At what point is enough...enough?

Really that's a decision you and your Dr. need to make. Has your Dr. said that you need to stop swimming and biking? 

With hip pain, if swimming didn't hurt, I'd probably still swim. I'd go find an open water swim race and train for that. Just to keep my mind off my injury and what I can't do. But if it hurts while you swim, then you probably shouldn't swim either. ???

For each person their level of tolerance is different. I have dealt with pain from running for the entire 9 years I've been in triathlon. I have had some good years, some bad years... and I just work through it, take time off running as needed and get back to it. Last year I had hip pain (just ran through it), knee pain comes and goes (just run through it), and this year I have mild PF in my right foot (just run through it). With that said, I also only run 3 days a week, I try not to run back to back days, and I only up my mileage by 10% per week. I'm pretty stringent about my running regime. In the past when I try to run more days, etc. I end up injured. My body rejects running! Ha! 

Finally, I'm not a Dr. As I stated at the beginning, if you should continue to bike and swim... that's a decision you and your Dr. need to make. Good luck! I know injuries are frustrating. TRUST ME. 

Since starting in 1985 I have put triathlon away 3 times.  Each time for 2 or 3 years.  One time I got on a kayak kick, another time I took a lifelong dream of training retriever dogs to a level I was satisfied with, another time I waterfowl hunted in every location around the country I had ever wanted to go to.....I stayed active, but I didn't beat my body up at all.  I always came back.  A knee injury last year a month before Tahoe knocked me out again, but I have my kid's triathlon ambitions to keep me active and I really enjoy watching their races and helping toplan their training and race schedule.  I have started running again last week after 8 months.  I doubt I'll race again until my kids are out of the house, but I may do a relay or two with them.

The point is, triathlon has been a big part of my life for nearly 30 years......but it's not my life.  There is a whole lot of life going by while you spend it beating the hell out of yourself for the next race.

My advice would be to put it away for a bit.  Spend your time and energy on something you always wondered if you could do, or always wanted to do but didn't have the time because of the workout regimine you have been accustomed to.  You'll likely find you don't miss it nearly as much as you thought you would and enjoy doing something else for a change.  You'll come back..... rested, refreshed, and enjoying it again.

Most of the athletes that I know get hurt because of an intense desire to "win" everything!  Win every race.  Win every training.  Push your nutrition to the razor's edge.  I can always go faster, farther, faster, farther.

If you can, take a step back and do your next race at 80%.  Remember the fun.

Find somewhere else to channel that competitive energy.  For now.

I overtrained and got hurt last year missing the races I really lloking forward to.  Got a few late summer / fall races in at a "fun" pace.  This year a basically non training injury took me out and boom missing most of the races I signed up for.  This year had me bummed out because I was looking forward to a good year.  I could've kept biking/swimming but I took the time completely off.  I think my biggest fear with taking the time completely off was that I wouldn't go back. 

Sometimes a break can be a good thing.  I swam from a very young age through college.  When I was done I couldn't have been more happy from completely being burned out with it  After a number of years, plus a number of lbs I decided I needed to get in shape so back to the pool.  I was completely hooked and was shocked with how much I enjoy it now.

A year ago I thought I would never run again due to a series of injuries.

I took 5 months off.  I could swim, but I couldn't even cycle.  I walked with a limp for months.

But- it slowly came back.  Had a great winter of running and am still at it.  Your body probably will heal... if you let it.

Biggest frustration when injured is not knowing what is causing the injury and what the possible recovery times/options there are.

I struggled with knee issues for 2 years, continued to race on a limited basis. Had a major surgery and now 2.5 years later am unable to run, and know I won't be able to run in the future unless I want knee replacement sooner. I haven't been able to run pain free since Feb 2010. Now I walk with a limp and struggle to keep up with my family when out and about. Sad that 2008-2011 I did an Ironman every year....last two injured but I did them.

In scheme of life 6 weeks or isn't that long but the unknown is big and scary for sure. Having to wait for an MRI is super frustrating and something most American's don't get. Can you get a MRI in Germany when you travel there or another country sooner than July?

Have you had any movement analysis to see if something else is causing hip issues? Often a right hip issue is caused by opposite side issue.

I hope you find an answer soon! Nice way to drop weight to help with running. Do they offer any Aquabikes in your area that you could compete in. I know Europe races tend to be different than here with high level competition instead of the participation mindset of some at races.

I had a femoral stress fracture that presented itself with acute pain in my left hip.  It didn't show up on x-rays, and it didn't show up on the initial MRI.  It was finally diagnosed officially (it had been suspected all along by my doc) after a second MRI a month after the first, when the fracture began to heal and became visible on the MRI. 

I'm just relating my experience because a really good sports doc is critical when you have shearing, acute pain.  The advice of getting an MRI is good....but beware of my experience, which is not all that uncommon.

When you have shearing, acute pain- you don't need a doctor to tell you to stop doing whatever it is that you're doing that's causing shearing, acute pain.  Do you?

I've been through my share of injuries.  Seen many a sports doc.  Had MRI's, x-rays, alternative treatments.  It was always a waste of time and money as a few weeks or months of rest cured the ailments.  MRI's and x-rays don't cure anything.  they just tell you why it hurts... which you generally already know that it hurts and to stop, or do rest and recovery exercises (or, do stuff that doesn't hurt).

I had two orthopedic docs tell me, after an MRI, that I wouldn't run again without surgery.  they were sooooo wrong.

I wonder what the false alarm rate and accuracy rate is for MRI's- on things like stress fractures and labrum tears.  My guess is that the data would indicate that they were close to useless.

sorry.  I'm a cynic.  Best thing a doctor can prescribe- is a good coach/physical therapist/exercise physiologist.  

I have good insurance.....I go get some pictures.  The sports docs I see don't recommend surgery very often for anyone, but when they do, it's after options have been used up.  If I can see the same guys who take care of the professional athletes in our area, and I can,  I'll gladly take an afternoon to see what they have to say.

In the case of my femoral stress fracture it helped give me a timeline for recovery.

I agree that I don't need a doc to tell me I'm hurt.....but sometimes I need one to tell me how bad.