Hello

KarenB2274
KarenB2274 Member Posts: 9
edited 8. Feb 2018, 12:37 in Say Hello Archive
Hi,

My name is Karen and I reckon I have had osteoarthritis in hip joints for over 10 years. Have been treating it with painkillers and steroid injections - 3 in total. I am only 43 years old and have been regularly advised by doctor that I am too young for a hip replacement. Have recently been following a healthy eating plan through a diet club and am starting to become interested in what foods could help, as well as reading other people's experiences and guidance. Looking forward to learning more about everybody on here.

Comments

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 3,635
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Karen

    Welcome to the forums. I am sure you will find support, advice, friendship and light relief here. There are several members who have hip problems and I'm sure they will advice you and offer you support. It may be helpful if you post in the Living with Arthritis forum page as this is the one most people use.

    Arthritis care and Arthritis Research do several booklets and fact sheets. Below are some I thought may be of interest to you.

    https://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/do-i-have-arthritis/publications/233-osteoarthritis-of-the-hip

    https://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/do-i-have-arthritis/publications/221-healthy-eating-and-arthritis

    https://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/arthritis-information/daily-life/diet-and-arthritis/how-can-changing-my-diet-help-my-arthritis.aspx

    If you would like someone to talk to Arthritis Care has a very good feephone helpline which is open from 9 til 4. The number is 0808 800 4050

    We look forward to seeing you on the forums in the future.

    I am one of the moderation team, we all have one or more of the arthritis 'hangers on' or look after family with the same.

    Best wishes
    ChrisK
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello, I have OA in my hips, knees and ankles and some upper joints too. I have found through observation that acidic foods aggravate my OA, as does overdoing matters: I can exert some influence over those but not the weather (which also provokes it). I maintain a steady but small intake of pain relief - I would like to say whether I need it or not but I always need it :wink: - and overall get on reasonably well. I am shortly starting my 22nd year of this malarkey (I began with an auto-immune arthritis when I was 37) and the OA stems from that. Hey-ho.

    Have you tried keeping a short diary of weather, diet and pain levels? This can make for useful and interesting reading. I used to think I would remember things but pain affects both my concentration and memory so now I note things if necessary. I wish you well. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • KarenB2274
    KarenB2274 Member Posts: 9
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi DD,

    Thank you so much for your reply and, funnily enough, I was only thinking the other day of keeping a diary of pain. Bizarrely enough, I do this with my son and his asthma on a regular basis, but not myself.

    Totally agree with you on the over-exerting thing and, unfortunately, as a teacher, this is a little bit of an occupational hazard! The weather can also affect. Terrible cold is awful.

    Thank you for the suggestion,
    Karen x
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Karen. As a very-much-ex-teacher I can empathise :roll:

    I'm afraid the situation with joint replacements is very much a case of 'wait until you're old enough'. I think there are two factors to this. Firstly, having one at your age means you'll almost certainly require that to be replaced later. This is called a revision and is a longer, more complex operation. When I had a knee revision (I've had R.A. since I was 15) it needed a double slot in theatre and bone grafts. It's a very long implant but has given me no trouble. The other factor, of course, is money. There's no getting away from it.

    As for diet...for my money it's just a matter of a normal healthy one. I notice that, on the Helplines forum, Arthritis Care have put up a link to a BBC programme in which this is discussed. I haven't actually listened to it yet :oops: but you might find it helpful https://arthritiscareforum.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=48900 .
    Also, Arthritis Research UK have done some very comprehensive stuff on diet here https://tinyurl.com/yb23ejjj .

    I think it's mostly a matter of being sensible :mrgreen: , eating healthily, exercising healthily, not overdoing things and being gentle with ourselves when we've failed. Oh and coming here to let off steam when it all goes wrong :wink:
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Keeping notes is second nature to me, I learned early from my Ma as she kept copious notes about me when I was a child. I had the good luck to be born with eczema (which became very severe) and then aged seven developed chronic asthma (in the days before inhalers). When my psoriatic arthritis began it was second nature to note what aggravated matters or eased them (the answer to that soon became clear, nothing did). When OA was diagnosed in 2011 I gave up as I felt it was all becoming too introspective. I now take life day-by-day but after years of this malarkey I have a rough idea of what to do and when to do it.

    I was a self-employed tutor for dyslexics and managed to keep going for seventeen years: to this day I still love the feeling of waking up and knowing I have no demands upon my flagging resources. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • dalek
    dalek Member Posts: 32
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    KarenB2274 wrote:
    Hi,

    My name is Karen and I reckon I have had osteoarthritis in hip joints for over 10 years. Have been treating it with painkillers and steroid injections - 3 in total. I am only 43 years old and have been regularly advised by doctor that I am too young for a hip replacement. Have recently been following a healthy eating plan through a diet club and am starting to become interested in what foods could help, as well as reading other people's experiences and guidance. Looking forward to learning more about everybody on here.
    I had a hip replacement at 30, you have to weigh up the quality of life. Best thing I ever did. It is 15 years old.
    I got made redundant 6 mths after the op, I don't think I would been able to get another job if I hadn't had it done. I was at the point where I shouldn't have been driving.
    I think if it gets to the point you find it difficult to work or can't drive then time to get it done. I think with chronic problems you have to live a bit for today.

    Sent from my Signature Touch using Tapatalk
  • barbara12
    barbara12 Member Posts: 21,280
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Karen and dalek welcome to the forum both of you..
    I am with dalek on this one , they do try and delay hip replacement because of the chance of having g to have another one or even 2..but pain is pain..I have had both replace but much older than you are my first 63 second 66..and certainly don't regret it.and it was so good to get rid of the awful pain..but sadly I have problems with my back among other joints..but we plod on has they say..I do wish you well for the future..both of you..
    Love
    Barbara
  • KarenB2274
    KarenB2274 Member Posts: 9
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi to all the people who have responded to my earlier post. It's so lovely to feel so welcomed.

    Exactly what you are all advising is the reason why my consultant is advocating delaying the op. Think I can hold out because, thankfully, the pain is not so bad at the minute. I have to also admit that I am a little nervous of such a big operation.

    One of the reasons I joined slimming world was because I was being recommended for bariatric surgery and I was a little frightened of what that might entail. I've been so lucky with my health thus far that I haven't had many dealings with hospitals.

    I am definitely going to wait and, as many of you have advised, take it one day at a time.

    Thank you again everybody xx