The Health Thread

[miami_fan]

I thought we had a general health thread somewhere but I could only find the specific threads about experiences with cancer, sleep apnea etc.

Has anyone had hip replacement surgery?

Osteoarthritis has progressed enough that I have a bone on bone situation aka no cartilage in my hip which requires me going in for a bionic hip. At least that is how I have chosen to describe it. I am not super concerned or worried. I am just wondering what others have experienced.

[Lathum]

FOFC has hit the point in its lifespan that we have a post about hip replacement surgery. Whoa boy.

[Ksyrup]

My wife didn't have hip replacement, but a hip abductor surgery back in June. Hip replacement is easier. You're up like the next day walking around. My wife was in a non-weight-bearing cast for 6 weeks and unable to fully walk for nearly 3 months.

[cuervo72]

FOFC has hit the point in its lifespan that we have a post about hip replacement surgery. Whoa boy.

No kidding. Though I do have a HS classmate who had the surgery, maybe as many as five years ago. Was active, too - used to rock climb. Not sure if he still does but he definitely golfs.

[miami_fan]

FOFC has hit the point in its lifespan that we have a post about hip replacement surgery. Whoa boy.

Father Time is undefeated.:D

[Ksyrup]

I'll just add - I'm going in for my second colonoscopy in 3 years tomorrow.

I do NOT understand how we can be as advanced as we are from a medicine perspective, and yet no one has been able to figure out how to make colonoscopy prep something other than one of the least enjoyable experiences on the face of the earth. The actual procedure - even awake (which I have done!) - is more enjoyable.

[Ghost Econ]

I had my first colonoscopy a few years ago. The prep is so much worse than the actual procedure. Drinking that stuff is sooo disgusting. I literally couldn't even get half a glass, but thankfully my bowel system is so terrible that was more than enough.

[Ksyrup]

Three 10 oz bottles at noon, 4 and 8. Each worse than the last. Just thinking about it makes me shiver/nauseous.

[Ksyrup]

I will say, I think I timed this just right. Spend the long weekend holiday (over)eating and then empty yourself out in prep for a colonoscopy the following week. Similar to getting a vasectomy on the Wednesday before March Madness starts.

[Bobble]

Has anyone had hip replacement surgery?

Osteoarthritis has progressed enough that I have a bone on bone situation aka no cartilage in my hip which requires me going in for a bionic hip. At least that is how I have chosen to describe it. I am not super concerned or worried. I am just wondering what others have experienced.

Mrs. Bobble had hip replacement January of this year. There are two flavors, posterior and anterior. My understanding: With posterior, they cut muscles so there's a longer recovery but it's less difficult (which I translated as "risky"). With anterior, they manually move everything out of the way.

Everything went fine for The Mrs. except she has some long term numbness that is annoying. She did notice that on the replacement side, her leg was now about 1/3 of an inch longer now and kinda had to learn to adjust while walking.

[Edward64]

I'll just add - I'm going in for my second colonoscopy in 3 years tomorrow.

I do NOT understand how we can be as advanced as we are from a medicine perspective, and yet no one has been able to figure out how to make colonoscopy prep something other than one of the least enjoyable experiences on the face of the earth. The actual procedure - even awake (which I have done!) - is more enjoyable.

I agree. That prep is horrible.

They removed some bigger polyps last time (pre-cancerous but not cancerous, he said don't worry about it), so I'm on a 2 year cycle. Not looking forward to the next time.

[Edward64]

Nothing big for me other than receding hairline and in process of tooth implant. Got the extraction done and will get actual implant in Jan.

[Flasch186]

Prep for colonoscopy is way way better on a bidet


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[miami_fan]

Mrs. Bobble had hip replacement January of this year. There are two flavors, posterior and anterior. My understanding: With posterior, they cut muscles so there's a longer recovery but it's less difficult (which I translated as "risky"). With anterior, they manually move everything out of the way.

Everything went fine for The Mrs. except she has some long term numbness that is annoying. She did notice that on the replacement side, her leg was now about 1/3 of an inch longer now and kinda had to learn to adjust while walking.

