I’m on morphine and can barely move as I wait for my hip operation

In October last year I went to my GP with pains in my hip and lower back. I was told that I needed a total hip replacement but that I could not be referred for surgery because my BMI index was too high and that I had to lose weight.

I lost three stones in four months and was then referred for surgery.

I had the necessary scans and tests and was told by the surgeon that my situation was urgent so he was placing me on his urgent list.

That was in March and it looked as though I was in line for surgery later that month. However, that was before the Covid- 19 lockdown and hip replacement operations were cancelled. As yet I have not heard when my surgery will take place.

Seven months on, my hip has deteriorated to such an extent that I can no longer function due to severe and excruciating pain whenever I move, walk or simply just get around.

I cannot sleep for more than two hours before the pain causes me to get up, but then by moving about the pain worsens.

My mobility is non- existent.

All my GP can do is to increase my pain management medication and I am now on morphine, which is not really what I want.

I have tried nearly everything but nothing seems to work and I know that the bottom line is that in reality I will just have to wait for the operation whenever that is. Any advice you can give would be helpful.

A

Sadly, there are thousands of people in a similar situation to you. Even before Covid- 19 hit, waiting lists were long. In June 2019, just over 1,000 people had been waiting more than a year for their operation.

That figure rose to over 50,000 in June this year, with more than 1.85 million people waiting more than 18 weeks for planned surgery, such as knee and hip replacements.

One of the biggest issues for many of my patients is a lack of information coming from their hospital.

I do think it is worthwhile checking that you are still on the treatment waiting list and have not got lost in the system, as I know has happened to some patients.

You may be able to do this yourself, by contacting either the orthopaedic secretary or the waiting list administrator at the hospital, but if you get nowhere, ask one of the administrators at your GP surgery if they can help.

Meanwhile, managing your pain is really important, not only to ease your distress but also so you can keep moving. If you don’t use them, muscles become weak and this can delay your recovery, especially from joint replacement surgery.

Rather than relying on straightforward pain relievers, such as paracetamol or codeine, drugs that reduce the pain message to the brain can be really helpful for chronic pain such as yours. Known as pain modulating agents, they don’t work immediately, but rather their effect builds slowly. There are several available, including amitriptyline, gabapentin and pregabalin, and if one does not suit you, then it’s worth trying another.

These are only available on prescription and the dose usually has to be slowly increased so, if you’re not taking one of these already, please do speak to your GP.

If your pain is persisting, then you can take additional pain killers that work more quickly, such as codeine as well. I agree that taking morphine is not ideal as it can cause drowsiness, constipation and it can also be addictive, so it is best reserved for occasional use when your pain is really severe.

It would also be helpful to try and do some gentle exercises to try and stop your hip joint becoming even more stiff. Instructions on how to do these are available on the NHS website ( nhs. uk), or alternatively your GP should be able to give you a printed sheet with instructions and further advice.

You can also get more information about managing hip pain from the charity Versus Arthritis, which can be reached on 0800 5200 520.

I am in my 60s and over the past six months I have developed a cluster of warts on my fingers.

I now have a total of seven and find them embarrassing and, at times, sore. After discussing with the pharmacist, I bought a high level of treatment from the chemist but this has had no effect on them.

Please can you advise if I should request to see a doctor or if there is another solution I could try?

It is quite unusual to develop warts at your age, so the first thing to do is check that this is what those bumps actually are.

In normal times I would suggest you make an appointment with your GP, but now it is more likely that your doctor will suggest you send in a photo. Phone your surgery and check what the procedure is now.

If they are confirmed as warts, then paints or gels containing salicylic acid can be helpful, but they aren’t an instant cure and need to be applied every day for up to three months.

Before applying, rub off the dead tissue from the top of the wart using a coarse emery board, then soak the affected fingers in water for about five to 10 minutes.

It may be two weeks or more before you notice any difference, so don’t assume it isn’t working and give up too early.

Salicylic acid is very caustic, so try to limit the application to just the wart. If the surrounding skin becomes sore, stop the treatment until it settles.

If the warts are still there after three months, then cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen can be used. This is normally available at most GP surgeries but I’m aware that many have stopped doing this type of work during the coronavirus pandemic.

If you have a health question for Dr Leonard, email her in confidence at yourhealth@ express. co. uk. Dr Leonard regrets she cannot enter into personal correspondence or reply to everyone.