Thank goodness x-rays confirmed no stress fracture. The PA felt around and determined my piriformis muscle was inflamed, which was pushing on my sciatic nerve. his pressure was sending me over the top at night because the piriformis would swell after moving around all day. In order to rectify this, she gave me a strong steroid to replace my anti inflammatory to help bring down the swelling. She also prescribed lidocaine patches.
Rant:
Word to the weary: Lidocaine patches, when prescribed, are sent from the doctor's office to the pharmacy. The pharmacy then sends an authorization to the doctor's office, which is sent to the insurance company. Then it can get OK'd by the insurance company This can take days. I was prescribed lidocaine on a Friday morning, and the doctor's office said there was no guarantee I'd have it by Monday. I'd like to give people in the insurance company some nerve pain to see how necessary they think lidocaine is.
End Rant.
Working to get better at:
- sitting. I still have to put a pillow under my butt to sit at a restaurant or anything. Still can't sit on the couch for very long either.
The steroids are helping, and now it's time for week three week out accomplishments:
- Last night I slept through the entire night for the first time since the surgery (19 nights post surgery)
- This morning I was able to bike a mile and a half on an upright bike!
