Donuel - I am happy you found a solution. In UK hip replacements are not usually offered for RA damaged joints. I wouldn't want them in any case.
My pain is everywhere. Fingers, hands ,wrists, fore arms, shoulders and neck. Toes, feet, heels, ankles knees. lower leg bones and hips. If the wrists, outside and heels of hands and little fingers are particularly achy then typically the same areas on my feet will be. That is the bilateral effect of RA. The long bone ache is probably do to the vitamin D deficiency.

I may have been a bit premature about feeling better with vitamin D, but it is early days. Much of what I have read indicates it can be 6 months to a year before you start noticing improvement. I've only been on replacement therapy for a couple of weeks.

One good thing. First acupuncture appointment yesterday. Last night I woke once at 4.20am for bathroom break. Not 3 or more times for the typical throbbing in shoulders, arms and hands. Straight back to bed without the usual wandering around shaking and massaging the pain away. I have not had that long a sleep in months.

:~)