Patient Stories

Ema

Hi, I am 44 and only been diagnosed with hip dysplasia. It make so much sense through my life. I was brought up by my grandmother and from an early age I was constantly aching tired and generally unwell.

My mum said I was a wingy baby when I was born. when I got to 12 years of age I had a real passion for dance and this is when y aches and pains escalted, I was taken the docs and I was put in Ibuprofen the big pink tablets daily, It kind of eased it but the more active I was the more I ached. When I was 15 I went to see a specialist and he said infront of my nan its in her head, xrays were done but it was in my head. He could not see anything. So off i was sent on my way.

I had a career in dance became a teacher and got into a dance company, al the time I was having terrible aches and pains, having operations for my bones in knees etc. fast forward years of medication physio, tens therapy EVERYTHING. then I was pregnant at 22 I was in so much pain I was admitted to the hospital at 34 weeks, I could not move. I had to have help to the toilet. at 38 weeks my daughter was born, That put me off having anymore kids.

I was still going to the doctors being referred and they found I had osteo-arthritis in my lower back but still no diagnosis of hip dysplasia. I was 24. I decided that I did not want anymore kids and fought for sterilization. A BLESSING. I was living in Sandbach cheshire uk at the time and was referred to have cryotherapy freezing of the facet joints in my lower back, i had this three times but still no diagnosis, For years I would go to the doctors and they diagnosed me with all sorts, One was Fybromyalgia, I was fuming and said NO your missing something, so I kept fighting I wanted answers I was doing my own research as I have a brain.

In 2014 I had a high tibial osteotomy in my left leg and it was due to the dis-alignment of my hips, but STILL NO DIAGNOSIS. until I went to my doctors about swelling fingers and the aches. she referred me to the reumatologist and after he examined me he said you need an MRI on your hips this was the first time EVER I had MRI, they found I had a labral tear discreetly in my hip socket, so he referred me to the orthopeadics, (in wales) he looked at my case and referred me to a Top specialist (in England) He urgently asked to see me the next day and sent me for a xray and then it came out that it was hip dysplasia. From here I am either going to have the tear repaired or hip replaced.

I am confident that now I can get on with life happy. What I have remembered the most is how people made me feel, I was a liar I was lazy and that my illness was not in my partners life plan. If this story has hit a cord with you, remember this you are the one that knows your body, if you have a child you know your child. You fight for what is right.