A new joint joins the OA party

scozzie

Hi all

It's been a while since my last post.

On Tuesday I visited my GP to get confirmation of, what I suspected to be sciatica type pain, ie referred pain in my buttock etc.

I was considerably perplexed when my GP referred me for an x-ray to check for OA of my hip, as I'd never considered the possibility of having OA in my hip.

When I arrived home on Tuesday, I checked "Dr Google" to find the first website I looked at, Arthritis Research, listed the same symptoms I was experiencing.

To say I was flummoxed, is an understatement, I had never ever expected to have hip OA – knee OA, with all my creptias of my right knee and aching of my left knee.

Up until now I was pleased not to have any arthritis in my hips, shoulders, or elbows.

So, is there any way to avoid a THR? Please what can I do to avoid a THR?

Thank you in advance
Scoz

stickywicket

I'm sorry, scozzie. Arthritis is, indeed, the gift that keeps on giving.

How do you avoid a THR? Well, I'm not sure you can (and I have two good ones) but the best way is exercise - not the sort that stresses the joint but stuff like swimming, walking and cycling. Try here https://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/living-with-arthritis/exercise-and-arthritis and good luck!

dreamdaisy

Hello Scozzie, long time no hear and I am sorry you have had to return. Here's a basic fact about arthritis: where there's a joint there can be arthritis and with as many joints as we have it has plenty of options. Your knees haven't been right for some time so no doubt you have altered the way you move, throwing other joints out of kilter and the inevitable happens. I remember the shock when my OA was diagnosed, I was naïve enough to think that one could only have either an auto-immune or OA, never both! I began with one affected joint, now it's around forty. 'Tis the nature of the beasts.

Any form of the disease is degenerative and progressive, once the arthritis tide has turned there is not much we can do to hold it back. As you are not Prince P you will have to wait for years before a THR becomes a possibility so don't panic about that, in the meantime exercise sensibly to help keep the muscles around the joint as strong as possible to better support it, rest it whenever you can, and take pain relief to help keep a paper lid on things. Basically you do what you do for your knees and it ain't fun.

I am sorry to read your post but this is what happens, arthritis does - and will - spread. It's not on but that's life, sadly, as we and our ilk know it. I wish you well. DD

scozzie

Thank you ladies, I always know I’ll get sound advice from you both.

Even during the initial shock I knew it wouldn’t stop all my all my walking, might slow me down a little, but won’t stop me. In the past couple days, now I’ve come to terms with provisional diagnosis, and the weather’s warmed up in Scotland, I’ve found my walking a lot easier, and a lot more enjoyable.

I do find it amazing though, how many people ask “should you be doing that?” Or even “isn’t that bad for your joint/s?”

I always reply that it’s not going to make it any worse, in fact, it’ll help by keeping me fit.

I love walking and I do it a lot, I decided years ago when I retire I’m selling my car — my walking keeps me fit, but more importantly it de-stresses me.

Btw since I was last active on here I’m on to my second “frozen shoulder” which is now thawing, I hope, lol

Thank you again
Scozzie

dreamdaisy

You're more than welcome, Scozzie, it makes a pleasant change to be thanked. I think many of us with OA would agree that the warmer weather makes things easier, I know it does for me and I can always tell when low pressure weather is on the way. :roll: People without it think they know what arthritis is and what having it is like: never forget that people like that are twerps. Walking is good for us, we all know that, but I would hang on to the car because that is handy for carrying big things (like shopping and other people).

I hope the shoulder sorts itself out sooner rather than later and that things stay as they are arthritis-wise for a while: mine is currently taking a turn for the worse, as it does from time-to-time, once that is done I can re-adjust and wait for the next plunge. :roll: DD