im getting so p@ssed off

Sullee

hi
i have OA in my hip and im getting to the point that i cant take anymore the pain is unbelievable .. i can't sleep much ... i can't walk much with the pain .. i can't sit for long ... and everytime i try to talk to the doctor all i get is take this take that well i take this and take that and it does nothing and i mean nothing .... i feel so let down by the medical sector i know the situation isnt that good but pls pls sort something i dont want to live on pain killers from morning to night ...i want to work i want to live but how is the question im at a total lose ... plus now with the OA in on antidepressants and my life is it such a dark place

Lilymary

Hi Sullee, I’m sorry this has got so bad for you. I’m a very active 61, and have OA in my hips, diagnosed in March, put straight on the list for a new one, but our local NHS has still ground to a halt. For a while the pain was similarly unbearable, in my case I persevered with the painkillers and have finally accepted that for now my mobility is hugely reduced, so I am trying to reshape my life around it, but it has been tough accepting this. Tears have been shed as I’ve given up so many things that I really loved. My very active life is massively curtailed, for now. I used to walk up mountains, 5 months later I can barely make it to the coffee shop in the village. I had to stop to get my breath yesterday, (I can’t believe how tiring is the simple act of walking now, as well as painful). The coffee shop is only a 5 minute walk from home. So I can understand why you need the antidepressants to get you through this bumpy bit of the road. There’s no shame in that.

But it doesn’t mean the whole of my old life is over, I have found new pleasures that I can do, different ways of doing the old things. And the pain is now much reduced, to the point that I’ve been able to reduce the painkillers a bit (cocodamol, naproxen and omeprazole). I’ve been lucky that they haven’t fogged my brain too much, so I’ve been able to continue working, even if I have to do things a different way now, and allow rest days to recharge my batteries,

Basically I have given my joints a chance to heal themselves a bit, so that the worst of the inflammation has settled down. And that has also helped me to work out what it is that sets it off, ie what movements hurt most, and set off that wretched painful inflammation. It took me a while to do it though, the first 2 or 3 months were awful.

while it was really bad I got to the point of asking the doc what on earth more we could do to lessen the pain, but he had nothing to offer, which was awful to hear. I felt like he’s said “that’s your lot, just get on with it”, so I understand how you feel.

Meanwhile, can you get referred to a pain clinic? Many on here have found that helpful, Have you been to see a physio? That can also help, if you can afford it (they’re not that expensive, compared to some treatments). But mostly, be kind to yourself. If you had a broken leg you wouldn’t go jogging, and you’d accept that. In this case it’s a hidden part of your leg that’s “broken”, and you need to rest it, and adjust how you do things. It can be really hard accepting this, but it’s not the end. It’s just a different journey,

Mike1

Greetings, I know how you feel, I am 62 with widespread OA in practically every joint and my whole spine and survive on morphine; too far gone to exercise and get around on crutches and wheelchair. As with many others I have gone from very active and fit to being unable to do much at all. Firstly you need to be referred to your local Pain Clinic, referral to a Physio may also help although they have told me on several occasions that there is nothing they can do for me; depending on your Health Authority you may be able to self-refer so check out their website. In addition find something that you like doing and can do which could be anything from reading, knitting, making models or whatever; something that gives you pleasure and will take your mind away from the pain for a while.