Hello all, This is officially my first post on this wonderful forum. I suppose I should start by sharing a little bit about myself. I am a 39 year old man, married with a 21 month old son. We live in Greenville, SC and I work as a corporate pilot. I am much like the rest of you in that I was very active most of my life. I played many different sports growing up and tried to maintain an active healthy lifestyle in adulthood. I was into martial arts for quite few years and was fortunate enough to earn my 2nd degree black belt before my pain sidelined me. I also love boating, watersking, and riding motorcycles in the beautiful blue ridge mountains all of which I do much less these days.
The story of how I ended up with hip arthritis is much like others on this site. It was first diagnosed as a back problem. I went to a chiropractor & massage therapy for a year with limited improvement. I then went to my GP and was put on an anti-inflamatory for the "back pain" and had limited help from that. I then started some PT as it was thought my problem was tight muscles from an old injury. I finally thought I should go to the big guns and see an orthopedic specialist. It was there that I got the devastating news many of you got. I was 39 years old with advanced arthritis in my left hip due to FAI and I would need a THR. Needless to say I was in a bit of shock. It took quite some time to process this and get past the emotional reaction to this news. I was to meet with the surgeon to get his opinion in a few weeks and in the meantime I tried to educate myself as much as possible on what to do. One interesting side note was that the first orthopedic specialist I met with (not a surgeon) after telling me the news mentioned briefly something called a Birmingham procedure. He didn't expound on it but said I could talk to the surgeon about it later. Fast forward a month later and I met with the surgeon who recommended a THR and said he did not have a high opinion of HSR. Once again I was disappointed because I thought this HSR thing was a ray of hope for someone as young as myself. Needless to say I was depressed and confused at this point. I truly thought that all the buzz about HSR was driven by big money marketing campains and that it was a "risky" procedure. I got a second and third opinion from other orthopedic surgeons. One said I needed to wait 5-10 years before even considering surgery and the other said I would need a THR and he did not have a high opinion of HSR.
In the mean time I was put on Celebrex by my GP and it helped quite a bit with the pain. I told a friend of mine from the martail arts world about my hip problems and he told me a mutual friend of ours had a similar story and had HSR and was happy with it. I spoke with him and he pointed me in the direction of this wonderful website.
Anyway, I've done extensive research on every conceivable angle and decided I had to consider HSR as a viable treatment option. I was also pleased to find out that one of the most experienced and respected HSR surgeons in the country, Dr. Gross, was just 1.5 hours down the road from me. I had the pleasure of meeting with Dr. Gross this past week and I was very impressed. He spent more time with me than all the other surgeons combined. I didn't feel like I was on some medical version of beat the clock as I tried to get all my questions answered. I was very impressed with his knowledge and passion about what he does. In my experience it is those that are passionate about there profession that are the best. I am fairly sure that HSR is the direction I want to go with my treatment and that Dr. Gross is the man for the job. The question I have for all of you out there is how you decided to finally pull the trigger and get it done? I also would love to know if how many other people out there are close to my age facing this decision. It would be great to talk to others my age that have had this done. Are there any get togethers of surface hippys? It would be cool to get hear some war stories from others who have been down this road. Also, I have already read quite a few great things about Dr. Gross but any feedback you may have would be great as well. Sorry this post went so long just thought I'd share my story with everyone. Thanks to everyone out here for all the great info and especially to Pat for setting up this great website.
Hi Bosox,
I am a bit older than you (53), but I ended up with Dr. Gross after 6 months of research. I drove from upstate NY to get the surgery last October 24th. I just returned from a 5.5 mile walk- it was absolutely fantastic to be able to do that with no pain after only 4 months post-op. You will be very pleased with the outcome from surgery with Dr. Gross. I am just biding my time until the 6-month mark when I can return to more vigorous activity (water and snow-skiing, cycling, backpacking and hiking peaks in the winter, etc.)
Good luck with your decision going forward!
Steve
We have lots of happy Dr. G patients on this forum, I'm sure someone close to your age will reply.
Chuck
I and surgery with Dr. Gross on December 5th. I have a fairly detailed report of my recovery under hip stories. So far I am 100% pleased with the surgery and recovery. Yes, there are some questions about the HS procedure but you are going to one of the best. I live in Columbia, SC and I am very active. I was 46 at the time of surgery. With someone as highly qualified as Dr. Gross in my backyard it seemed silly not to try it! Incidentally I did see a doctor at Steadman Hawkins clinic in Greenville for a second opinion since they advertise hip resurfacing there. That doctor promptly talked me out of it. No comparision on level of knowledge about the procedure and comfort level performing it vs. Dr. Gross who answered every question in a data based manner. Go for Dr. Gross! Best thing I ever did. The worry leading up to the surgery was far worse than the procedure and recovery. In one day and out the next!
Hi Scott,
I have a story that in many ways mirrors yours. I'm 37 years old. I lived with hip pain since high school. Back then, they couldn't figure out exactly what was wrong with me and told me to take Tylenol when my hip hurt. The next 20 years, the pain continued, my range of motion became nil and I had chronic back pain. Last year, when the pain started to grow, I did a bunch of research and self diagnosed myself with femoral acetabular impingement. I visited an orthopedist who does arthroscopic surgery. He took X-rays and told me I was right. I did have FAI, but worse, my hip cartilage was gone. I had been running half marathons bone on bone. He told me my two options were THR or pills to deal with the pain. There was no way I was going to have a THR and twice I had already gotten ulcers from NSAIDS.
I spent the next two months digging into the nether regions of the web and found out about hip resurfacing. That led me to Dr. Pritchett here in Seattle. Once he told me I was a great candidate for resurfacing, I went back to the research. While everything seemed to point to HR as my best option, I couldn't get past the fact that I'm only 37.
