Hip bursitis - does it make you feel washed out and tired?

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Megrose489
Megrose489 Member Posts: 776
in Living with arthritis

I've got OA in hands, feet, knees and shoulders, but my main problem is hip bursitis on both sides. I've had this for about six years and it seems to be getting worse. I've had numerous steroid injections, which did absolutely nothing, also had two appointments with a physiotherapist and six appointments in a hydrotherapy pool (which was wonderful). These were all about four years ago and I've just been coping with paracetamol and codeine since then. The pain forms a girdle around my hips and descends into the bottom of my spine (I know I've got some OA there, too) For the past few months I've felt really tired - just can't be bothered to do very much at all, which isn't like me. Everything is an effort. Would the pain make me feel like this? Is it worth going back to the GP?

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  • Lilymary
    Lilymary Member Posts: 1,740
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    My hip pain was put down to, among other things, bursitis, but when I was finally xrayed after a fall they found advanced osteoarthritis and put me straight on the list for a new hip. Talking to a friend who had a knee injury we both remarked on how exhausting it is walking anywhere with a dodgy leg, and the pain killers knocked the stuffing out of me too. Be aware that depression can also manifest as severe fatigue, and arthritis can do that to a person.

    if you haven’t been properly re-assessed for 4 years, I’d really recommend a thorough review. I laboured under the bursitis label and general reduced movement in my hip for a long time before we found that in fact the joint had been rapidly deteriorating. I’m amazed (and lucky) that I kept going for as long as I did given its condition. I had the steroid injection too, and like you, got no benefit from it, but that was because my joint is bone on bone. That may be the reason yours didn’t work either, and if that’s the case, it’s time they investigated to see what’s going on after all this time.

  • Megrose489
    Megrose489 Member Posts: 776
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    Thank you so much for your reply. I think if we hadn't been going through the pandemic I would have seen the GP sooner, but it's all rather difficult at the moment. I had a hip x-ray about five years ago and amazingly, considering I've got arthritis in so many other joints, my hips were OK at that time. However, you're right, I think it's time to have a review. The last time I saw a rheumatologist he told me to use ibuprofen gel on the bursitis and said it was part and parcel of having fibromyalgia (which I've also got). My GP was rather sceptical about this. Anyway, thank you again and I'll definitely be making an appointment with my GP.

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