ITCHYYYYYY. Ugh.
Two months ago my GP prescribed Celebrex to help control pain. She told me to take it whenever I know I'm going to be more active and this would help prevent inflammation. So since then, every time I have a wedding, I take one in the morning and one at night. Since a week, I've been itching like crazy. My legs, knees, inner thighs, forearms and even my face. It's to the point where I'm wearing pants to hide the scabs on my legs :/ This morning, the pharmacy student (who seemed pretty unfazed by my worry towards a possible allergic reaction) told me to stop taking it for a few days, and then take it again to see if the rash re-appears. I asked her if there was a chance of the reaction becoming more severe, as these past few days have gotten mega-itchy, but since there's no throat/tongue symptoms she said to give it a try. I'll probably give my GP a call today to make sure it's safe for me to keep taking it. Last thing I need right now is a trip to the ER! Luckily my hip has been fairly nice with me these past few days. It's feeling stiff after the two weddings I shot this weekend, but the pain is definitely tolerable (2/10). Speaking of which, here's a photo me and my crew took at the end of our day. I chose the poop emoji to represent the constipation that's awaiting me post-surgery. LOL!
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I honestly cannot believe how quickly my revision surgery is coming up. I'm happy that my flights are booked (found round trip tickets for less than 350$ each!) and that accommodation is taken care of. I still have to call my credit card company to get a higher limit, reserve my CPM/ice machine/hip brace, get my pre-op labs done, pick up my 3D CT scan CD/results and many more things I can't think of right now.
Between now and then, I'm expecting to hear back from Dr.Millis in Boston - who's a hip dysplasia specialist. My initial surgeon and one radiologist said I have bilateral mild hip dysplasia, but no other doctor ever mentioned it. Since dysplasia and arthroscopy don't always make the best mix, I want to make sure I'm a-ok to go ahead with surgery. When I will be in Chicago, I'm going to see Dr.Stover - also a dysplasia specialist - for his opinion. Better safe than sorry, especially when you're spending around 20K for surgery! What are the big things you needed to prepare before surgery? Yesterday was so busy!! I photographed a fun-filled wedding for 11 hours, which meant I ran all over the place the entire day. I love my job, it never gets boring, but it's pretty physically demanding. Our ninja-like positions would definitely make any occupational therapist cringe! So the day after often feels like what a lot of us call a "wedding hangover". All the classic hangover symptoms are there: headache, soreness, dehydration, fatigue...all that without having a drop of alcohol. Add FAI and a failed first surgery and that's when the fun really starts. The best remedy? Bacon. And Ice. And NSAIDs. And foam rolling. Here's what tonight looked like: Vienna - a friend's pup we're watching for a few days - hangs out while I watch a movie. I'm sporting my bright pink IT band K-Tape. My PT has been putting one since the past two or three weeks. All the (painful) foam-rolling and dry needling seem to be helping, and the tape helps to maintain it for a few days. I'm starting this blog with a Tweet by an orthopedic surgeon that I follow.
And I thought to myself "which surgeon do you trust with this type of procedure?" Here in Canada, we're very lucky to have "free" healthcare for everyone. We're fortunate to never have to worry about the financial aspects of being sick. This is obviously a major plus, but it also comes with its downsides. First off, simply getting an appointment with a specialist can be a long, grueling experience. Second, you don't really know where to start and who to trust. July 2013: My GP asked that I see an orthopedic surgeon for my ongoing hip pain as my MRI suggested a possible labral tear. I didn't know where/who to send it to. Googling "hip arthroscopy Montreal" didn't really help. I sent it to two different locations - one where I worked and the other from the recommendation of a friend. June 2014: Appointment with OS at Notre-Dame Hospital. Hello. 2-3 questions. Barely any eye contact. 1 sentence written in my file. Hip exam as if I was a frail 98 year old lady. "your MRA suggests a labral tear, I'm referring you elsewhere". All that in approximately 2 and a half minutes (after waiting 3 and a half hours in the waiting room...) And so the waiting game continues. September 2014: I had my appointment with my friend's colleague. He greeted me in the waiting room with a huge smile, sat down with me in his office and went over my Xrays. He pointed out a crossover sign, suggesting I'd be a good candidate for hip arthroscopy. But then he said he specializes in hip replacement. I was so sad, because I truly felt confident for once. He emailed his colleague right in front of me, and two days later I got a call from the office saying this new surgeon had room for me the next day. I was now seeing a surgeon at Sacré-Coeur Hospital that does hip arthroscopy, a surgeon that can help me! He too, was very friendly. He read my MRI/MRA reports, did a hip exam and that was it, I was booking my date! After waiting for SO long, it felt surreal that everything was now moving so fast. December 2014: Right hip arthroscopy. Labral tear confirmed, and debridement performed. Surgery done under general anesthesia in less than an hour. Unfortunately, I find there's not much you can know on your doctor's competence here. I trusted my surgeon based on the referral from his colleague, his good bedside manners and the confidence he portrayed. Unlike in the US, doctors here don't tend to have websites with their work experience, education, articles and even personal interests. I'm guessing they probably need to post that kind of information to attract patients under their care as it is a private business, just like when my couples are looking for their perfect wedding photographer. All this to say, I think it's hard to find an advanced hip preservation specialist in Canada. Just finding a surgeon that does practice hip arthroscopy is a difficult task. September 2015: After almost 9 months post-surgery being in worse pain than pre-op, researching the web for hip specialists in the country, asking around on Facebook groups, consulting new professionals (physiotherapists, physiatrist) in hope of finding the hip orthopedist...I decided the best next step for me is surgery in the US. With my new surgeon, I felt I was able to get to know him professionally by browsing his website. His techniques: cutting edge (ha, I always enjoy an easy pun). It also helps that I've heard from several of his patients who are highly satisfied (thank you Facebook groups!) So if you're in Canada and you think you may have a labral tear, try to do your research well, as best as you can. I know that not everyone can afford to go to the US, it's not an option for everyone. Plus there are plenty of Canadian patients with successful hip surgeries here. Don't be shy to ask key questions like the amount of arthroscopies performed every year. What techniques do they do? Labral debridement? Labral repair? Labral reconstruction? Capsular plication? Do they have a post-op protocol? How important is physiotherapy to them? Do they perform revision surgeries? If you're in the US, you often have "the chance" of seeing a surgeon's curriculum, use it to your advantage! On the other hand, patients down south seem to have a lot of problems with insurance companies, so it's not like they have it all easy either. Important is that no matter where you're from, you need to fight for yourself! |
AuthorMy name is Marie-Christine. I'm 34 years old and live in Montreal, QC, Canada. I have had two failed hip scopes on my right hip to do undiagnosed hip dysplasia. My amazing surgeon, who is in Quebec City, performed periacetabular osteotomy in November 2017. He also did one left hip scope (non dysplastic) in February 2017. Archives
May 2018
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