where to start?

tricity
tricity Member Posts: 4
edited 29. May 2015, 05:42 in Living with Arthritis archive
HI all,
I am 38 years old and have just been told by my consultant that I have arthritis in both hips. He said he has never seen it so bad in someone so young. It's just bone on bone on my right side. He said my only options are steroid injections and eventually a hip replacement. I'm devastated, I have a seven month old baby.
Can anyone help with pain management? What does this mean from here. Will i just get worse and worse? Sorry for all the silly statements, I'm just a bit lost.

Comments

  • Fionabee
    Fionabee Member Posts: 146
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello tricity.
    Poor you, you do have a lot to contend with, I can imagine you are feeling a bit overwhelmed by events. You will get good advice and support here, there's a wealth of experience!
    Do you have a good GP? If not, ask around for recommendations & consider moving to another practice if there is choice. I'm guessing you have osteoarthritis, management of that until surgery is done my GPs in my experience.
    I responded well initially to non steroid anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) and then progressed to steroid joint injections, together they kept me going for about 5 yrs until I had my first knee replaced.
    There's so much material to be found online & books/leaflets, it can be a bit swamping to start with and I bet you don't have a lot of free time with a baby. Eventually I settled on just a couple of resources at a time rather than flitting from site to site to multiple books.
    Good luck. Fionab
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello Tricity and welcome from me too. I'm sure that was very unwelcome news which has come as a shock but there is light at the end of the tunnel.

    It's true that coping with babies and arthritis together is not an easy combination but you won't be the first or the last. I started with rheumatoid arthritis in my hands at 15. It had reached most joints by the time my elder son was born. By the time my boys were 10 and 7 I had new knee joints. We all find depths within ourselves that we didn't know we had. LignumVitae on here is currently coping with twin toddlers. It can be done.

    You need to give yourself time to accept things. It's not easy. If people offer help then take it. Don't be too proud. You'll find lots of help on pain management here http://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/PublicationsandResources/Selfmanagement/pain-management Try not to be afraid of it. Fear always makes pain worse. You'll cope. And we'll always be here for a chat when things are rough.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • Helenbothknees
    Helenbothknees Member Posts: 487
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    tricity, don't panic! It may not necessarily get worse quickly. Everyone is different. I had osteoarthritis in both knees that seemed to actually get BETTER for several years. Then it got worse, and eventually I needed two new knees...but that was about 15 years after the first diagnosis. And I've never had it in other other joints...maybe I should say 'yet' and touch wood when I say that though. With some people, things are very different and I don't think anyone can tell you for certain how it'll be for you. But others are right; you need a helpful GP who will help you find out what painkillers etc work for you.
  • juliep123
    juliep123 Member Posts: 40
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi from me too
    Sorry you have had this news , my kids were quite young when I was diagnosed . I was lucky in that my family were able to help us -don't be afraid of accepting any help offered. I would also give the helpline a ring when they open as they are a mine of information and very supportive. Try not to panic -you will surprise yourself with your ability to cope .
    Good luck x
  • GraceB
    GraceB Member Posts: 1,595
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi, welcome to the forum.

    Not having had children I can't help there. However, I can identify with being diagnosed with osteoarthritis young (I was 39) and having those words said regularly to me "you are very young for this level of arthritis". I'm now 50 and I still get people saying that. Don't get me wrong, it's nice to know that people can empathise with you, but when you are continually being told you are young to have such a life changing challenge, it can be rather demoralising!

    Pace yourself - have a slippage list. What you can't do put on the slippage list; eventually it falls off the bottom and disappears so you don't worry about it any more!

    Chocolate helps me. I recommend a hot bath (assuming you have one and can use it!); a glass of wine (tea/coffee or any other tipple that takes your fancy) and a big bar of chocolate that loved ones know not to touch under any circumstances. When chocolate is taken for medicinal purposes it is - in my view - calorie, sugar and fat free. :lol:

    Keep reading this forum - everyone on here is lovely. I couldn't have managed without the support I've had since I joined.

    Listen to your body, focus on what you can do; forget what you can't.

    Take care,
    GraceB
    Turn a negative into a positive!
  • Fionabee
    Fionabee Member Posts: 146
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I like Graceb's slippage list, I'm going to start one of those!
  • Jaclyncollin
    Jaclyncollin Bots Posts: 36
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi, I am sorry for your diagnosis and it’s absolutely OK to vent out here. All I can say is stick on to your doctor’s advice. Losing weight (if you’re overweight) can reduce stress on the hip joint, resulting in less pain and increased function. Good luck for steroid injection. However, I read, these appears to be less useful for hip arthritis than they are for arthritis in other joints in part because of the difficulty of injecting the hip joint accurately. The degree of benefits may vary individually and make sure you discuss what to expect out of it. You can also start exercises, specific to your needs under guidance of PT, once you hip pain and inflammation settles. Regarding pain management, can you ask a reference for pain management clinic?

    Great idea of slippage list – I absolutely loved it!!!
  • bubbadog
    bubbadog Member Posts: 5,544
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I doing a flying visit as I'm not doing so great but wanted to welcome you 'tricity' to the site. You are in the right place for information, advice & a little fun to cheer you up. If you like to read I run ( except when I'm not well as the moment but have stand in!) 'The Book Club' on the ChitChat section of the site so your more than welcome to join us!!
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello again, I replied to your other post but thought I'd pop in here too. I began my arthritic troubles aged 37 and thought things were bad enough with one affected joint, nineteen years on I have around forty and realise that those were the good old days :wink: It is true that any form of arthritis is both degenerative and progressive, when one joint is affected we alter how we sit, stand and move thus throwing other joints under extra pressure and out of kilter: we can't help it, it's a natural response to try to lessen discomfort and pain. None of us have a crystal ball, we are all affected in different ways and to different levels so cannot offer any prognosis for you.

    If one has been used to good health it must be an appalling shock to discover that your body is letting you down just when you need it the most. Arthritis and family life is not a comfortable mix but it can be done and many on here have done (and are doing) it. As for pain management well, there is only so much that pain relief can achieve: it will blunt the sharper edges but no more. It may be tempting to go down the route of maximum relief now but that leaves no other options further down the line: the stronger the relief the more we are removed from the pain, not vice-versa. Pain is part of our conditions, it's the body's way of letting us know that something is amiss but with us the things that are amiss cannot be easily repaired. Steroid injections may or may not work but they are not a long-term option because they bring their own troubles. Joint replacement can work wonders but only if one has the right sort of arthritis in the right kind of joints - and replacements won't be offered until a certain level of damage has been achieved. That can take years but from what you have said it may be sooner rather than later for you.

    What has your GP been prescribing for pain relief? Have you been having trouble with your hips for some time? I know that my OA has taken around six years to get to its current level but it was given a head-start by the joint damage caused by my other arthritis. I take between two to six co-codamol 30/500 per day and I have some tramadol for the rougher times. I mainly employ distraction techniques to divert my attention from my pain - I went to a pain clinic and found it useless because they told me to do what I was already doing. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello again tricity, we're a week on now from your original post on here and I was wondering how are you getting on; I hope you are feeling a little more at ease within yourself. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I also posted on the original post and am hoping that you are feeling ok just now?

    Love

    Toni xx

    (I now have a slippage list too :wink: GraceB is a genius!!)