exercise 3+ times per week

I am tired of doctors. Since my last entry there have been several doctor visits and more physical therapy. I went back to the primary care physician because my hip was still bothering me even though the sciatica was getting better. 2 days before my visit, I broke out in a rash from head to toe. That is just like me. An allergic reaction to one of the meds. It’s like if I take any drug more than a week (except my allergy meds), I’ll get a rash.

So I got off the NSAID (anti-inflammatory), which is bad. That’s the main reason my sciatica was feeling better. I immediately flared back up, just not as bad as before.

I got a referral to an orthopedist, but because of our wonderful medical system (isn’t the free market fabulous? I had to wait 3 weeks.

Finally, the day arrived. Doctor walked in and spent 30 seconds moving my leg then sent me for another X-ray. Then he came back and said I have arthritis, but it’s not that bad. That I may have a degenerative hip disease (lovely). That he wants to send me for an MRI (finally). He put me on a steroid since I can’t take the anti-inflammatory (lovely). When I tried asking questions, he treated me like I was being insolent (typical male specialist). I can’t go to physical therapy anymore. I can’t exercise (frickin great). And I don’t have my MRI until Thursday.

SIGH. This medical system sucks. If I were a professional ball player. I’d be out of surgery and back on the field already.

I’ll keep you posted.

I’ve been doing my physical therapy exercises 2x per day for the past week. They are not very challenging, but some good core exercises like crunches. And the sciatica is feeling MUCH better. But the groin/hip thing is not.

My PT thinks it might be a torn ligament or tendon. I have a follow up with my primary care physician on Thursday where I will request and MRI. If I did tear something, I am not looking forward to the long recovery period.

So now after weeks of pain, my doctor has a new diagnosis. It’s not arthritis, but sciatica. The pain was intense and keeping me up at night. When I’d had just about enough, I called back the doctor (naproxen was not working). She was on vacation! (Well deserved I’m sure). But by the time I saw her again, I had gone many nights without more than 3 hours of sleep. It was god awful.

Well, I have been on Lortab, skelactin and prep 500 for the whole weekend and I am finally getting better. Ugh. Lortab rocks. I sleep like a baby.

I am allowed to walk but not too far. I can’t wait to get to physical therapy and back to the gym!

I fell so frackin’ old.

Two weeks ago, I went to the doctor for pain in my right hip and leg. It was getting pretty bad with inflexibility and even disrupting my sleep.

Doc said it is probably arthritis in the hip. Sent me for X-rays to confirm. WHAT???? I’m only 34!!!!!! Geesh. What is 65 going to look like?

She put me on rest (no exercise) and Rx aleve. Told me to start slow in 2 weeks. Said that I can’t sit for mote than 45 minutes to an hour at a time. Said the exercise I do most, jogging and biking are bad for it.

This has made for a tough few weeks. I haven’t exercised in nearly a month. And I need to start something slowly this weekend. I assume I will begin with walking.

I signed up for a personal trainer at the YMCA. 10 hours over 5 weeks. Hopefully that will kick start me into a new routine that is better for me.

We shall see.

Getting hard to get 3, but I’m trying. Got on the treadmill yesterday because it was raining. Went for a bike ride today with hubby. I swear he kicks my a$$.

There are these steep hills throughout the ride and he has no problem riding up the hills. But I’m dying a the top. Every season I get nominally better at it, but then winter hits and I’m back at the beginning come spring. I just want it to get easier.

I know I need to lose weight and that will help. Problem is, I can’t seem to get in a good rhythm. Honestly, I lost the most weight on weight watchers, but it is such a pain. I need to succeed at this. Desperately.

Went to the Y yesterday. Today, I got home and went for a bike ride with hubby. I’m not a fan of the route because it has q few steep hills. But I suck it up.

Today on the route we came across a crow funeral. I’ve never actually seen one in person before. A little creepy. But interesting nonetheless. Poor little guy.

I finally get back on the wagon and the YMCA was closed! I’m pretty sure it had something to do with the tornadoes, hail, thunder and lightening all over the region, but still! [insert whine here]

So I went home and got on the treadmill. 2.5 miles in about 30 minutes. Not so great. But I haven’t done impact work in a while and my groin is sore again. [insert another whine here]

But I did it dammit.

Yesterday, hubby and I planned a nice long ride. We were checking out a neighborhood about 6 miles away when he got a flat. Pooh. We had to call mom to come bail us out and take us home with the SUV.

But at least it started out fun.

Today was the gym.

Back to the gym. But my groin is so sore. I just don’t know how to heal this. I don’t think I’ll be able to run the Freihoffer;s Run for Women in 2 weeks. Ow.

with hubby. 11.5 miles. Lots of hills. I’m beat.