Ultimately for me, logic won out. Surgery was eventually inevitable. I could spend years in pain, be unable to play ball with my son and eventually have surgery when I felt "old enough"... or I could do it now while I have superb bone stock and a 98.5% chance of success. I liked those odds. As many surgeons will tell you, HR is more likely to be successful in someone who's 40 than 50, someone who's 50 than 60 and so on. I have no regrets about having surgery. Six weeks later, I'm already back to work and walking with only a slight limp. I'm looking forward to playing ball with my son in the front yard and everything else I would have given up without surgery.
You're a pilot. You know to trust your instruments. You know to trust the laws of physics and science. You also know that flying in a commercial airplane is the safest mode of travel. Now try to apply that same level of logic and thinking to this decision. I'm certain if you do, you'll come to a decision in which you'll be confident.
Good luck my friend.
First of all I want to thank everyone for their responses. I am always amazed at how supportive and helpful strangers can be in setting like this. It of course helps to also know that there are others going through the same thing I am at this age. I am glad that I found this site in time for me to make as informed a decision as possible. It is tragic that there are so many folks out there that never are given all the options and simply go with whatever recommendation is prodived them by the first doctor they talk to. We all know that not all doctors are as good or educated as you might wish they were. Trust me, I work in a similar profession where there is a lot of years of training and it takes a lot of personal motivation and professionalism to maintain sharp skills and to stay current with the latest advancements in our profession. While most professional pilots are good at this, I can tell you as an insider that it is not true of all pilots. There are some that are simply better, smarter, more motivated, or more professional than others. The same is true in the medical profession. This has been played out in the testimonies of many of you on this website. I also saw the same thing play out several years ago when dealing with my mothers cancer treatment. Unfortunately no one in a white lab coat is going to care as much about your well being as you are. However, I am touched by how much fellow patients in this forum take the time and effort to share information, stories, and an encouraging word. Thank you very much!
Having said that, I have a question to ask the group. I have been deep in research over this whole issue and after much thought and meeting with Dr. Gross I am 99% sure that HSR is the right choice for me and I am fairly sure that all things considered, Dr. Gross is the best choice for me. However, I have one thing that has been nagging at me. I am not 100% sure if the Biomet Uncemented device is the best choice. It seems as though the BHR has the longest track record and is by far the most popular. However, I am fully aware that much of this may simply be because of deep pockets and a brilliant marketing campain by Smith & Nephew. I follow the logic Dr. Gross has used to defend his uncemented device but is it too speculative for me to try something like that? I like the way Dr. Gross thinks and I follow his logic. He seems to only make good evidence based decisions but why is he the only one using such a device? What are your thoughts? I would love to hear what your reasoning was for choosing your particular device. I would especially like to hear from those of you that had treatment with Dr. Gross. Thanks again for taking the time to respond and for all the kind words.
In 5 months I'll be a 4 years Dr. Gross cementless patient. As it stands today the bioment cementless device has been a total success.
It usually takes a couple of years and some data to prove a device worthy, 4-5 years is plenty IMHO. The ASR device started showing signs of the wheels falling off @ 2 years. The biomet has not had problems, now at least in the hands of Dr. Gross, I have not followed any other doctors using the device.
We all put our good money down and put our faith in God, our surgeons and the device that they use. My left hip has been creeking lately so I am guessing I'll be headed to Columbia next year for 2nd and hopefully last surgery on my hips.
All I can tell you, research, find the most experienced doctor you can find that you have faith in. IMHO, with Dr. Gross you cannot go wrong.
Chuck
Hi ,I'm 47 yrs old and mine was done Jan 6, 2012.I like you was diagnose in June after not being able to walk for a week with " back" pain. I'm a mounted deputy sheriff.So after 2 injection and PT. My Dr. said he didn't know what else to do.
So in Oct. 2011 found a Dr. on my own for a second opinion . He said there is definitely a back issue however thinks the hip is a lot worse so he sent.me.for my third opinion with a orthopedic on Dec. 2011. She said you need a hip replacement as I sat there crying ,she explained options. Then look me in and the eye and said how's your quality of life. So a month later I had surgery.So that's how I decided. At lease I didn't have a lot of time to think about it.
I'm lucky because I live in Cleveland and we have a lot of highly skilled surgeons.So I got in quick. Good luck,you will be happy when recovery is over. And I should be in the saddle by may. Chris
Chuck, It's good to see someone with the Biomet U/C from Dr. Gross here. I'm glad it's going well for you. I actually like Dr. Gross' reasoning for trying to have a successful uncemented implant. It makes sense since uncemented is the standard with THRs and the accetabular component. It just made me wonder why no other surgeons have been willing to venture out and try it. It seems like most surgeons are too risk adverse for this. Knowing what I do about Dr. Gross I would bet that the Biomet U/C will actually be a big success but it is still a bit scary without a longer track record. I suppose this whole thing is a bit of a calculated risk.
Scott,
I am not so sure that other doctors are not willing to try, but most will say that there is nothing wrong with a cemented BHR, I tend to agree with those people. There really have not been a lot of failures related to cement, who knows what will happen in the future. I've always said I hope we all go to our graves with our hardware.
Personally I think going uncemented makes sense, I believe that using bone ingrowth into the device makes for a VERY strong connection point. Think of it this way, sometimes when they have to remove a THR they have to literally fracture your femur.
Now let me tell you why I picked Dr. Gross--- it was NOT because it was uncemented, it was because of all the people who told their stories about the way they were treated by Dr. Gross and his staff and even the hospital. The night Dr. Gross called me I was sold, he spent a lot of time with me, he answered all my questions and he never rushed me off the phone.
In the end we all have to make our decision based on what our mind and heart tells us, but again, I never chose Dr. G based on him doing uncemented, if you look back he had only been doing it a short time when I picked him, again it just made/makes sense to me. Today I am extremely pleased with my choice and everytime Dr Gross presents his numbers I am more and more pleased with my decision.
