Hip Replacement Surgery - Need Help!

[Jen B]

I am scheduled for hip replacement surgery in less than a month. I am scheduled to give blood twice before then so that my own blood will be available if I need some during surgery.

What I am stumped on right now is that my surgeon has instructed me to take nearly 1000 mgs of iron per day from now through the surgery, and even past it for six weeks. After reading the section in Protein Power Lifeplan about not taking iron (for any number of what I think are good reasons), and actually using the opportunity of giving blood to get rid of some iron, I am very hesitant to take all this iron now. And then, the instructions are to take over-the-counter laxative products if constipation is a problem because of all the iron.

Does anyone know why all this iron is recommended for this surgery? I'm tempted to take way less iron than is recommended, or none at all. Does anyone have any input for me to consider? I don't want to miss anything, but I don't want to mess myself up with excess iron either. From what the Eades say in PPL, it's not a pretty picture.

Help!?

[Nancy LC]

Are you anemic? How about calling the surgeon, or his nurse, and asking why you need the iron?

The only thing I am thinking is that it is only temporary and hopefully it won't do that much harm for over that short of a period.

Wow! I wish you great success with your surgery.

[Dodger]

Please ask your doctor about the iron. Two months or so of iron supplementation won't cause any long term problems and may prevent some short term problem that the doctor is aware that the surgery could cause.

[PS Diva]

You are being asked to take iron before the surgery because you are also having blood drawn before the surgery. Having blood drawn will reduce your iron stores. This is not a permanent thing!

[Jen B]

Men aren't the only ones at risk for heart attacks and cancer by having too much iron stored in the body. Women who are not menstruating are also at risk. Giving blood is the best thing you can do. It doesn't deplete iron stores; it usually lowers them to within a normal range.

http://www.mercola.com/2004/dec/15/iron_levels_blood.htm

Taking iron supplements is very dangerous. The Eades in Protein Power Lifeplan really lay it all out quite well, but the article above gives an idea of just what is at stake.

I talked to a woman today that I trust implicitly (the Judge in our small city). She had hip replacement surgery, gave blood 4 times before her surgery, and was not instructed to take iron supplements. No problem. I've done a lot of research today and now I'm prepared to make my decision. No iron supplements.

I don't have anemia. The surgeon didn't do a blood test on me to see iron levels. He just handed out a form with instructions that he gives to all his joint replacement patients.

[camaromom]

I had my hip replaced 4 1/4 years ago. I did not take iron prior to surgery. My hemoglobin dropped to 8 after surgery and I nearly didn't get discharged when scheduled because it was so low. I would call your primary care physician and discuss it with him/her. I would have taken the iron prior to surgery if I'd known to. By the way I'm 40 years old now.

[PS Diva]

My Mom became anemic after her surgery too. They will draw blood after your surgery while you are hospitalized to check your levels.

Right or wrong, it is your decision to make. But your doctor should know about the choices you make so that he can adjust his treatments to reflect them.

[Aetheana]

And being anemic with low iron stores really sucks ass.

Good luck!

[Jen B]

Thanks everyone! I'll take the damn iron, I guess, but probably in a lesser amount. Both of my hips will be replaced before this is all over. They're both toast! For years, I thought I had fibromyalgia and CFS, and didn't know that my hips were deteriorating. I'm in good shape otherwise (thanks to LC, no alcohol, getting my weight down, supplements, etc.) I'm 53.

Last night, I gave blood for my surgery and my iron level is normal. So I don't feel as concerned taking some iron as I would be if my iron had been high. My husband was with me and we got the nurse to check his iron level too. It was high. So we're going to schedule him to give blood real soon to get rid of some of it. We'll both be giving blood periodically in the future. We eat lots of red meat and dark leafy greens, so we get plenty in our diets.

Cameramom, I'm interested in how your surgery has turned out for you overall. Any experience you want to share would be appreciated.

[camaromom]

Jennifer,
I was born with "congenital hip dysplasia" with complications. My left hip was much worse all my life than the right one, although neither are normal. I have had MULTIPLE surgeries in my childhood. Plates, pins, they even broke both my legs above the knee to turn my feet out the correct way.

Anyhow, I was in terrible pain. It got to the point where I dreaded going to the restroom. If I actually sat on the toilet, then I couldn't get back up. I worked full time as a nurse in a doctors office and it was all I could do to get thru the day. I was scared to death to have the surgery.

