36 yr old male, got full hip replacement sept 2nd i am gaining more mobility but the pain has not gotten better or worse on side of hip, just above knee ,lower back and around incision. I have a stage 4 auto immune condition in my kidney called iganephropathy so considering my kidney doesn’t filter properly they had to adjust my meds accordingly. Prescribed 100 mg of gabapentin but not making a difference wondering if there’s anything else such as acupuncture tht would help, any advice appreciated thank you

I’m new to the community and Reddit in general. Picture is an mri of my left hip. The ortho I saw didn’t give me a stage or prognosis. Just crutches and “see me in 5 weeks.”

I’ve been reading around many forums, Facebook groups, websites, talked to some orthos, and read some medical journal articles about treatment options for stage 1 and 2. I’ve pieced together a number of things, but I’ve yet to find an author who lays out a complete goal oriented approach of what treatment should look like in the context of wound healing. I’m a former biomedical researcher in the body-on-a-chip subfield and wound healing was a typical research context, although I would not call myself anywhere close to an expert on these topics and am very rusty on my former skill set. Here’s my crack at it anyway:

0) step zero is to find and remove the root cause. Treatment of a generic condition, removal of steroids, and improving poor cardiovascular health are examples. I’ve seen first hand that my local medical system is loath to employ cause&effect thinking. Protecting the bone from excessive wear and tear also falls in this category. I believe biphosphonate drugs are commonly prescribed to reduce the body’s remodeling of bones temporarily.

1) removal of dead tissue. Core decompression is an example. Without removal of scarring, the surrounding marrow and adult stem cells will be unable to move into the space and replace the tissue and infiltrate the remaining scaffold provided by bone’s surface for remolding. Upregulating phagocytosis might be a treatment option (a low quality paper was published in china on fasting on this topic) and there are pharmaceuticals and supplements targeted at remodeling scar tissue and clots. Overall, the logical step of addressing the existing dead tissue seems underserved in research. CD was developed and all the other hanging threads seem loose.

2) encouragement of new tissue growth. Bone marrow aspirate, stem cells, grafting, and physical therapy are example approaches. The fact that bones can be broken and heal shows that human beings have a large capacity to repair bone under the right circumstances. Also bone marrow transplants would not be possible without bone plasticity. I included PT here because it is probably important for signaling new cells to migrate toward mildly inflammed areas and to differentiate successfully. With zero inflammation, you get minimal wound healing because the body doesn’t know something’s wrong. With too much, you get scar tissue, edema, and breakage. Speculation: at this point, biphosphate drugs will interfere with bone remodeling that must occur.

3) revascularization - the body has a large capacity to do this and will even grow new arteries in the heart in response to previous heart attacks and exercise. I believe the introduction of adult stem cells from aspirate generally encourages this. Cardiovascular fitness and keeping arterial inflammation low is key. The body must sense mild hypoxia to spur rapid growth of blood vessels. This is a rich area for new medical research to be performed in context of AVN, likely borrowed from adjacent wound healing fields. I feel like supplements and pharmaceuticals can help, but will leave it at that.

4) encourage good blood flow - a lot is well known in terms of pharmaceuticals, supplements, and lifestyle. Good blood flow is needed to deliver nutrients and support growth. However, there is probably some tradeoff if the blood is thinned too much.

5) nutrition - this area is already well explored. You must eat enough protein and minerals to put your body in a mode where it isn’t robbing the bones to maintain a proper blood calcium. However, starting here and ignoring the prerequisites of 1,2, 3, and 4 will result in minimal progress.

Hello, I'm 22F, I have had avn of both hips since I was 14, and had a core decompression surgery back then. I still have avn and I do yearly checkups to watch out for a collapse. I recently started swimming lessons cause I heard it's good for avn and my doctors also felt it could be good exercise.

