I am six weeks post-op from right hip surgery and nearing 14 months post-op from left hip surgery. Things are going well with respect to recovery, but not going well overall. I am definitely in a massive flare of the already existing issues that we'd had sort of calmed down before surgery. Several weeks of crutches were too much for my body.
I am choosing to focus on what is going well. I am still sleeping through the night in spite of increased pain. This is nine to eleven hours a night. The hips have been mostly pain-free. Left got sore over a week ago and is included in the current flare. However, even flared, it is better than it was pre-op. Right hip got sore a few days ago, too. This is the first it has had anything even near pain since right after surgery. Again, even sore, it is far better than it was pre-op. Surgery has already proven itself more effective than injections early on just as it did with left hip last summer. I am back on the prescription anti-inflammatory, but that is more for the global flare than for hips this time (last spring it was for hips). I can walk short distances without crutches and it is pain-free, no limping, but still have to work on gait, strength, and endurance. I can swim (no kick), ride stationary bike, do PT exercises (advancing--more weight bearing work, more core work--mini-squats, planks, etc.).
The flare. This includes neck, back, both shoulders, wrists, hands, knees, even hips to a lesser extent. All is a result of crutches. This has been building for weeks in spite of trying to prevent it. It has been getting ever more challenging. At present, it looks like the worse of the two shoulders will need an injection. I am hopeful that the other shoulder and left hip will calm without injections. I am keeping activity to limited level--safe activities. My body needs to move, but it is very easy to overdo it right now.
I encountered more difficulties with being "medically complicated" but I am so grateful for a medical team who are willing to support me in spite of the challenges. The flare reached crisis level late last week and I called various of the physicians who knew aspects of the situation. The EDS/MCAS doctor was not available and no other provider at that clinic wanted to attempt to guess at what to do for me so deferred to local doctor who had only seen me once before. The conversation with surgeon's PA was very helpful--they will support me the best they can through this, restarted the prescription NSAID, and OK'd injection for the shoulder. The appointment with primary care went very well. He is trusting that I know my body, know what helped work through the flare last time, and he will support me with what is needed--refilled the prescription NSAID, gave options for getting injections done. PT this afternoon went very well. We are still making good progress with rehab. Added back "new" exercises that I get to do again. No crutches now except for longer distances, then only one. Checked form and it is great--helped I am sure that I did exercises right up until surgery, then have picked up again as soon as able and cleared since surgery. PT did lots of soft tissue work on both hips, discussed shoulder exercises, iced both hips and both shoulders at end.
High points this past week include actually making it to church for the first time in well over 6 months! Yes, the zero gravity chair came along, but I made it! I still had both crutches, but they were more of a warning to others not to crowd or rush me than actually being used as been walking without them at home.
Week 6 left hip last summer.
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