I had my last child in 9/01. He was walking a year later, so we scheduled surgery for 12/02 that way I wouldn't have to carry him. The surgery was the best thing I ever could have done. It literally gave me my life back.

For the longest time I just thought I was lazy. I would go to work and then plunk my butt in my recliner. Cooking was exhausting. I hated it when I forgot something and had to walk 40 extra steps to go back and get it. Heaven forbid I drop something.

Now, I get up daily at 5:30am to attend my work-out classes from 6-7am. I'm able to do step aerobics, I weight lift, I work full time as a nurse with mentally retarded/developmentally delayed adults. The surgeon was able to get me an inch in leg length out of my short leg. I don't limp, like I used to. DH says now it just looks as if maybe I've hurt my leg, pulled muscle or something.

I saw my surgeon 3/06. He said I had "Incredible range of motion". They asked if I had any problems putting on my shoes and socks (NO!), could I go up and down stairs and do I need to hold onto the rail (NO, and NO!) I can now do what we call in one of my classes as 10 on the stairs, we go up and down the stairs at the YMCA 10 times. I can keep up with all but the fastest participants. I'm not supposed to run, jump or sky dive. I can't do squats or use the leg press machine, but otherwise I do everything else. I walk my dog, ride my bike, play with my kids, work full time, etc. As I said doing that surgery literally gave me my life back. DH says he gets frustrated now 'cause he always knew where to find me before and now he has to hunt all over for me. The other night he got upset because I was out doing yard work and he'd checked everywhere - laundry room, bathroom, kitchen, living room, family room etc. LOL

Good luck to you on your upcoming surgery. May I ask if your surgery is for arthritis? Please don't be shy about asking for pain medication following surgery. And yes, those awful Physical Therapy people will get you up either the same day or the next day and you'll want to hit them with your walker, but work hard with them and you'll get out quick.

[Jen B]

Cameramom,

THANK YOU for your post. It brought a tear to my eye just reading it because I am beginning to get little glimpses of the sweet taste of RELIEF coming my way.

My M.D. said it's osteoarthritis. My surgeon said he thinks it's probably osteoarthritis, but perhaps some avascular necrosis as well. (I had a long-term alcohol addiction; not alcoholic, but definitely problematic. I've been sober for six months now.)

I won't reject the pain medication. I have been adamant about not taking pain meds all these years, even Ibuprofen, unless absolutely necessary, but since this is temporary, I even asked my surgeon to give me a pain pill prescription the other day to help me get through these last three weeks before surgery. They're hydrocodone. I took one yesterday at work when I was hurting so much and feeling so exhausted in the morning that I couldn't fathom how I could make it through the day. It did the trick.

My husband has been putting on my socks for me for years. I wear nothing but Birkenstocks that I can just slip on. He clips my toenails and shaves my legs for me. I walk up stairs hanging onto the handrail for dear life, doing a little two-step like a toddler. My range of motion now is close to zero.

I haven't had missionary-style sex for years, and no sex at all for months. Because of my pain, my interest in sex has dropped way off. I sure hope it comes back. Do you have any experience to share about this?

I plan on taking glucosamine & chondroitin from now on. I found a liquid kind that I think would be good called "Flexicose." I found it for under $20 per bottle, which is a month's supply. Do you take glucosamine? Or maybe that's not something that's recommended for your condition. :q: (Past condition?)

The path ahead of me looks long and arduous from here because both my hip joints will be replaced before I'm done, but I'm setting my sights beyond all that to the quality of life that I'll be able to enjoy. Not too long ago, when they were telling me this was fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue, I thought I'd never find a way to get relief. Now it looks like relief is just around the corner.

Thanks again for your post. I really appreciate it. It helps a lot.

[camaromom]

Well, you asked about the sex thing and I hope that I don't get kicked off here for these comments. I had an awful time trying to have sexual relations. DH was very patient and understanding.

NOW!! It is anything goes. Missionary position, me on top, side by side etc. The sex is way better now. No awful pain to deal with.

I too had avascular necrosis. They also had to partially rebuild my socket region so I was under anesthesia for almost 4 hours. My avascular necrosis was due to all of my congenital abnormalities. My doctor said that most of the hip replacements he does take an hour or less.

I wish you the best of luck.

[Jen B]

Thank you, Cameramom. That's just what I wanted to hear! :D

[Nancy LC]

Wow! That's wonderful to hear that the surgery is so good. The AS forum I visit has so many stories of surgery gone wrong, but I think Hip is a lot more successful than ones like shoulder or knee.