Week 9: Flare

Nine weeks (two months) post op right hip!

I still remain susceptible to flare triggers and suspect I will for the rest of my life--sobering thought. The combination of travel, sitting early in the week made me more sensitive to being in the car the rest of the week even just driving to PT.  It was not bad, just a bit sore.  Then, massive cold front went through and my body does not like even mild weather pressure changes at all, so I definitely felt that one.

I seem to have encountered the first flare-up with right hip since surgery.  Both hips handled the drive to and from Omaha (from Lincoln) early in the week, plus lots of sitting between waiting and exam rooms.  This was huge as driving, sitting, standing were incredibly difficult pre-op both hips. I was pretty excited at how well things went. However, right hip was more sore that evening and the next couple of days. I noticed it did not like being in the car, and found myself using left foot to hold down the brake at stoplights again as I used to do pre-op.  There was a major weather change shift over the weekend and that flared entire body, including both hips. Sunday, I stayed home from church as too uncomfortable to be able to sit. The right hip was still pretty sore Monday, so called PT to see if this was something to work through and continue rehab exercises, or back off.  I was told to take a break and he'd check it next day at my appt.  He did check and could tell it is irritated, but not too concerned and figured it should be calming down in the next day or so.  He said to go ahead and try pool walking, then elliptical, but back off duration and pace, then start adding back more rehab exercises by Thursday.  Tried pool walking this evening, and I did not last as long as usual, but being in the water felt great!

The Omaha trip earlier last week was seeing a new orthopedic surgeon for my shoulders, and to check hip incisions. Incisions were not concerning. This surgeon was clearly familiar with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and among other things checked what degree of laxity my shoulders have--some, but not too bad. He confirmed the os acromiale in both shoulders and that it can cause pain itself, though my worst symptoms are coming more from rotator cuff--especially left shoulder. I ended up with cortisone injection in the left (worse) shoulder, plan to follow-up in several weeks, discussed MRI at that point depending on how things are going. He was more thorough than when I have had shoulders checked in the past, but he also took more time. Injection calmed shoulder nicely! Normal injection response--amazing relief first few hours, then more sore.achy, then couple of days later, better! Right shoulder is calming as well--I was not sure, but really hoped it would without an injection as it had done so in the past once we got left calmed some.  We have already increased shoulder exercises in PT with injection in effect. This is a relief.  After the appointment, I was second guessing both injection for the left shoulder and not getting an injection for the right shoulder.  However, I was basing my observations and preferences on how both shoulders felt and what I knew from past. We had talked about waiting on injections completely.  However, when I explained what has been done, is being done, what happened last time, we decided on injection for left shoulder that day.  I was asked about right and said I did not think it needed it. Afterward, half wished I had waited on left as several more weeks is really not going to be that big of deal but then remembered the difficulties falling asleep at night from painful shoulders.  So, then wondered if I should have asked to go ahead with right as well, but do not want more injections than actually needed.  My body seems to be following previous patterns and confirming right decisions.

Week 9/2 months left hip last year.

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