Chuck
Hi Scott,
I'm 36, turning 37 this summer. I had bilateral resurfacing with Dr. Gross at the end of January. You can read through my threads and see my thought process and how I made my decisions over the last 6 months before surgery. I was torn between the BHR with Dr. Su or Biomet Uncemented with Dr. Gross. In the end, my decision was based less on the device and more on the fact that Dr. Gross spent more time with me personally and was willing to do bilateral which was important to me as I also have a young child (10 months) and did not want to go back and do this again in a year. I'm 6 weeks out and doing pretty well, although it has been a tougher recovery than I had expected. I also tried the hip arthroscopy route (I had FAI) but that only bought me a few years and was not worth the time in the end.
I had similar questions about the Biomet as you. I reviewed a lot of the threads on this board and read a lot of other stuff on my own. In the end I felt confident with Dr. Gross to trust his judgment and choice of device.
Good luck!
Amy
Hi Scot,
Welcome to the forum. There are plenty of Gross hippies on here!
I live in the UK and got an opinion from him and seriously considdered traveling to the US to see him. So he gets great results!
Rate him 10 out of 10. Great result so far.
Curt
Thanks for the great feedback everyone. It doesn't take long to realize that Dr. Gross has an impeccable reputation and many satisfied patients.
Amy, it's interesting you mentioned Dr. Su. He is the other surgeon I was considering. He also has a great reputation and uses the BHR. I just wanted to see what thoughts people had on the Biomet U/C. Early results seem to be that it is performing well. It seems that the choice of surgeon is the most important factor to consider and Dr. Gross is an excellent choice.
I also have to consider the logistics involved with having the surgery. It seems silly to travel far away to have the surgery when I have Dr. Gross just 1.5 hours down the road. I was also impressed by how much time he spent with me and how openly and frankly he spoke with me. He will tell you the straight truth which I appreciate.
Hi bosoxgordon,
I had yet to post here but felt compelled to at least say hi after reading your post. Your experience is the most similar to mine (by far) I have yet seen. I am 41, male, have two lovely little girls, active lifestyle, studied martial arts for fifteen years or so (more on that in a minute), was initially diagnosed with sciatica (7-8 years ago), PT, diagnosed with severe arthritis of the (right) hip, and met with a local surgeon who supposedly did both HR and THR but doesn’t really and (if I am to be honest) lied to me about the pros and cons of THR vs HR. That last disheartening experience with the local surgeon had a fantastic silver lining. It convinced me that I needed to follow the advice of everyone on here and consult one of the big surgeons. I straightaway mailed my application to Dr. Gross: he called me back like clockwork the next week (I must have acted like a twelve year old schoolgirl when he called, I was so excited). I am now scheduled for HR with Dr. Gross in mid-April and (sort of) wish it was tomorrow.
I’m posting because you asked for responses from people close to your age facing this decision (though I haven’t yet had it done). You asked how people decided to pull the trigger. Proximate reason was my bad experience at a local Boston surgical consult (I’ll show him!). Ultimate reason is (like many/most people here) a combination of a million different things, but the big ones would be wanting to be more active with my kids, finding it very difficult (sometimes) to even carry my two year old for even a minute or two (and I thought nothing of lugging around two sheets of 4’8’ plywood less than three years ago), wanting to golf again, not wanting to miss any more work because due to pain I could not waIk or sleep the previous night, knowing my hip was getting worse and at an accelerating rate (like circling the drain) not wanting to be a grump to my wonderful wife anymore (well, at least not anymore than I was before the OA got really bad :-)).
You posted a later question/concern about the success of the device Dr. Gross uses. I also had this concern. There was a link somewhere on this website that had some Australian stats that mentioned the “Recap†in one of its annual summaries. Not sure this is an “apples to apples†comparison of what Dr. Gross uses, but the “Recap†revisions were 4.3% and 6.0% at one and three years, a little worse than middle of the road for the devices listed for those periods. Obviously Dr. Gross is not included in those stats at all and his own results (particularly with the latest cementless femoral component) are stunningly successful. Any concern I have for the Australian stats (which are at a minimum not “apples to apples†[cementless femoral component, for instance]) are wholly obviated by the confidence I have in Dr. Gross. You know what I’m talking about, having met him. I just spoke with him, and read his web-site. I will admit that I am concerned (a little) about what a revision will entail with a less common device that may be under or unsupported down the road. [I want to caveat the whole preceding paragraph by saying I could easily be wrong about some of that; I don’t profess to be an expert, just trying to figure this all out].
My last comment (sorry for the semi-hijacking) is just an observation that it seems to me that an aberrantly large percentage of the younger male posters here study or studied the martial arts for a long period of time. This is obviously not a scientific sampling but it is very suggestive to me. Clearly martial arts are terrible for your hips. While I was diagnosed with arthritis (of some kind) of the hips (and elsewhere) thirty years ago, I clearly now have FAI. I think that FAI coupled with martial arts (and hockey, other things) tore my hip up. Do you have a suspicion on yours? I apologize if I missed it in your posts.
Mike
P.S. I wish you the best of luck whatever you decide to do!
Mike,
I do infact have that suspicion. I do not have any family history of arthritis in younger folks and I am experiencing some pain in other joints that I think are a result of years of intense training. I know it is not scientific but just in my small circle of folks that I know in the martial arts world I know of three people that have have hip replacements of some kind. One of which had bilateral THRs when he was in his 30s! Another that I know through a mutual friend had HSR done two years ago at the ripe old age of 35. He's very pleased with his HSR so far but I'm sure would have rather kept the hip God gave him longer.
I don't know if anyone has looked at it but I suspect martial arts can expose any underlying congenital conditions one may have in their hips. It's like many other things, some people can practice martial arts for decades and have no ill effects while someone with an underlying condition like FAI can accelerate the onset of OA. I suppose it's like some people that can eat eggs and bacon every day for breakfast and live to be 90 while the next guy may drop dead from a heart attack at 40.