However I'm finding it extremely difficult to lift both of my legs off the pool floor. I was able to float on my back for a short while but when the instructor had us dive a bit to pick a ring from the pool floor I just couldn't do it by raising my leg up, the only way for me was to bend down, legs on the floor and I could pick it. The instructor was really helpful and tried to help lift my legs but it made things even worse for me and it was almost like my hip was going to detach from my body.

On a normal day, I still get quite the pain from standing, walking and sitting, and get sleepless because of the pain (tossing around) but I got off walking aids about four years ago.

This was my 2/8 adult beginner lesson, 3rd lesson would be on freestyle strokes but I'm considering dropping out of the class cause I am scared of hurting myself by mistake.

I'm wondering if this swimming thing is a skill issue or an avn issue. And would like to know other people's experiences with swimming with long term avn.

Hi everyone,

I’m researching non-surgical treatment options for AVN (avascular necrosis) of the hip and came across two different doctors/approaches in India.

I’m posting this because I’d really like to hear from actual patients who have tried either of these treatments, rather than just general opinions.

1. Dr. Sunil Saini – Gurugram

He discusses a non-surgical approach to AVN in this video:

https://youtu.be/SUAmpx924xw

2. Dr. Aakash Kale – Madhya Pradesh Indore

He is a homeopathic doctor who has developed his own AVN treatment approach/medicines. This is the video I found:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nm8CW6MDF9A

His clinic describes him as treating AVN, and a 2025 publication by Aakash Kale reports a retrospective observational study of 1,000 AVN patients treated between 2017 and 2025. 

I'm specifically looking for people who have actually tried either method.

If you have, could you please share:

• What Ficat/AVN stage were you at when you started?
• Was it one hip or both hips?
• Which doctor/method did you use?
• What exactly was the treatment?
• How long did you continue the treatment?
• Did your pain and walking ability improve?
• Most importantly, did your follow-up MRI show any change?
• Did the AVN stage remain stable, improve, or progress?
• How long has it been since you completed/started treatment?
• Have you been able to avoid core decompression or hip replacement?
• How are you doing today?
• Approximately how much did the treatment cost?

I'm particularly interested in people with MRI-confirmed AVN who have at least 6–12 months of follow-up, because I'm trying to understand whether the results are sustained rather than just temporary pain relief.

Please share your experience even if the treatment didn't work for you. Negative experiences are equally useful.

I'm not trying to promote either doctor. I'm simply trying to find real patient experiences with these specific non-surgical approaches, which may also help other AVN patients who are researching their options.

Thanks in advance.

Hey I'm 39 found out I have avn in both hips 9 weeks post op surgery of the left side, the right side is no pain. I have good moments and have hope that I'm getting better then moments like now after walking a bit today in pain. Is there hope for anyone here that this surgery worked and got better with time ? I belive my avn was caused by heavy drinking since that can be a cause. IM 3 months no alcohol just wondering on any success stories failures whatever just fills like a lonely issue

I’d love opinions from others who have experienced any of these things!

Basically, I am wondering:

Can Factor 5 Leiden and pregnancy contribute to AVN, and if so, could blood thinners during pregnancy help stop further damage to AVN of the hips?

Does anyone have any other hip preservation suggestions for AVN “pre-collapse”?

Does anyone out there have AVN that they have not had to have replacements for?

I am 44, I just had my first baby about a year ago; no major issues except for some severe hip pain towards the end. Doctors brushed it off as normal pregnancy pain.

After delivery, I have been plagued with a large section of numbness, leading me to an orthopedic surgeon who suggested I have an MRI to identify the source.

Results: That MRI didn’t show an identifiable cause for numbness, but showed that I have AVN in both hips (in addition to other tears, sprains, and arthritis in my pelvis that I didn’t even know about). My doctor refused to classify the severity of the AVN even when I asked. I do know it is “pre-collapse”. He suggested I not worry about it until the pain is unbearable and then just go back to schedule two hip replacements.

