Thoughts Welcome

[Haazbeen]

This is my first post having recently joined the forum.

I'm 50 now and over the last couple of years I have been getting increasing discomfort in my right hip. Over the past 3 months it has become much more painful and I now have pain in both hips and other joints,

It aches but just uncomfortable, although if I twist my hip in a certain way or stand up, climb stairs or walk up hill it is really quite painful.

I've had every blood test known to man and there is nothing showing up in there to do with my joints. Having recently had an x-ray, the feedback is light to moderate oesteoarthritis. The doc says some wear and tear and stuff but just what he would expect from a 50 year old.

Has anyone else had this diagnosis yet found they have suffered more than is normal. Given the pain and discomfort I am getting (I'm limping now most of the time), the slight to moderate didn't make much sense.

I should add that all my older relatives on my Mum's side of the family have suffered significantly with Arthritis so it would be no surprise. However, I think the doc just thought I was being a hyperchondriac.

The absence of a clear diagnosis means I don't know whether this is permanent, going to really affect the outdoor activities I love, and require a change in my lifestyle.

Thanks for listening.

Haaz

[Hidden]

I was told I had a little bit if Osteoarthritis in my right hip. It's worse than I was expecting, because I have RA all over, and Osteoporosis with 4 fractures in my spine and just to add insult to injury, Sciatica down my right side. Ain't life fun!!

[polyart]

I have read your post a few times over and every word and paragraph could be mine.

Apart from I am 71 - After the same results from an x-ray - I asked if I could have a scan on my most painful joint (still waiting after 20 weeks as waiting time is 40 weeks). I too felt and still feel like a hypochondriac even though I'm in pain in all my joints and my driving and active life has gone.

My best wishes to you.

[Haazbeen in reply to polyart]

Thanks polyart . That is my fear as well, losing my active lifestyle. Alhough I am 50 I have three young kids, the youngest being 3. It is making it hard to keep up with them and I had hoped as they got older to get back to my regular outdoor activities. I worry that may not be an option now.

[rosewine]

Same here. I did ask for physio as I didn't want to be fobbed off with more pain killers as I was already on a lot for other illnesses. I must admit they did help some of my joints but my left hip us still very painful the majority of the time. He referred me for hydrothereapy which I can highly recommend as exercising in that deep warm water makes exercises so much easier to manage. I also has needle acupuncture but that didn't help. I had a one off steroid injection the hip which took most of the pain away but it Unfortunately came back. I pay for private acupuncture now which helps alleviate the worse of the pain for a few weeks. In the end the GP put it all down to my Fibromyalgia but I can't understand why it has ao painfully settled in that particular area.x

[Haazbeen in reply to rosewine]

Thanks rosewine . I have been referred for physio and I was hoping they may shed more light on what is going on. Other members of my family have had injections in their joints and I know this is only short term relief. I had originally mentoined Fibromyalgia to the GP as I also suffer from chronic fatigue as well but he didn't think that was the issue as he said FM tended to be in the muscles not the joint. However I have little or no confidence in this GP if I being honest. Why has this become so acute over a short 3 or 4 month period and why do I hurt from head to toe? Certainly if there is no way back to full health and this is the way it is going to be, then certainly swimming will be my fallback exercise of choice

[rosewine in reply to Haazbeen]

I have the theory that our muscles are attached by ligaments to all the joints. Therefore if muscles are painful whenever we move our joints it is pulling and twisting these muscles which causes us the pain which does then seem to come directly from our joints. Many of us also have osteo and as people with fibro seem to have a heightened reaction to pain they are noow starting to theorise that perhaps our pain gateways stay open something that might be classed as moderate arthritis to someone without fibro actually feels llike severe arthritis to us. Wish they had to stand the pain for just one day they would soon hurry up to find a cure. Do let us know how you get on.x

[Haazbeen in reply to rosewine]

Many thanks rosewine . I'm still waiting for a date for the physio but hopefully that will be a useful first step if nothing else