I once heard a saying that says "Genetics loads the gun and bad habits pull the trigger". Not that martial arts are a bad habit but I think it may be a contributing factor to my early OA as well as yours.
Scott,
I am 44, similar story to everyone else (but no martial arts). I am a Gross hippie in January, and can think of no better surgeon in the world. I specifically picked him because I believe in Dr. Gross' philosophy on why it will eventually prove to be superior. It makes sense, since so many THRs are uncemented and proven to be effective.
The reason he has been the only one doing it until recently is because he was integral in the development of the implant. Apparently, creating the porous surface on the inside surface of the femoral component was/is very difficult from a manufacturing standpoint. He pioneered it, and so was the only one implanting them....at least in the US. I think one more doctor in the US is not beginning to use an uncemented femoral component. He's on this website, but I can't remember his handle.
Anyway, you can't go wrong with Dr. Gross and Lee. They are really great. Good luck.
Can't give you feedback yet but check with me in 9 days. ;D
I'm 43 and I've been dealing with pain for about 5 years. I'm pretty excited really about having a new joint. I hope it's as awesome as a lot of the people here say it is. In the meantime I'm just trusting I am making the right decision.
Jeff
Scott,
I found out two years ago that I would need a new hip and was lucky that the second (sports) surgeon I consulted mentioned a new procedure for younger more active patients called a hip resurface. I then spend six months researching doctors, web sites, and implant manufacturers. I talked to some of the top docs recommended on this site, both in person and in telephone interviews. I even had a spread sheet that I filled out that included the devices each used, what surgical technique they used, the insurance they accepted, the revision rates, etc. I was surprised and disappointed by the responses I received from some of the top docs. One prominent doc in Florida never did call me for a telephone consult and his staff was terrible to deal with. Other doc assistants took weeks to return my calls and when they did call, were unable to answer my most basic questions or seemed evasive when I tried to pin them down on revision or failure rates. I realized that a doctor's staff was an important factor for me to consider as well as the doc himself. I wanted to be able to depend on the surgeon and his staff getting back to me after the surgery if there were any problems. I assumed if I had difficulty with them before the surgery, it would not get any better after the surgery.
There were other docs though who were good to deal with, such as Dr. Bose, Dr. Pritchett, and Dr. Clarke. I could easily have gone with one of them if there had not been a Dr. Gross. I reviewed all the factors though and in the end I settled on Dr. Gross, not so much for the cementless device he uses, but because of the quality of his work, the support staff he surrounds himself with, and the hospital in Columbia. I decided it was worth the drive from Ohio to SC.
You haven't mentioned it as a factor for you, but for me insurance was also an issue. I have BC/BS and it would cover Dr. Gross and the hospital he uses. Dr. Su's office did not take BC/BS.
To finish, I asked Lee Webb one time why Dr. Gross had decided to practice in Columbia, SC., instead of a larger city like Atlanta or New York. She said he told her it was a quality of life issue. He decided it was a good place to raise a family. I thought that was a pretty good answer.
Mac
Mac,
Thanks for your response. Your reasoning is pretty much in line with mine. In my experience I have found that quite often the support staff a doctor surrounds himself with can make or break your entire experience. After getting all the feedback from other patients here I truly feel blessed that Dr. Gross is so close by.
I haven't dug too deep with the insurance yet. I also have BC/BS and confirmed on line that they would cover the procedure with Dr. Gross. I haven't gotten into the details yet but will do that soon. Based on the insurance website the cost estimator says my out of pocket share will be $7000. I still have to confirm that with Dr. Gross' office and the hospital. I haven't checked with Dr. Su to see if he takes BC/BS but if you say you've already checked and they don't then that may be a deciding factor for me.
Incidentally, I did do some more research on the Biomet implant and from a manufacturing side it seems as though they have followed all the best protocols and designed the implent to hold up over the long haul. I specifically saw a presentation Mr. McMinn did criticizing the ASR implant and one of the factors he didn't like about it was the meatlurgy. Apparently the ASR was double heat treated instead of "as cast" which has proven to lead to higher wear rates. The Biomet is "as cast" just like the BHR and has a higher carbide count. I say all that at the risk of sounding ignorant since I am by no means an expert on this stuff. The point is that whenever I find out something new about the progression of these implants, Biomet seems to have gotten it right. I'm sure Dr. Gross had something to do with that since he was involved with the development.
Anyway, your point about the staff and nurses is well taken and a very good one. Quite often that side of the decision process is over looked. I would say that next to the surgeons actually knowledge and skill, the support staff is one of the most important factors when choosing a doctor. How has the recovery been? Do you feel like you did it at the right time?
Scott,
My recovery was great. There was very little pain, and I was off pain meds within a couple weeks of the surgery. I did develop hypothermia after spending a few hours outside one evening watching my son's baseball practice. It was a wet & cold night up here, less than two weeks after my surgery, and I did not realize how vulnerable my system was. I could not stop shaking and my hip hurt like hell. Yet I survived it.
Dr. Gross made a comment to me prior to my surgery that he was always amazed when some of his patients told him that they forgot they had the implant in after a while. He said he could not imagine not feeling anything when you had metal inserted into your body. I actually feel a little difference between my two hips, but it is not discomfort, just a slightly different feeling. A lot of time I do forget there is a metal hip. I flew to England and hiked around the Lake Country last August with my family (4-1/2 months after my surgery) and had no problems. I even forgot about the hip when I went through security at Heathrow - until the alarm went off.
I was going to post a 6 month update on my surgery, but decided to wait until my one year check-up, which is scheduled for later this month in Columbia. While I could just get my x-rays taken up here and email them to Columbia, I wanted to go in person. I plan on getting copies of all my x-rays and asking lots of questions. When I return, and with clearance from Dr. Gross, I will start working on a running program. That program will be a true test of my hip resurface.
