No ride today w/this beautiful weather. CRAP! :(

[John Schmidt]

Waaay too much hip pain, back to using a cane quite a bit. I swear, the  #*%&@$#   doctors and their "normal protocol" can put that protocol where the sun doesn't shine. Three different ortho. drs. have told me I'm not a candidate for hip replacement because I don't have arthritis in my hip joints. Well that's just sweet, so I sit here with no cartilage and constant pain and they tell me I'm not a subject for replacement and it keeps the bursa enflamed just to add a little spice in the mix. OK dumbass, so what do I do to eliminate the pain? Drugs & shots! Well screw that, the shots don't work for more than a few days at best. Wonder if I can get a grease fitting installed and a tube running to the joint, just give it a squirt every couple weeks. 

Sorry for venting, but it's really getting to me. After all the shots(eight) over the last 15 months, therapy, drugs, etc., and I'm right back where I was at the beginning. Can't play golf without paying dearly for it for the next few days, bicycle is painful, the Valk is painful and I can barely lift my leg to get it over the saddle, can't take walks and the goofy walking gait now has the knee so messed up it's just as painful as the hip. Guess it's time to jack my butt up and run a new body under it.   

If anybody has some suggestions that help I'm willing to try it. At this point I can barely get my leg up enough to put on socks and shoes, can't raise my leg to put my pants on....have to sit down and reach way down to start it over my foot. Have to stop here, the more I write my more PO'd I get.

[Flat6Valk]

John I tried Beneflex for knee pain and it worked!  I think its a good risk.  I think you can get a free sample, two weeks worth over the internet web site.  Its sold at GNC.

It was a miracle over the counter treatment for me.  I was at a point where I could not bend my knee.

Good Luck

Greg
Flat6Valk

[Jess from VA]

What about using your local networking skills to find (yet another) new Orthopedic surgeon with a good reputation for hip replacements, and really pitching your case to him (giving him your past history, docs, shots, etc, none of which is working for you)? 

Are they BSing you on the no-arthritis no-replacement policy because they are afraid to give you that surgery based on other reasons (age, past hospitalizations, heart risk factors, fear of losing you on the table under anesthesia, IE malpractice suits)?  So offer them a waiver of liability.

It seems clear that palliative treatment (temporary pain relief/masking by shots or dope, heat or cold) is not working and you need replacement surgery. A wheel chair is not a satisfactory solution!!

Maybe it is a long shot, and no good because you have no cartilage in the hip, but what about trying one of those inversion tables that hang you upside down to stretch you out? (Not really upside down, just at a good angle) Teeter sells them, but I would think you could find one at a local gym to at least try out. 

[da prez]

   John , I believe an injection of  synvisc (I think that is the spelling) . It is a new lubricant that has good results.

                         da prez 

[PJR]

John, my wife just turned 60 in Dec., and had both hips replaced last year. Docs did not want to replace
them because of age. She went for PT, and the dude says "this won't help, you have no range of motion any direction". Got in touch with surgeon, and in 3 weeks first one was taken care of. As someone else stated, find another doc. Good luck, John.

[Windrider]

What about using your local networking skills to find (yet another) new Orthopedic surgeon with a good reputation for hip replacements, and really pitching your case to him (giving him your past history, docs, shots, etc, none of which is working for you)? 

Are they BSing you on the no-arthritis no-replacement policy because they are afraid to give you that surgery based on other reasons (age, past hospitalizations, heart risk factors, fear of losing you on the table under anesthesia, IE malpractice suits)?  So offer them a waiver of liability.

It seems clear that palliative treatment (temporary pain relief/masking by shots or dope, heat or cold) is not working and you need replacement surgery. A wheel chair is not a satisfactory solution!!

Maybe it is a long shot, and no good because you have no cartilage in the hip, but what about trying one of those inversion tables that hang you upside down to stretch you out? (Not really upside down, just at a good angle) Teeter sells them, but I would think you could find one at a local gym to at least try out. 

John, I don't even know you except by your posts here.  But I sure feel for you.  My wife is rehabbing a total knee replacement she had the first week in Dec.  It's tough going.

I am not a physician and would not propose to give medical advice. However, I was a Disabilty Examiner and QA Analyst for 34 years and your problem is something I know about.  Among the most common disabling conditions people allege are heart and arthritis.

To me your joint space narrowing, absence of cartilage, is the definition of osteoarthritis.  You could have bursitis too and it hurts like heck.  I simply can't make sense of any denial of the presence of arthritis if you have what you described.  What is your diagnosis?   Bursitis??  I know you've been to 3 docs, but somethiing doesn't add up here.  My wife had gone the anti-inflammatory pills, cortisone shots, synvisc shots route and when all had failed was told the bag of tricks was exhausted.  So, surgery was recommended for her.

I think Jess from VA has nailed it here.  Excellent observations and suggestions.  I can't add much but my concurrence.

Hope you find some relief soon!

[RainMaker]

My wife didn't have arthritis - just bone on bone as cartilage wore down and out.  She was in constant pain.  She had both hips replaced in the last 3 years.  Pain is gone.

