Crossed wires I think. I meant 3 months for bone growth into implant not on crutches.
I don't know for sure but I'm expecting a month to 6 weeks total depending on what physio says next week.
2-3 months of lighter crutch free loading and movement, 6 months before I can return to fully active life, gym, bike, mountain hiking.
It's entirely possible I misunderstood what 'push fit' actually meant and made assumptions based on experience...
There's been a lot to take on board
Hmm. When I got my new hip last year, I asked my surgeon about a "Birmingham". He said that long-term experience was very mixed, and that's not allowed anymore over here. So he convinced me to get a good old "full implant".
Yup. Not exactly happy with the idea, but resigned to it if it happens.
Glad yours worked out as well as it has, as you say bone death can be a problem. But it sound like you saw off a nasty injury with little long term effects.
My surgeon and physio both said I'm in good enough condition to get through this relatively quickly with the minimum of lasting effects. I'm already begining to miss the exercise TBH.
I don't zwift at the moment, the main obstacle being a distinct lack of anything to zwift with. Joint ride sounds good when I get the ok to get back on a bike.
What I was told was that there a rush to adopt the procedure and there were too many done, and on patients that weren't entirely suitable, and by surgeons who hadn't been properly trained.
These days it's generally reserved for men (larger femur) who have good bone health, no osteoporosis, and are very active.
The overwhelming majority of hip prosthesis are full replacement. I went into the operating theatre knowing that if the surgeon didn't like what he found when I was opened up, I'd come out with an Exeter hip full prosthesis. He does nothing but hips and less than 10% of them are resurfacing.
Worst case, if there are problems either I have a revision or a full prosthesis.
It's an operation still being offered on the NHS in the UK so I guess national regulators all have their own ideas...
Actually, that's not true. I've had both hips done 14 years ago (steel) and can have MRIs.
Brief update three weeks after surgery. So far so far. Dressing taken off a week ago, incision healed, no seepage, nurse happy and said I can shower. Yaaaaay.
Generally I'm OK, I could walk upstairs and down without crutches or walking stick, but I'm not going to push my luck. Also appear to have a full range of movement too though again I'm not going to do one bit more than physio directs. Surgeon said the most important thing is to protect the capsule around the joint to give it time to heal properly during the first 6 weeks.
Still have some mild pain, but easily ignored or managed with paracetamol once or twice a day. Life would be great if it wasn't for COVID which has been like the worst cold I've had for a couple of decades or more, and I'm still testing +ve after a week. It's put a crimp in my post-op rehab physio and I'm on zoom appointments
A little bit of oedema but mostly due to lack of movement (IMO). Been doing exercises and it's barely measurable. My partner has been taking measurements daily so we can keep an eye on it.
Generally I'm OK, I could walk upstairs and down without crutches or walking stick, but I'm not going to push my luck. Also appear to have a full range of movement too though again I'm not going to do one bit more than physio directs. Surgeon said the most important thing is to protect the capsule around the joint to give it time to heal properly during the first 6 weeks.
Still have some mild pain, but easily ignored or managed with paracetamol once or twice a day. Life would be great if it wasn't for COVID
which has been like the worst cold I've had for a couple of decades or more, and I'm still testing +ve after a week. It's put a crimp in my post-op rehab physio and I'm on zoom appointments A little bit of oedema but mostly due to lack of movement (IMO). Been doing exercises and it's barely measurable. My partner has been taking measurements daily so we can keep an eye on it.
I did ask about MRI and airport scanners and was told it's not a problem, though to be sure to mention the prosthesis to anyone doing an MRI. Interestingly, MRI techs seem to be more interested in tattoos and anyone who's worked in a machine shop....
Here the MRI people take you slowly near the machine, if you seem magnetically attracted, they will not do the MRI, the magnets are always on it seems.
What Covid vaccine were you given, if at all, and when?
Titanium, most stainless steels, and so on are pretty safe (that is a requirement for implants), but like Eddie says, there is always a chance of stray metal items lodged in a difficult place...
What Covid vaccine were you given, if at all, and when?
Titanium, most stainless steels, and so on are pretty safe (that is a requirement for implants), but like Eddie says, there is always a chance of stray metal items lodged in a difficult place...
Exeter is a brand of total hip replacement system made by Stryker.
Zimmer, dePuy (owned by Johnson & Johnson), B.Braun, Smith & Nephew, and many others also make competing products.
The decision of prosthetics is based on commercial terms, and the surgeon's assessment of the patient's needs.
I have no ties to above businesses...
Zimmer, dePuy (owned by Johnson & Johnson), B.Braun, Smith & Nephew, and many others also make competing products.
The decision of prosthetics is based on commercial terms, and the surgeon's assessment of the patient's needs.
