Diagnose me!

[eurochick]

Well, my brother.

Mid 40s, slim, fittish, no known health conditions

Intense pain inside left hip, intermittent fever, feeling generally grotty, very fatigued - sleeping 20/24hrs. Currently on day 3 and it seems to be easing.

Never had anything like it before. I'm usually quite good at guess the diagnosis but I have no ideas on this one. We both would have said appendix if it was on the right side as it presents quite like an infection. Any ideas?

TIA

Covid.

Highly unlikely. The main symptom is the one sided hip pain. Plus we are pretty isolated - only go out to exercise and one masked food shop per week.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/hip-pain/

Read down to where it mentions septic arthritis.

I was going to say septic arthritis too .

None of this applies at all:

Causes of septic arthritis
You can get septic arthritis if germs get into a joint. This can happen:
• if you have an injury or accident to a joint, such as a dog bite or a bad cut
• if germs from somewhere else in the body spread into the blood and then into a joint
• as a complication of joint surgery
Who is at risk of septic arthritis
Anyone can get septic arthritis but some people are more at risk. This includes people:
• with rheumatoid arthritis
• with a weakened immune system
• who have recently had joint surgery
• who have an artificial joint, such as a knee or hip replacement
• who inject drugs like heroin
• with gonorrhoea, which is a sexually transmitted infection

Could a kidney stone present like this?

Why hasn't he gone to the gp or a&e? His symptoms are serious enough to be seen. That's the obvious course of action.

Kidney infection? Why doesn't he call the GP?

if germs from somewhere else in the body spread into the blood and then into a joint

How could you possibly know this doesn't apply to your brother?

Are you sure the two are definitely related? Loads of nasty bugs going around here. Is the hip pain easing alongside the fever?

Well I obviously can't see into his blood but he doesn't have any cuts or injuries on his body. So it's not impossible but seems very unlikely.

As to why he hasn't gone to a GP? Sigh. He never does. Other than for antibiotics for a dental infection I can only think of one occasion when he has gone to the gp in his adult life.

@housemdwaswrong

Are you sure the two are definitely related? Loads of nasty bugs going around here. Is the hip pain easing alongside the fever?

I would think so. They came on at the same time out of the blue. Ans seem to be easing together too. And as he is pretty isolated at the moment his opportunity for contracting things is pretty low so it would be quite a coincidence. 🤷‍♀️

As to why he hasn't gone to a GP? Sigh. He never does. Other than for antibiotics for a dental infection I can only think of one occasion when he has gone to the gp in his adult life.

Sorry, but this is all just a silly waste of time, isn't it? No one, not even a doctor, can accurately diagnose your brother over the internet. If he is daft enough to refuse medical attention, there's nothing you can do about it. Leave him to get on with it.

Other than the location this sounds like dh a few years back. In his case it was his knee and it he ended up in hospital for 2 weeks with sepsis. Wouldn't bother a gp until forced by which point he needed hospital treatment.

It's a thread on the internet as we are pondering what it might have been as he is seemingly getting better. We are both a bit puzzled. Septic arthritis is one thing suggested that we hadn't thought of. It seems unlikely in the circumstances but maybe other things will come up. The mumsnet hive mind can be a wonder ours thing. You don't have to post if you don't want to.

@OhLookHeKickedTheBall

Other than the location this sounds like dh a few years back. In his case it was his knee and it he ended up in hospital for 2 weeks with sepsis. Wouldn't bother a gp until forced by which point he needed hospital treatment.

How did it start? Was there an injury of some kind?

Maybe diverticulitis?

My husband's good friend had septic arthritis in his right hip when he was 32, no known injury prior to getting sick. He had to have his hip replaced because the infection destroyed the joint.

He's sleeping basically 20- 24 hours a day? That's basically a coma

He needs to see a doctor - not take guesses from random people online

@SpudsandGravy

Maybe diverticulitis?

The symptoms for that sound pretty close - thanks that could be it.

He'd had a slight bursitis that had been there for over a year and other than being unsightly really didn't cause any issues. Until it did of course. That said they weren't convinced the two were linked at the time so other than that, no known injuries before.

Hi @eurochick

Not that I'm wishing it on your brother, but I hope the suggestion helps!

I have diverticulitis. It was diagnosed a couple of years ago when I had pain in my side that was waking me up at night. I assumed it was a UTI and went to my GP to request and antibiotic, but it wasn't a UTI and a scan confirmed the diagnosis. (The GP actually thought I had kidney stones, but it wasn't that either!)

Best of luck to your brother

Where exactly was the pain? The hip joint will give pain in the groin. If the 'hip' pain is on the side or back of the hip it would be muscular or referred pain. Your theory of him not having an infection is flawed as the fever means his body is fighting infection. Infection can be introduced to the body through the mouth (how is his dental hygiene for example) or a spot or seemingly from nowhere (such as in the case of a urinary infection). It is great news that he is on the mend though.

Any number of possibilities he needs to stop being an idiot and go the dr, but off top of my head one that hasn't yet been mentioned - glandular fever can present like this. Does he have a new partner? Could have caused a reactive arthritis which usually does require treatment.

Whatever it is he needs to grow up and make an appointment

Fibromyalgia especially with all the other symptoms, does he have pain in any of his joints.

I’m gonna guess osteomyelitis.