Feeling Low

Hips12

Hi sorry for not posting for a long time, although i do read the forum regularly.
I am feeling really low at the moment.
My right hip is causing me a lot of pain, even though it is supposed to be the "Moderate" hip (although my last xray was quite a while ago)
I have been taking cocodomol 30/500 for a few years now but because of this pain being so intense my gp prescribed me Meptazinol after i rejected liquid morphine (not very tolerant to liquid meds would just retch it back up again)
It worked ok on my hip but didnt have any affect on my neck and shoulders, so i couldnt get comfortable in bed at night because of the pain and the feeling i get, like restless legs down my whole body,which prevents me sleeping.
I decided to go back to the cocodamol so although my neck and shoulders are bearable my hip isnt.
I have no idea why the Meptazinol only helped my hip, it doesnt make sense that a strong painkiller doesnt deal with all areas of pain.
My gp has said we will discuss what to do next, when i see her on 27th.
All i know is i cannot take both meds it has to be one or the other, and whilst the hip pain is worse than the neck and shoulder pain it eases when i rest it whereas the neck shoulders is more intense when lying down!
Anyone been in the same position and can offer advice?
I am 55 and currently classed as "too young" for THR accordng to my gp.
I have also lost 3 stone in weight, thinking it would help ....it hasnt.

Best wishes
Hips12

barbara12

Hello Hips12
I have just typed a longish post and it wouldn't send...
The jist was I had my first THR over 2 years ago now, and I changed my mind at the last min and had the hip that was moderate done..my consultant said its not always the bad one that causes the most pain..depending on how the joint has worn..I will have my other one done soon ..the only meds that helped me were the antiinflams but I had to stop them because of kidney probs..has for your neck the only thing that helps me is heat and then exercise to keep the joints moving...there are the antiinflam gels..you could try those..if I remember what I put in my other post I will get back to you... :?

Hips12

Hi Barbara and thank you.
Isn't it strange that the least affected hip can cause the most pain.
I assumed that this was the severe hip until my gp said "no its the moderate one, your left hip is severe."
It has never been confirmed that the neck and shoulder pain IS osteoarthritis but as i have it in a lot of other joints it has been assumed by my gp.
I may bring that up when i see her on 27th.
I was hoping she would give me/ refer me for an injection for the pain but i suppose there are procedures before that becomes a necessity, hence the stronger meds.
I can only explain the pain as being like a sudden "gripping" pain and i feel like my leg is going to go from under me...almost like i move my hip into the wrong position somehow...does that make sense?
I use a heat pad on my neck and shoulders and it used to help really well but even that isn't proving effective right now.
I have a problem with head/neck movements as i suffer from a vertigo condition so exercises are not possible as i would end up dizzy and sick.
My gp gave me some Ketoprofen to rub on but i am confused as to whether there is a contraindication with painkillers.

Thanks again Barbara

Best wishes
Hips

GraceB

Hi, sorry you're feeling bad.

Right, there's no such thing as being "too young" for surgery. If this is affecting the quality of your life, impacting on your ability to socialise, do normal daily things and is painful when you are trying to sleep then you need to keep pushing to see an orthopod. Keep seeing your GP (or someone else within the practice) until you get a referral. if it helps, write down at home all the things you can't do now, plus what you've tried re treatments, meds, etc., and go through that list with the GP.

I had a knee replacement at 44 and when I saw my consultant I explained the pain was unbearable and gave them two options - replace the knee or amputate the leg. Sounds drastic but I was desperate by then.

In the meantime have you tried heat packs or icing the joint? When my back is bad I get a good old fashioned hot water bottle out and use that and it can help me.

Try to keep your mind busy as it may act as a distraction technique.

Please keep reading the forum - it's been invaluable to me. And please let us know how you get on.

Take care,
GraceB

barbara12

Hello again,
Hips are quite complex and the pain can sometimes be coming form the back...I have OA in my spine and cant always decipher were the pain coming from..I still get pain on the side I had replaced but its a different pain..the one you described does sound like the hip especially when you move it in a certain way..sorry you cant exercise the neck it really does help..maybe it time to get it x -rayed to see what is going on..

