Hips are at me

I've got bursitis in both hips and its got so bad lately...it seems my hips are so swollen they're compressing the nerves which is why I have numb and burning patches in my right leg, because I'm limping my right knee has swollen (from arthritis) and it has put out my lower back. I had a CT scan and it shows moderate displacement and inflammation and then my neck started having pins and needles which has travelled into my left hand so that my thumb and first two fingers are numb. The physio thinks my neck has gone to compensate for my back which is compensating for my hips.... aahhh!!! So I just need to get the hips sorted.

I'm on humira and mtx for the RA and codeine for pain but lately the codeine just doesn't seem to work, I get maybe half an hour of relief and I'm checking my watch the whole time for my next dose. I'm starting hydrotherapy next Wednesday so I'm very hopeful that some good will come of it. My physio was shocked at my range of movement which made me shocked as I didn't realise how stiff I'd become or how limiting my pain is for movement. I see myself as being good with pain normally, capable of pushing it to the background but lately its like a huge black shadow pressing down on me. Often especially at night its like the pain is out of my body hovering between my knees and hips above me, really wierd experience.

I guess I'm feeling a bit low but hesitant to try another anti depressant, the headaches are so bad on them.

Thanks for listening , golitho.

golitho
I do hope today is at least a little better for you! I sure widh you weren't in so much pain! I do know what you mean by having the pins and needles in you neck and traveling into your left hand! That is no fun at all! Anyway I hope the Hydrotherapy workd for you,
I do wish you well golitho and hope you feel better soon!
All my best to You

White Beard

Go, Thats horrable, that old song comes to mind> The knee bone's connected to th hip bone> The hip bones conected to the neck bone> The neck bones conected to the thumb & two finger bones and everything hurts like hell!!!!! I'm sorry Go, I'm not trying to make light of your pain, just being my silly self. I truely am so sorry you are in pain. I am having similar dommino's falling in my body now but it's not nearly as bad as what you are describing! I really hope the hydro helps you! I know it helps me although I don't go to theropy, I just do it in a pool by myself as often as I can. Taking the weight off myself in the water lets me stretch out and loosen all my muscles and joints much better!!
Thanks for the nice things you wrote in my last post, as you know I haven't been posting much lately but I did read what everyone wrote while I was gone> THANKS!!! I'm putting you on my "Angel List with my other Angels who are always there for me!!! You are very special! Hang in there, I'm sure you'll feel better soon!
Your Friend and Brother!
Pete

Sounds familiar. I have had bursitis in both hips since I was twelve. I know you inadvertably start to limp which is often the cause of a cascade effect (hip, knee, back, neck). I learned to "walk without limping", but this took me a while. Snce I was still growing up, it took me several years although in these years I managed to walk often for months on end without a limp (and without my cane as well). This proved a great improvement for the pain in my lower back. I was also on codeine (actually paracetamol codeine) but decided to stop taking any unless the pain was really excruciating as, just as you described, it relieved the pain for only a short period. Eventually it didn't seem worth taking any more. Now, 24 years later, I still have occasional pain spikes, but I've learned to live with it. If you can just try to stop limping, the rest will improve automatically. I realize all to well this is easier said than done, yet in the long run it is undoubtably the best course of action. Something that relieved pain in my case were hot water bottles. Please keep us posted and take care.

golitho

I hope you are feeling better, do the cortisone injections help you? When I got them in my shoulder they would give me relief for several months, but they never really helped that much in my back! I go in Wed. the 10th for another epidural steroid injection, I hope it will help more than the last one ( two days was all I got ) they injected C6/7 where I had the disc fusion, and my left arm felt great for two whole days! Then the pain came back with a vengeances!

Anyway I do hope you are doing better now! Please take care of yourself!

Wishing you the Best!
White Beard