Hip Pain not going away
 

So here I was hoping the hip issue I have been fighting for the past year was simply arthritis, or slow healing connector tissues.

I told the dr about the pain throughout the hip, the pain walking and sitting, the bruise feeling when touched. The fact I have had the flu 62 days so far this year, and 9 days of fever over 102. The lack of sleeping and the random rashes added to the complete lack of energy and the loss of 20lbs without excersing or changing my diet much.

I was expecting to be brushed off again and told to rest more and keep doing my occupational therapy.

I was NOT expecting to have to go for an Xray, Ultra sound, complete blood work AND a bone scan within the next 3 days! The nasty C word was mentioned today, as the Dr wants to "rule this out first".

Is it normal to suggest ruling out cancer, before simply checking tendons, muscles etc. Or was it more the combined issues that have him fast tracking me? Ultrasounds usually take 3-8 weeks to get into, same with bone scans. He wants me at th hospital at 9 am tomorrow morning for the blood work, Sunday and Mother's day be damned.

I'm stressing... I had this weird sinking feeling when I went to the drs office today, and now its just sitting in the pit of my stomach.:thepain:

Good luck , i hope its just a stuck poop or a spicey burrito or sum such .

Yes, it's pretty normal, I think. Cancer awareness campaigns have had an effect, i suspect doctors try to make life easier by telling patirnts that's what they are doing.... I also wonder (WARNING professional cynic at work) if putting a whole shitload of tests down as "cancer check" gets maximum info asap at minimal cost insurance-wise......

hmmm.. maybe, Monster. But in BC our health care pays for all these tests, so they could do one, then another, then another... And none of these are done at my drs office either. Either way, I finally have a dr that is listening to me. Just scared I guess. Hubby is at work, and I have had hours to "what if"....

You raised a red flag:

"Unexplained weight loss is cancer unless proven not," she says. It could, of course, turn out to be another condition, such as an overactive thyroid.

Expect your doctor to run tests to check the thyroid and perhaps order a CT scan of different organs. The doctor needs to "rule out the possibilities, one by one," Mishori says.

Search parameter "unexplained weight loss and cancer" for related info.

The first test they run to check for cancer is your blood count to make sure there's the right number of red and white cells. If that's out of whack then they'll do more tests.

Let me see now, I've got a hemacytometer, pipet, and Marbel WBC differential counter around here somewhere ... though I might have run some monofilament through the pipet and tied a hook on the end to use it as a fishing lure.

Do you guys have lyme disease in BC? That often presents like the flu.

Stressful times; I'm sorry, Jaydaan. The red flags mean that cancer has to be ruled in or out first, but there are quite a few possibilities besides that. The tests will cover a lot of ground and hopefully give you an answer. Glad your doc is pushing the system for you.

The others are right that dramatic weight loss with no explanation is a red flag. It could be a number of things, all of which should still be investigated.

But the other symptoms are important too: flu-like symptoms are common, but for you to have it for almost 50% of the year, and so much fever, and strange rashes... those three together indicate an immune system in overdrive. Maybe it's in overdrive because you're actually sick, or maybe it's the thing that's making you sick (something autoimmune,) but either way, that part means that whatever's going on is not just a physical injury. It may even turn out the hip pain is unrelated to these other things--I think you had some kind of near-miss with a car over the winter where you fell down a snow bank, right? Or was that someone else?--but weight loss plus overactive immune symptoms still need to be investigated, even if that's the case.

All that being said, there are a ton of other things it could be besides cancer. Good luck, and keep us posted.

Yes, it could be a thousand things... just when the dr says the C word.. I panicked. My husband says to relax, that they are just covering all bases. The biggest issue I had, was bone cancer does not present itself in many cases, until there is another injury that aggrivates the tumour. IE: my slip at work last year, as thats when my hip started giving me issues. I put it down to arthritis at first.

Yes Clod, I was almost hit in Jan, and did the splits... didn't fall, but re-agrivated the ouchie in my hip from when I got hurt from work last march.

The weight loss I am not un-happy with, at this point.. lol. Just suprised, since I am even less active this time around than last. Last year when I was hurt I had gained 25 lbs in 4 months... so to lose 20 since Christmas.. I'm a happy girl. Lose another 10, hell yes... lose another 20 or more... we will have issues. :)

The Cellar: The other "C" word. ;)

How are you doing, Jaydaan?

Dr wants to see me this week, something is not right with my blood work. BUT he was not worried enough to have me in last week, said it could wait until the results of the ultrasound came in, so I did not have to go in twice in 8 days. So that means its not that bad. Still waiting for the bone scan.
I still hurt, but no worse, so thats a good thing. I am stressing financially mind you, I was the primary bread winner... and now nothing. In a month I might have a house, but no power or internet or groceries LOL I know something will work out, as it always does, and my little family will bounce back one way or another... but wow. Never expected to be sidelined by a slip and unending pain. I am insured for loss of limbs, and death.... not "little" things. I encourage everyone to re-examine thier insurance packages. If an extra $10 a month could save you from this, I would recommend it!