I'm little surprised to hear BC/BS is saying you will have $7000 out of pocket. I would guess my out of pocket expenses were under $1000, and that includes the ice machine, crutches, and my share of medication expenses. I have BC/BS for federal employees and my experience is our federal program is often not as good as many in the private sector.
Best,
Mac
I had BC/BS and paid up to my max yearly copay (out of pocket) which is just under 5000. I think each company etc., negotiates different stuff based upon monthly premium (mine is low, so copay is high). Good luck, I would have robbed and bank and paid cash to get it done one way or the other.
Curt
This August will be 4 years since Dr. Gross did my surgery. For me it was the best decision I ever made. A few weeks ago I needed some clarification about a test I am scheduled for this week unrelated to my hip surgery. I contacted Lee Webb by e-mail and she responded quickly answering all my questions. I think this sets Dr. Gross apart from some others. They are never too busy to respond to concerns from their patients. You are very lucky to have him so close. I had to drive 6 hrs and would have driven further if need be.
Scott - very similar story for me, without the backpain though. If I were on the eastern half of the US I would have gone with Gross. You are not going to hear anything bad about the guy or his staff. He's an excellent surgeon.
I fussed a little over the "as cast" and heat treated aspect before surgery. I got a little fixated on DeSmet's paper about the subject where he compared the BHR to the C+. After Pritchett said "we do the BHR" and based on the population size for the BHR coupled with the success rate, I decided that BHR was it. Also the fact that Pritchett, like McMinn and probabaly a few other surgeons, pointed out the failure potential of the ASR before it went on the market suggested to me that my surgeon know's best and I should just rely on him. I think that is a perfectly good reason for you to simply go with Gross. I'd say based on his experience and numbers, he's one of the top 10 in the world, maybe top 5. He wouldn't be so supportive of the biomet unless he really believed in it. Also, I really like the idea of bone growth into the back side of the femoral component. Pritchett uses cement, but he says not much. I have no idea how important that is. It does seem common sensy, much like the acetabular side. There has certainly been some discussion on it here.
Back to the "as cast" vs heat treated - I don't think there is much difference.
BTW - The ASR failed due to machining (not totally hemispherical), not metallurgy.
Good luck.
Thanks again all for the great info and feedback. After doing a lot of research, getting a lot of feedback from folks out here, and meeting Dr. Gross it is pretty clear to me that he is a great choice. I of course still have to iron out the insurance details. I will let the board know when I get a more definitive answer.
Of course the next big question for me is when! I know this is a popular point of discussion on this board and I can understand why. Once getting past the shock and denial about actually having advanced OA at a young age I now have to figure out when is the right time. I know my GP will tell me to wait as long as possible and control the pain with medication. I'm all for that to a point. I have already slowed down some to avoid the worst of the pain but I'm not nearly as bad as it seems some folks were before they took the leap. This decision is unlike any of the other decisions. It is much more subjective and personal. I'm not exactly sure how I will decide but I suppose I will setup some sort of litmus test that will trigger my decision to go ahead with it. Any ideas? What was your tipping point?
I had pain all the time. I limped, used a cane, was unable to workout, used a sock putter on tool, all pre op. what put me over was the lack of sleep. I took ambien 2 yrs before my surgery and they stopped working because the pain still woke me up. No regrets so far and best of all NO AMBIEM SINCE THE SURGERY. My husband is thrilled. He had fears I would do evil things at night to him on ambien, ( the drug gets some bad press). I'm confident I will be in full workout mode adhering to restrictions bringinging me back to the life I led and love, the sooner the better. Youre only young once.
As one of my doctors said "you don't get points for pain".
Scott,
My final straw came in early November of last year. At the time I thought (and was told) I had golf-related sciatica. I had quit golf in August because the bouts of disability after a round (which had been getting worse and worse for 6-7 years) just became so bad that it was a fairly easy decision (after a last major bout of pain/disability after my final golf trip).
So after 2-3 months of recovering I was feeling pretty good and I think I lazily threw some combinations and maybe two or three kicks in my basement. As a result, over the next two weeks I lost the ability to put any weight on my right leg four separate times. I couldn't even stand (for a several hour period) without crutches. I was in so much pain that to fall asleep I would have to (besides deliberately self-medicating with alcohol) make myself a nest on the couch with cushions and pillows to get my leg in this crazy position so that it would hurt the least, all the while applying heat, so that I could pass out for four or five hours. I'd been doing the pillow between the knee thing for at least a couple of years (without even knowing that that was big hip OA thing), but this was just a different order of pain.
These bouts of pain and disability all happened at about ten o'clock at night and lasted until I could fall asleep at two or three a.m. I then missed work the next day every time. During this stretch I resolved to finally push my doctor and figure out what was going on. So he sent me for an x-ray and then an MRI. As you all know from your own experiences the x-ray was dispositive, even to my laymans eye. My PCP told me it was just a matter of time before I got a hip replacement.
He was gonna send me for a surgical consult straightaway but I talked him out of it. That night I thought about it and I realized that constantly in pain and sometimes disabled was just no way to live. Called the doc the next day, I had heard about HR and was interested in it. He sent me to a local surgeon at Boston's most well known orthopedic hospital who supposedly did both (but who later told me that he only did HR when someone's femur was so abnormal due to injury that he couldn't jam a THR spike down into it - honest to god he said that).
Went to Dr. Gross's web-site, was blown away by how forthright he was, heard nothing but great things about him on this web-site and the Yahoo board and was sold. Part of my day job is being able to tell when someone is BS'ing me (and I think I'm particularly good at it) and the sincerity vibe I get from Dr. Gross and his web-site is so strong it is off the charts.
Short answer it was the not being able to walk (at times) that was the final straw.
