Feeling Down

woodbon

Hello,
I've just been to the physio, after giving me quite a few exercises to do, she told me that I've arthritis in to many joints for it to be osteo. She is going to refer me to a rheummy, I think, she said my symptoms are all the right ones for RA. I don't think she can be right as I've only just had another blood test a few months back and that was fine.

Its just that recently I've been having pains in my toes and knees which swell. I know its better to check it through than leave it, as RA needs immediate treatment. My husband says if it is RA at least their is treatment around that works for some people, very well. It is unlikely, I feel sure, but I wish that whatever it is, they'd find out and then I can get on with the job of learning how to cope with it. I feel a bit down, but not too depressed.

The worst part is that sometimes I begin to wonder if its all some neurotic state and I'm just making it up. The cold, damp, depressing weather is not good either, a few nice sunny days and I'd be a lot better!

I appologize for this moan, it just sort of had to come out. :?

Anyway I hope that everyone else is OK at the moment.
Lots of love Sue xxx

porrig

Hi, I've been diagnosed with RA, but during the diagnosis period my blood tests have fluctuated between borderline and fine, so it took the GPs a while to refer me. The first time I went to the GP with these symtoms she told me I was getting old and to just deal with it - this was when I was 28!!

Fortunately I saw a different GP the next couple of times I went (but after the first time I didn't go back for 6 months) and he was much better and referred me as soon as the blood tests showed borderline again.

From my experience RA can be tricky to diagnose, and I'm personally angry that the first GP pretty much told me to stop wasting her time, I could have started treatment 6 months earlier, and would probably be feeling much better now than I currently do.

I hope you feel better soon and get the right treatment. Its sunny where I live, so hopefully you'll get some sun soon too.

suzster

moan away, i do it often enough!
i'm really sorry that the physio thinks it's RA, but yes there are lots of treatments that can help.
as for weather, it does play havoc on your joints, since i stopped the mtx i've really noticed how many joints are effected but i'm sure whatever meds they start me on will help.
i'm suffering with swollen knees today, so you have my sympathy, but i think i've gone off the subject here, sorry!
i hope you get seen by a rheumy quick and if it is RA they will start helping you very quickly i'm sure.
you have every right to moan, SO MOAN AWAY! oop's! i didn't mean to shout!!
take care and i hope things start getting better soon
sue

tkachev

Its certainly not in your mind Sue.
I was very lucky to have a kind,sympathetic and knowledgable G.P so was diagnosed first visit.Unfortunatley I had waited a year to see him in the first place so a lot of pain was suffered uneccessarily.Take heart Sue cos they are trying.You have been suffering badly for a long time so maybe you will get the treatment you need.
Best wishes
Elizabeth

noeltone

Hi sue try to keep your spirits up easier said then done and hopefully we might get some warmer weather and I hope you get some more certainty regarding if it is RA or not all the best Chrisov

woodbon

Hello, Thank you, all for such lovely, kind messages.

I posted as soon as I got in from the physio's so I was feeling a bit full up and as if I'd had enough of being sent all over the place. Still, although you all had to read my moans and groans, at least I could get them out. Its better than letting things fester. I think its all been a lot to take, the las few weeks, what with the esa medical and all that. It wears you down both physically and mentally! :?

Whatever the problem is, I'll see it through and do my best to cope. Like a lot of you do now!
Love Suexxxx

joyful164

Dear Sue
I am so sorry to hear about the latest prognosis. Just when you thought you were settling down.
The sooner you can see a Rheumatologist again the better.

I started with the PA and RA with OA being diagnosed now, so I am going the opposite way round. I have just come back from my Chiropractitioner and she is telling me that we are getting there with the treatment.

It is all exhausting for you though and perhaps when you have had another blood test and sorted out new meds, given time you will start to feel better and learn how to cope with this latest bombshell.

I gather we are in for a little bit more bad weather and that won't help. All I can advise is keep warm, plenty of rest with a little gentle exercise. You could do with a referral to an occupational therapist too. That is very important.
Love from Joy

Wonkylegs

Hi Sue,
sorry to hear that you have yet more uncertainty - I think it is this that is more wearing than the arthritis itself!!

Whatever they diagnose it as, they won't change what symptoms you are feeling, so perhaps as long as they treat you for what symptoms you are having, it maybe doesn't matter too much what the actual name is ? Not sure if that makes sense, but it helped me when all they would say was mine was 'some sort of inflammatory arthritis'.

sending you hugs and hoping that you get a rheumy appointment soon.

((((((((((())))))))) ((((((((((((())))))))))))) ((((((((((((((()))))))))))))))

woodbon

Hello, I'm alright really, the thing thats getting me down is feeling so tired and washed out. I find that spoils things and makes me sort tempered! I don't mind about what they call whatevers the matter with me, I've called it a few strange names myself, nothing to do with medicine!!! :shock:

I'm really trying not to get to down, but one of the problems with my hands is that a lot of the things a enjoy doing, like knitting, is too painful now. My Mum used to croquet when her hands became painful, so I may try that, but I'm not that good at it, things become narrower each row! So anyone wanting long pointed things, or can thing of a use for long pointed things, let me know!!! :shock:
Love Sue

joyful164

Hello again Sue.

It is really sole destroying to have sore hands,fingers and thumbs and knuckles. Now you have to protect those joints.
As I said before, you do need to get a referral to an Occupational Health dept.
I had sleeping splints made for night times (very glam) and you can wear the protecting mits during the day to protect your knuckles. They help with driving also.
I found it difficult with the hard splint, but after a couple of washes, it has lost it's rigidity. OT dept can possibly give you Paraffin Wax treatment which will help your hands immensely and you could find you will carry on knitting. You probably will not be able to knit for long lengths of time like before. It's a bit like my painting. For every hour that I paint, I have to take up to 15 - 20 minutes resting. I made myself tubigrip bandages for my wrists and elbows and wear my soft neck collar. I might look silly, but I am comfortable and it helps to stop the pain.