Let us know how it works out. Here's hoping its not too serious.

Went in to find out the results... left with a mammorgram appointment and biopsy requesition! Hubby found a lump in my breast the other night and demanded I tell the dr asap. Dr's words were.. "wow, thats a sizable mass, where it should not be, Lets get that checked right a way".

Ultrasound shows nothing. Blood work is wonky, so I will have to re-do it. Red Blood cells are not right, white ones... can't remember what he said now.. My iron level was 6, supposed to be 95-100!!! On pills,(4 a day to start, in 2 weeks it goes down to 3, 2 weeks later it goes down to 2) and have changed diet as well. Bone Scan is at 7am tomorrow.

I am a basket case since Monday at 3pm. I have random bouts of crying fits, panic and then I am my strong happy self. Hubby says don't worry, until you have something to worry about... then I see him taking T3s and admitting to a headache. The man has had 3 headaches that bad in 20 years, and gets physically ill taking T3s 50% of the time. So I know he's stressing, and just does not want to show it. Add the financial hit... and well... stress sucks! :)

Lets hope the bone scan finds out the reason for my hip pain. Then we can tackle the "sizable mass" in my breast. One thing at a time, thank you very much. lol

I just lost my entire post into the ether. :(
I sent you a cyber-hug, Jaydaan - of course you and your husband are stressed! It's so hard having not enough information and not knowing anything definite. I'm sorry you have a breast mass, although glad your husband found it - if it's there, it's better found. Have your mammo and biopsy been scheduled? Feel free to pm me if you have questions about the biopsy; I had that done last July.
It's hard not to worry,but there are multiple possible reasons for what you're experiencing. Once you have definite information you'll have direction as to what comes next.

Sending calm vibes and encouragement. Please feel free to pm me any time. {{{hugs}}}

How are things going, Jaydaan? I hope you have some answers to your pain and are on your way to getting treatments.

No news on the bone scan yet... mammo was today, had to take several more pictures. The tech wanted me to get an ultrasound at the hospital today, but there was a 6 hour wait. So I opted for an out patient ultrasound. That might take a week or so more, but at least I can make an appointment. :) So the mass is concerning enough to get more info.. so much for, bah its nothing.

Bone scan showed normal... no clue on what is causing the hip pain. Dr tisk tisked me for not waiting to do the ultrasound.. and has ordered one done and marked it urgent. Again, no real answers yet...

boy, you sure are a patient patient.

I hope you get some answers soon, Jaydaan.

BigV, no not really... just have nothing else I can do. I am off work, without ANY income, slowly going insane, and most likely slightly depressed. The past week, I have had 2 panic attacks and 3 crying fits over the breast "sizeable mass". I am trying to sell my lingerie, and the wiccan items I make... basically anything to keep food on the table and my dogs fed. So---- if you know anyone who is into wish necklaces, spell bottles, hand painted wooden boxes, spell kits, hand etched items, sage smudging kits, etc... send them my way, and as always I have all kinds of clubwear, corsets, lingerie...lol!
I am getting frustrated with the lack of answers, if there is nothing wrong with my hip, why the hell does it hurt so much? Walking, sitting, laying down, any pressure (ie: dog stepping on my leg) causes shooting pain, melting into throbbing pain in my hip joint area, and it still feels like I am sitting on a huge fresh bruise. There is no bruise there, but thats the ouchie closest to explain it. Its not fibromyalgia pain, I know the difference. But at least the dr told me flat out, its not bone cancer, and not arthritis. Next could be muscle, or nerve? BAH.

I wouldn't be surprised if it was nerve, from the symptoms you described. For instance - Sciatica:

Causes and symptoms

"... The most identified cause of the pain is compression or pressure on the sciatic nerve. The extent of the pain varies between individuals. Some people describe pain that centers in the area of the hip, and others perceive discomfort all the way to the foot. The quality of the pain also varies; it may be described as tingling, burning, prickly, aching, or stabbing ... The pain may be intermittent or continuous, and certain activities, such as bending, coughing, sneezing, or sitting, may make the pain worse. ...

... Chronic pain may arise from more than just compression on the nerve. According to some pain researchers, physical damage to a nerve is only half of the equation. A developing theory proposes that some nerve injuries result in a release of neurotransmitters and immune system chemicals that enhance and sustain a pain message. Even after the injury has healed, or the damage has been repaired, the pain continues. Control of this abnormal type of pain is difficult. ..."

My mom has hip and leg pain because of a nerve compression on her lower back. She doesn't have sciatica but short of a herniated disc. The only way to check is to have an MRI. I hope you get answers soon.