I have not gone to my consultation appointment with my surgeon yet so I am not totally positive which flavor they are going to do. I deal with sciatica so hopefully new numbness won't be too big of a deal. My doctor did tell me about the potential of the leg shortening and the possibility of needing to get lifts in my shoes. We then made some very inappropriate jokes about me and heels and went our separate ways.:)

There is no way for this not to read awkward so I will just say it. Did she gain or regain flexibility in the hip? Pain is definitely the #1 reason for me to have the surgery but running a close second is the lack of flexibility in the hip joint itself.

[PilotMan]

Prep for colonoscopy is way way better on a bidet


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Every day is better on a bidet.

[Ghost Econ]

Prep for colonoscopy is way way better on a bidet


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It is, but man it still sucks when part of the reason you're getting a colonoscopy is to confirm your worst issue is hemorrhoids. So now you want me to drink a liquid that's gonna make me shit for hours on end? Well now I don't need the colonoscopy cause I can send the doc a quick snap of my asshole when I'm done.

[Ksyrup]

The pissing water out of your ass part of colonoscopy prep is really not a big deal. It's the drinking of 3 bottles of Magnesium Citrate - and ruining for some period of time the taste of any liquid you use to wash it down/away - that's nearly unbearable. Yeah, you have to be within squirting distance of a toilet all day, but whatever.

But(t)... I'm done for a year or two. Looks like I'm going to get confirmation that I've gone from on the cusp of Crohn's to an actual diagnosis of Crohn's. It must be mild, though, because I don't notice any side effects from it.

[Bobble]

I have not gone to my consultation appointment with my surgeon yet so I am not totally positive which flavor they are going to do. I deal with sciatica so hopefully new numbness won't be too big of a deal. My doctor did tell me about the potential of the leg shortening and the possibility of needing to get lifts in my shoes. We then made some very inappropriate jokes about me and heels and went our separate ways.:)

There is no way for this not to read awkward so I will just say it. Did she gain or regain flexibility in the hip? Pain is definitely the #1 reason for me to have the surgery but running a close second is the lack of flexibility in the hip joint itself.

The numbness is kinda farther down the leg and it's pretty much stumped the doc and neurologist. < shurg > It's not a super big deal and it's slowly going away/she's getting used to it.

She says that she's somewhat more flexible but certainly much more movement without pain. So if what was stopping you from moving farther was pain, I think you'll be happy. If your hip just could not move any further regardless of pain tolerance, that would be a very interesting convo with the doc.

We were given a lot of scary rules for after the surgery. "Whatever you do, don't lift your leg more than a 90 degree angle to the torso! For the love of God, do NOT rotate the hip outward and if you dare to rotate the hip inward even 1 degree, I guarantee your entire body will disassemble itself like a bad jenga tower! But, make sure you do your exercises that essentially violate these rules."

Probably the worst part of recovery was that you have to prove that you can go up and down a few stairs before they let you go home from the hospital that day. One of the other patients that our doctor had that day (there were 3 patients total IIRC) got up the steps with a little trouble but was a mess trying to get down them. Tears and pleading but the "heartless" PT lady was completely unfazed. The patient made it, though. This did not do any favors for Mrs. Bobble who was next on the stair challenge. Mrs. B. has a pretty high pain tolerance and really wanted to go home so she powered through.

[Edward64]

We don't have a dedicated healthcare thread so figured this was as good as any.

I was impressed today. I changed from Anthem to Kaiser Silver HMO and found a new PCP (old one didn't take Kaiser). I met him in person today, get some vaccinations, blood work & prescriptions, nothing big.

I was expecting a private practice Dr. who took Kaiser insurance but instead he was located inside a Kaiser building.

It was pretty squared away. Checked-in at a kiosk, better experience than any others in the past. There was an attendant that helped people check-in and answered any questions in the lobby area. There was the Dr. area, a Lab area, a Pharmacy and couple other areas. Kaiser also has other buildings that dealt with specialties and emergency stuff (e.g. no more of the private emergency clinics).

