And now hip pain, please tell me how you manage to sleep at night as my GP can’t.

[NotAgainWilson]

*Disclaimer: I have been waiting for a GP appointment for MONTHS. So I am looking for practical advice from those who have been there while I wait for my turn**

Now that is cleared, I am struggling to sleep at night with hip pain, whatever position I get my self in, it becomes unbearable after an hour or so.

I have tried different mattresses, I am using a knee pillow, sometimes replaced by a proper pillow, have tried to sleep on both right and left side, facing up (my back hurts), on my tummy (ditto) but I am still spending most of the night awake with pain.

I have tried accupuncture (helped for a bit), doing Pilates for hip pain (it is helping, I can walk more but the pain at night is very much present all the time). I have lost weight (about 10 pounds), I’m still overweight (blame the menopause) but not massively over weight).

Does anybody can suggest other stuff to try before my blooming GP has an appointment available? (Everytime I ask they tell me it will be at least another 9 weeks so we are getting to 6 months now).

Naproxen

If the Naproxen is going to be long term you should have been given something for your stomach, it’s usually Esomeprazole.

Been there, did that. Had a hip replacement at 46.

I was given Lansoprazole

@NotAgainWilson - have you considered asking the GP for stronger pain relief? Or different pain relief....
I used to take dihydrocodeine. It's opiate based so also sleep inducing! I appreciate there is an addiction issue with this, but I took it for 3 years whilst awaiting a hip replacement and came off it with no problem.

I was reading an article about trochanteric bursitis and gluteal tendonopathy in perimenopausal ladies especially in overwrought or at desk jobs. Apparantly our tendons shorten .
exercises to lengthen and strengthen.

Thank you. The only one I am unfamiliar with is the Illiotibial Band Stretch, all the other ones I do daily.

I have another appointment this week, wonder if my 9 weeks wait turn has finally arrived or they got some news on the xrays. 🤔

At the start of peri I had bursitis. From anecdotal evidence I've seen it does seem quite common. I ended up seeing a private physio (who I already knew from sports physio when I was a runner) and had shock wave treatment. It has reoccurred but not anywhere near as severely. Next up was plantar fasciitis which also reoccurs regularly.

I'm now on HRT so most pain is less impactful and I am starting running again after a 5 year break (1 year of injury, 2 years of docs appts, 2 years getting hrt just right!!)

Reading this thread with interest (whilst creaking around like Im 90!!LOL).
My patches really helped with hip pain at night so I can now sleep but thinking I might need to increase the dose as getting painful stiff hips and knees throughout the day too, even my elbow hurt the other day and what the heck is that about!?
I already get plenty of exercise, eat well and take the usual supplements. No longer overweight but was obese for most of my life so Im pretty sure its early arthritis exacerbated by menopause.
GPs really arent much use though, Ive gotten used to self diagnosing! I mean they did send me for a bone scan but then later the surgery lied and said it was all fine (I know this because apparently the hospital lost the scan and it was never sent!).

It has been almost 2 months since I started this thread. Still waiting for the NHS Physio appointment but I have been told that would take a minimum of 20 weeks so… that may never happen.

But I thought of coming back, in case it my help someone, to mention the problem is almost sorted, the pain at night happens very seldomly, the foot that was curling in is also much better, I am moving considerably more freely and managing well being more active. Oh and I can manage long walks without pain!

The solution? I kid you not, I took a job that requires me to be all day on my feet (I sit at intervals but probably an hour tops in the working day). I also have to sit on the floor for half an hour a day counting bags of money by the safe… can’t believe how much my flexibility has improved from sitting in awkward positions and raising myself from the floor!

So I guess it goes down to “if you don’t use it, you loose it” after all.

Hope it helps! ❤️

So glad to hear of this improvement for you.

Like you, I'm much better when I barely ever sit down. I would never accept a job without a standing desk - makes a massive difference.

This may have already been suggested, when I have a sciatica flare, I get some relief by using Deep Freeze patches. Might be worth a try with other things?

@OP The lady at my local gym teaching Pilates recommended we all try sitting on the floor for 15mins everyday, that'll strengthen our backs and glute muscles. When i started doing this i couldn't sit without pillows for support & my bum felt numb. Now i sit i can sit on the floor for 2hrs straight watching a movie without any support whatsoever and feel great.

HI does anyone else get pain in groin pelvic area with hip pain?

I definitely need to keep doing it. I used to sit on the floor all the time, no idea why I stopped. I need to do it more often 🙂

I was getting it when I started this thread and
needed but not anymore 🙂

HI OP did it just stop or are you doing something to prevent it? Thanks.

It just disappeared, I had not noticed until you mentioned. I believe that a lot of the problem
is that the hamstrings tighten when you spend too much seating, I couldn’t even sleep facing up without getting lower back pain when I started this thread. But after spending so much standing the issue is gone.

Ok great thank you.