I bought my own paraffin wax bath It is called a Champneys and you can get them from Amazon £39 or thereabouts.

Anyway. good luck with everything
Joy

woodbon

Hello Joy, The physio did mention that if my hands didn't improve, she'd ask the OT about the wax bath. Sounds nice, the physio, when I used to work for the Cheshire Homes used one and the patients loved it! I've got some exercises to do, so hopefully things will soon feel better.
Hope alls well with you, they're promising snow again for Wenesday, they said on the radio. I think we've had enough of that for this year. :shock:
Take care, Love Suexxx

salamander

hi Sue, I am sero negative - which means just like RA without a certain factor (rheumatoid) in your blood - so it won't show up in your blood. Makes it harder to diagnose. The rheumatologist is your best bet for a diagnosis though it took a while for me to get one.
I am sure you are not being neurotic. If you are in pain - you are in pain!
Good luck.
Sally xx

jaspercat

Hi, sorry I have just caught up with your thread, I had a wax bath for my hands once, I felt really weird but they said it should be relaxing and therapuetic, so hope it works for you though, also hope that you soon feel a little brighter love Jaspercatxx

annebr

Sue,

I am so sorry that you are feeling down. Sometimes it is the waiting for the diagnosis and the worrying that is the worse part. And all you want, if you are like me, is that magic pill.

Your physio seems to be on the ball, which is good.

Hope you feel a bit better tomorrow.

Anne x

nearlybionic

hi Sue
Sorry to hear you are feeling down. xx
It is understandable for you to feel a bit all over the place with the pain, uncertainty re diagnosis and the dreaded ESA etc..
I hope that you get some effective pain relief soon, and that the physio`s exercises help. I also hope your rheumy appointment is not too far away, so you know for sure what you are dealing with.
Take care xx
NB

woodbon

Hi, Its all a muddle. The Rheumatologist discharged me after as I had to have the carpel tunnel done in the plastic surgery department and I'm still under them as they may do my other hand. The last time I went to the hospital the registrar called the consultant in as she was concerned about the nerve higher up in the arm, which apparantly was shown up on the EMG test as not giveing a good signal and being damaged. The consultant read my notes, examined me and asked me about my RA, I told him I had OA, but he said he thought not and sent me up to have my hands x-rayed and told the registrar to contact neurology to get that checked out as well. She didn't mention my hand x-ray or the neurologist in my notes or to the GP and just said that the rheumatologist treating me would be able to matters out when they see me next. I don't come under rheumotogy any more and the plastics sec told me that when I phoned. All I'm under is the plastics dept. Its really Alice in Wonderland, at the moment. I feel fed up and don't want to go bother with it until I see the Plastics people on 2nd March. I have an appointment with the consultant, but he had said he expected to see my neuro results. HELP. I think I'm going to SCREAM. I've gone round so many circles my head is dizzy. I'm seriously thinking about a private consultation just to sort things out! Love Sue xx
PS sorry its such a long story and so mixed up, even I can't understand it! :shock:

suncatcher

Its better coming out than bottling it up it does no good doing that and this is a good site to say what u feel sending you my support and wishes for those sunny happy days from joanne

skezier

Hi Sue,

First scream if you need to. Secondly a ((( ))) and well I wonder if pals can help you at all? Its always difficult when there are multiple consultants involved and I do know where your coming from. At the end of the day your gp might be the one to try and push it all together for you? Mine didn't but they are there for you so it might be asking? I don't kow what to suggest but don't throw in the towel cus its your body and they are employed to look after you. Another ((( ))) and a big hope it will soon even out and you will kow whats going on. Luv Cris x

joyful164

Hello Sue
It really is a mess isn't it. No wonder you are so upset and confused.
I would have thought that you should phone the Rheumatologist's Secretary telling her all this and see if you can have an emergency appointment and that you should not have been released.
He/She should have waited until the plastics report had come in before releasing you.
That is what is happening in my case because when I saw you, I had just had the test and the plastics consultant was going to write to my rheumatologist consultant with his findings, namely that I did not have CTS and that there must be some nerves trapped somewhere which was causing problems.
Anyway, in your case, and perhaps Helpline may or maynot verify, you need to see rheumy consult. Especially if you do have RA. You do not want to delay getting the right meds especially with possible nerve damage.
I now feel that the road I have gone down with seeing a Chiropractitioner has certainly helped in my case with the OA.
Anyway, will contact you by alternative means and have a chat.
Love from Joy

breane

Hi Sue,I have only just read your thread and sorry to hear you are feeling low at the moment. I was diagnosed with OA to start with and my Gp said I didn't have RA then a few months later after many blood tests etc. he told me I also had RA.It seems RA is difficult to diagnose through the usual blood tests.My last blood tests were good but I'm still in a lot of pain and apart from being on Hydroxy,I've now been put back on Naproxen and and Omeprazole,although they havn't helped at all.I can understand why you are feeling low,the pain does take it's toll on you and you never know how you will feel from one day to the next.My arm/shoulder pain is not OA apparently,my Gp said it's muscle pain and in 10 days time he will give me a steroid injection if the pain is still persisting.All this bad weather doesn't help but I'm always cold whether it's summer or winter!! Hope you will soon have a good day. Love Breane. :P

bertyboy

hi Sue just popping by to see how you are doing , i hope you are getting some answers from somebody , thats in the know xx