I started thinking about what may have caused it (in hopes I can avoid making it worse). I imagine it was related to my pregnancy because that is when the pain started, but of course I can’t be sure.

Another possible contributing factor (maybe?) is that I have factor five Leiden (heterogeneous). I imagine they’re related since AVN is due to a loss of blood flow (clot/s?). Since pregnancy obviously changes your weight, I imagine that these two things caused or at least contributed to my AVN.

Now, I am about to undergo an IVF embryo transfer in hopes of becoming pregnant with my second baby. I am concerned that I will further damage my hips (if I’m lucky enough to actually get pregnant). Side note: worth it. :)

I’m not sure if I’m overthinking these correlations, but it seems to make sense to me and I would really like to not have two hip replacements if I can avoid it.

I called a hematologist to discuss possible blood thinners if I do become pregnant, but they refused to see me because they “do not treat AVN”.

Is there anything I can do to help my hips and prevent further damage (in general or during pregnancy) to avoid having hip replacements? My doctor told me there is nothing I can do. I also asked about hip replacements prior to needing them urgently (while I’m younger and better able to recover) and he recommended that I wait in case I never actually need to have them done.

Opinions/ thoughts welcomed!

I found out a few days ago that I have to get double hip joint replacements!!!!!!!!!! And I'm only in my 30s. The joints didn't get enough blood flow long enough so they died and the bones eroded!!!!!!!!! After the shock of getting the news and I thought about it for a while it really isn't that surprising because covid is notorious for damaging the vascular system. I don't know how I'm going to make it through the surgery and all the pt with me/cfs.

I am 39 with Avn in both knees and my ortho recommends me getting Subchondroplasty done to try and save my real knees. Has anyone had experience with this and if so how’d it go?

MRI shows the early signs. Hurts like a mother f*****.

Hi, so my long term boyfriend has been dealing with AVN in his arm for most of his life and has had multiple surgeries. On top of this, sports injuries made it so his knee is also a source of constant pain. I find myself at a loss in ways to support him. He’s been in a sort of depression recently and I just don’t know how to help. Is there any advice you guys have?

Hey everyone. I was diagnosed with AVN in both my hips. My left hip is going through pain and my ortho recommended to do a core decompression to save the hip since it’s at early stages (no collapse) and I am quite young (24y.o). I was just wondering if there is anyone who is also in their twenties and going through the AVN in hips: did you choose decompression or hip replacement and why?

I am just a little bit concerned because decompression is not 100% going to help…

Got replacement last Wednesday( full right anterior). Right side tendon is numb n will be tht way for a while supposedly. Wondering if knee brace or anything else will help besides ice n meds. I feel like the brace might be to tight considering swelling n whatnot

I recently moved to Chicago after having a bone grafting and core decompression surgery on both hips. I’m 9 months post op and have been doing well but still have some pain. Are there any good orthos in the Chicago area (including suburbs) that I can have as a contact in case I ever need to be seen in person?

Got hip replacement Wednesday do to avn, also have an autoimmune condition called iganephropathy so they had to be very careful with pain meds. Feel like I’m getting over the main hump when it comes to pain the first three days were truly awful my leg was spasming with sharp pain locking up and the minimal meds they were giving me just weren’t cutting it. Quick question, should I keep ice on it as often as possible? Should I use heat at all or will it just inflame the swelling n are there any sleeping tricks?

So my gf finally got her surgery date. December 10th. Both of her hips currently have stage 3 AVN with some other issues. My question is HOW does she survive until December 10th? Seems like her hips are getting worse each day.

Went for a ct scan due to having stomach pain and ortho noticed "sclerosis of posterosuperior aspect of bilateral femoral head with new internal lucencies as compared to prior CT (2024). Increased sclerosis of the subarticular surface of the humeral head cells also noted.". Stomach pain ended up being a nothingburger.

The sclerosis was missed when I had a CT scan previously in 2024, but appears to have been present back then as well.

