I Have not been diagnosed

dachshund

Hello everyone.
I just wondered reading some of the posts.
when i have been to see the doc and said about aches and pains he's said its wear and tear or when i've been up the hospital i've been told you have arthritis in your spine and hip.
so have i been diagnosed or not do you have to have a certain exray.
joan xx

elnafinn

Dear Joan

Generally you are sent for exrays but perhaps they see without them, as presumably, you have not been xrayed, that you have arthritis/wear and tear. If they thought you had RA they would have given you a blood test.

It would appear to me that you have had a diagnosis although not too satisfactory if diagnosed just by examination.

Luv
Elna x

dachshund

Thank you Elna.
I have had exrays on my hip and been told i have arthritis in it. i have had a mri scan that said i have it in my spine and i have had blood tests that have said i have wear and tear and low blood salts.that was from my doctor i go to the pain c in oct.
joan xx

elnafinn

In that case, Joan, I would definitely say from one person who has OA to another, we BOTH have osteo arthritis/wear and tear and all the other names we would like to call it and do, at times. :oops: :roll:

I wish your pain clinic appointment could be brought forward even earlier for you.

Love
Elna x

dachshund

Thank you Elna.
Has my legs aching all the time got any thing to do with it as the docs say they dont know what is causing it as it gets worse the more i do.
i'm 9 and a half stone and 5 3 in tall so not to bad
sorry to go on. joan xx

elnafinn

You are not going on at all, Joan. You have arthritis in your spine unfortunately and this is probably where the aching of the legs comes from. My legs ache at times too and I have to raise them higher than my heart or just sit down and then it generally goes. I have problems with my spine too. The spine is an incredibly important part of the anatomy and when that starts playing up, others limbs are or can be unfortunately be affected. With no medical knowlege, that is how I see it anyway, makes perfect sense to me.

Hopefully the pain clinic will be able to help you more because they are specialised in exactly that - PAIN.

Lots of love and how is that lovely sis of yours?

Hugs to you both,

Elna xx

skezier

Hi Joan,

I agree with Elna on the oa bit (Hi Elna) but for your legs I just wondered whats your circulation like? Mine start hurting the more I do the nearer the drip I get and well though it could be loads of other reasons, maybe even linked to the oa in your back but I just wondered if you have any circulatory things? Hope your doing ok today? Luv Cris x

dachshund

Hi Elna and Cris.
Thank you very much for your help i've been told my c is okay.
Elna thank you for asking about sue my sis she is pulling the weight of an 8 ton tank 4 foot at the gym to raise money for the hero'es as she knows what its like to be in a wheelchair.
i go on the treadmill and bouncy ball.
joan xx

elnafinn

I think you two are marvellous sisters. You two never cease to amaze me.

Love
Elna xx(())

dachshund

Thank you Elna.
You and Cris are very kind helpfull people and also some one who care's about people and some one you can rely on when you need help.
joan xx

skezier

Oh Joan you kinda embarrassed me on that one. You take care of your self and I shall go back to beating up my strimmer Luv Cris x

babette

Hi Joan

Could be that the arthritis in your spine is causing the bones to nip your nerve endings. I get strange aches and pains in my legs too, OA causes your body to grow new bone where there is wear and tear, these are called osteophytes and the doc tells me they can pinch on the nerves. Mine is in the lower spine and pelvis and gives me sciatic type pains - very weird. Ask your doc if you have bone spurs showing on your xrays, that could be what's causing the pains.

luv B x

frogmorton

Hi Joan
So you do have a diagnosis then?
Well you are in good company.
As others have said it could be yoyr back affecting your legs. If it gets too much you'll have to go back to the doc....bet yoy want tha!!! NOT!!
Well you take care
Oh and tell Cris she won't win the battle of the strimmer!!
Toni x

skezier

HI Toni,

Oh yes I will......... its kinda become one of my life times ambitions Going to get my visitors to try and you know I will ask them .......... Glad to see you back by the way xx

Hi Joan,

Hope your having a decent day as well? x

chrissycat

Hi everyone,

this is the first time I've posted anything so apologies if it's wrong!!
I was sort of diagnosed with osteoarthritis, long story..
Babette, very interesting what you've said about the spurs etc.
I've been suffering with pains in my feet, ankles and now knees for well over a year. I've just about worked my way round all the doctors in my surgery and NONE of them will send me for an xray. I've asked loads of times and each time I'm told it's not necessary. I go in there and say I'm in pain and it's getting worse and they look at me and then say "what do you want to do" I'm tempted next time to say get paid £100k a year for asking stupid questions...

It took me a year for them to send me to a podiatrist - and that was a pallaver!!!..In the end I'd already gone to see one myself privately and he made me some insoles.. Told me to go for physio on my legs, saw 2 physios (NH) wouldn't touch me as said I needed to see a podiatrist!!!... Seen 3 now, each time I'm asked "have you had an xray?" Seem a bit surprised when I say no, drs say no need.

