Over the past year, I kept thinking, “if only I…” the pain would go away.
For 6 years i had been getting steadily worse. I used to walk 2-3 miles and feel sore afterwards. The it turned into me needing to take a break from walking every mile… then every half-mile.
I just thought I was out of shape, and if I wasn’t so sedentary I would feel better. I blamed my job; I blamed my (lack of) social life. I blamed all the weight that I had gained as a result of both. I told myself that once I got out of that job i could re-visit my life and things would get better.
In December I finally got (and started) a new job! I figured everything would be different. Not only did I not need to drive to work anymore, I would be using public transportation which meant incorporating more walking (activity) into my everyday life! But with the new job, I could no longer go to my pilates sessions, which i used to jest was the only reason I was not crippled.
Turns out the pilates sessions were doing just that.... After 1 month without pilates, and living my “new life” I was virtually crippled. I developed an on-and-off limp a few years ago, but the limp became constant. I couldn’t walk for more than a half-mile without back pain. And although I had a laptop that I should bring back and forth from work, having that with me on my commute made it that much worse.
I would be in horrible, sore, and shooting pain by the end of the day, such that I couldn’t do anything but lie down.
I found a chiropractor - one session and I was on my back for 3 days. Luckily this was right before Christmas so I had time off. Otherwise, I’m not sure what I would have done! I could barely move.
I found a local PT place. I felt better after the first session, but then much worse after the 2nd and 3rd. They didn’t know what to do for me. and it was obvious that what they were doing was not going to help.
I then found a new pilates place. I also felt good after the first session there! But the second session was not as good… and I was worse after the 3rd session than I was when I walked in that day.
I broke down and drove up to my old pilates instructor (and she was nice enough to make special time for me!). She showed me some easy exercises/ stretches to do at home. But it was obvious to her that I was much worse than I was when I had last saw her… despite that I had taken off about 20lbs. She was worried about me; I was worried about me.
I finally made an appointment with a women’s health orthopedist… someone who specializes in back pain issues of women. I took public transportation to get there, and by the time I got there, I could barely walk.
At this point, I would occasionally use a walking-stick as a cane. And sitting for more than 30min would result in loss of leg strength and occasional shooting pain down my leg.
By the time I saw the doctor, I was having these issues too.
She evaluated me, and then had me take an x-ray. Diagnosis: severe hip degeneration, bone-on-bone, end-stage.
She said that typically she doesn’t recommend surgery right away, that it would be best if I tried PT and/or a steroid injection first. I got the name of a PT place she recommended, and I scheduled a steroid injection with her.
Two weeks later the steroid injection provided partial relief. Here i thought it was my back causing the issues, and it was actually referred hip pain. But I still had difficulty walking, and I felt like I needed to “take it easy” now. But that left only one other solution - hip surgery.
I found a highly recommended surgeon and had a consultation.
The surgeon is was about my age… and told me that I am young to have such crappy hips. yes, plural. Although only my right hip has been the recent problem, he said by x-ray the left hip is in bad shape too, and will also eventually need to be done.
He wasn’t sure if the surgery would ultimately help my back issues - he admitted that this was just a piece, and given how bad my hip was, it would take time for the muscles to work things out after surgery.
But all in all, he said that surgery would be the right course for me, even though I am young.
It took 3 months for the first available appointment with the surgeon. I finally had the surgery in May - about 7 week ago. I haven’t been in as bad pain as my bad days, since. i haven’t had shooting pain (knock on wood), and I can get comfortable enough to sleep. But I am still walking with a cane, and I cannot walk more than a half-mile (still).
Since the surgery, I go out walking 2-3 times a day. I just figured out that I’m now walking about 0.4 miles each time, and I’m pretty tired when I get home (not cardiovascularly, but my muscles). It may be time to extend to 0.5 miles and see how it goes.
This morning’s walk was right after breakfast and before my pain meds kicked in. I was feeling sore already 1/3 of the way into my walk (after a little over a block). I’m not taking too much in the way of pain meds, but I guess I still need them.
Most people after hip surgery no longer need a cane to walk by now. Yes, I am still overweight, and my muscles had many issues before surgery, so that might be part of it. But it dawned on me today that I may not ever be “normal” again. Also, with rehabbing my right leg after surgery, my left leg now has occasional aches/ issues. For the first time this week, I realized that a left hip surgery may be only a couple years off, rather than me thinking I could put it off for 5-10 years.
I started PT again about 2 weeks ago. The initial PT person seemed ok. But then they had to switch me, since this person would be leaving on vacation for the rest of the summer. This new person - granted I only have seen her one - but I do not think she will be right for me. She was asking me to do things, like back-bend (?), even though she knows I have back issues! And she asked me to balance all my weight on my bad leg! What?! I outright refused. I don’t know if she was following a script and didn’t think - or she is not too smart. I have another appt on Tuesday, but I should call my previous PT person (from prior to surgery) and try to see her instead. I didn’t schedule with her, because she was near work, which is not as convenient, vs the new place is nearer home.
Still, I would rather see a good PT person, even if it is less convenient.
To clarify, I’ve been working from home since the surgery - my new job was nice enough to get me a cute little laptop so I could easily work from home.. They have been really great! definitely moving to this company was the best decision I’ve made in a long time.
But I don’t want to be in pain anymore. I used to love going for walks and hiking. In fact, a lot of my vacations used to revolve around being outdoors and experiencing things from my feet. i fear that it will no longer be easy to do those things anymore.
I should really work on losing more weight, but I’ve been pitying myself since the surgery.... and food helps me feel better emotionally.
Every morning before I go downstairs I spend 30min or so stretching and doing some of the exercises that PT wants me to do. Then I go for walks 2-3 times a day.
Then at night I do the “squat” exercise before I go to bed. Every day, same thing.
I don’t know when it will get better - i feel like I haven’t progressed in a couple weeks.
I don’t want to live the older life of my mother. She had her first hip replacement at age 50 (older than I am now). She has had 2 hip replacements, 2 knee replacements, 2 foot surgeries. She hasn’t walked normally since I was in high school (she was about the age I am now), or earlier. She cannot walk stairs without assistance, and hasn’t been able to for… probably at least 10-15 years. Then again, she was never physically active. She never liked being outdoors. She even has difficulty pushing herself to do exercises that PT tells her to do.
Her most recent surgery was her second knee replacement, which was back in April (about 5 weeks before my hip replacement). This weekend she went to NYC, and was excited to tell me that she walked 2.5 blocks. I don’t want that to be me. Granted she is much older than I am, but I don’t want my “norm” to be excited that I have walked 2.5 blocks.
So, I did my first walk at about 10:30am this morning. Around 1-2pm I’ll plan on my second walk. And my third around 6pm. Maybe I’ll try for 0.5 mile on my second walk, and see how it goes… and have ice ready and waiting for when I get home.
This is all I can think of to do right now.
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