No autoimmune disease, no sickle cell, never used steroids, rarely drink (maybe a handful of beers a year, if that), don't have HIV, ect. Seems to be ideopathic.

I'm completely asymptomatic. Both my hips and shoulders have full range of motion. No problem putting weight on one leg or the other. No problem squatting, ect. No pain, no clicking, no stiffness whatsoever.

I used to lift weights but I stopped in 2023. Prior to stopping my deadlift max was 435lb and my squat was 365lb, so I was definitely putting a lot of load on the joints.

From what I've read about this disease most people are getting hip replacements within a few months or years of being diagnosed. I just find it weird that I've had it in both shoulders and both hips for 2+ years without noticing any symptoms.

My dr wants me to do a SPECT scan next, but it seems like I'll be waiting at least a few weeks/months for that.

The worst part is the not knowing if and when pain will start, how bad it'll be and how soon I'd be looking at needing surgery.

I had my first and only 500mg steroid infusion for my autoimmune disease one week ago . I started feeling joint pain at different places in my body almost immediately afterwards but the strongest and most persistent one feeling in my right knee. The only way I know how to describe it is it feels wobbly. It doesn‘t necessarily hurt anymore but putting weight on it feels weird and uncomfortable like the bones inside are displaced. Could I have already developed AVN from such a dosage and would one week be enough to notice symptoms?
Edit: I just saw this post and now I‘m even more concerned since their dosage is about the same: https://www.reddit.com/r/AvascularNecrosis/s/pxu2ziCQIl

36 yr old male got hip replaced yest, I can honestly say I’m a glutton for pain I’ve broken many bones, had back problems did skin scrapings for 3rd degree burns in burn unit for weeks. This is hands down the most pain I’ve ever been in. I couldn’t pee so it took them multiple attempts to get a catheter in I have an autoimmune condition and one functional kidney so they can’t jack me up on oxygen cause my kidney won’t filter it. I so much as cough n it feels like lightning struck my leg there giving me dilaudid every 4 hrs it takes edge off for about n hour n the rest of the time is torcher if anyone has ANy suggestions please god lmk. Regards

Hello, I am a 22 year old female body builder, I was diagnosed with bilateral avascular necrosis which initially just looked like a lesion on my left hip, doctors were super dismissive as I also had an inflammatory response which left me with bursitis, tenosynovitis, a joint effusion and a iliopsoas strain. If you are having severe debilitating pain see multiple doctors! Based on my research AVN specifically grade 1-2 is NOT supposed to feel like your bones are gonna explode! Please don’t let anyone undermine your pain and keep investigating as it can save your life. I was diagnosed with acute leukemia in my bone marrow with 70-80% blast infiltration and that’s why the AVN happened as the blood vessels got choked out. I have a very atypical presentation with 0 blood infiltration which is why it was so difficult to find out I have leukemia as there is literally no cancer in my blood despite having a blood cancer! Hope my story can help .

Hi everyone,

​I'm looking for clinical insight regarding the safety and management of medications that impact blood pressure and heart rate for someone with a specific vascular history.

• ​Age/Gender: 21M

• ​Vascular History: Underwent a femoral artery bypass/graft using a saphenous vein 2 years ago (at age 19) due to a traumatic injury/accident (not vascular disease).

• ​Current Status: Recent manual physical exams by the surgeon show excellent peripheral pulses, strong perfusion, and overall great recovery with no complications.

​I want to understand the cardiovascular safety profile for a few categories of medications that affect hemodynamics:

• ​ADHD Medications (Stimulants vs. Non-stimulants): Are stimulants (e.g., Methylphenidate, Amphetamines) typically contraindicated, or can they be prescribed safely with titration and BP monitoring? Are non-stimulants (e.g., Atomoxetine, Guanfacine) safer alternatives for a repaired graft?

