Thursday marked 6 weeks post-op for Osteoplasty on both femoral head & acetabular rim, synovectomy, debridement & repair of labrum with disolvable anchors, cleaning & removing of debris and smoothing out damaged cartlidge. Maybe there was more, but that's what I remember as of this moment, lol.
I'm doing great, can't really complain. I do complain, but you know. I've been off crutches for 2 weeks although 6 weeks is the usual time on crutches for labral repair. For this, of course I was thankful. The recovery for this surgery is par for the course of FAI. Day by day, when I wake up in the morning I never know what I'm gonna get. If I look at my progression over time, it's been steadily improving. If I compare my progression to how it's "supposed to look", I'm doing amazing.
If I compare where I am to where I wish I was, it sucks. Because the truth is, where I'd like to be is never having to deal with the surgery, recovery, bills, crutches, PT, etc. But then again that's me being negative. Which leads me to my next point.
This is where the guys might feel like running, or staying, or maybe finding sympathy for the lady in your life.
What I've discovered over and over again...once a month actually, is that my FAI symptoms and all other joint pains tend to increase significantly with PMS. So not only does it make me mean as a snake in hell, but it causes my pain to be so severe I can barely walk.
Since my surgery I have had two really bad/scary flare-ups, both during PMS. The worst of my pre-op FAI pain was always during PMS and actually when it got so bad that I was totally unable to put one foot in front of the other was during pregnancy. Obviously, as I've been suspicious of, hormones have an affect on FAI. I'm gonna spend some time gathering info on this idea. I know there are some articles out there because I've ran across them in the past.
But, on a positive (yet possibly insane) note, for the first time in months I am meeting Mommy friends at the zoo with the littles. It's a big day. Praying it a) doesn't rain, b) doesn't kill me, c) doesn't cause me to have a nervous breakdown and throw my precious children into the monkey cage and take off.
So, please let's hear from you fellow female FAI friends (or guys brave enough to comment on your experience with one). Do you notice a pain increase or decrease for that matter, during PMS or hormonal changes. Post a comment and let us know, thanks!
***Update: We (I) survived the zoo. Post-op hip did fine, a little achy, but nothing bad. Left side suffered...ahhh...will it ever end?
****Update #2: Spoke to my PT and she said several female patients had complained that their pain increased significantly during PMS or menstration. I'm gonna dig up some info on this when I have time.
How Akward Is This
4 hours ago
14 comments:
Hi Vanessa, congrats on your recovery, it sounds like you are doing really well!
As for the pain coinciding with PMS, yes definitely! It took me a while to figure it out but eventually I put two and two together.
Can you take some anti-inflammatories to help?
All the best
Jess
Thanks Jess, nice to hear I'm not imagining things. At least when we're old and grey we can look forward to the "change of life" and qualifying for hip replacements, LOL!!! Aren't you going in tomorrow?? Speedy recovery to you!! Hang in there and be patient with it:)
Darn, I just lost what I wrote to you when I tried to post. Short version: my OS trained under Dr. Byrd so I feel pretty good about that. Surgery (same as yours) is next week on the day I get my period. I found your blog today and thought it was hilarious that the first post I saw was about periods! I wasn't even doing a search for that. So, do you think I should postpone a week or just get over the fact that they will be near my girly parts on the heaviest day of my period. Arg! Sorry if TMI. Thanks for sharing your story. I may bug you with a few more questions. I have heard so many disheartening stories. You seem to be doing very well. Awesome!
Oh, and I don't mean to be anon. Hopefully I can remember my login. My other computer crashed so I have had to start from scratch.
M
M,
You might consider calling your nurse and talking to him/her about it. I'd say it depends on how modest you are. After two babies, I'm not, so I wouldn't care...but you are a lot more exposed than most people realize. You won't be wearing underwear and they put you up on this kind of pelvic prop. I think it's pretty revealing. I had bruises around my "privates"! Some people end up with numbness & pain in the genital area for a few days.
So, it's something to think about. But I'm sure they cover it with a towel and I can't imagine they care. They've seen much worse I'm sure, lol.
Take care,
Vanessa
Thanks for your thoughts. I called the doc today and they told me to get over it so surgery is on. Yikes!
I have had surgery on both shoulders before and so I *sorta* know what to expect...a weight bearing joint is much scarier.
Wish you well,
M
Vanessa yes pmt yes without a doubt, fall in Oestrogen can make us more sensitive to pain, I did soem research a while back. Some research out of I think Sweden.
I definately have hip impingement and didn't notice it until I was pregnant. It's DEFINATELY worse when I am pms'ing--a LOT worse. However, do I definately need surgery or can I ride it out as long as possible? I am certain I will have to have surgery but was thinking maybe after I have my second child (no plans for that for a year but with all the shifting during pregnancy maybe I wait until after?) Thoughts?
Sally,
Talk to your orthopaedic surgeon who understands FAI first, but if it is decided you need surgery, based on my personal experience I would say definately before second child!! For so many reasons, but my fai related pain was much worse during second pregancy. If it does get bad, while pregnant there is nothing you can do. No pain meds, no x-rays or MRI, etc. And then recovering from surgery may require 1-8 weeks on crutches depending on the amount of repair and at least 3 months or more of PT...none of which are easy with children
My kids at time of surgery were 1 & 3 yrs. I had live in help and it was still very difficult.
Good luck,
Vanessa
Something else about the pain of FAI before surgery that I noticed was that when they put me on Zoloft it helped handle the pain. I don't know why, and I don't know if perhaps you'll find a link between serotonin levels and PMS and FAI pain...?
I made the choice and got off the Zoloft and onto Lortab for the pain simply because of the little long term research on the SSRI meds. Besides, it tanked my libido as if my messed up hip wasn't enough to kill it!
I also found somewhere that roughly 1 in 5 cases will have FAI in both hips, and my left one is starting to ache, but I can't tell if it's because I'm favoring the right side now, or if there's an issue. Yet another question for Dr. Byrd on Tuesday!
Sam Ferrise
sam@ferrise.net
Sam,
I took Cymbalta for 3 months pre-op and it does help some with the pain. For me, it gave me a bit more energy to push through. I did go off of it though right after surgery. I believe the reason they work is because of they relieve nerve pain and there is a good bit of nerve pain going on with FAI ( i think in my un-expert opinion).
I have notice the pain coensideing with My cycles as well but i have a male doc so it is slightly uncomfortable to ask him lol but i am glad to fined that i am not the only one out there. I am still waiting to hear on my surgery I have mild to moderate Cerebral palsy so things are a little mor complicated for me. Glad i came upon this blog. I have one on blogger it is jennyscopexperience.blogspot.com if anyone is interested
Here are some useful pieces advice for improving your throwing motion as well as avoiding knee pain, hip impingement, sports injuries, arthritis, tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and more.
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