I have had a pelvic fracture that went undiagnosed for 6 months. I was diagnosed the day after Christmas and I'm so frustrated and depressed that I can't even walk any distance, much less run. Will I ever run again?
I started Couch to 5K a year ago. After I was done, I was a good girl and didn't try to go too far or too fast and I rested appropriately. I didn't want to hurt myself. On July 2, I was about a mile into a run and was suddenly stricken with an excruciating pain in the right groin. I didn't think I was going to be able to make the mile walk back home because it hurt so bad.
My doctor couldn't see me the next day, so I went to urgent care. I was told I had a muscle pull and to rest for two weeks then ease back into exercise. I followed orders and felt pretty good. I went for a very short (2 mile) run and was okay. I went to a yoga class the next and felt really good. The day after the yoga class, I was in agonizing pain again. When I stood up, I had to hold onto something until the pain subsided enough to walk. I was unable to get in to see my doctor until mid-August. He gave me a prescription for naproxen and a muscle relaxant so I could get through my vacation and I started physical therapy when I got back at the end of the month. I never had an x-ray or anything.
The physical therapist said I had a hip instability and that my left hip was higher than my right hip. I had some really inane "exercises" to do and would get my left leg pulled. I was told I could do any activity that didn't make it hurt. Unfortunately, even walking hurt. By late September, I was feeling pretty good. I even spent a whole day at Disneyland walking around and standing in lines without pain. I asked the therapist for specific activities I could do. I was told I could do anything that didn't make it hurt and that wasn't jarring. I went to they gym and did 20 minutes on the elliptical. I felt okay. I hurt the next day, but felt okay the day after. I went and rode the recumbent bike for 30 minutes. I felt great while doing it. The next day, I was in pain again. The therapist looked puzzled because my right hip was now higher than the left. He gave my right leg a yank. That night, I was in agony again. I was still in agony when I went back to therapy a week later. He told me my piriformus was tight and massaged it. I felt good when I walked out, but that only lasted an hour or so.
After that, I went back to my doctor and got a referral to an orthopedist. I finally got an x-ray in October. He didn't find anything. I got a referral to a physiatrist. She told me that I had inflammation in the adductor. I started Pilates based therapy (not covered by insurance) and was told to come back in a month. My husband went with me to the follow up and insisted on an MRI. The doctor didn't want to order one because she was convinced they wouldn't find anything. They found a pelvic fracture and I was sent back to the orthopedic.
The orthopedic told me it would take 3 to 5 months for the fracture to heal. This is AFTER SIX MONTHS of being undiagnosed. I've gained weight because I can't get any cardio in. (When you're a 40-something woman, you need cardio to keep weight off.) I was told that I cold swim and do the recumbent bike. I've been doing the bike, but I have to use virtually no resistance so I don't get much of a workout. I take swim lessons once a week and hopefully will be able to get out in the deep end and do laps when they open the neighbohood pool this spring.
Thanks for listening. I'm just feeling frustrated and depressed right now. It sucks being hurt. But, it sucks more when you don't get a diagnosis and the treatment that you do get does more harm than good.