Mike
As you mentioned, this is probably one of the most discussed aspects of HR - the "when" question.
I think I could have gone a little longer without treatment. I wasn't taking much but ibuprofen once in awhile, but every time I wanted to do something active, I'd pay for it. I certainly wasn't able to run much like I used to, I couldn't ride my bike to the river with the kids, sleeping was getting worse... the list goes on. Although I still don't think I was a s bad off as others. Not even close in some cases.
A few thoughts on tipping point:
I was grumpy a lot, I wasn't getting the cardio exercise needed for overall health, not to mention keeping the BP in check
I was seeing my kids have fun without me (that's a biggy), they're going to be in college in a few years and I didn't want to miss out on being active and keeping up with them during their teenage years,
Insurance was paying for it,
I could wait 10 years to maybe see some big changes in the industry, or I could wait 1 or 2 years in pain for what? why wait?
Also I felt like I had already had a pretty significant lifestyle change for a few years by reducing my activity level and I felt like it was just getting easier and easier to sit in the easy chair and drink beer all night. That's not the direction I or my family wanted me to head.
Fast forward to 2 days ago, I was happily running around chasing a Frisbee from my kids. I was the golden retriever running around on the beach in the sun on a dog food commercial. Life doesn't get much better than that.
BoSox,
I'm in same situation but have already pulled the trigger and have surgery scheduled with Dr. Gross at the end of April.
You know it is time to do it when it affects your life on a daily basis, stops you from doing things you enjoy etc.
I was a physically active 46 year old male...at least I was active before the hip shut me down. This will allow me to get "my life back".
You've already done more research...probably than necessary. I've had major knee surgery before, cartilage replacement. Once I decided on Doc, I had all confidence in him and his decisions. Feel the same way about Dr. Gross, more experience than almost all others, solid background, history of good decisions. Don't get caught up reading every article or paper on every type of procedure/equipment. You've got to remember that EVERY one involved in those has "outside motives"...companies they "work with" etc.
Probably your background as a pilot. You want to be in control of all aspects. If I know I've got a good pilot, that's enough and I let him "fly the plane" so to speak. I'm already booked for surgery and I don't even know, or care, which procedure he's going to use. I can't do enough research to second guess someone with his experience level.
Hope this helps...I wanted to write cause I waited to long. Get it done and get your life back...good luck...jb
I am just past 12 weeks and recently I truly have begun to to forget an implant is in there. I didn't think that would be possible but apparently it is! :)
Getting more encouraged as I'm reading these posts. I'm scheduled to have my left hip done 3/28 by Dr. Gross. Any advice on hotels near the hospital? My wife will be with me and I guess we'll be spending the night in Columbia after I'm released Friday. Or will I be ready for the 7-hour drive home to Norfolk that night?
Thanks!
Larry
Larry,
I had surgery on a Monday and was released Wednesday. We stayed overnight at the hotel near the hospital (I believe it was the Marriott Courtyard) one more night before beginning the trip home on Thursday. We had a 2-day (1000 mile) drive back to upstate NY. We stayed the extra night "just to make sure" all was well prior to the long drive home. I purchased the battery pack for the ice machine and ran the machine on and off for the entire trip home- no problems at all. I hit the 20-week mark in 2 days and I couldn't be happier with the procedure and the results so far. Good luck!
Steve
I had a 9 hour drive back to Ohio. I stayed at the Residence Inn and had an easy drive home with several stops. Dr. Gross asks patients who are not local to stay an extra night at a close just in case.
Mac
Oh, and I recommend you ask for a handicap room when you make your reservation.
Mac
Since I had about a ten hour trip through four airports, I stayed two nights in the hotel before flying home. There are two Marriotts near the hospital; one is right across the parking lot from the hospital, which I believe is the Courtyard and has nice hotel rooms; and the other is the Residence which is about three blocks away, and has nice living area and kitchen options. Both offer the option of handicapped rooms, and are familiar with Dr Gross patients. My wife stayed in the Courtyard while I was in the hospital, and then moved us to the Residence for the two nights after I got out.
Larry,
You're probably going to get swelled up and be a bit sore but it's really not that bad. Break that 7 hour trip up with plenty of stops, do bathroom breaks at larger national restaurant chains, they have really good handicapped bathrooms, do lots of foot pumps and you will be perfectly fine. Hundreds of Dr. Gross hippys have done what you will be doing.
I did Columbia to Pittsburgh, same day and I drove part of the way back when I was sure the pain meds were done.
The whole ordeal is nothing to get worried about, I will need my left done at some point and I will do it with much more confident attitude.
Chuck
Quote from: LAB123 on March 10, 2012, 12:22:57 AM
Getting more encouraged as I'm reading these posts. I'm scheduled to have my left hip done 3/28 by Dr. Gross. Any advice on hotels near the hospital? My wife will be with me and I guess we'll be spending the night in Columbia after I'm released Friday. Or will I be ready for the 7-hour drive home to Norfolk that night?
Thanks!
Larry
Quote from: LAB123 on March 10, 2012, 12:22:57 AM
Any advice on hotels near the hospital?
I think the Marriott Courtyard next to the hospital is a no-brainer. I literally walked over the morning of my surgery. I think they actually gave a discount as one of Dr Gross' patients? We drove to Charlotte on the Friday after my wednesday surgery, stayed at the Doubletree somewhat near the airport and flew out Saturday morning. We did not have a handicap room, but that may have been helpful for the raised seat and bars.
Courtyard for me too. Perfect spot near the hospital, and close to drug store to fill 'scrips for meds. Stayed there the night of discharge before the drive home and night before admission. Discount price, decent room.
Curt
We also stayed at the Courtyard both before and after surgery; it's very convenient. Took our time going home to MN; took breaks at rest stops and stayed in motels 2 nights.