I have no ties to above businesses...
Good to hear things are progressing well Steve, other than the unwelcome intervention by Covid, and it's a positive if the oedema is only mild - mine, along with some blood-staining, was quite significant initially but lots of exercise has reduced most of it and it has no affect on my doing anything. FWIW, the Titanium screws in my hip have been a complete non-issue at airports. Never had an MRI scan.
I've had a pretty awful week with severe flu-like symptoms and still have a residual cough but I'm back on Zwift again now - tried a race last evening and went reasonably well in spit of feeling a bit jaded - average power output was down by around 0.1-0.2 W/Kg compared with the week before.
It was
It was the tattoos that surprised me. There's the needle obviously, but also apparently, 1-4% of inks actually contain iron oxide. There might also be aluminium, cadmium, calcium, a whole cornucopia of stuff used to brighten the ink...
Wow, that IS interesting! My son's GF has a few tatts.
Yeah, I went for an MRI some time after the brain op (unrelated) and the tech was most interested in my titanium aneurysm clip, which surprised me for obvious reasons - being non ferromagnetic. It's actually 90% titanium, 6% aluminium and 4% vanadium (called Ti6Al4V).
He found my notes on the health system database and worked out the manufacturer of these devices (in my case, Mizuho, Japan) only guaranteed them to 1.5 Tesla back then (but it has increased to 3 Tesla now). But I guess their caution is fair enough given the application!
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2024-01-21. So far so good. Back at the gym doing light exercise. Walking OK without sticks/crutches for the last three weeks and pretty much pain free. Still some weakness around my hip, but that's improving and gradually range of movement is returning and in a couple of things I've already got considerably more range than before the op. Most of the long term pain I had in buttock and groin has gone and will probably disappear completely over the next month IMO. I've not taken any pain killers or NSAIDS for the last three weeks.
Consultant said that I should leave it until March before returning to cycling out and about and DO NOT FALL OFF YOUR BIKE. After that I should allow another three months for bone to grow fully into the implant before really going at it.
Physios, consultant all tell me I'm doing incredibly well but should remember that inside there's still inflammation and stitches. I have another visit with consultant in about a year, along with an X-Ray and blood test to look for metal ions.
Consultant said that I should leave it until March before returning to cycling out and about and DO NOT FALL OFF YOUR BIKE. After that I should allow another three months for bone to grow fully into the implant before really going at it.
Physios, consultant all tell me I'm doing incredibly well but should remember that inside there's still inflammation and stitches. I have another visit with consultant in about a year, along with an X-Ray and blood test to look for metal ions.
Not a Birmingham but a total replacement, I probably shouldn't have gone skiing 6 months after the surgery but I survived and the joint didn't pop out the times I fell.
It took a full 3 years for the surgery pain to recede to nothing but sometimes I get this itch inside my buttock muscle that is impossible to scratch I thinks it's coming up to 5 years now with all things reasonably good.
A younger mate had a Birmingham resurfacing a year earlier and he was up and running after a year. Modern surgery is an incredible team effort and most of us are better for it
I worked my butt off getting fitter before the surgery. water walking 3 times a week for a month and tried hard to lose weight but only went down a couple of kilos; arm crutches for a week or two and a stick for a month. My Physio says I was typical of patients my age who were reasonable fit and healthy. I was 67 / 68YO at the time of the surgery
It took a full 3 years for the surgery pain to recede to nothing but sometimes I get this itch inside my buttock muscle that is impossible to scratch I thinks it's coming up to 5 years now with all things reasonably good.
A younger mate had a Birmingham resurfacing a year earlier and he was up and running after a year. Modern surgery is an incredible team effort and most of us are better for it
I worked my butt off getting fitter before the surgery. water walking 3 times a week for a month and tried hard to lose weight but only went down a couple of kilos; arm crutches for a week or two and a stick for a month. My Physio says I was typical of patients my age who were reasonable fit and healthy. I was 67 / 68YO at the time of the surgery
My last update on this. 5 months on, and apart from some residual weakness in my right leg I'm fully recovered.
In November I have blood tests and x-ray to assess overall condition of the implant and wear.
I did some walking in the mountains in Spain last month, longest walk was a little over 20km. Tiring, but otherwise it was just so good being out there on those footpaths.
I have about 5kg I want to lose but I've got the summer and between bike, gym and some sensible eating it should be achievable.
In November I have blood tests and x-ray to assess overall condition of the implant and wear.
I did some walking in the mountains in Spain last month, longest walk was a little over 20km. Tiring, but otherwise it was just so good being out there on those footpaths.
I have about 5kg I want to lose but I've got the summer and between bike, gym and some sensible eating it should be achievable.