Severe pain in Hips

[Shamrockgirl]

Hello all,

I haven’t been on this section for a long time, due to my many other conditions like Rheumatoid Arthritis & newish one, Smouldering Myeloma affecting me. But I would be glad of any advice/contact on the Osteoarthritis.

I started with Fibromyalgia in my mid-late 40’s, now aged 62 & as the NHS was working a lot better then, a Rheumatologist examining me suspected there was something else going on. He had X rays done immediately, got a nurse to give me a steroid injection & announced I had severe Osteoarthritis in one hip especially & the other may get worse. I then saw a surgeon & had the left hip replaced at age 48. Unfortunately, over next few years, the other hip got worse, but the surgery I was at would not even send me for an X ray, fobbing me off. I would have kept pushing it, but with other life events, a different GP in same surgery diagnosed Rheumatoid Arthritis, I was so shocked, I left the hip situation.

Fast forward the last 2 years, the NHS in the East of England is much, much worse. My Rheumatologist last July said I needed the right hip replacement, went on a list for the surgeon, who saw me in December 2023. But it will likely be 12-18 months wait.

I moved into a small bungalow in a sheltered housing scheme, been getting around reasonably well with my walker/with seat outside, on buses. I tripped on dodgy paving outside 3 years ago, it was advised I should stop using just the walking stick. I adjusted to it fairly slowly & ok, independence is important to me. But in late March, for no known reason & no warning, I fell inside the bungalow, onto my side & bruised left arm, used the pendant alarm system here & 2 people came & got me up & sorted.

But a week or so later I was outside my small yard, by the wheelie bin, no phone on me & suddenly fell again, but this time fully on my back. I just knew it had knocked the dodgy hip/lower back, there was no bleeding. It was about 6 pm, know one around, but thankfully someone at the back of my place saw me & got her husband to come & get me up. I saw the GP (now in a newer, larger surgery) but after a few tests, no idea what had caused these. Late April, I was away for a week in Wales & walked more than usual on small, uneven surfaces & started to get pretty bad pain & struggled to move, even inside. I stayed in one day, took it slowly, but after 2 weeks home, I’m much worse. I can barely move round my home, with the walker & stick, tried to request a steroid injection from surgery, but they’re passing the buck to the hospital.

I did have co-codamol from ages ago, but ran out, even my usual Amitripyline/small dose of Morphine isn’t doing much. Tried to get help from Social Care & useless, waffling about befrienders & physio. On Friday the surgery booked me for a phone call with their pharmacist, but not until 24 Th of this month. Now, the other leg at the upper thigh is hurting, though not as much as the dodgy one, presumably to compensate? I’ve only been out locally to the co-op , last weekend what usually takes 30 minutes there & back. This time it took about an hour & 15 minutes, had to keep stopping to sit down.

Apologies for rambling on, but few people really understand what this is like, though one has offered to pick things up for me. Any suggestions/advice/what I’ve missed?🤔💊😢

[AgedCrone]

I don’t really have an answer…but I have a feeling if I were in your shoes I would pay a visit to A&E on a quiet morning.

The Orthopaedic trauma team may have a more hands on approach?

[Shamrockgirl in reply to AgedCrone]

Thank you for that. I hadn’t given that any consideration, I have someone who could take me possibly or get transport. The pain & discomfort I’m in is affecting my already hazy brain. I ordered 4 packs of bananas in my online shop, instead of 4 loose bananas!

[GinnyE in reply to AgedCrone]

AGREE.

[Amnesiac3637]

I’m afraid what you’re missing is a joined-up health service though sorting it out is going to take longer than any of us have got and then some!

As a short term fix you could try AgedCrone’s suggestion of an A&E visit but finding a quiet time these days could prove problematical. You sound as if you’ve got a lot going on with pain, falling and very poor mobility. Your GP needs to step in here and refer you to the orthopaedic team again, possibly the falls team and get your pain under control as soon as possible.

The only thing I could suggest is a double appointment with your GP to thrash out what’s going on with you. I’m a retired Practice Sister and believe me, the doctors would rather see you sooner than later so that you don’t deteriorate any more causing lots of problems down the line. Be polite and firm in getting an appointment, don’t be fobbed off by a receptionist and keep on till you get what you need on your terms. It is the NHS’s job to treat you not send you down rabbit holes.

Phone the NRAS helpline and see if they have any suggestions too. All the very best to you and hope you get back to normality very soon.

[Shamrockgirl in reply to Amnesiac3637]

Thank you for this & it makes a lot of sense. I have fought & campaigned against the cuts, austerity etc., for many years & I recall thinking that I hoped I wouldn’t deteriorate, because it would be like this.

My plan of sorts is to try & get hold of the Rheumatology team at the hospital, they had left me a voicemail last week, something about my liver & they’d get back to me, but didn’t. Failing that, I will go back to the surgery & insist on seeing a GP, because as you say it’s building up more issues further along. None of us want that.

[GinnyE]

AGREE with AgedCrone.

[oldtimer2]

Here we have a system where the GP can email the consultants for secondary care advice, and that seems to be working slightly better then our Rheumy advice line which is now too stretched (too few specialist nurses) to be of use. But it sounds as if you have difficulty seeing the GP too? It's difficult to persist I know but the broken record method works well for me.

I can't see that the pharmacist is going to be able to make a diagnosis - you need to see a clinician.

Another possible route might be physiotherapy? Here we can self refer to physiotherapy (enormously long online form). The last time I did that I was seen within two weeks and they arranged an MRI and referral to orthopaedics.

[Mmrr]

It might be worthwhile taking yourself to A and E. I would go at one of the quieter times to try and minimise the wait tobe seen.The weekend, a Monday and every late afternoon/ evening are the busiest where I live.