Hi I have been suffering with pain in multiple joints due to osteoarthritis this is more severe in my hip and back this affects my mobility I cannot stand for more than 5 million s or walk I fed up I'm 35 and have been suffering since I was 23 I have 4 children just completed my law degree but have no prospect of getting a job due to my illness I live in constant agony I feel I can be a proper mum and wife I feel like I am such a burden I'm also suffering depression and fatigue I often have many granny naps! I have no social life and literally 3 friends I need someone to talk to who u derstands my pain as I feel like I just whinge all the time to people have no idea how I feel just wanna cry someone please talk to me
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It’s so hard I know from when I’m a lot of pain.unfortunately for us no one else knows what it is like. They make assumptions and to please them we tend to do what they want then suffer in silence later.
I don’t know how to help. I can only tell you how I try to cope. I try to keep busy, which isn’t easy. Have you family. Are they helpful. How are your children coping. Are they helpful at all.
Is there anything you can lose yourself in. I paint. I read. I go for coffee with good friends I normally volunteer and do stuff for others. Seeing consultant wednesdayand mri beforehand. I do really sympathise and wish I could help you break the pain you are suffering.
Hi sabsy,
Please disregard my first reply - I apologize, it was sent inadvertently before I was even finished writing and putting my thoughts together, and it won't make any sense. . So, I'll try to make the adjustments here. If you are having trouble standing, has any orthopedic doctor recommended a hip(s) replacement? I realize you are young, but the hip replacement nowadays is the easiest and quickest recovery time compared to all the other replacement surgeries. I know that's still not an easy thing to face, though, and you would need some help with physio therapy, but again compared to the rest of your life, it would be a relative short therapy time. If you are able to stand and walk with comfort again, your spine will feel much better providing you don't have a bulging or ruptured disc. My other question is do you have a good doctor who understands OA? They may have advice on anti inflammatories to mitigate pain in the diseased hip. The depression and fatigue you describe is something that happens to us when we are in that much pain, but I would avoid anti depressants. Our bodies can be tired from fighting pain and depression can result in dealing with every day and years in your case. I understand and am in the same fight, only with an arthritic shoulder for 4 years, and there area very few people who have arthritic shoulders. I feel for you with being a mum and having these difficulties and hope your doctor is helping to guide you to the best answers. I hope you get the help you need - you also can write to me anytime. Again, I apologize for the first reply and I franticly tried to delete and/or edit after it was already published.
Hi Sabsy,
I replied with a 2nd post ( the post which should also be showing) and moderator has not approved it? Instead, the first reply, which inadvertently was sent while I was away from computer is still showing. This forum needs a way to preview a reply before it's sent. Unfortunately, you didn't receive the reply I intended!
I have had spinal surgery on 3 of my discs as they were displaced however they are reluctant to listen to me about my hip as they just keep saying it could be referred pain from my spinal op but I haven't had it scanned or nothing I think there's definitely something wrong with my hip
Hi Sabsy,
Having a good diagnosis of your hip will help. I don't know why anyone wouldn't listen about this as it may be the key to you walking comfortably. You may want to see a different ortho. Would you mind saying what kind of surgery you had on your discs - fusion or disc replacements?
It was fusion and they no I can't walk I have a wheel chair and scooter I feel like I'm just fobbed off and left to be honest but I'm suffering so much it's unfair
Gosh I'm so sorry...no it's not fair, especially at your young age. If it gives any hope at all, I spoke with the National Center for Regenerative Medicine at Case Western University 2 weeks ago, and they have already patented a stem cell therapy that repairs an creates intervetebral disc material. From my understanding it will be FDA approved and available next year. If the UK is able to offer this technology, too, it would replace your fusion and could re-build discs in place of the fusion, meaning a lot less or even no more pain allowing you to walk again. This technology will not benefit me because it's only available to people with spinal injuries. I would ask your doctor if they know anything about this, and if they don't find one that does. In the meantime, is there nothing they can give you for pain?
What country are you in? Who is fobbing you off?
go see a different surgeon, I use to have lots of pain with OA but surgery cured all that for me. They need to do X-rays and sometimes MRI to see what is going on, without that anyone is working blind
Hallo Saby is it ok to call you that? I am guessing you are in the uk. That’s important to know as other countries have different health systems. Do you have family or friends who can help? If not there is an organisation within the nhs you can talk to. It’s called Pals.
I hope the fact that two of us responded to your call for help gives you hope that things can and could be better.
Hallo again. I just reread your other post
And realised you’d had fusion. Where was it as I too am fused, but still walking, just. Seeing the surgeon tomorrow. So....how long since your fusion. My first was about 2011 elongated in 2013followed by rhizolysis ( Rfa) twice a year apart, last in 2015.
I would go get a second opinion from another dr or take yourself to hospital while in bad pain.. ..but try diff dr first! NOT all Dr.s know everything. Don’t suffer in silence hun x