Hello

Sooze

Hello everyone, now that I'm here I don't know what to say.

Well I was diagnosed with arthritis about 6 months ago but the pain and difficulties started long before that, I'm just not very good at going to see the doctor. He sent me for x-rays and when the results came back he told me that I have moderate arthritis in my right knee, and severe arthritis in both hips and my back.

My knee causes me most pain and problems but the right hip has caught up really quickly. I'm trying to keep it under control with pain killers just to get through the day and sleep at night.

I've got to the stage when I'd like to ask my doctor for a referral to have a hip or knee replacement...but the operation scares the life out of me.

Well that's about the gist of my arthritis so far. I'm so glad that I saw the add on TV for Versus Arthritis and that this forum is here.

Thanks,
love, Sooze...

[Deleted User]

Hi Sooze,

Lovely to meet you, I agree the 'combined' charity is really taking arthritis and the difficulties associated with it to the forefront of people’s minds.

So, you have osteoarthritis. You haven’t done any harm not going to the doctors any earlier, until it gets bad they can only offer pain medication and/or physio to help you. With arthritis in the hip and knee of the same leg it can be tricky to work out which one is causing the pain. It’s called referred pain and just means that pain caused by one bit of the body can be felt elsewhere! But a surgeon can so no worries.

I had a knee replacement in January this year and my surgeon said if the hip and knee need doing they would always do the hip first. I was the other way round to you with x-ray knee worse than hip. My brother in law has just had his second hip replacement - his first was in September this year and he is really positive, well you can tell, going in for hip 2 so soon after hip 1. So my advice is not to worry, if you need it it is worth doing. The surgeons are doing them regularly and know what they are about. Just do your exercises as suggested and as often as recommended. Before as well as after your op is good too.

Here’s an e-booklet on osteoarthritis

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/osteoarthritis/

It’s really good and covers hips, knees and back so should be helpful

Keep posting to let us know how you get on
Yvonne x

dreamdaisy

Hello, it's nice to meet you. I am in my 22nd year of arthritis, I began back in 1997 when I was 37 with what turned out to be psoriatic arthritis and the joint damage from that led to osteoarthritis which was diagnosed in 2011. Some joints have one, some the other and others both. I was refused new knees aged 52 because I was too young, now other bits have deteriorated so far the prospect of being 'better' in two places is horrific as it will make the rest seem worse. I also have fibromyalgia.

I haven't slept through the night for years and what ever sleep I do achieve is not good quality. I keep my pain relief to the minimum so I have room to increase when needed - I have today because I have been messing around with my beloved Christmas tree so to have that extra behind me has helped. I find the feedback from my joints useful as that tells me when I need to stop and rest for a while. I am very lucky in that I am retired, now live in an easy-to-run house and have made some good friends on here: friends don't always have to be met to be called that.

I hope you find the forum to be of interest, we all get it because we've all got it. DD

stickywicket

Hello sooze and welcome from me too. I'm sorry you've had, and are having, so much trouble with hips, back and a knee. The trouble with arthritis is that once it gets established it one joint it moves into other ones too.

My back's pretty good but I've had both hips and knees replaced and, if could wave my wand to make you be less scared of the operations, I would. They are both tried and tested ops, very routine these days and, provided we do our bit to prepare ourselves for the ops and then strengthen the muscles afterwards, all should be very well. 'Our bit' involves doing the strengthening exercises and, post op, not rushing into everyday stuff but concentrating at first to do the boring exercises and rest.

There is, however, a long waiting list so I'd suggest it might be a good idea to take up the option if it's offered. By the time you get there you might be glad you did.

Sooze

Hi Yvonne, DD and Stickywicket,
Thank you all so much for your welcoming and very helpful replies. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get back here, last time I spent any length on my computer my leg/hip seized up and I couldn't move at all. That was the first time it happened and it really scared me but I'm kind of ready for it now, should it happen again.

I'm almost 65 and have been used to an active life, 15 years ago I was walking at least 6 miles a day with my beloved dog. He's no longer with me, sadly. It's difficult getting used to not being able to do things, isn't it.
The upside is that I have the most understanding husband a girl could wish for, he's just brought me a cuppa. So on that note I will sign-off for now.

Many thanks to you all... Sooze x t4591