was not really in excruciating pain yet. > > > > Unfortunately, I didn't have rosy outcome most others experience. > > As with any procedure, there is not a 100% success rate, and there > > will always be people who experience problems. I was one of them, > > but unfortunately, once you take the plunge, there is no turning > > back. I don't know how bad off you are right now, and only you can > > make that determination. For many people, there is no choice. For > > those of us who have a choice, it can really be a difficult and > > heart wrenching decision. Good luck with your decision. > > > > You can read about my experience on the Hip Surface Replacement page > > of www.BananaRepublican.info. > > > > ph K. Waltenbaugh > > Division of Corrective Action > > > > jwaltenbau@s... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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