Well, the GP wanted to see me because he wanted to examine my hip and leg, and to give me some surprising news about the xray. I don't have arthritis, he said there's no sign of it at all on the xray. He went on to say that having no arthritis in my hips at my age (always makes me feel ancient when they say that!) is quite amazing, especially since close family members have/had it...many people will have at least some signs of hip or knee arthritis by the age of 60, apparently.
What I do have is Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome, formerly called Trochanteric Bursitis....I knew that anyway, the previous doctor I saw last year said I had it, although she also said she thought I had osteo arthritis too. It's good news as far as I'm concerned, as it means I don't need a hip replacement, and the condition is treatable. The GP (a new doctor to our practice, a very nice Scottish man aged about 50) said the pain I'm currently experiencing has very likely been exacerbated by all the dog walking I've been doing, he said resting my leg would be preferable! Not going to be happening though, until husband has his plaster off....I've done the twice daily dog walks for the past month or more, another 10 days or so won't kill me.
He's sending me for an ultrasound scan, followed by an injection - corticosteroid I think. No idea when that might be though. In the meantime, he said cold packs would help...oh and he also said I'm not taking enough codeine, just 1 per night is not enough to get on top of the pain, he said if I didn't want to take the 4 doses per day he'd originally prescribed, then I should at least consider taking 2. I'll see....I don't really want to take any more if I can avoid it.
I did take 2 yesterday evening....after he'd been throwing my leg around and poking it about, I was in agony. It's still very sore today, I think I'd rather take more CBD oil than codeine though.
On the whole, I'm pleased at the outcome - I don't have to have an op and the pain should be reduced, if not disappear, in due course.
We've started receiving Christmas cards....I have hardly even made a start on making mine yet, let alone thought about writing and sending them. I did play around with some design bits the other day, I guess I'd better get a move on. I don't feel in the mood at all really though, that's the problem. No idea what we're doing at Christmas with the 3-household covid restrictions in place....staying home just the 2 of us, probably. I'm still feeling ambivalent about Christmas anyway, seeing as this will be the first anniversary of Mum's death on Christmas eve.
Well it's very good news about you not needing the op, what a relief that must be. Not good that for the moment you still have so much pain though and aren't able to rest it much. Let's hope you get the injection sooner rather than later.
ReplyDeleteI was only thinking last night when I was walking Suky around the town and on the riverbank in the dark with the rain pouring down on us both, how easy it used to be when I just had four cats who dashed out to do their toileting and then dashed straight back in again and were happy not to even venture out on horrible wet days. But I guess back then I didn't need the exercise that dog walking gives me now, oh well.
Yes Christmas will be strange, here it will just be me and Alan, and a brief Boxing Day visit to see Mum with my brother nipping in for an hour. Me and Alan are one bubble and Mum and Graham a support bubble, so we actually have a one household vacancy and no-one to fill it.
Gosh this time last year this comment would have made absolutely no sense to either of us!!
It's nice to have some good news - better news, anyway - isn't it? Not having to have an operation is very encouraging plus that it is treatable. Thanks for letting us know.
ReplyDeletexx
That's good news about your hip. At least you won't need an op, you don't need THAT to look forward to, and you know the pain will go, not worsen. I've got my Christmas cards and decorations ready, just need to work up a bit of enthusiasm now! I've been making 3D paper stars/snowflakes to hang in my porch window, so I guess I'm slowly getting in the mood. I can understand your ambivalence about Christmas, it will be hard for you. Time to make some happy, albeit different, Christmas memories. xx
ReplyDeleteGood news on your hip diagnosis, hopefully the steroid injection will do the trick (I think it can be repeated after a while as well). I know how painful trochanteric bursitis is!! We (hubby & I) will be on our own this Christmas - the first time in all the time we've been married (32 years). My mum & dad refuse to join us, MIL lives in Devon and will be in another bubble and our 3 adult children plus grandchildren will all be going to their other halves parents this year. Although strange, I'm quite looking forward to a stress free day!
ReplyDeleteMight want to read this. My mother and sister both had cortisone and both ended up having knee replacements. https://www.nhs.uk/news/medication/steroid-injections/
ReplyDeleteMy friend has had her hip bursitis injected several times with no side effects so far. I have the same condition. First flare up only a few weeks, this last one, about a year. I used 12 hour voltarol, which only treats the area not the whole body. However, what I think really helped get rid of the worst of it was specialised exercise, all laying on your bed, by some American chaps called Bob and Brad. Listening to them drove me nuts but the exercises really helped:
ReplyDeletehttps://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9hS5RLsi6Ow
Plan a trip to the beach on Christmas Day. And a fine picnic. Or a picnic out on your patio. If himself can't drive by then.
ReplyDeleteThe twelve days of Christmas, make it your own with European goodies. Have a shop on line , make yourself happy. It doesn't have to be too costly. Or something homemade you love.
There are so many new things they are using for knee pain nowadays. Good no surgery.
Such good news about the hip. I wish mine was just that.
ReplyDeleteBriony
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Hi, I read every post but don't comment very often. I have the same as you and for years was treated for Arthritis until I moved house and saw adifferen specialist. We tried the steroid injections, which don't work for everyone and then went down the physio route which has helped a great deal. Bob and Brad on U Tube are very good if you can get past their banter,(I think they think they are a comedy duo). now I can manage my pain with ibuprofen and amytriptiline most of the time, along with my massage/ TENS machine. I hope you start to feel better soon.
ReplyDeleteI’m glad the doc had some better news for you, Sooze. My mum has steroid injections in her hip, albeit for arthritis. But they do the trick. I think she has them every 9 months? But I may be wrong on the timings.
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