Even though this may not be quite long enough to be "chronic", it's repetitive. I've been experiencing terrible pain in my left hip for the past 2 months. The pain is constant though at times is worse (definitely a 10) than other times (such as mid afternoon into the evening) and really limits what I can do. I don't go out of my apartment anymore than is necassary to get things (such as groceries) and when I do go to a bigger store I have to use one of those motorized carts to ride in. It's also affecting my sleep and some nights I acn't get very much sleep. I've had bursitis previously (5-6 years ago in that hip. I went through many doctors and treatments before I finally had surgery to remove the bursa which seemed to solve it. However in early September a similiar pain returned to that hip. I've seen various doctors including 2 PAs, a GP Dr. and an orthopedic doctor Dr. (who was of no help) and have been getting physical therapy.
I'm seeing another orthopedic doctor tomorrow for a 2nd (or 3rd) opinion. I've also been on various pain killers, the latest being tramadol which doesn't seem to hardly help. I was in vicodin briefly 2x and that helped the most. However the clinic I'm going to (& I live in a small town so the medical resources here are somewhat limited) , Dr. Stahl has requested (& it's on my records) that I can't have any more vicodin (because I think he thinks I'm going to get addicted to it) and told me it doesn't really help the pain any (which I think is a load of crap!). In addition to the pain in my hip sometimes it radiates down my shin onto the top of my ankle. I also feel some numbness & tingling sometimes on top of the foot. I have type 2 diabetes (that I'm on pills for) but doubt that's causing the numbness. I just had my A1C blood glucose level checked (which I have done 2x a year) and the level was very good & low.
That doctor, (a GP) also checked my feet and they were fine. I talked to her about the numbness and she agreed that I should bring it up to the Dr. when I see him tomorrow. I'm very frustrated by this and am wondering what to say and ask for though I already have several things on my mind to say. I very much would like to be prescribed vicodin again and hope that he understands and will let me do that. I'm also wondering about suggesting some other (I believe non narcotic) pain killers such as neurontin, parafon Fort, and celebrex. If anybody else can think of other painkillers or any suggestions I'd appreciate it if you could let me know. To be honest I'd like to be on an even stronger narcotic painkiller than vicodin, such as percocet, but that's not likely to happen with what's noted on my clinic records. One other thing is that if Dr. thinks that vicodin is too addicting for me to take, what about tramadol as isn't that supposed to be addictive too!?
Anyhow I'm sorry for such a short notice but my appointment (which had been moved from a later afternoon time) is at 12:15 CST tomorrow so if again if anybody could get back to me by then I'd really appreciate it.
Most GP are under the impression that narcotics are addicting ( which they are ) but for chronic pain patients that is a moot point. We will be on pain meds for the rest of our lives and we become dependent on the meds and will go thru WD's if abrumtply stopped. But we are NOT addicts.
It sounds like you have nerve pain that is running down your leg. There are three meds that are used to treat nerve pain. Neurontin, Topomax and Lyrica. You might ask the doc about using one of them.
What right did that doctor have to put that notation in your record? He does not control your life. shame on him. I would discuss taking meds with the ortho and explain that the gp does like narotics and doesn't feel that they help people.
Have you thought of going to the Mayo Clinic? Or up the Cities? You aren't that far from either one and they certainly offer more selections and doctors than you have...
Another possibility is a lower lumbar problem. People sometimes believe they have hip pain when in reality it is the lumbar spine nerves that are being compressed. Since any part of the nerve can be affected, it can run along the length of the nerve or affect just the hip or the toes or...whatever (depending on which spinal nerve it is....) You can take a look at a dermatome map to see which spinal nerve innervates which part of the body/limb.
My MIL was getting treatment for hip bursitis, injections into the bursa, etc. and it turned out to be a ruptured disc at L4-L5. The spinal nerves for the last two lumbar segments run down through the buttocks and/or hip area, down the leg and sometimes into the foot, ankle and/or toes.
It may be useful for you to have a MRI of your lumbar spine to either rule it in or out as a possible cause of your pain.
