Has anyone experienced osteonecrosis of the hip?

[shareasmile]

Hello, friends! Due to several rounds of prednisone over the last 8 years and numerous injections in joints including the hip, I believe I have developed osteonecrosis of my left hip. Some days it is so painful that I can't put weight on it. Some days I have to walk with a limp. And other days, it barely bothers me, but feels weak and only hurts if I twist wrong. Is this normal for this condition? I'm self diagnosing at this point, but see an ortho doctor next week. So far, x-ray showed only slight degenerative changes. Therapy helped, but didn't resolve. Any insight would be so appreciated!

Thanks so much and have a happy day!

[Chanpreet_Walia LUPUS UK]

Hi shareasmile,

Sorry to hear that you're experiencing a lot of pain at the moment.

According to The Lupus Encyclopedia, osteonecrosis occurs in anywhere from 5% to 10% of people who have SLE. Commonly, it occurs in the large bone of the leg (femur) connecting to the hip joint but can occur in the knees and shoulders too. Typically, in the femoral head of the hip, the section of dead bone softens over time and can no longer bear the weight placed on it. This can cause severe discomfort in the groin area and eventual arthritis, also causing pain.

If you would like further information, I can photocopy all the pages on this from the encyclopedia and send them in the post to you. Please send me a direct message or email me at [e-mail] with your name and address.

Best wishes!