Steve, Mac, John, Chuck, einreb, Curt,
Thanks for the info...this board is an amazing resource! Will book at Courtyard and hope to leave Friday with the ice machine pumping!
All the best,
Larry
and thanks to you too Mari...
I met him today and liked him fine. He spent plenty of time with me and seemed to accommodate any preferences I had as far as medications or his protocols if it was within reason. My only negative and it's really unimportant is the Midlands Ortho facility is not as "nice" as either ortho practice I've been to in Memphis. That's silly I know. A big city prejudice maybe but the big practices in Memphis have very luxurious office space. My first thoughts all related to the facility.Being a realtor I'm always looking at "curb appeal" Ha! I still feel confident of my choice though. He's far more experienced than any Ortho in the country as far as resurfacings. I'll let you know more over the next few days after he gets done with me. Surgery for me is in about 14 hours. :o
Best wishes jbennett
Quote from: Jbennett on March 13, 2012, 07:10:58 PM
I met him today and liked him fine. He spent plenty of time with me and seemed to accommodate any preferences I had as far as medications or his protocols if it was within reason. My only negative and it's really unimportant is the Midlands Ortho facility is not as "nice" as either ortho practice I've been to in Memphis. That's silly I know. A big city prejudice maybe but the big practices in Memphis have very luxurious office space. My first thoughts all related to the facility.Being a realtor I'm always looking at "curb appeal" Ha! I still feel confident of my choice though. He's far more experienced than any Ortho in the country as far as resurfacings. I'll let you know more over the next few days after he gets done with me. Surgery for me is in about 14 hours. :o
Sort of laughed at this. I live in SC and went for a second opinion at a gorgeous facility in Greenville. The doctor did not live up to the beauty of the facility. I chose Dr. Gross in a heartbeat!
I had the same in Boston.
Went into Brigham and Women's and the doctor's office had oak everywhere, all things shiny. He told me that THR was the only option and all of the things I would need to remove from my life. I then went to the (smaller) Newton-Wellesley and a very busy practice with people all over the place and no plush offices, just the examining rooms and some small offices for the doctors.
Got the feeling I wanted from the doctor and signed up for both surgeries on the spot.
Certainly my comment was a superficial issue. I'm confident I made the right choice. Dr. Gross makes me comfortable all the way around. I hope I was clear about that. Cool shiny fixtures and cabinetry and furniture don't mean better quality care.
Jeff
:) That was pretty obvious, Jeff, given that you chose substance over style. ;)
Still, it is nice to see a cool office.
Your situation sounds very similar to mine. In my mid 30's I developed the classic groin pain and loss of motion in my hips and legs. It became difficult for me to tie my shoes, pick stuff up off the floor and even get into the car. I stopped playing basketball and running. I did not have a lot of pain but the loss of motion made doing anything difficult.
I went to the doctor who told me I had arthritis in both hips. His brilliant advice was to wait as long as possible, until the pain was unbearable and then I would have to have THR.
After researching a better solution I came across this site and read everything I could about hip resurfacing. I made an appointment with Dr. gross. He told me I was bone on bone in both hips and suggested resurfacing.
I had my bi-laterial resurfacing 15 months ago, when I was 38. Today I am doing everything I had to stop doing when my hips went bad. I have no problems putting on my shoes, picking things up or getting into the car. I can ride my motorcycle again and I run and play basketball without pain.
My suggestion would be to get your hip fixed and get on with your life. Your too young to sit around missing out on the things you enjoy. I just finished a 25 minute run before checking in here.
Good luck with your decision.
Scott-
I'm 39, and Dr. Gross did my left hip last year. I am JUST past the one year mark! I haven't posted my "one year follow up" post yet.. as I"m trying to put together a video to "show off" how mobile I am! :)
I live in California...and I opted to see Dr. Gross over all others. There were a couple doctors local who I could have seen... but honestly, after reading a LOT on this site, I was sold on his high level of experience, and I was interested in the non cemented approach. No one really can say if the "no cement" method is truly better..but Dr. Gross seems to think so. That doesn't mean he's right...but it sure sounds logical. Metal in your hip is not natural.. neither is cement. If you can minimze areas that can fail it sure sounded good. Another devil's advocate position is the true reality that I"m sure he has a major financial incentive/investment in this device... but having met him, he sure seems like a down to Earth guy. In the end.. you have to make the best decisiion you can based on the available info.. and knowing that he has done THOUSANDS of these operations - with mostly all positive results was the main selling point to me. I don't want to be the guy the doctor is learning on... with Dr. Gross.... he is a pro at this point.. so you know you are in good hands.
My experience was great. The whole process really frightened me as I got closer and closer to surgery. The idea of someone opening up my body, dislocating my hip joint, using power tools on my bones, and pounding metal stuff into my body was not a good thought... but let me tell you this - the sensation NOW of being pain FREE is amazing. And the truth is, the process was pain free. the most painful thing I experience in the whle process was the IV, and a blood draw! yes.. post op there was some swelling... soreness.. but nothing major. i was afraid i was going to bre subjected to big needles, painful shots, or thingsthat would "Hurt". looking back on it - it was a cake walk. I had hernia surgery 6-7 years ago.. that hurt WAY MORE than the hip surgery. i was suprised adn how little pain I was in. sure.. after the surgetyr your hip will be weak. you will be gaurding it.. but you are not going to be in agonizing pain. i sure wasn't.
at one eyhar post op I feel like a new man. I can run, jump, spin around... I can truly say that my new hip is pain free. the only thing that I feel limited in is that for me.. if I run.. after about half a mile i feel some soreness... so had I been a jogger.. maybe I'd be bummed out.. but for me.. i don't jog. i do the treadmill and elliptical and I go crazy on that thing 3 x a week - pain free. not long ago i took my son to play "airsoft".. kind of like paintball... and ran all over the place for teh entire day.. no hip pain.
it is a miracle cure when it works right. Dr. Gross has a great track record. if you are nervous about the process - don't be. it will be easy, and I swear to you, once you are post op - you will wish you had done it sooner. i suffered with hip pain for years.. probably like you have.. It slowly and slowlyh got to the point where trying to tie my own shoe on teh bad side was so hard... i couldn't reallyh cut my toenails on that side.. i was in pain a lot.. even in bed at night.. just laying down still.. i'd have throbbing pain in myh joint.. i can remember that pain so distinctly... and now I feel like my hip is "quiet"..... if you are in pain.. get it fixed. go to whoever you feel comfortable with.. but I woudl 100% recommend Dr. Gross. if my other hip goes bad.. which it could.. I will be back to Columbia, SC!
