Archive for Symptoms
Six Month Blues
Posted by: | CommentsMy physio appointment could not have been timed better. I had the day from HELL yesterday. From the time I woke up I had nagging hip pain and an ache that ran the length of my thigh. All I was thinking was oh my god, please don’t let this be happening AGAIN! I just couldn’t handle it if things went pear shaped again. Thankfully after taking some painkillers it did come right and today I am back to normal. I have no idea what caused the random flare up. I biked 50km in the weekend but it is too far out for it to be caused by that. In fact, lately, cycling seems to make things better!
Had my physio appointment this afternoon. She is still too scared to do anything aggressive given my history and seems afraid she’ll make things worse. She thinks the latest snapping and tenderness might just be some inflammation from overdoing it at the gym a few weeks ago. The plan of action is to avoid the hip machine at the gym for the time being, stretch the TFL/ITB at least 3 times a day and do some ultrasound treatments then reassess. If this doesn’t help, last resort is back to the surgeon for possible steroid injection/scans/xrays. B L A HHHHH for goodness sakes I thought I was done with all this crap. I REALLY don’t want a steroid injection. I have worked so hard at getting off all medications and had been successful for the past couple of months until yesterday’s little hiccup. Feeling like life is once again on hold until good old leftie starts behaving…
11 Weeks Post Op Check – No Pain, No Gain
Posted by: | Comments10 minutes and it was all over. Quickest consult ever and I got all my questions answered lol
Overall Mr. R. is pleased with my progress which made my day. I had been worried that it was going a bit slow but he assured me that it is still early days.
The swelling could hang around for another couple of months but he didn’t seem concerned about it. In the past week I’ve had a little snapping on the outside of my hip when i straighten up from bending over which I never had before. This apparently is due to the IT band. I guess while the swelling is still present this is a little irritated but he told me that as my gluts etc. get stronger this should improve. Come on buns of steel!
The residual pain and limited flexion is due to scar tissue from the capsulotomy. He wants me to push through this pain now, taking pain killers as needed (and assured me I won’t do any damage) to break down the scar tissue and prevent more forming. If this doesn’t get better he said he can do a steroid injection to help things along. I have a follow up appointment in six weeks time so it could be a long six weeks! Not at all keen on the injection though, remembering the flare it caused in my wrist.
I have the OK to get a pool/gym program so his secretary is going to send a letter of approval to ACC and they will fund it!
I have no limitations, just have to use common sense with lifting etc. and avoid twisting while lifting.
So I’m a happy chicky right now. Pleased I can push things a little without worrying it will be doing any damage. Mr R says that he can’t guarantee it will ever be 100% again, but it is already better than pre op and I am certainly heading that way 
1 Day Shy of 10 Weeks
Posted by: | CommentsI had a great physio session today, a whole hour! I am so lucky to have such a caring and hard-working team looking after me.
My strength and gait have both improved since my last assessment a couple of weeks ago and my ROM is improved after a bit of a warm up. I still feel something in the joint interfering with flexion at about 70 degrees, but if I just push a little further I feel it move out of the way and I can flex to 90 degrees, maybe a rough patch of cartilage or something?
My physio had a closer look at my back today as I have had difficulty with the pelvic tilts due to low back pain. I have had this for a while and it is most likely compensatory. Standing straight it appears that my pelvis is ever so slightly crooked (with my arms hanging at my sides the gap between my body and right arm was larger than the gap on the left). The pain was more pronounced while standing and bending (forwards and backwards) than while lying on my back doing bridge exercises (very similar movement) so it is apparently caused by compression which I have been told is easier to fix. My physio did some stretches and then I got a nice massage. My ROM was immediately improved, though by the time I cooled down and put my shoes back on I was feeling sore again bending over. I was reassured this would wear off.
I have had a good couple of days pain-wise. I am back on Diclofenac 75mg (Voltaren) twice a day and have not had to take any pain killers since Friday night. The nausea from increasing another medication has settled thank goodness so I’m feeling a lot better today. I even managed a pain-free 5 minutes on my bike this morning
Working 3 hours 5 days this week, starting tonight
Pet Expo
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Boy, what an insane day today! One of my colleagues and I are helping out with the Dunkleys Pet Expo this weekend. We didn’t really know what we’d be doing until we got there.
We ended up working with VCA (Veterinary Companies of Australia) and we sold a tonne of product! From urine and stain remover to shampoo and guaranteed indestructible toys. Altogether a very successful first day and it was great to catch up with some old friends too.
I never gave any thought to how long I’d be standing in one place though…10am-5pm in practically the same spot absolutely wiped me out. I spend 6 hours a day on my feet at work normally, but it is different when you are running around doing things…surgery or going upstairs to tend to the cattery, then back to reception etc. I took some magic white pills with my lunch which helped to get me through the afternoon…tomorrow I think I’ll take some for breakfast too as we’ll be working the same hours.
I’ve been going to the gym a couple of times a week and try to swim once a week too. I have been finding it hard to get motivated lately. I did go for my first bike ride in nearly four months last Sunday and although I felt OK during the ride, just a little unconditioned, I felt awful afterward and was very sore…won’t be doing that again for a while. I’ve been getting the catching sensation in my hip again recently and also pinching in my groin on weight-bearing…the pinching is a new thing so I’m not sure if it is due to increased activity and inflammation, or whether my tear has gotten bigger. It is the same pinching I get with the anterior impingement test (flexion, adduction and internal rotation) and like the other problems comes and goes randomly. Ten days now until I see John Rietveld and I’m anxious to see what he says. I am working next weekend with a full cattery so get a short week and am also going to a fluff-themed party on Saturday night so I think the week will go fast!
Oh, we are now officially house-hunting again! Thanks to extremely generous family members we are fortunate enough to have the opportunity to move out of our crappy, leaky house and start a-fresh. Though we probably won’t be able to get rid of this place we will hopefully be able to repair what is needed and rent it out for a few years.