Very early OA info?

gemballoon

Hello,

I have read some of the messages here and have learnt a lot. I am 40 and have just been told that I have very early OA in my hips, wear and tear and that it is nothing that needs addressing at the moment as it is normal for my age, other than -

1) Build up the supporting muscle around the joints through exercise
2) Loose a bit of weight!

I have not been referred for anything else or given any prescription other than analgesic cream. To be honest I was relieved with the diag as I was getting all kinds of idea's in my head but I still would like to know of anyone who is similar in diag and treatment and if it worked for you?

My hip still hurts and it often goes down my leg into my knee and down my shin and calf, is this normal? It is worse at night. Idid ask my GP about it and he had a look, feel etc and said it wasn't anything to worry about.

I feel like I am making a mountain out of a molehill as I have seen posts from people who are clearly in far worse situations. I guess I just want some reassurance and in hindsight am a bit disappointed my GP didn't provide that!

Any words of wisdom for a newbie is greatly appreciated!
Gem

elnafinn

Hi Gem

Sorry to hear you have been diagnosed with oa but at least you are being told it is in the early stages. I agree your gp has not been overly interested in you. When you say your hip hurts, do you mean that you get a butt ache ...... as the pain down your leg, shin and calf could be sciatica which is caused by nerves that sometimes get trapped in your lower back.

Please do not feel that you are making a fuss over nothing, because you are not. These gps appear to send patients away and hope they don't come back!! Well, please pester your gp if you feel things are getting worse or you are in too much discomfort.

It is good to lose excess weight because then there is less stress on the lower joints. It is also good to exercise to keep mobile and things ticking over. Swimming is good but that is not really for me. I do daily stretching exercises, 10 minutes on an exercise bike and recently started using a hula hoop too.

You could be referred to a physio, acupuncture, a pain clinic, hydrotherapy sessions. Please keep this in mind to suggest to your gp as this in not uncommon, these referrals. There are also painkillers and anti inflammatory meds that can be prescribed.

Please keep going back so that you gp knows that you are serious about all this. You know your own body more than anyone else and please never let a medic tell you it is all in your head, as some do, because it most definitely is not.

Keep posting, it keeps one sane with all this!!

Luv
Elna x

woodbon

Hi, I have a lot of pain in my hips and spine but, like you, I don't need surgery yet. Its still very painful and means that I can't do certain things, I am going to see spinal physio therapist and hope that will help build up muscle strength. This was decided be a pain clinic consutant, who looked at all aspects of my problems. Don't think that you have nothing wrong with you, because that is not correct. You have a serious problem, but with the right treatment, it is possible to slow it down or even keep it from getting any worse. You may have to continue the exercises and things you are taught for the rest of your life. Thats what I was told. So its important to recognize you are unwell. Love Sue

gemballoon

Yes it is in my butt cheek and sciatica was mentioned, as was bursitis early in the early stages. The GP said that the deterioration on my x ray was very minimal which was good, but now I think they have diagnosed the problem, they have forgotten all about any of the other potential causes!

Potentially the pain may not even be from the hip deterioration and be down to something else mentioned! I am confused, and like you say I may well be back down to the Drs to question all of the info I have and haven't been given!

Thanks for your help and I am liking the hoola hoop idea!

Gem x

elnafinn

Hi Gem

Yes, I think another visit to the gp is in order. Did you have an xray on your lower back or only the hipI I have sciatica and as physio did no goodin the end, was referred to a back specialist and had an mri . Now I am to have a couple of steroid injections, which hopefully will last for 2 months, in my spine under xray direction. If this give me relief and the consultant is convinced that is where the pain is coming from he has mentioned that there is a small op he could perform. The injections are on Thursday, so I await and see. I have had these pains off and on since last November, sometimes very severe.

Yep, Gem, don't let them forget you or that you are still in pain. All these symptoms have to be taken into consideration, as they are all bound up together really, aren't they? You become more confident, in talking to the medics when you have been on this forum a while and get to store away useful information. GP's are not expected to know all about everything, but they should know enough to refer you. If they don't we learn about it on here and then put the suggestions to them.

Things will improve, promise.

Take care and keep calling in with questions and reading other posts. Knowledge is power

Luv
Elna x

gemballoon

Thanks for all that info. I have spoken to my mum (x nurse) about it since I posted today and said to her that I am not convinced they haven't just assumed that the x ray results and not looked at the sciatic possibilities. She said similar to you, if not convinced and still in pain go back!

The fact that they have diagnosed it and sent me on my way with cream just seems a bit off really. If the wight loss (about a stone) and exercise work, that it brilliant but it won't work after one go and I am still in pain. I am not a patient patient so I need answers and am fed up now!

Thanks for your supportive response and I will continue to follow the posts for more info.
Gem x

dazleeds1

Hi Gem,

I am pretty much in the same situation as you, recently told OA in hips and lower back (I am 44). This showed up on an x-ray.