Good luck!!
Hi Scott - I love love love Dr. Gross, and his entire staff. Unlike most doctors I know, he spends as much time with you going over the procedure and addressing any concerns/questions you have. I'd gush some more, but I am one day post op and was just given some happy pills, so I am fading fast. Good luck! :)
Congrats, CTB.
Good luck, Bosox!
Hello again all, Thank you so much for all the great responses. I know you don't have to take the time to respond and share your stories with me but I am glad you all did. I have to say that after all my research and soul searching, I think Dr. Gross is the best choice for me when that time comes. I have to be honest I don't particularly fear the surgery. Based on what people are saying about Dr. Gross' process and staff it seems like a fairly easy process. What I truly fear is the fact that as soon as I make the choice to get a new hip the clock starts ticking. Yes the new hip could last me 20 or 30 years but the odds are that I will be facing at least one more revision surgery at some point in my life. While it seems as though the vast majority of these procedures go well, not all do. There are a number of things that can go wrong and no matter how well it goes the components start wearing out from day one. Will they last 5 years, 10, 20 or more? That is all an educated GUESS. Believe me I am very sympathetic to the relief that HSR can bring to those suffering from hip pain but I have to find a balance between my current condition and the process initiated by surgery.
I am facing the same difficult decision everyone here has. WHEN? In the beginning my pain was getting very bad. My loss of ROM was significant and I stopped all exercise, was depressed and grumpy all the time. I have since been on Celebrex and some supplements and I have to say that my hip is feeling much better. I still have pain but nothing like before. I still don't run and find it difficult to ride motorcycles for any long rides but when is it too much. For the most part my hip is OKay. It's not great but okay. I actually played 18 holes last week and I expected it to bother me that night and the next day but it was okay. My x-rays say I am bone on bone but it seems my symptoms are not as bad as many of you before you had the surgery. There are some limitations on what I can do right now but nothing too severe. I am not sure when I will be forced to go under the knife, but I don't think that time is now.
Hey, Bosox,
It sounds like you've got a good handle on things. Again, I was much like you, good periods and bad. If you're not ready, wait. But keep close tabs on your bone health so that you don't damage the bone to the point you're not a candidate.
You'll know it's time when you can't stand the limitations anymore. When that time comes, Dr. Gross will take care of you.
Keep in touch, and good luck again.
Hi Scott, I am in exactly the same situation you are in at the moment. I am 38 with an 18month daughter and my wife is pregnant with twins. I have a consultation on 20th April with Mr Holland. Over the last 4-5 yrs I have been suffering, I have good and bad days but it is getting worse and my quality of life is seriously affected. A bad limp, very poor ROM, I can not drive for long distances and can not walk for long distances, although it does not affect me when resting. What is more it is having a detrimental affect on other parts of my body. The other hip is put under more stress, I have slight scoliosis of the spine and just recently in my good leg my achilles tendon has been very sore. All of this plus the fact I want to spend quality time with and help my wife with our kids helped me decide now is the time.
TBH this time last year, although I was in pain, I was uncertain to whether I wanted to go through with it just yet and was anxious about losing my natural hip and all the emotional stuff. I was quite prepared to persevere with pain at least for a few more years until I was forty. Very quickly I changed my mind this year due to everything getting worse. I figured the way things were going I would only be able to hold out for a couple of years max and in the mean time risk damaging other healthy joints so in the grand scheme of things is not worth it.
I wish you all the best and you never know we may be recovering at a similar time.
Neil.
Quote from: morph on April 09, 2012, 03:18:52 PM
Hi Scott, I am in exactly the same situation you are in at the moment. I am 38 with an 18month daughter and my wife is pregnant with twins. I have a consultation on 20th April. Over the last 4-5 yrs I have been suffering, I have good and bad days but it is getting worse and my quality of life is seriously affected. A bad limp, very poor ROM, I can not drive for long distances and can not walk for long distances, although it does not affect me when resting. What is more it is having a detrimental affect on other parts of my body. The other hip is put under more stress, I have slight scoliosis of the spine and just recently in my good leg my achilles tendon has been very sore. All of this plus the fact I want to spend quality time with and help my wife with our kids helped me decide now is the time.
TBH this time last year, although I was in pain, I was uncertain to whether I wanted to go through with it just yet and was anxious about losing my natural hip and all the emotional stuff. I was quite prepared to persevere with pain at least for a few more years until I was forty. Very quickly I changed my mind this year due to everything getting worse. I figured the way things were going I would only be able to hold out for a couple of years max and in the mean time risk damaging other healthy joints so in the grand scheme of things is not worth it.
I wish you all the best and you never know we may be recovering at a similar time.
Neil.
Your story sounds so familiar to mine 2 years ago.
Dr Gross did my hip last year. I'm only a touch older than you... the non-hip specific benefits have been the huge surprise upside. I'm in no pain, so much less cranky... in better shape now than I've been in years, etc. I'm biking a good bit (150-200 miles a week) now and feeling great in general. Long walks with the family are now pain free. No more stopping every couple hundred yards doubled over in pain. The recovery process had its ups and downs, but my decision to go with Dr Gross was one that I do not regret in the least.
-Bernie