Hip surgery around the corner..

[debs10]

Hi All,

I've posted once or twice, but been an avid reader for a couple months now. Within the next month or two I'll be having surgery on my left hip to repair torn labrum and FAI. I'm actually having a hybrid surgery in that it's a cross between arthroscopy and open surgery. He's going in like the open surgery method (i.e. not arthroscopically.. he'll be making incisions), but he doesn't need to completely dislocate it and resecure it with screws. He's going to open the joint enough so that he can sew up the labrum and do some bone shaving, but then stitch me back up without screws or anything..

So I have a mixture of feelings and I know you can all relate!
- relief that I'll hopefully have relief
- stress!
- questions! - how long will I need off work? Should I take short-term disability? When will I be "normal" again? I'll be finished Physical therapy after the 3 month mark - will I be healthy then?

Well, any advice or answers would be appreciated I think I just want support from a community of people who have been through this all!
ps. If it matters, I live in the U.S., and am getting the surgery done in Philadelphia

[Rayray]

Hi Debs,

Good luck with the surgery.

I think you will need three months off work - I am in week seven of Open Dislocation and Debridement recovery and nowhere near going back to full time work although I do work from home (have done since day seven).

I was told three months for a reasonable recovery so you can function and work again, six months for a recovery to a good level of fitness and eighteen months plus for continuing improvements.

I hope this helps.

[oscarsmum]

Hi,
Welcome to the group,you will get lots of support here and we have all had those feelings too.
I would think you would be ok to return to work at the three month mark depending on how strenuous your job is of course. It will take longer than that to be completely recovered, I would say about 6 months, but your OS is really the one to ask that question too.
Do you see you OS again before surgery so you can ask him anything you are still not sure about.
Ask anything else you want to,
hope this helps
Kate

[debs10]

Actually, I talked to the "recovery nurse" today to get some kind of an idea. She recommends 3 weeks off of work. The first 2 weeks are when I am 100% no weight bearing, after that is when I can gradually use a cane and increase my weight on the hip. I'm thinking I'll need more than 3 weeks off, but hopefully less than 3 months. But, you did answer my question. I think I will apply for short term disability which gives me 2 paid months of leave.

Also, I'm a legal librarian. Basically 9-5 at a desk all day. So that should help as I wont have too much rigorous activity.

[Spam1]

Hiya

I had an open debridement 16.5 weeks ago and I returned to uni at 6 weeks, managed only 2 days and exhausted myself, so had to do half days for another 4 or 5 weeks, then could go for full days.

I would said 2 months minimum (as it sounds like you will be fully WB earlier than most of us have) completely off with the option to go to 3 if needed or perhaps start back at half days and build up if you are ok. The recovery from all these surgeries is so varied and you have to be so careful afterwards. I know that a lot of us have found prolonged sitting a problem, so if you work at a desk, you need to be sure you don't spend long hours there. Over estimating and returning earlier than expected is definitely preferable to pushing yourself too hard and having complications!

Sam

[debs10]

Getting frustrated

When diagnosed 6 months ago, I was told I had a 75% tear in my labrum, and that it will only worsen until my surgery... Now my leg feels very painful and "loose." Loose as in it feels like it's hanging by a thread and my labrum is really torn.

I'm frustrated at the delay now. Surgery was finally approved by my insurance. I've been told that the surgeon has most of July and August open to operate, and that I'm on the top of his patient list. I've also been told to "wait for a phone call" to schedule surgery. What does that mean? I've been waiting for 6 months to pass through insurance, it finally does, the surgeon is available, and I still have to wait... grrrr, all while my leg is hanging in the balance.

Sorry, I just needed to vent. Few people can relate to this suffering like this group. Thanks for listening.

Any ideas about these questions... ? What are the odds that he's going to go in and find things a lot worse than what the films said? (Especially since my films were taken 6 months ago and I know my condition has worsened) If he finds things to be worse, what will that mean? Do you think he'll do the same procedure? I'm really worried about it being unsuccessful. Also, this is a random question.... But, isn't the sciatic nerve close to this joint? Should I fear coming out of surgery with accidental, but permanent nerve damage?

Thanks for reading,
Deb

[hotchickie]

Welcome to the forum! You should definitely keep reading through the other posts. There is some great information out there.

I know what it is like to wait for surgery, etc. It is all a waiting game. You were diagnosed 6 months ago and now you are ready to book surgery. It seems pretty long but it was 11 months from the time I was diagnosed to the time I had surgery. So I can sympathize with your frustration. I know that my MRA/Xrays were 12 months old at the time of my surgery and my hip did get worse from when the scans were taken, but the surgeon still went ahead with the surgery (but with updated Xrays) and found that it was in fact worse than the scans showed but he was able to handle it.

As for your individual questions, I think that you should call your surgeon's office and see if you can't get your questions answered. I would assume that your surgeon would have mentioned if he/she thought that if things were much worse than anticipated that another procedure would be needed, but you never know!

If you are really getting worried about the surgery, ask yourself if you fully trust your surgeon's diagnosis? If so, then you should trust in his/her training and proceed. They have maaaaany years of training and should be capable of handing your case. If you would benefit from a second opinion, then you should seek out another surgeon's opinion on the matter - this happens all of the time and a good surgeon would never hesitate to refer you for another opinion (if it is available).

[oscarsmum]

Deb,

We have all been there and can completely onderstand what you are going through. You are actually one of the lucky ones being diagnosed and put on the waiting list so quickly(although I know it won't seem like that to you).Many people wait years and are passed fron surgeon to surgeon trying to get a diagnosis. I had hip pain for 17 years, had all sorts of different diagnosis before somebody even decided it was my hip-and I had a childhood history of dysplasia, with three surgeries as a toddler, but all the Drs I saw said it was irrelevant. Once a physio finally insisted I saw a surgeon, it still took over 4 years, 3 OSs and a failed surgery to get to the right person, who has hopefully sorted things.
Hang in there, you will get there soon. Just keep pestering the OS sec so they don't forget abut you. You should keep telling her how bad the pain is and maybe they will get you in sooner.
As for the sciatic question, I think thats one for the OS, all surgeries carry a risk, but I always was at the stage where I was in so much pain that it was a risk worth taking.
Hope this helps, and you get a date soon,
Take care
Kate

[artywiz]

Hi Deb

Sounds like your surgery is similar to what I had done 9 weeks ago, I had open surgery (from the fromt of the hip) where my FAI was addressed by the surgeon basically re-shaping the head of the femur and trimming the acetabular which had become damaged over time. I have been left with a scar about 20cm's long at the front of teh hip/thigh.

I was partial weight bearing after surgery and found that the actual muscles arond the hip were very sore, where they had removed the bone was quite sore too only tamed with opiates for a few weeks after (but everyone's recovery is different of course). I'm still off work, due to start physio in the next few weeks (but that's only because you wait for aaages on the NHS). I'm a community social worker and commute for 3 hours a day so my GP is erring on the side of caution with the time off work . I am no longer on crutches BUT am only able to walk short distances at the moment. I'm hoping to go back to work in about 3 weeks time.

Oh and I agree with ringing your surgeons PA to chase up the dates

Does this help?

Liz X

[oscarsmum]

Hi Liz,

I can't believe you haven't started physio yet! Thats awful! Do you have any exercises to do at home whilst you are waiting?
How long have you been off the crutches for?
How is the pain compared to pre-op?
Take care
Kate xx