Huge increase in one month of pain from hip arthritis

Marianina

Hi everyone! Just joined … diagnosed a year ago snd managed myself until Christmas. Living in Johannesburg (daughter married South African) so will have hip op here and seeing orthopaedic surgeon in March. Struggling with pain and hobbling around with new walking stick. Has anyone else had this sudden increase?

Ellen

Hi @janinegundry

Unfortunately a lot of our members do indeed report sudden increases in pain.

I am so glad to hear your surgery is getting closer.

Might you be interested in reading the hip surgery diaries started by a few of our members recently?

@Janlyn , @Shellbeth , @Nurina to name a few.

I don't know whether you've read this information?

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/osteoarthritis-oa-of-the-hip/

Best wishes

Ellen.

Billy85

Hi there, I am 38years old. I suffer from osteoarthritis in back and hips. Recently (November 2023) I was also diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis. My hip pain was manageable at first then got worse very quickly from around March last year. Had xyray around July/Aug to discover right hip was now bone on bone. Seen orthopaedic on December who agreed hip replacement is the only way forward, but even though I am classed as an urgent case its still looking at 6 months waiting time till surgery. Still trying to stay in work which is becoming increasingly harder. Heavy lifting in a meat factory. Hoping I get a cancellation sooner 🙏

Billy

Marianina

Hi Billy - thank you for your reply! … you’re very young to be in so much pain and doing such heavy work! My job now is little grandkids. I really hope you get an appointment sooner.

Marianina

Thank you Ellen … it’s reassuring to know that others have this happen! It was so sudden that I was taken by surprise!

Nurina

Hi @janinegundry and @Billy85

I'm 55 and I've had OA for a long time but with exercise, healthy life style and a ton of denial, I thought I could manage it, even beat it. I know. I was so wrong. At the end of August we went on holidays and the council bus to our apartment was cancelled so we had to walk 4 miles. It was nice to have a nice stroll crossing the city but It was getting more and more painful in every step. My husband has to hold me in his arms because I was in agony. And that was the last time I walked more than 10 metres. The pain has been terribly acute like having a sword from my knee to my groin. I went to my GP and after xrays, they diagnose end of stage of OA, bone on bone with necrosis and a few other horrible words in both hips but left was much worse than right. Waiting list? 6 months in priority list just to see the consultant and, at least, another year to surgery. I'm from Wales and waiting lists here are the worst.

My disability not only was painful physically and I had to use a stick even at home. The emotional pain was even worse. I've been depressed and I refused to go out anymore or see my friends. My family was devastated just looking at my deterioration. My limp wasn't just a limp. The struggling to walk was destroying my back and my knees. In what condition would I be in another 18 months?

To get a clearer idea of what were my options, I visited two private orthopedic consultants with a letter written by my GP. One of them offered me to have both hips done at the same time, privately but after talking to a neighbour, who is a NHS physiotherapist, he told me that there is a better consultant, who is private and NHS too, and the one that orthopedic nurses and physios go when they have a problem. I visited him in November and he said that his waiting list in NHS was at least a year but I could have my hip done in two months privately. And I really believe there was nothing he could do to jump up the queue. I didn't have much options. I got my hip replaced 4 days ago and it's getting as fantastic as others said before me. I'll have my other hip done in a year in the normal NHS waiting list.

Janlyn

@janinegundry Sadly I understand as does @Nurina how quickly the pain can increase and mobility deteriorate. I was in denial - determined physio would help and if I only exercised more I would beat it. I saw a chiropractor regularly which helped initially then had much less impact. Reflexology was something else I tried. The usual painkillers but eventually I couldn't cope any more. Looking back I'd been struggling for a number of years but usually recovered fairly quickly from what I called 'my injury'. A trip to Greece by train, bus and ferry saw me completely overdoing it and I didn't recover and was in constant pain, leading to my recent replacement which has been life-changing. Wishing you all the best and a speedy surgery date.

@Billy85 I really do hope you get an early cancellation - I can't imagine trying to work in a heavy lifting job in the pain you are in, and at such a young age. Fingers crossed for you 🤞

swimmer60

Yes, I'm another one who had a massive increase in pain. July I was doing "normal" stuff, OK with chronic pain, but manageable. August it simply got unbearable, hip collapsing when I stood up/got out of bed etc. October private op.

Pain free now, but know, from x-ray, I'll have to have the other one done at some point. At least I'll know what to expect then!

Marianina

Im so happy to hear I’m not the only one who has suddenly become much less mobile due to sudden pain increase! It’s been off snd on for years and I have stayed very active and refused to give in. My Mum had hip arthritis and only had her replacement at 92! However I think she left it rather too late and didn’t walk sgsin but was such a wonderful and stoical patient. Late Queen’s generation …

Nurina

My mum had the same condition as me and she had both hips replaced when she was my age. That's the reason I refused to accept I could end like her. My brothers and I remember she never complained about pain or ask for help before or after surgery and she was hiking with my father every weekend without saying a word, even with the bone out of socket. That generation was hard as nails.

Shellbeth

Hi @Marianina

Similar story to many others ....

I struggled for approx 5 years with arthritis pain in my hip , but it did seem to become significantly worse quite suddenly approx 18mths ago (for no apparent reason). At that point I had to give in and use a walking stick to get about. It was at this point my surgeon and I finally agreed that I could not put the surgery off any longer...

Fingers crossed that you can get a date for your surgery soon.

Marianina

Hi everyone… thank you for your responses! It’s such a relief to hear others’ stories as I’m also struggling with this ridiculously quick onset. All the online advice says exercises help - I have been doing them until this latest flare up as they seem to make things worse. Physios I’ve been to acted like they were treating huge rugby players! So to exercise or not? I think one has to for the op which isn’t scheduled yet. Only seeing the consultant hip surgeon on 7 March

Nurina

@Marianina Last four months I was unable to do much exercise but I was piling a ton of weight so to be as fit as I could I had to do something. I tried my spinning bike and it was agony, hula hop, worse, walking? impossible. I had zero mobility and too much pain with every movement. I’ve been reading a lot about hip replacement and I found in YouTube a physio who had a hip replacement herself, with preop exercises, Louise Grant. I only could do some of the exercises, but they are brilliant. Last three weeks I’ve been doing the exercises recommended for postop from the booklet the hospital gave to me during pre assessment. Also and I was wearing 1lb ankle weights to strength my quads doing flexión and extension when I was watching TV. Seated exercises are good too. There are a lot in YouTube. I think doing exercises, even painful, will be paid off during your recovery after the operation. Good luck