Help, advice osteoarthritis please, please please.

[brightstar]

I'm new, I'm confused and would like some advice.

I have had a few years off waking up in the night and having to stay up due to aching legs. It's probably restless leg syndrome, it's probably stress related, it's this its that. So over the last month the pain has started not just aching now but a nerve pain which I think is a pulled muscle in my left thigh, I think it's is this as I remember the pulled muscle pain as I ran like the wind to go get in the washing before the rain came. So from night aching and pain to day time pain. I said to my husband if I won the lottery I would pay a specialist to find out what is wrong with my legs. Husband says why wait for lottery win see dr now. So I went said I have to take co-coda mol not just at night but also in the day and what it is......when I am sleeping I turn to my right side and the nerve pain shoots up my left leg and as my left leg then rests to the side of the body I am in agony with the leg aching so bad I have to get up. I can't get comfortable. So dr examines my right foot, calf leg and it's ok says he understands where the pain is on my right thigh. He then repeats process on left leg and as he tries to mobilise my left leg I nearly hit the ceiling with him hitting a nerve and guess what m left foot won't turn! I think it's your hips he says. No I say I don't have no trouble with my hips just my thighs and a pulled muscle. Blood tests now he says and xray. So one week later I.e yesterday another dr phones says I have osteoarthritis in hip! What does that mean I said he said pain management at this stage as there is nothin to be done as you are too young for operations. I'm 53. Continue with ibrufen and co-codomel for a week then we will see. So I said no. The pain is keeping me up all night etc etc. So he said I will give yo tramadol but you can drive. Pick it up today. I will refer you to see someone upstairs! Who upstairs I say them he says! Turns out 'they' are osteopaths, which I have heard of but I have also heard of psychopaths, so Lord knows! Can anyone help me? Confused, thanks

[Nottobad]

I have psoriatic arthritis and OA and get a lot of pain in bed at night in most of my joints and bad cramp too. Have you tryed heat. I saw my GP and she recommended getting a heated flees throw. I think Amazon do them.

[brightstar in reply to Nottobad]

Thank you for your advice appreciate it.

[arthritis_action Partner]

Hello brightstar and welcome to the group. We are sorry to hear you are experiencing pain and we hope you find the supportive community here on Health Unlocked helpful. It can be frustrating learning about a condition and dealing with the pain, and we wish you all the best with your treatment. If you want to find out more information on osteoarthritis (or other types of arthritis) please visit our site: arthritisaction.org.uk/livi...

An osteopath is a physical therapist who can help alleviate tension and pain in arthritis. For more details on physical therapies: arthritisaction.org.uk/What...

We wish you all the best and if you wanted to discuss our services you can always reach us on [e-mail] or 020 3781 7120.

Despina

Arthritis Action Communications Officer

[Tigger21]

Hi Brightstar. You have a familiar response of "you're too young" from GPs. This is not the view held by Consultants/surgeons when it comes to surgery. Their assessment is on need not age. I would push like mad (and you will have to) for a referral to a consultant and take it from there. I had a knee replacement 2 months ago at age 49. My consultant said I had left it far too long not you are too young. If it affects your life on a daily/nightly basis the time to do something about it is now. Don't be fobbed off, good luck and go for it.

[Nottobad in reply to Tigger21]

That is so true there is no age limit you can have arthritis at any age. I used to belong to a group on FB for PsA and there were people in there teens and younger with arthritis.

[brightstar in reply to Nottobad]

Tnx u appreciate your time.

[brightstar in reply to Tigger21]

Thank you so much. I was shocked and upset when I took the call Wednesday. Like he dropped a bomb said I have to live with it via pain relief and nothing could be done. I do need the pain reliever as I'm now suffering in the day as well as the night. You have given me hope Tnx u so much xx

[Hidden]

Hi Brightstar. Don't give up hope, get as much help from a GP as possible. Stick to your guns & determination to get what you need.

I was diagnosed with Severe OA 4mnths ago, I'm only 48, but don't get me wrong it has been a struggle, & with up & down days. But I have a very understanding & determined GP who has been very helpful for me. And you don't get many of those these days.

It's helpful to find sites like this one online, where others know exactly what you are going through, where as others who are close to you, don't really understand (as much as they try) how uncomfortable we are feeling.

Best of luck & be DETERMINED!

Ruth

[brightstar in reply to Hidden]

Thank you very much.

[Stillsmiling_Just]

Hi Brightstar,

I'm sorry to hear what you have been going through. I was 30 when I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my hips and I ended up having an total hip replacement in one of them. The Dr initially said I was too young but things for me deteriorated quite quickly so they agreed to operate.

Surgery may not be right for you but it can be helpful to be seen by a specialist and / good physiotherapist as they can talk through options and how to help strengthen your muscles surrounding your hip to support the hip joint further. All the best, C

[brightstar in reply to Stillsmiling_Just]

Thank you so much appreciate your help xx

[syltownsend]

In my experience the reason a doctor may say you are "too young" for joint replacement surgery is that they only last so long (depending on the individual and activity level) before they have to be revised (meaning another surgery). Each time more bone is lost and the results may be less successful. So putting it off if you can makes sense so that you are less likely to need repeated surgeries. However, it's the pain and disability that should be the real determiners, as well as what the xrays look like. I have had xrays of the left knee that look horrible, but the joint isn't bothering me much, so until it does I won't have surgery.

I wouldn't take the word of a gp, or any one professional, that you are too young. Ask for a referral to a surgeon if you need one, or make an appointment yourself if you don't. There may well be other procedures than joint replacement that can be done, as well as non-surgical treatments like physical therapy and chiropractic, both of which have helped me. Strengthening the muscles that support the joint can help cushion the joint and both relieve pain and help minimize further damage to the joint. What I've learned in more than 4 decades of OA experience is that there are always, ALWAYS other things that can be done, and there is no one doctor or specialist that knows everything! So I never take a categorical statement like "you're too young for surgery" too seriously. I find out for myself, by consulting other professionals and by asking peers to share their experiences too. At 36 I was considered "too young" for total knee arthroplasty, although the severity of the disease and disability in my right knee certainly qualified me otherwise. So my surgeon did a reconstructive procedure which did not involve any artificial parts. It worked very well, and held me until a few years ago when I had the TKA. As with any ortho surgery, expect a long recovery period that will take dedication an hard work on your part. I have also had two total hip arthroplasties and the results have certainly been worth the trouble and pain. I have found that how much function I regain is largely a matter of how much I am willing to put into it.