- Osteonecrosis
- Interviews
Caitlin's interview
How did all start?
I'd had gradually worsening hip pain for a couple of years that was misdiagnosed as greater trochanteric bursitis. The pain was particularly bad when I was at a friend's wedding. I arrived home and got out of the car. As soon as I put my weight on my right leg my hip exploded in pain, it was so bad my vision and hearing had a white-out, my entire awareness was just pain.
I found out later that the bone in the head of my femur in my right hip had a blocked blood supply and the bone had died. The pain was was from the round femur head bone collapsing suddenly.
Do you already have a diagnosis? How long did it take you to get it?
I was diagnosed with avascular necrosis in both hips. It was 'end stage' so the only treatment is a total hip replacement. I also had a bone and joint infection in the right hip
For what medical specialties have you been treated? What has been the most useful specialty for your?
My treatment team includes -
Orthopaedic surgeon
Pain management specialist
Infectious diseases specialist
Psychiatrist
Physical rehabilitation specialist
My GP
What has been the most useful thing for you so far?
My pain management specialist has made the biggest improvement to my quality of life while awaiting surgery
What have been your biggest difficulties?
Repeated serious infections
What would you like to do if you didn’t have your condition?
Work, family, normal life
If you had to describe your life in a sentence, what would it be?
Painful
Finally, what advice would you give to a person in a similar situation?
If you have serious pain don't ignore it, see a doctor
