Painful hips - any ideas

[Sarannie]

Hello, I'm desperate for help for my nearly 13 year old daughter and couldn't think of anywhere better to post this.
She is a typical fit, healthy and active girl. 3 weeks ago she got up from her seat in the cinema and experienced an awful pain in her hip. Since then this has got so bad that she cries regularly and had to use a wheelchair during a trip to a museum in London last week. It's absolutely ruining her summer holiday and I just don't know how to help her.
This is what we have done so far:
The night after she did it we went to the out of hours surgery and she was prescribed strong anti-inflammoratories and co-codomol. Told to follow up with GP.
Next we followed up with the GP and were sent for x-rays. These took 11 days to come back and (suspiciously, I thought) had to be looked at by 2 senior radiologists before being declared clear.

Next the GP ran blood tests which we are still waiting for results on. He's looking for rheumatic type things, inflammation and infection.

He told me that if these come back clear he'll send us to the orthopaedic team at the hospital but this would mean a wait.
Here lies the problem. She is in such awful constant pain and she never usually complains about anything. The co-codomol and Diclofenic don't touch the pain and during the last 3 weeks I have really been on the verge of taking her to A&E to see if they can help her faster.
We go on holiday (UK luckily) next Saturday and I just want it diagnosed and treated so that she can relax & enjoy herself. It doesn't seem fair to leave a child in such constant pain that she cries.
What would you do?


Sarah
"It is never too late to be what you might have been."
George Eliot

[Sarannie]

Thank you, that is what I'm going to do :)

[antshouse]

It's such a worry isn't it. My 12 yr old DD had irritable hip 2 years ago. It was so scary, hit out of the blue and she couldn't walk for a week followed by months of intermittent pains. X-rays were ok, bloods ok, seen by paediatric orthopaedic consultant. Nothing found to be wrong but her hip still bothers her occasionally even now. Hope your daughters feeling better soon.

[Sarannie]

Hi, yes we spent a day in A&E and saw several doctors and a bone consultant (ortho surgeon). They all had different ideas!!! After being there for 7 hours they decided to send her to the fracture clinic - next Monday when we are on holiday! There weren't any other appointments so we decided we would be prepared to drive home and then go back to our holiday destination the same day.
However it was all unsatisfactory and I felt that everyone was missing something. I then decided to pay £40 and see a private physio. best £40 ever spent. he immediately diagnosed extremely tight muscles which had become taut against her growing bones. She has shot up in the last few months. he got her to do some gentle stretches and, for the first time in 4 weeks, ran a few steps.She is to do these for the next 6 weeks and use heat and nurofen for the pain.
Holiday here we come.
Thank you everyone for your input.