Hip pain

[krysia]

Hi everyone not been on here for a while but i have R/A plus low immune system was diagnosed about 5/6 years ago having joint pain in mainly my right thumb and feet i now believe its gone to my left hip as I'm in pain when walking /going upstairs shoppings agony now.Medication I'm on is 200 MG's hydroxychloroquine one per day also take Naproxen 500mgs twice a day am wondering if my medication needs to be upped as it doesn't help the pain in my hip? I see my rheumatologist next month any advise please ?

[helixhelix]

It's good that you've got an appointment soon as it does sound as if you need your meds reviewed and to discuss whether this new pain is part of the RA or osteoarthritis. It is a bit odd to manage this with naproxen rather than try other DMARDs, but perhaps that's because of your low immune system which I've not heard of before.

[krysia in reply to helixhelix]

Never been suggested to me by either go/rheumatologist to try different meds so i will ask next month at my appointment xx

[krysia in reply to helixhelix]

Was never explained to me why i was prescribed Naproxen in fact i hardly used to take them but just recently have found they do ease my joint pain better then the hydroxy ? Can explain that i know they do reduce swelling in joint pain xxx

[helixhelix in reply to krysia]

The hydroxychloroquine is a DMARD - which means Disease Modifying Anti Rheumatic Drug. These drugs aim to slowly make the disease less active over the long term, and so stop further damage to your joints. But they don't act as short term pain killers. Hydroxy is the mildest of these drugs, and 200mg a day is a low dose so maybe need to ask about other alternatives.

The Naproxen is an anti-inflammatory - which means it works in the short term to reduce inflammation in your joints, and so reduce pain. But they don't stop the disease being active, and generally doctors prefer people not to use these long term unless there's no other alternative. Sometime, and especially if the pain in your hips is osteoarthritis then there aren't many alternatives.

Do go to your next appointment with a list of questions about how best to manage your disease and your pain.

[Coastwalker]

My hip pain and stiffness went almost straight away once I started taking a high (safe) dose of 5000iu vitamin D3. (Not saying you have the same hip pain krysia,)

Vitamin D3 is an anti inflammatory, vitamindcouncil.com here in UK it is said that 85% of us are either low or deficient in our vitamin D blood levels.

Vitamin D is the sunshine vitamin, many don't get enough sunshine on their body's or even absorb enough of it. (you might already know this though

Only if you have high calcium levels you must not take vitamin D3.

[Scottiedottie]

I have immune problems too. Currently on sulfasalzine which isn't working and steroids. Not sure what next step will be as other drugs lower immunity. I would say if your hip pain is bearable wait till you see rheumatologist next month to discuss. Keep a note of everything g to tell him

[krysia]

Thank you for your replies to my post i will discuss my medication with the rheumatologist although on my previous appointment i wasn't too impressed with her as she had been brought in to help with the back load of out patients and suggested when i mentioned about painful legs in bed she said if they don't get better see my GP ! Hopefully she will be of more help on this next appointment x

[Coastwalker]

Thank you for your links Kai, I will take a look at your link, I too preach vitamin D to others as it has helped so many in my Family and friends too, also I know it helps COPD, Asthma and even Emphysema Patients.

[Coastwalker]

vitamindcouncil.com guidelines I follow, for safe, modern up to date doses, (not often agreed by Doctors though.) Vitamin D Council are more knowledgeable on vitamin D and the many illnesses it helps.

I take mostly take 5000iu daily, as do my family and friends. Vitamin D3 is known to have a short life span, I cannot remember of how many hours it lasts for, it wears off later in the day for me as all my pains come back a bit later in the day, if I forget to take it I soon know so often I take another 5000iu dose to relieve the pain later in the day, unless I go out in the warm sun.

I believe they say you get 15-20,000iu vitamin D for 20 mins out in the hot midday sun here in UK, though it is not that hot here in UK.

I recall that taking 5000iu daily is better than taking a big dose of 35,000 once a week, (the same dose) as the 35,000iu would not last all week, not that anyone would take 35,000iu in the first place without top medical advice or knowledge about it.

Bigger doses are often used in patients like yourself who are extremely low in vitamin D to start with. Like you say we are all different, but I go by what my body tells me

Many thanks Kai for those vitamin D video links, I enjoyed watching it, very sharp to the point, I will pass the link on to others, we all need to watch videos like this.

[Coastwalker]

You are welcome Kai, nice to hear someone getting so excited about vitamin D too.

Remembering our soil is getting overused, depleted of nutrition's and not forgetting some of the dangerous chemicals now added to our soils. I recently read that you would need to eat 40 apples to get the same nutrition value as you would have done with just one apple many years ago. So keep on supplementing I would say.

[Coastwalker]

It all sadly seems so Kai.

Thank goodness for the internet to get the word out that we need to change for the better and for our future generations.

[Coastwalker]

Thank you Kai--