I get the impression from the GP the course of action is to ease the symptoms until such time as surgery is required - at least thats the message I got from my GP. He pretty much said 'let's try and make the joint last for another 10 or so years or until you can't stand the pain anymore then we'll look at resurfacing or replacing the hips'. I like the way he made it a collaborative statement:-)

He's referred me so am expecting a call-up soon. The symptoms are more noticeable for me in the night when in bed. That's when you start to stiffen up. I carry out some stretching for 10 minutes before retiring and this helps a little. I am wroking out on a Pilates machine now to keep supple and build up core strength. I am carrying some extra weight which I am now losing.

I have also taken a better interest in my diet and have taken the York test for food intolerances and have cut out as much as possible any offending foods. I have also been to a podiatrist for a gait analysis to see if there are any anomolies that could be having a detrimental effect on my posture. I have had some sessions with an osteopath and that has really helped to get the joints moving a little more.

I have read two books mentioned in another post which seem to expound common sense and I think are worth giving a try so I am working on a strategy from those. I am really not relying on the NHS to help me greatly and I certainly don't want to start popping pills until I am crawling around in agony. Hopefully I will know the extent of my OA soon and reasons for my bouts of fatigue and will be aiming to get regular assessments to see how the changes I am making have an effect on it's progression.

Anyway enough babbling. Keep positive and at least you can rant here cause everyone knows what you are experiencing. Good luck!

Cheers
Daz

gemballoon

Daz, have you taken all these steps yourself then?

I wasn't offered a referral or anything, almost like its not bad enough for any further action that the weight loss and exercise. If this is the case then thats fine, but I am not adverse to pain killers until I have the pain managed! I am also still not convinced they are even looking at the right thing!

What are your symtoms? Mine started with hip and buttock pain and have since moved down my thigh and lower leg now too, but intermittent! This still sound sciatic to me, but I am not a quack!

I am going to get a new plan at the gym tomorrow and going to include pilates in my program and will def look at stretching!

Thanks for your info, very interesting!
Gem

valval

did your doc give u gloucomine and chond to help joints mine did its in lower back hands and feet . think they give minimum to start with to c how bad u r as u go back they give u something else as iburophen did not help she gave me naproxen this works well to take swelling out of joints(feel like have hot stones in them) this upset my stomache so then gave something to protect it.next pain got so bad could not sleep so was given co-proxamol rattle now dont take all of them all the time only when get a flare up and need help. exercise is impotrant and so is a good diet but we all need help from time to time so if in pain go back and get the help u need .good luck hope u get sorted soon

dazleeds1

gemballoon wrote:

Daz, have you taken all these steps yourself then?

I wasn't offered a referral or anything, almost like its not bad enough for any further action that the weight loss and exercise. If this is the case then thats fine, but I am not adverse to pain killers until I have the pain managed! I am also still not convinced they are even looking at the right thing!

What are your symtoms? Mine started with hip and buttock pain and have since moved down my thigh and lower leg now too, but intermittent! This still sound sciatic to me, but I am not a quack!

I am going to get a new plan at the gym tomorrow and going to include pilates in my program and will def look at stretching!

Thanks for your info, very interesting!
Gem

I have taken all the initiative to be honest. I still don't have all the answers but it's a start. I have been having bouts of fatigue and flu like symptoms several times each year for the last 5 years or so. Everytime my entire body aches from head to toe, sore neck, back hips and legs. Each time the pains have been worse and more sustained. The fatigue in the most recent bout has eased off but the back and hip pain has continued. Each occurence has been described as a viral infection and bed rest was prescribed. Anyone who has the big A will tell you, going to bed is one thing, getting any sleep is another Pain I can sort of deal with, the fatigue and brain fog I find most frustrating.....Let's not discuss tinitus!

I only go to the GP when things are really bad, i.e. when symptoms persist aggressively beyond 6 weeks. That's because it could always be something else and it's not worth taking a chance. I think the GP actually takes me more seriously because of that, otherwise I reckon I'd get the 'Mmm hypochondriac' look

The key for me is knowing what it is. Once you know that you can at least start to deal with it. I look at it like this, I ain't dying and there are people who are considerably worse off than me, particularly children with terminal illnesses who haven't had a chance to experience life yet. God, the devil, or whatever faith you subscribe to has a wierd way of making us all equal and this is my slice of the cake. Not always easy to be that philisophical

vonski

Hi Gem

Welcome to the site. You are right about the exercise but remember not to push yourself too hard. You quite often don't feel the pain until you've stopped. I think glucosamine has already been mention but it is good for early stages of oa and cod liver oil helps keep joints moving too. Heat or cold, depends which works for you is also good. I'm sure you will find a way through but it is trial and error. I've had severe oa for 23yrs and have coped very well for 21 of them and hope to get back on track soon but have other things going on a minute so that doesn't help.

Love
Vonski x

denpen

Hi Gem
I have had "wear & tear" in spine, neck for years, I started having hip pain in late 2007 i.e. awake during the night, and such symptoms, finally I saw a doc who was interested and he sent me for x ray and referred me to consultant I saw consutant last January and he said you have OA and need a hip replacement to be honest I was "gobsmacked" BUT I am going to have the replacement within the next few weeks (hopefully).

I think the answer is for you firstly get doc to send you for x rays and blood tests done and then a referral to a consultant .
I hope this helps a bit.
Denise