Hips, back or bum? Post meno, RA or OA or just getting near to the big 50?

Hi All,

I've got a constant pain in the outer sides of my bum that seems to be now spreading into the very base of my spine. I'm very stiff if I stand for any length of time and it really aches there if I lie on either side. Today it's affecting my gait and making me feel far older than 49. The rheumy said if it wasn't in my groin then it wouldn't be hip arthritis and the physio implied it was just my age and stage - having a high FSH a I do - but she never actually examined me there and it's slowly been getting worse over months.

Does anyone here experience anything similar and can you tell me what it might be. I've never had sciatica but I'm wondering if it could be that? I have had lower backache but it bears no resemblance because it's more in the outer sides of my bum than anywhere else - could this be referred pain?

Sorry to be a pest as it's probably not RA related - but it's really slowing me down now and I would like to have a better idea of what's going on so I can look it up and see what I can do. Can't see the GP as he's away and it's not urgent but your advice is always so helpful.

[sheenerweener]

hi tilda,strange i the same age and have simular problems i have oa in right knee may have ra in hands but over the past few weeks my hip on the left has been painful when i walk to far, i,ve put it down to it being opposite side to my bad knee i have to rest when walking and painkillers don,t seem to touch it i seeing my rheumy on 9th july so may asked then xxx

[sylvi]

Tilda have you thought about fibromyalgia,if you have pain that keeps moving. It isn't your age tilda blame the weather i do.xxx

[Hidden]

Hi Tilda,

I have the same kind of pain to you but only when I'm in bed, I can wake up in agony, I thought it was just my hips but I suppose it could be something to do with the menopause. I'm 3 years older than you and my periods just stopped suddenly just before Xmas, so not really sure exactly where I am, if you get my meaning.

I think us ladies are just a complicated bunch lol

If you find out what it is let me know please.

Mary

[Hidden]

Thanks all. Oh it was just something the physio rheumy assistant said. I asked about my hips on the telemedicine consultation and they both asked if the pain was in my groin and I said no - although it actually is sometimes but wasn't then. The physio looked down at my blood results and looking at my FSH (follicle stimulating hormone for meno - which I handed her by accident) said to my rheumy "she's getting to that time so it could be that..?!" should have asked what exactly but guess she meant "the change" - blah it's annoying not really knowing but I think (haven't seen my GP about this yet) that my meno is over now and maybe this is just what happens afterwards? Downhill all the way perhaps?!

Bloody weather - I agree Sylvi it's sickeningly cold. No not fibro as its not that bad just aches and hips are kind of central somehow aren't they?

Tilda x

[Hidden]

Tilda i have had a real lower back pain on the right hands side, i actually thought it was a kidney infection but it still continued - my own diagnosis is that its to do with my walking - knee problem and can't walk properly now so i think my back is also suffering.

[Hidden]

Poor you Mads I don't feel I'm in your league really. I'm just horribly stiff and sore today and can't quite work out where or what it is if that doesn't sound too weird? I can see if one or two of our load carrying joints are really bad then the rest of us might get out of sync but for me I don't think it's this because it's equally sore on both sides. Its as if my whole body has an echo of the RA pain but when I move about its just my hips and backside that actually hurt? Ah well as usual I now feel I'm being a bit OTT?! X

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PS its all down to lousy weather I reckon - if the sun would only shine properly things would surely improve for us all.

[cathie in reply to Hidden]

Not all! I like a day which is bright but so I can go out and not creep around in the shade. But here there's been so much rain all the plants are really green and the gardens getting like a jungle. I've developed a very odd intermittent pain in my foot which woke me up last night. Just a very small thin stabbing pain which has gone away for the moment.

[helixhelix]

One thing about this disease is that I've learnt a whole load more about biology so getting much better at identifying bits of my body and processes. And I know what you mean about not being able to be precise about where pain is, but can you fathom how deep it is and what movements make it worse? That might help work out whether it's coming from the large muscle blocks in your bum, or radiating out from spine or sacro-iliac joint which might suggest you've got something out of alignment, or from organs further in which could be something else entirely? Anyway, sun's started to shine here so maybe it'll get up to you soon too. Px

[Hidden]

I don't mind rain if it's reasonably warm Cathie but here it's not raining much - just unseasonably cold and very cloudy - like October without the lovely orange light.

The pain in my sides is both deep and on the surface and it spreads into my lower buttocks. It's equally present on both sides and doesn't feel like it relates to my internal organs - just the joints at top of thigh where it meets the bum.

I really hope it's not hip arthritis or RA - hoping its muscular and just about my changing hormone levels and lack of oestrogen. Vaguely fretting about osteoporosis now too as I don't take any calcium supplements apart from calcium enriched soya milk. Actually thinking I'd rather it was RA in hips because at least the DMARDs might then help stall it? My ankle problem last week (that had me unable to walk on it) was on the tendon rather than the ankle joint so I seem to get RA in my soft tissue areas mostly just now which is strange. It's all so complex isn't it I'm going to try learning how to read aches and pains better as you say Polly. Tilda x

[Hidden]

I was having similar pain in my hip/ upper thigh. It got to the stage of waking me up at night and I was really worried that the RA had started in the hip. When I finally saw my GP he reckoned it was bursitis. He gave me a steroid injection into the painful area and although it hasn't completely gone it is now only an occasional mild ache. I have a great GP! I just need the sun to shine a bit as this constant rain just makes me stiff generally.

Sue

[Hidden]

That's really interesting Su because I'd been reading about the hip etc and had concluded that mine was probably bursitis too. Is it part of our RA or is it a separate thing do you know? It wasn't clear when I read about it but it fits the picture anyway. I see the woman GP in my practice a week tomorrow and will tell her about it and ask what she thinks. Meanwhile the physio gave me exercises to do where I lie on my bad and raise one leg across the other so it's lying at 45degrees to me (like crossing it and push the knee down a bit and then do the same to the other side. She said this helps stretch it and stop it getting too tight? Sounds like you do have a great GP which is always a bonus. I'm lucky too to have two great GPs - a man and a woman! TTxx