I've got another drs appointment on Friday as I've run out of painkillers and I'm going to try one more timer... any suggestions as to how I can convince this one that I need an xray!

thanks very much, sorry to offload..but it's really getting me down.

Christine

woodbon

Hello Christine,
I'm glad you've found this site, its very helpful and the people on the forum are all kind and helpful. Between us, I think we cover a wide range of the different forms of arthritis, so theirs plenty of experience! :shock: It sounds as if your GP is very strict, not letting you have even a simple x=ray and that is one of the ways they can tell whats going on. Have you had any blood tests? That is often one of the first things they do if you are complaining of the sort of arthritic pain you have, its important as it tells them the sort of treatment you may need. You do have a right to a second opinion, but to be honest, I'm not sure how that works but someone will be along in a while and tell you. You could ring the Helpline on this site;the number is at the right hand top of this screen. They are very good and can sometimes provide boolets with useful information. The person who started this thread is unsure of what type of arthritis she has, this is common, and sometimes it takes a while to diagnose. I hope you manage to get sorted out!
Love Sue

chrissycat

Hi Sue

yes I've been looking at the forum for quite a while, it's been really helpful.
I've seen more than one GP at my surgery and they all said the same.
One did do some blood tests to rule out RA etc. One wanted to put me on Epilepsy tablets but I declined that offer, I couldn't quite see the link!..
Even the Consultant they sent me to see didn't do any tests he just prodded and poked me a bit. I didn't even realise I had osteoarthritis it was only cos I was looking on the Drs screen for the letter from the physio saying I needed referred to a podiatrist that I saw the diagnosis. Anyway hopefully Friday will be different if not I think I may be changing surgerys.

Christine

woodbon

Hi, Sounds as if you'r doing the rounds! :? I hope that on Friday you managet to get somewhere and find the answer you need. I think they may have suggested the epilepsy medication as it works on the CNS and can block pain. I have an old anti-depressent, amatriptyne (not sure I've spelt the correctly) Which is doing the same job. Good luck for Friday! Love Sue

joyful164

Hi everyone

I have been reading through you messages and I don't know whether I can officially say I have OA in my neck and shoulders.

At one time I was told Spondilosis, then it was wear and tear when I had Xrays taken and they showed a marked difference at the base of my neck and which caused pain in my shoulders.

What does really give you the proper diagnosis. Blood tests? or XRays.
joy

joyful164

Hi Christine

You have gone through it abit in a very frustrating way.

Drs are alway blaming every woman's problems on the menopause as a rule, then we want a diagnosis on some aches and pains.
Any decent dr would haved a blood test donein any case. Any form of pain, which goes on and on and on should be taken seriously and treated. It is disgusting the treatment you are being given or non-treatment really.

If it is possible, perhaps you should change your practice or write to your MP. You have to be careful.

When you go, you want an XRay, blood test, you want a referral to a physiotherapist. GPs are very reluctant to get XRays though, because they don't always show up the problem. Mine just about showed wear and tear, my GP said. I had to have the Xray done privately mind.Back in 2003. They are also reluctant to get MRI scans done too. Wonder why? Money?


Hope you get some satisfaction soon

Joy

dachshund

Hi B and everyone.
I have a disc pressing on a nerve in lumber part of spine as well as arthritis in my hip.
the doc has made a app for me to go to the pain c and also the physo.
love to Cris i think the strimmer will work soon and Sue. joan xx

babette

Hi Joy

Spondylosis, wear and tear and OA are all the same thing. Doc's just do this to throw you off the scent.

B x

dachshund

Hi B.
I Dont know what spondylosis is.
its all jumble to me but since i joined this site i'm learning things .
thank you joan xx

trisher

{quote="chrissycat]

Hi Chrissycat

The reason that your doctor might have suggested epilepsy drugs is they can aslo double up for nerve pains which might have been the reason for his suggestion.
One I know is Gaberpentin which I take for severe phatom pain after I lost my legs it became a big problem. Since I've been on it has helped so much.

Talk to your doctor and see if that is what he meant

Take care Trisher

skezier

Hi Joy and Joan,

The helpline team told me back a long that spondylosis is oa by another name if that helps? They also explained that spondylosis and spondylitis are different types but I think cus its you neck it gets called that. Mind I also was told I have both and its in my lumber as well....... Its a shame they don't just use one word isn't it? Its no wonder we get confused!

Oh and Joan you were right the visitors got it started........ Luv Cris x

skezier

Hi Chrissy,

A welcome from me as well and as Trisha said they do use the E.P. drugs for nerve pain. I think its all down to doses and strengths and I take pregabalin and it works really well for me and it is technically an epilepsy drug but they have found it is good for blocking nerve receptors so you get much less pain. Hope that helps? Take care, Cris