So I looked at my schedule and realized that I had appointments with three local surgeons and one out-of-state surgeon. That felt a little much, given that the originally recommended surgeon will likely be excellent, and my backup out-of-state surgeon is probably easily sufficient for a second opinion. Do I need a third? Or a fourth?
Ultimately, I may. But given that I haven't even gotten a single opinion yet, I decided that I should cancel the first appointment. Nothing against Dr. Snibbe. His credentials looked amazing, and he appears to have performed this surgery ample times. He appears to be board-certified, which sounds impressive, though I'm not actually certain what that title specifically entails. But given the great things I've heard about Dr. Guanche, the surgeon to whom I was specifically referred, I decided that I'd wait until I see him before going for a second opinion.
So I'm currently scheduled to see Dr. Guanche in the middle of July. I keep calling the office to see if they've had any cancellations, but the best I've been able to do is to move my appointment ahead by one day.
In the meantime, my pain has gotten worse and I'm miserable. I seriously am running out of patience and I just want to get my full range of motion back. Dr. Klapper, another surgeon with whom I've scheduled an appointment (at the end of July) co-wrote an excellent book I've been reading on hip care (called Heal Your Hips). In it, he and Linda Huey provide a set of exercises to perform in water as well as on land. I'm looking forward to trying them out (though I need to copy and laminate the page or I'll ruin the book at the pool).
But I am concerned that maybe I should have kept my appointment with Dr. Snibbe. Seriously, how does a person choose a surgeon? Is it overkill to seek a second opinion? a third? a fourth? It seems indulgent to do so, but on the other hand, it's my hip. And I'm young. I want to maximize my chances of having the best possible outcome.
It's pretty scary.
I understand your concerns. After rehabbing for 18 months following a right total hip replacement with Dr. Klapper, I still had groin pain. Dr. Klapper referred me to Dr. Snibbe for a confirmation and 2nd opinion, believing it was a psoas tendon issue. Dr. Snibbe concurred that my hip needed a tendon release and actually performed that procedure just yesterday at Cedars. In fact, Dr. Klapper was present in the O.R. as well. Dr. Snibbe has a wonderful staff and they manage your care expertly.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, when I was living in the Bay Area, I found Heal Your Hips on the internet and took up pool therapy for a year before my first hip arthroscopic surgery. In fact, that's how I found Dr. Klapper. He is a very high energy guy who cares deeply about his patients and he's very well respected in the field. Wait times in his office, though, can be quite long, so please be prepared to wait. He has a great staff as well.
Take your time, see as many docs as you need to, as it's your body that's going under the knife, and trust your gut. I've only seen Klapper and Snibbe and I like them both. Perhaps see one and get a 2nd from the other and go from there. Hope this helps. Oh, I've been in the water now for over 4 years and love it. It's the best therapy and the best exercise you can find.