OA

I have OA of the spine, hands, feet and hips. I am having a Left hip replacement at the end of this month. I had a spinal fusion L5-S5 one year ago. Funny thing was that I went into the ortho with problems of not being able to spread my legs and intense shooting pain down my leg to my knees and low back pain. the shooting pain I reported was positional. I hurt to sit, stand, lay , bend, twist , lift in any one position with a pain level on average 7-8. Pain meds keep it to a 6-8 depending on what I am doing, do, or don't do. I wake up in horrific pain which takes an hour to move and lessen with meds and movement. that is the funny thing I have to move from time to time or I hurt bad.After surgery of my spine which is what I was told was causing my symptoms I reported even more pain in my back,hips, and legs now with muscle weakness and spasms. A simple xray of my hips a month ago with a GP ordering it (a year later) showed severe OA of both hips with huge bone spurs. Why the neuro/ortho dr did not find this I will never know. The spine dr said I had NO biological reason for the increased pain this last year. My new orthopedic surgeon says I have one of the most painful orthopedic conditions a person can have. So I guess my advise is seek a second opinion when someone tells you the pain is in your head. My 1st Dr had written a book or how my brain could control my pain and I suffered terribly for a year believing there was nothing wrong biologically. I am still trying to rationalize that crazy DR. mans cruelty.Well I am getting the correct surgery and hope to get back to my life over this next year. I need new hips on both sides. I am a RN so if I can fall through the cracks anyone can, always seek a new second opinion. Now that I know I am not crazy I am feeling so much better. I am learning to pace myself. I am only 61 years old. I want to go back to work and I am doing everything I can to do so. This is my story.