Sunday, April 19, 2015

Long time no blog!

I got a question/comment on my blog the other day (I responded but let me know if you didn't get it!) and I realized that I haven't updated in forever!

Thing with my right hip have gone amazingly well. In fact, I ran a half marathon 5 months after my surgery! I did have a little achiness and pain for a few days later, but that completely went away. 

Unfortunately I ended up getting FAI surgery on my left hip, too, and that hasn't gone as well as my right hip surgery has. 

I got surgery on my left hip on November 17, 2014. That hip was a little worse off, and needed the labrum to be anchored, and the impingement was a bit worse than the right hip. It's unfortunate bc I know I talked about getting ART done on both hips while healing from my first surgery, and I truly feel like it took care of all pain I had in my left side. But I just felt pressure to get the left side done (NOT from the doctor) and I had a great experience with my right side, so I went for it.

The recovery was pretty similar, I distinctly remember recovery in the hospital particularly was MUCH MUCH better. I was coherent and chatty on the drive home as well. That first week had ups and downs, but eventually it was going well. I had changed PTs and really liked where I was now going, but they took things a lot slower. I really enjoyed my experience with them though, over the previous pt office. 

Except, I probably didn't fully listen to my new PT bc I was a "pro" at this surgery. I had of course gotten back into weight training, and although I mostly did upper body, I started adding in lower body workouts. Probably a bad idea (LISTEN TO YOUR PT!). 

Somewhere along the way I developed something with my hamstring and also my glute region- both on the left side (most recent surgery side). For awhile my hips would get out of alignment, so my PT would put them back in place, and also taught my husband how to do it for me if it happened at home. Eventually that probably was taken care of, but I did manage to develop high hamstring tendonopathy. 

I also have a horrible ache in my "buttcrack" and low back, and pain that radiates down my leg. I have been to countless doctors. I thought that maybe it was a vericose vein problem. Then I thought it was a low spine back problem. Then maybe piriformis. Ugh.  Nothing that seems to be of a relief. 

I finally had a post op about a month ago with my hip doctor, and he suggested getting an ultrasound guided injection in my hamstring and piriformis. So I just did that about a week ago. Keep in mind my hip has been great- just not these secondary issues. 

So the doctor who did the injections said if this doesn't help in the hamstring we can do PRP therapy next. So far my hamstring is so so (better though), but I haven't done a lot to fairly judge. 

As for the piriformis issue- he said if this injection doesn't work- it could be an SI joint issue. Well, the injection hasn't worked a bit in that area. 

In the meantime I go to a chiropractor and she agrees with the SI joint issue. So I call my hip doctor, and he suggests going to a spine color- that I could get an injection in my SI joint. My appointment I on Thursday and I just pray that that doctor agrees and it would work. My hip doctor also said the PRP therapy would be a good suggestion next for my hamstring. I felt really optimistic after talking to him about where to go next. He said these things are likely in relation to my hip surgery, too. 

I'm just so upset about the amount of pain I've been dealing with for the past year, all in the sake of being an active person. And actually, the SI issue just hurts anytime- even if I wasn't active. But it's just frustrating that I want nothing more than to sweat til I earn my shower, and I have limitations. 

All in all- I still don't regret the first surgery, but I totally regret the second one.