Slosh

I have been on meptazinol for my neck pain combined with shoulder and arm pain and foud it effective, I can't take anti-inflammatories due to stomach damage so I have also been told that I should avoid the gels you rub in as there a risk there. As I also have neuropathic pain I am on Duloxetine for that and wonder if that is a option. I also took paracetamol alongside meptazinol to boost it. Unfortunately it didn't remove the neck pain especially when tired or stressed.

Good luck and as for replacement of your hip if there's no upper age limit why a lower one?

Hips12

Thank you all for your helpful responses.

Grace B My current gp and the one she replaced who retired last year both said that the Ortho's don't like to do replacements too young as they only last for around 10 years and as the first replacement is the best they like to leave it as long as possible.
Up until now the flare ups have been manageable but i get constant achiness on standing, i can only stand for about 3 minutes before i get a burning pain in my lower spine.
I have to use a rollator to walk further than a few steps.
This hip pain is constant at the moment though.
I will try the hot water bottle as this may be better than my wheat bag.
Thanks for that.

Barbara 12 i suffer from a burning pain in my lower spine on standing and walking and i dont know if it IS arthritis in my spine or referred pain from my hips!
You are right it is very complex.
I would really like to know exactly where i actually have the OA and what is just pain from another area.
I will ask my gp if this can be sorted somehow.
I have very loud crepitus in my neck even on the slight movements i can make so i assume that is OA.
Thanks again.

Slosh : i had to look up "neuropathic pain" but your post was very helpful as it pointed me in the direction of what the sensations could be that i experience from my neck and shoulder pain ie a feeling of weakness and an all over restless, fidgety sensation which feel like restless leg syndrome.
I also tried paracetamol with the Meptazinol but it didnt help my neck and shoulders at all, yet my hip pain responded well.
Whilst the hip pain is worse than the neck and shoulder pain, it eases when i rest, whereas resting makes my neck and shoulders worse.
( i have tried adjusting/doing away with pillows, but despite having an adjustable bed because of my dizzy problems, i just cannot get comfortable without the cocodamol at night )
I will bring up these sensations with my gp next week.
I had to ask for a call back when i wanted to stop the Meptazinol and go back to the cocodamols and she said we will have a thorough review when i see her next.
Thanks for that.

Thanks again lovely people for your help.
I know i can always rely on this forum.

Best wishes

Hips

dreamdaisy

We all go through low patches from time-to-time (I'm on a dip at the moment) so we can empathise. Any form of pain relief is limited in its duration and effects, things are always worse at night thanks to the dark and quiet and the sheer unrelenting nature of grinding on-going pain is very wearisome.

I was refused new knees aged 52 for the reason that the replacement joints have a 'limited' lifespan and I would need a revision. Stuff and nonsense. I am riddled with arthritis so wouldn't be stressing the new joints and if one takes care of them they can last for considerably longer. I'm now 56 and wondering if I'll bother because the thought of a pain-free oasis in the middle of each leg is scary and might make me hanker for something I cannot have. I prefer living with the devils I know. DD

Hips12

Hi dreamdaisy, sorry to hear that you are experiencing a low too at the moment.
This is my first time for a while as i tend just to try and get on with it when i get flare ups, know my limitations etc, but this has been a particularly nasty and long lasting flare up.
As you are the same age as me you will understand what i mean when i say i feel like i need a whole body replacement like the "Bionic Man" ( we can rebuild him lol )
I know exactly what you are saying when you wonder if there is any point going for a replacement when there is so much needs replacing, would one replacement make any difference!
Even if i could have all new parts, i still have this damned vertigo problem so the disability would remain regardless.
Sorry, just wallowing in the misery at the moment, but i know it will pass.
Good days, bad days, right?
It just feels like there is no solution other than stronger painkillers and lost days.
I hope things improve for you so you get a bit of respite from the bad days soon.

Best wishes

Hips

dreamdaisy

Thank you for your kind words but I am a realist: the days of having good days are long gone, now they're just not-quite-so-bad days and I'm looking forward to those returning! My norm is feeling moderately grotty, currently I'm extremely grotty thanks to an infection of some sort - I did my meth last Thursday and things went badly wrong on Friday. I've upped my inhalers too, my lungs dislike this time of year with the damp and mould spores. At least the OA is to the fore, that's easier to manage than the PsA. We are sometimes grateful for extremely odd mercies, no? DD