what is late stage OA like?

[livendive]

I had shots in both hips in September and that seemed to help in the left but not in the right.  This kind of made sense because the MRI suggests the right hip is much farther gone than the left, so much so that the guy who did my shots expressed surprise and a bit of frustration at trying to get the needle into that side.  My right hips is now schedule for resurfacing on January 5th, with my left to follow in late February (Dr Pritchett wants at least 6 weeks between sides). 

Periodically over the last month, I've thought the shot benefits in the left hip were wearing off, as the constant burning sensation I had before it seemed to come back, but then it would abate.  A week ago, the question of whether it was still working became silly, as I had a sudden increase in very sharp pain.  I had to resort to crutching my way through errands on Sunday and to work Monday and yesterday, with Wednesday being a strange but wonderful reprieve as both hips felt the best they have since July or so...I honestly felt like I could have gone for a run, but of course didn't.  The last two nights/mornings have been the worst yet, with getting up to go to the bathroom during the night now an exercise in finding furniture to lean on, and the first several minutes of the day being basically non-weight bearing.  I can move around the house very slowly, by putting my left foot down with very little weight on it, "testing" various slight differences in weight distribution till I find an angle at which it will support me, then limiting the load bearing to a fraction of a second while I throw my right hip forward.  It does get better as the morning goes on, but there are still severe, stabbing pains periodically throughout the day that remind me this is not a healthy hip and limiting my walking speed to that of someone 30-40 years my senior. 

Does this sound like the normal progression of OA and something likely to persist till my LBHR in late February?  Understanding that I'm in end-game for treatment, I don't imagine there's much of anything a doctor could do even if it's something different, I'm just concerned about its viability while my RBHR is recovering.  The walker is going to be taking up residence next to our bed tonight, and I'm particularly fearful of injuring my vulnerable RBHR if my left hip decides to unexpectedly stop holding my weight.

Long story short: I'm curious whether this is just typical OA or possibly something different, but don't suppose it really matters as treatment options are pretty much nil at this point.

Thanks for letting me vent,
Dave

[chuckm]

Livendive, I had severe osteoarthritis and what you describe is very similar to the symptoms I had for a couple of years before resurfacing, but only in the left hip.
It really evolved over time as my body adapted to the changes in the hip.
Toward the end I went for the cortisone. It alleviated some of the pain associated with inflammation and a torn labrum but not the bone-on-bone sharp pain. Some weeks I was mysteriously OK but each time it in between it got worse and worse. It was bad just going out do anything. Resurfacing fixed everything.

Chuckm

[HowieF-16]

Late stage OA is not too difficult to define. Anytime you are bone-on-bone, you are in end stage arthritis. I remember experiences similar to yours about six years before I finally had my HR. I woke up in the middle of the night with excruciating pain. After MRI, CAT SCAN, and X-Ray it was determined that I had "loose bodies" in the joint. Loose bodies are calcified cartilage that have broken loose. On occasion, these would get in a position in the joint and really hurt. Two days later, they float to a different location and no pain. Over the years, I tried cortisone injections, Synvisc injections and a hip scope. I had no cartilage on my femoral head and was missing about 40% in my socket. The cortisone, synvisc, and scope all provided temporary relief, but it wasn't until my HR a year ago that I finally had long term relief.  Good luck with your procedure and remember, Physical Rehab is a marathon, not a sprint.

[Daytona Dave]

Hi, Can't really add anything to what's been said. My experiences have not been as bad, although at the time they were very restricting.
Just wanted to wish you good luck, and hang in their buddy. ( You will be back skydiving before you know it!)
Dave

[livendive]

Thanks guys, this has been comforting.  Howie - your experience sounds exactly like mine.  Friday and Saturday were excruciating and the left side was essentially non-weight-bearing as a result. Sunday was rough in the morning but better later in the day.  Yesterday and thus far today are MUCH better, with just a minor dull ache instead of that sharp stabbing pain. 

And I'm looking forward to that Dave!  Was dreaming about skydiving just last night.  Some of my jumper friends are prodding me to go this weekend with my RBHR scheduled for next Monday, with the rationale "Why replace a hip that's merely worn out when you could replace one that's truly broken?!"   My wife used a similar argument in a text message yesterday, "Let's go ice skating. Your surgery is close enough now that we can afford to really f@#k that hip up!"  :D :D

[Daytona Dave]

ha ha, I like your thoughts ....but not sure what your surgeon would think :-). Call me safe but when I knew the op was near I decided to give up skydiving ( for the time being!) in case I made things worse and was unable to have a RS. Besides I never felt totally safe if coming in on a fast landing with nil winds. That said u have done many more jumps than me so I am not gonna preach :-)  Blue skies mate :-)  Keep us all up to date.