Osteoarthritis

[Haudyerwheesht]

I'm 35 and recently have been having painful hips - I'm also extremely overweight and working at losing it so please be mindful of that.

So I was sent for an X Ray and it turns out my hips have been deformed since birth and I now have moderate osteoarthritis.

I was very upset when the GP told me so don't really know where I go from here.

I hate myself for being fat, even more than I did before and basically feel like I've ruined my life and the life of my young DC. I also have anxiety and depression but I had that under control and it's never affected the kids.

I am on a diet and I will lose weight but I'm so so so scared that it's just too little too late and my children will hate me. I'm so so ashamed.

Can anyone offer me some reassurance or words of wisdom?

[ShotgunNotDoingThePans]

I don't know how serious your condition is or how bad your oa is, but I just wanted to say it is possible to come back from painful conditions. I was diagnosed with oa in my hip about sixbor seven years ago but I honestly hardly ever suffer with it now. I did a lot of physio and generally started moving more (painful hips make you want to sit down all the time, but moving lubricates the joints). Ask your gp for a referral to a physio - or get one privately through word of mouth if you can.
I also have oa of a shoulder, which has given me pain for years, but weight-training with the help of a strength and conditioning coach has changed my life. That said, I've been slack this last couple of months and it's creeping back, so I beed to take my own advice and get to the gym!

[ShotgunNotDoingThePans]

And please don't be ashamed - why would you be? Apparently most people show joint degeneration after age 30 or so, but they don't all suffer pain; it's not understood why some do while others are pain-free.
Ask your gp for self-help strategies, even just doing a few (gentle, not full) squats every day will help - assuming it's not contra-indicated by your undiagnosed condition.

[Haudyerwheesht]

Thank you shotgun that is a bit reassuring.

[Haudyerwheesht]

Anyone else have any thoughts?

[Summerof85]

Sorry to hear this. Maybe swimming or aqua aerobics would be good just now as there is less pressure on your joints? Agree about getting referred to a physio. I'm 45 and the middle finger of my right hand has been sore and swollen, starting to think it's arthritis too.

[Haudyerwheesht]

Yes am about to go swimming funnily enough. Hate it because of the swimming costume situation obviously...

[Haudyerwheesht]

Still panicking about this. Don't know why I'm posting really

[carabos]

I have OA in both knees and some fingers. Left knee much worse than right. I have done everything I've been told to do - lose weight (I was 8.5st to begin with ), build muscle, have physio. Nothing has helped and now I can't run, which was my exercise of choice. I find that, running aside, the harder I work my knee, the better it is because it is lubricated by motion. Resting it just causes it to stiffen up.

At my most recent consultant appointment he told me to give up all of my fitness activities and take up swimming instead. I hate swimming and love my other training so there's no chance of that happening. I have to balance my mental health with my physical health and by that I don't mean I have mental health issues I just mean that my activities make me happy and swimming doesn't.

Find something that you enjoy that exercises your hips and lose some weight if you can but swimming isn't the be all and end all.

[Shinyhappypeople78]

Hi op. I have just found out that I have OA too. I am overweight and have awful hip pain.
I can walk OK and find breaststroke ok
Any other tips please.
Thank you