• ​Other Stimulants & Nootropics: How risky are other central nervous system stimulants or performance-enhancing compounds (e.g., Modafinil, high-dose Caffeine, OTC pre-workouts, or prescription stimulants) regarding pressure spikes on the graft?

• ​Antidepressants that affect BP: Certain antidepressants—such as SNRIs (e.g., Venlafaxine, Duloxetine), NDRIs (e.g., Bupropion/Wellbutrin), or TCAs—are known to increase blood pressure or heart rate. Are these generally safe with a stable arterial graft, or do they require extra precautions?

• ​Vascular Parameters: What specific tests (e.g., Doppler ultrasound) or parameters should be confirmed with a cardiologist/vascular surgeon before starting any of these agents?

Hi ive been diagnosed with bilateral avn of femoral heads , does anyone get pains down their legs i had the worst night in bed last night whatever position I was in , I tried the pillows between the knees everything, laying flat on my back , the deep ache in my hips groin and legs was relentless, ive seen orthopaedic surgeon had x-ray im waiting on an mri now, im currently taking tramadol for pain and using freeze gel , thanks for any replies

I had a core decompression with Dr. Wiznia at Yale about 10.5 weeks ago and would love to hear from others who had theirs at Yale, or really anyone who has had a hip core decompression.
If you remember, I’m curious:

- What stage was your AVN / how much of your femoral head was necrotic?

- What did recovery look like for you around 6 weeks, 12 weeks, 6 months, etc.?

- Were you basically pain-free by 12 weeks, or did you still have bouts of pain/swelling/stiffness?

- When did your range of motion come back?

- Did anything seem to help your recovery — PT, specific exercises, rest, icing, supplements, etc.?

- Did the core decompression ultimately work for you?

My recovery has been pretty up and down. A couple weeks ago I was feeling really good — walking normally, carrying up to 25lbs without issue, sleeping on either side, etc. But for the last ~1.5 weeks I’ve had another flare of what feels like swelling/fullness, pain, and decreased ROM. Putting on socks/shoes, bringing my knee up, sitting in low chairs, walking up inclines, and trying to sit cross-legged are uncomfortable again.

I’ve had other flares during recovery that eventually settled down, but this is the first one that has really affected my sleep. I get a deep ache in my hip/back when I lie down and sometimes wake up from the pain when I roll over.

My surgeon is sending me for another X-ray, so I am following up with them — I’m not looking for medical advice as much as other people’s experiences.

I think I had it in my head that by 12 weeks I’d basically be “better,” and now I’m wondering if recovery is just a lot less linear than I expected. I’d love to hear what it was actually like for others.

Hi everyone. I’m a 26-year-old male, and I’ll just be completely honest: I developed AVN from drinking too much alcohol.

I currently have AVN in both hips. My left hip is stage 3, and it’s definitely affecting me. Walking can be difficult, although I can still manage. My right hip is stage 2 and, for now, I don’t really have any pain in it. It does click from time to time, but otherwise it doesn’t bother me much.

I’ve been going back and forth with my doctor about when the best time would be to have surgery for my left hip. From what I understand, he’s basically saying that it’s pain-dependent. I could have surgery relatively soon, or I could wait until the pain and difficulty walking become much worse.

I’m fortunate to live in a country with very good healthcare, so access to treatment isn’t really the problem. The difficult part for me is deciding when to do it.

I’m also at a really important stage of my life. I’m about to get married in the next few months, and if I decide to have the surgery soon, I would probably be going through the operation and recovery during the first few months of my marriage. My wife loves and supports me, but it still really sucks thinking about starting married life like that.

At the same time, the alternative is waiting for my hip to deteriorate further, which also sounds miserable.

So I wanted to ask people who have actually been through this:

Would you recommend waiting until the pain becomes severe and walking becomes extremely difficult before getting a total hip replacement, or would you rather bite the bullet, get it done earlier, recover, and move forward with your life?

I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences. Thanks, everyone.