I agree with the others suggesting you find another doctor.  Pretty obvious you need the replacement.

[cookiedough]

go see another doc or two and get 2nd/3rd opinions.  Shots only last so long and not speaking from personal experience, but I hear the more you get, the less good shots do.

I say B.S. on no arthritis at over age 60+.    I had knee surgery at age 38/39 about 5 years ago and they said I already have the start of arthritis in the knee area and is fairly common to start getting the start of arthritis in late 30's already.  

I know surgery will be tough, but right now you are in so much frustration pain you gotta try something else.

My dad in his late 60's fell down and broke his hip on slippery ice,  had to have hip surgery.  Recovery time for him was VERY long like over 6 months and more, but he already had the body of a 90 year old when he went thru his 3 very severe spinal cord surgeries last one being age 55 in the 1980's.  He always told me I wouldn't understand in his later years age 60 and over what he was going thru and probably never did.  Sucks to live the last 20 years of his life with no feeling in his hands or feet, thus the reason being so clumsy as well forcing retirement on him at only age 55.

[art]

It sure is tough reading about all the health issues some guys have. At 72 my health is good. Just this last week I've been 30' up in my tree with a chain saw topping it. I do have arthritis in my thumbs and it was very hard holding on to the handle bars during long trips. Due to an accident I sold my Valk . Since then my thumbs bother me very little. I was contemplating surgery but the DR. said to wait for a few years. I don't think I'll be needing it after all. I do feel for you and hope that you do get some relief soon. Have you tried a good soaking in a hot tub? If nothing else it feels good. Good luck.

[Robert]

John it was a beautiful day for a ride and sorry you missed it but I am also glad you were here to post that post today. I can remember when I thought we had lost a valuable member and it wasn't because of political posts. I always enjoy reading your posts and thank God you are here to do it. I would agree with others about finding another Dr. and also trying some over the counter remedies. I know Knox gelatin has also helped a few. I am sorry for the pain and the continued health problems though and will pray for you and will look forward to future posts and thank God you are here to share with us.

[John Schmidt]

Well, for the record I'll be 77 in just over a month and in good health. That's according to the cardiologist and my primary dr. even though I had a major heart attack nearly three years ago. I feel great and barring the hip pain can do anything I want. I'm very active, even with this darn hip, but I pay for it with the pain that follows. It's really strange looking at an x-ray, I can see a nice thick strip of cartilage in the left hip and knee. But the right hip to a layman's eye, the cartilage looks nonexistent and one spot does have a small tear. I can tell when that catches because I can't straighten my leg out. Same with the rt. knee, cartilage is minimal but not near bone on bone like the hip, but it also has a slight tear. Got that as a kid when I found out why clipping is illegal in football.

This is the 3rd. ortho dr. that has given me the same basic review, I'll keep after them for some kind of relief. My physical condition is such that it shouldn't be an issue; gym 2-3 times a week, bicycle when the pain is minimal...couple times a week. Even my urologist is somewhat surprised....I don't get up to pee at night. He didn't believe me at first but asked my wife and verified it. I go to bed, go to sleep, wake up at night sometimes but don't have to go, so drop off to sleep until dawn. It's just this blessed hip that keeps me from doing what I want, and it's really about to get on my last nerve.

[Robert]

John how much and what do you do for cardio at the gym and what target heart rate do you shoot for?

[John Schmidt]

John how much and what do you do for cardio at the gym and what target heart rate do you shoot for?

Robert, if I can get out on the bicycle for 8-10 miles, then I don't do a lot of cardio at the gym. On the bike I really book it, so I get a good workout from the time spent. In the gym, if I don't get to ride then I'll spend at least 15 minutes at a good pace on the stationary. If I have had a chance to ride, then I usually will only do about 5 min. just to get warmed up and the heart pumping good. As for heart rate, I've always had a low and slow BP and pulse. My BP even without drugs will average 115/70, plus or minus a couple points, at rest pulse is anywhere from 50-60, often down into the upper 40's. Most of the time on the stationary bike I'll usually peak in the upper 70's for pulse, it has always taken a lot to get it up high. I recall when I was running a lot some years back, I'd go a mile or more before starting to sweat and the heart rate never got out of the 80's. In my 40's I could set a 7 min. mile pace and stay on it for as long as I wanted....go five miles or fifteen, nothing ever changed. My surgeon told me one of the things that saved me was I had a lot of extra capillaries in and around the heart. I have no idea if that's factual or not, just what he told me. I know those vessels are no where nearly as large as the main arteries but I guess every little bit helps. Regardless, I'm still here by the Grace of God and enjoying life to its fullest, thankful for every waking minute.

One thing they have told me every time I have a PET scan on the heart, "you don't physically react but your heart kicks into gear and never faulters." Each time they've done one I can never tell when they actually inject the chemical that's supposed to jack me up. I have another one coming up in April so will be interested to see what's going on. I know my Ejection Fraction has increased substantially from two years ago, under stress they told me it was 57% which I guess is pretty good considering the severity of the attack.

Now if I could just drop about 20 lbs........