PRP Injection to Hamsring

Unfortunately, PRP is considered experimental by most insurance companies. As my OS office was trying to get pre certification for the injection, it kept getting denied. I urged them to try different codes but to no avail. They thought the problem may be partly the facility I wanted to have it done at, in the end we decided it would be better to have it done as an office procedure with another doctor. I forgot to mention that all of this took place in person, not over the phone, since I was getting nowhere trying to do this over the phone.

My OS office took care of canceling my first appointment and I went to schedule with the new doctor. Lo and behold he had an opening for 30 minutes later. I jumped on it!

I quickly went to grab a bite to eat so that I wouldn't pass out when they took my blood. It's a good thing I did because they took ALOT of blood and with a HUGE needle. The fellow came in to talk to me first, she was actually able to find the painful spot and reproduce the pain, no one has ever been able to do that before. As she found the spot she said " yep, you def have tendinosis".

When the doctor came in he also felt around for the spot and did a ultrasound to see where he would be injecting. He started injecting and took multiple passes at the tendon, it seemed like the needle was in me forever, and it was really really painful. I think it was worse than my psoas injection 5 years ago and that was bad.

His instructions were to do nothing for 2 weeks and then come to see him. I got home and the pain was intense. I ended up needing a lot if ice and a lot of Percocet last night.

My Ass Hurts

After 5 surgeries and years of on again off again pain I reached my breaking point. I am having so much pain at my ischial tuberosity that I am on the verge of a nervous breakdown. I've never gotten to this point but the pain has just worn me down and I'm becoming depressed, moody, and just unpleasant to be around. I emailed my OS last week and by Tuesday I hadn't heard back. My pre-op MRI stated that I have hamstring tendinosis and a tear, this fits my symptoms which is ass pain, specifically at the ischial tuberosity and pain with sitting. I was at PT which is about 50' from his office on Tuesday morning. I had tears in my eyes from the pain and downright frustration. I turned to my PT and said that I will give up my treatment time with him and I need him to go speak to my OS bc I can't take this anymore. I said tell him I need something Now. My preference is cortisone but I'll take what I can get. He quickly returned and said that my OS said I should do a PRP injection into the hamstring. They have had athletes who have had great success with this. So I am in the process of deciding who to have do it. The radiologist who has done all my other injections is looking into it for me, he needs to be able to get the PRP equipment. I called 2 physiatrists that my OS recommended in the meantime just to have something set up in case my radiologist can't do it. They want $1250. Upfront. Gulp!!! I really have no choice at this point bc I can't continue to not be able to sit comfortably.

On a positive note, I saw my shoulder OS and he is thrilled with how things look. I don't need to see him again, he said you don't have to keep coming back to tell me things are great! He told me to be careful for the next month bc it is still healing but after that no restrictions!

9 weeks postop

I have once again gone missing for a while. In my defense, I've had a rough few weeks which included at one point using a crutch and sling simultaneously! I will be 9 weeks out tomorrow from the hip surgery. I am making slow improvements each week, getting stronger and gaining endurance. My biggest and only complaint is that I still have butt pain. It is pain right at the ischial tuberosity that hurts the most with sitting. It also comes in with too much activity but nothing compares to the sitting pain. I am extremely frustrated by this and not sure what to do for it, what is causing it and what can be done to make it go away. I know my hamstring is torn but I can't imagine that I would have pain his intense for this long.
My shoulder could not be a smoother recovery. I did have a small issue in the beginning when my hand was going numb. I stopped using my sling which helped and it hasn't happened at all in a few days. The pain I have is isolated to the clavicle, nothing else hurts at all. Today I was able to use my over the range microwave with my operated arm! If only my hip would improve this quickly!

I am not back at work but plan on returning in 3 weeks, 3 days per week. I used to see patients on my off days but I won't be doing that for a while. What I find very hard is that I fatigue very quickly. My body obviously took a beating, twice, and I can't expect to recover from surgery like I did when I was 26 and had a simple scope. I will try to write more often and if there are any major breakthroughs with my ass pain I will definitely post!