After seeing the Dr., I went to the pharmacy and then for a blood test. Results available tomorrow online.

Bottom-line. It was an "industrialized" process (efficient, repeatable). I never felt that I was just a number. It was convenient and relatively quick. Online app is solid except for one annoying refresh.

So, if you guys are on Kaiser HMO, suggest you give the "Kaiser practice" a shot vs private practices that takes Kaiser insurance.


Wife had an asthma attack Sun evening and she called Kaiser 800 help line.

Kaiser had her asthma on file and gave her a new albuterol prescription. Told her to pick it up at a Kaiser facility about 20 miles away. We went, in and out in 15 min, pretty efficient.

The only ding is having to drive the 20 miles and back. There are closer Kaiser facilities but not all have the Kaiser pharmacy or open on Sun evening. In the past, we would have gone to minor medical down the street and be charged $$$ or call/disturbed her doctor and get a new prescription, then find a CVS that was open.

All in all, still happy with Kaiser HMO (vs my previous Anthem/Aetna private practice doctor).


But one healthcare fix that I think makes sense ...

Pharmacies should be able to provide limited prescription drugs on an emergency basis. Albuterol is pretty common, and if CVS sees you've have that prescription before, they should be okay to provide you one if it's on a weekend or evening. One dose/incident per year or something like that, and if it's being abused, then insist on a doctor's prescription.

There was a time when you couldn't get a flu/vaccination shot at a regular pharmacy. That changed for the better, and think they should let pharmacies do more.

[miami_fan]

I thought we had a general health thread somewhere but I could only find the specific threads about experiences with cancer, sleep apnea etc.

Has anyone had hip replacement surgery?

Osteoarthritis has progressed enough that I have a bone on bone situation aka no cartilage in my hip which requires me going in for a bionic hip. At least that is how I have chosen to describe it. I am not super concerned or worried. I am just wondering what others have experienced.

Update:

I just got home from the VA hospital with my bionic right hip in tow. I had the Posterior hip replacement surgery the day after Memorial Day. Trust me, I felt every one of the muscles the surgeon had to cut to put the new hip in place. The swelling in my right buttock area was significant enough make my right knee slightly hyper-extend. After a few days of recovering and mild physical therapy, I was moved to the actual Rehab facility within the hospital last Monday for a week of two and sometimes three hour long PT sessions per day. I walked out of the hospital today with a cane in hand but absolutely capable of hobbling without it. Either way I was hip pain free in a way I have not been in three years. I still have to take a couple of acetaminophen pills to make it through the night and I have some blood clot meds that I have to take until the second week in July. I have a followup on Friday and start outpatient rehab on Wednesday. Every muscles feels like it has been cut in half so I have no choice to do the stretching and flexibility exercises I have ignored for years.


==================CUT LINE========================

Now I have to be a bit more personal. I delayed going to the VA for almost three years after I retired. I still had to pay for Tricare for the family so I just use that. I can't speak for anyone else's experiences with the VA in the past or am I trying to invalidate the negative experiences of today. I also can't speak to whether things would have been the same or even better in a non-VA hospital anywhere else.

That being said, the staff at the James Haley VA Hospital here in Tampa provided one of the best hospital experiences I have had as a patient or my wife has had had as a care giver. Everyone was super professional and gave a shit or were very good at giving the appearance that they gave a shit about us as a family. Despite the....um... challenges they have recently had to face, many made the sacrifices I only associate with military service and have not seen in the civilian world to make sure we had the care we needed. I was glad to hear my fellow patients confirmed my feelings for the staff, facility and care and held it in just as high regards. One guy, a retired colonial, wept as he wished his wife received the standard of care through her HMO before she passed that he was receiving during his current stay.

If you are eligible and were like me, give the VA a chance.

[Edward64]

Glad you are feeling better.

My SIL worked at the VA as a nurse and then as an administrator. She complained about the bureaucracy quite a bit but did like her co-workers and thought they provided decent care.