Long term hip pain with other symptoms

[BoxOfBabyCheeses]

Hi all, I'm just looking to see if anyone has experience of similar symptoms to myself. I do have a GP's appointment booked, but I was hoping to have some suggestions as it's the third appointment I have booked for this problem, although my symptoms have worsened and more have popped up.

I'm 30 now, and since I was a teenager I have had hip pain. It was intermittent at first with no obvious cause. I would have an ache or sometimes I would have a sharp pain and the feeling that my hip was "locking" or on the verge of dislocating.

The pain has gradually got worse, and now it is really affecting my day to day life. I have had to give up driving lessons as I would be in agony after 2 hours and would spend the evening crying afterwards in pain.

I went to the GP about this last year who referred me to the MCAS clinic. They in turn referred me to the physio but have never been given a reason for this pain. during my appointment with the MCAS phyiso I was asked if I had any problems with my bowels or bladder. At the time I said no, but this has now changed.

I am now experiencing constipation, and when trying to "go" I have shooting pains down my leg. I also have a feeling of needing to pee, but never feeling like my bladder is fully empty.

I suppose I'm just looking to see if they are related, and other people have had similar experiences, or if I'm just adding 2 and 2 and making 5.

I'm in the exact same boat and have been for 3 years.
Haven't had an exact diagnosis of my hip problem as of yet but I have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and bursitis.
My MSK doctor is reluctant to inject the bursitis yet though; since she's aware that it's indicative of something else (something causing it..)

Push your GP for tests, an MSK appointment, rheumatology, pain clinic... anything you can think of.
Don't be fobbed off with Naproxen if it's not working either. They can prescribe stronger medication if you push hard enough.
Personally, I am prescribed 5mg of oxycodone every 4 hours, 2x 30/500mg co-codamol every 4 hours, diclofenac 50mg 3 times a day and 300mg of Gabapentin 3 times a day.
As PP have said though, the meds are only a plaster not a fix - even so, you shouldn't be suffering

Obviously some of those meds may not be right for you but it's an idea of what else they can do to help; though some GPs don't really like prescribing opiates if there is no clear diagnosis.

In the interim, I find heat helps and cold makes things worse.
Gentle stretching if you can, sleeping with a pillow between your legs, resting (but not too long in case you stiffen up) and pacing also helps.
If you go to your GP and explain that you've tried other measures for pain relief/exhausted all OTC methods they may be more inclined to help.

It's shit, I'm sorry your suffering too

LikeACowsOpinion Thanks for telling me your experience. I think I'm most scared that if this is how I feel now when I'm 30, how will I feel when I'm 40. As I said I've had the pain since I was a teenager but in the last 2 years it has progressed more, and in the last 6 months it's like it's been put on fast forward.

I am reluctant to try stronger pain killers as I'm very small in stature. I'm just under 5 foot and around 7 stone. A doctor once told me that I was taking too much ibuprofen, and should actually be taking a child's dose because of my size. I don't want to treat my pain, only to end up with more serious problems because of it. And again, I don't want to mask what's really going on.

I'm going to wait and see what the MCAS team has to say, and if they refuse to investigate properly, I will be going privately to get to the bottom of things.

Both my grandmother and father have spodylosis, which is similar to spodylitis, which can obviously cause some of the problems that I have. But, they developed this at a much later age than myself.

I hope that everyone on here who is still struggling manages to get to the bottom of things, and gets a normal life back. It can be soul destroying being in pain constantly. It's been so long that I can;t remember how it feels to go a day without being in pain.

It's even having an affect on my sex life - which admittedly is rather vigorous and rough - I don't want to change the way I live and enjoy my life because doctor's can't or won't find out what's wrong.

I'm the same age as you, 5ft 3 and roughly just under 7 stone.
The painkillers have been absolutely fine for me, I do take lanzoprazole once a day to protect my stomach from NSAIDs but it's just a prevention, I've had no problems otherwise.
So, just know that there are options!

I hope you manage to get to the bottom of things. It's a constant battle.
Good luck

Hi all, just a quick update. So I was referred back to the MCAS team and they sent me for an MRI. I've now had a letter telling me that the MRI results are normal and that I am being discharged back to my GP.

Since this has started both my father and grandmother have been diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, specifically affecting their necks. Now I've read into this a lot and it seems to originate in the SI Joint and can affect the hips. I have an appointment with my GP this afternoon and will be requesting a referral to a rheumatologist.

Does anyone have any experience of this? It says that it cannot be cured but that the symptoms can be treated and progression slowed. I've already had to give up driving lessons, and now I am really struggling in work. I feel like my whole life is being affected and I just want to know what it is.