@Marge75, I've read through your thread, and I'm SO SORRY you have had so much pain and suffering, particularly since you got a surgery that you would have hoped would have gotten you out of the rabbit hole instead of so deep in. I also have/had two dysplastic hips and lived with increasing pain since the early 1990s and in acute/severe pain since 2008. I was trying to make it to 50, but I finally had one hip replaced in 2013 at age 47 and recently the second hip on July just a week shy of my 49th birthday.
My parents are both medical doctors, as are many of my aunts and uncles. When I was in severe pain in 2008, which started with a fall down the stairs and cascaded into crippling/mysterious pain, I was bounced back and forth from different medical doctors with different specialties. I also tried physical therapy, which was ineffective and in fact exacerbating my pain. Desperate, I finally turned to alternative forms of medicine, which turned out to be incredibly helpful to my health and well-being. Through this process, I realized that allopathic doctors (including my parents) do not have all the answers, and in some ways, the Western medicine framework is too narrow and even damaging in some cases. They default to surgery and to meds.
What was incredibly help -- lifesaving in fact -- was a trip to a kinesiologist. I had no idea what he did, but he reduced my pain by 75% in the first visit. I can't really explain kinesiology, but it deals with soft tissue dysfunction. In my case, even though I had arthritic and dysplastic hips, the main source of my pain came from my glute and hip flexor muscles not functioning properly, which put stress on all the surrounding secondary muscles. Once he "tested" my muscles and got them to function properly, it changed my life. Since you're in NYC, I feel you will have access to chiropractors who specialize in this. If you don't, you can come up to Darien, CT, and I will pick you up from the train station and take you to this guy. He is amazing and also is trained in other modalities (energy healing, sacro-cranial, Graston technique, etc.).
I also did acupuncture, but it wasn't effective for me. I suspect I just wasn't going to the right person. There is an amazing acupuncturist in Flushing that my friend goes to -- I can find out his name if you want. Of course, there are many in Chinatown, and I can ask my brother if you want some references. He lives in NYC too.
The other thing I did was get tested for food intolerances, went on an elimination diet and removed all foods that were causing inflammation in my body. It's amazing what food can do to increase or alleviate pain. My pain levels are much lower when I'm eating what I'm supposed to.
An experienced masseuse can make a HUGE difference. My brother goes to someone in Chinatown whom he can't live without. I can pass on the reference if you would like it. I go to someone in CT regularly who stretches out all those tight muscles.
I also get energy healing done -- also a lifesaver -- and meditate regularly. Stress and worry cause the body to contract, and since I'm an A type personality, I'm wound up pretty tight. Meditation helps me let go and maintain some mental and emotional balance. As a result, there are physical improvements.
I have also done myofascial release and Graston technique, which was helpful, but not as helpful as kinesiology and energy healing. In your case, the Graston technique may be something to consider as it's very good at breaking down scar tissue. You may have a lot of that.
Now that I've had hip replacement no. 2, you can bet that I will see the kinesiologist/energy healer and the masseuse in a few weeks to make sure my muscles are working properly and that I'm ready to go with more agressive rehab once I'm six weeks out. They will continue to be part of my health and wellness regime, even though I'm supposedly "fixed" at this point.
Like you, I have spent $$$ pursuing my health. At first, I thought I couldn't afford it, but since general health and wellbeing affects everything, I figured I didn't have a choice. In addition to the medical docs, trying out these alternative medicines have reduced my pain substantially. You of course should keep trying to get a way forward from the Western medicine people, but I hope that some of the alternative options I mentioned may provide new paths of healing for you. They also may be new tools in your toolbox and bringers of hope. I'm happy to talk to you on the phone too or via email.
You are in my prayers.
Australia
