Im actually in the process of a specialist consultation now.
I actually thought that it was my hips going and that I just had to resign myself to replacement surgery in the near future. However, the general prognosis is good in that it isnt my hips but a muscle (piriformis) that attaches to the hips that is causing the trouble. Problem is that the sciatic nerve runs behind it and tends to get trapped which is what has happened with me. It is one of those areas that is not easy to stretch but deep massage will break the scar tissue down and release the sciatic over time.
Sounds like you had a hell of a lot going on. Hope you have a bit more mileage in you yet before you need to do anything radical.
Rick