WHAT AGE DID YOU ALL START SUFFERING WITH ARTHRITIS

joyful164
joyful164 Member Posts: 2,401
edited 12. Feb 2010, 16:32 in Living with Arthritis archive
Can anyone remember the first time they started suffering with arthritis.

I was 21 when I first fell down a large hole and badly bruised my spine and weakened my neck. This started spondilitis off when I was 23.
Then 35 when pains first started in my elbows, wrists,
but didn't do anything about it all until my 50's. Just didn't realise all these forms of arthritis existed.
My gp now believes that I have probably always had PA from investigating my notes after they were downloaded on the computer.
I was amazed yesterday when I went for my Xray, how quickly the image is sent electronically to both consultant and gp.

Joy
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Comments

  • skezier
    skezier Member Posts: 11,333
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Joy,

    I got my first x-ray at 15 - 16 and it was early on set in my knees. By 20 my feet had joined in then soon after the back. Its no respecter of age is it any more than the other kinds eh? Have no idea how long I had the pa for though cus well have had a ? for many years over it.

    Hey they are not jut quick did you see how clear they have got now a days? When thy do my neck I watch the screen and well its sort of nice to actually see where the pain comes from ...... Maybe just me there....... Hope you have a good day. Cris x
  • sharmaine
    sharmaine Member Posts: 1,638
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi

    I think I started noticing painful legs after my son was born when I was 27, I used to shrug it off take a couple of painkillers and rest. I could never walk long distances or cycle like my friends and family. Then 10 years ago my leg stiffened up so much that I could hardly walk. I found sitting down for any length of time excruciating painful. My GP at the time said I had sciatica. I had x rays done 7 years ago and the results were never fed back to me. During that time I was also suffering from heavy periods that lasted weeks. I only found out I had full blown OA 3 years ago. I'm 54 very soon.

    First TKR is on 15 Feb and the next one will be done later. OA has now affected my shoulder and hands (shoulder is getting progressively worse) and I hope that it stops there!! Bottom of spine hurts a lot these days but I'm putting that down to the awkward way I have to walk.

    Sharmaine


    quote="joyful164"]Can anyone remember the first time they started suffering with arthritis.

    I was 21 when I first fell down a large hole and badly bruised my spine and weakened my neck. This started spondilitis off when I was 23.
    Then 35 when pains first started in my elbows, wrists,
    but didn't do anything about it all until my 50's. Just didn't realise all these forms of arthritis existed.
    My gp now believes that I have probably always had PA from investigating my notes after they were downloaded on the computer.
    I was amazed yesterday when I went for my Xray, how quickly the image is sent electronically to both consultant and gp.

    Joy[/quote]
  • minky67
    minky67 Member Posts: 2,328
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    With me i had a bad motorcyle accident when i was 17 & laided badly on my back & right hand.
    Ive had unexplained back ache & Tenosynavitus in my right wrist ever since.
    I was suffering terribly with bach ache, neck pain & my Knees & hips were becoming increasingly unbearable until i went sick from work with a seized neck in march 08.
    I was given physio to remobilze my neck & my Gp refered me to a Rhymy for all my other pains & the neck had lose quite a bit of mobility & has to this day. I was dx with OA,cervical & lumber spondylosis & costochrondiritis in Aug 08.
    I was 41 when i was dx but ive been suffering with unexplained pain & constant trips to the GP for over 20 yrs. Ive had scans & various other trips to consultants over the yrs but nobody came up with an answer. Then in Oct 09 i got dx with Fibromyalgia & that certainly does explain the yrs of unexplain pain & all the symptoms fit in place. So i think the Fibro has been with me most of my life but its a hard one to dx & until resently GP & even consultants didnt like to dx it. It been a relatively new disease to come to the surface.
    Im now heading for 43 & the pain from OA is gradually getting worse, somedays i cant get out of bed or dress myself,I also use crutches or a crutch when im out as my knees arent to good & i need the support. All my muscles are weak & with Fibro its very hard to exercise but i do try to keep as mobile as possible.Im greedy i cant just have one condition :roll:
    debs
  • lindalegs
    lindalegs Member Posts: 5,396
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    27 years, 8 months, 3 weeks, 2 days and 16 hours approximately. :wink:

    Luv Legs :lol:
    Love, Legs x
    'Make a life out of what you have, not what you're missing'
  • kathbee
    kathbee Member Posts: 934
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Around 34 year old when I got pains in my hands,wrists
    and feet.

    It went un diagnosed for 20 years, I was even told that
    I was imagining it - nice one doc.

    Then at 54 years of age got the full blown RA and
    been on potent drugs for the last 11 years.

    Just had my first joint replacement (right hip).

    Kath
  • poppy30
    poppy30 Member Posts: 67
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I was 22 and noticed that my thumb was swollen... just thought I'd knocked it but when it didn't get any better I saw GP. Had x-ray and was told there was nothing wrong with it so was sent away.... nice!
    Over the next 5 years my toes and wrists became affected and each visit to the GP resulted in me being brushed off. :x
    I also have psoriasis and I was at the dermatologist in the hospital when a nurse there noticed my swollen hands and fingers and said "oh you've got psoriatic arthritis as well" and I said "what on earth is psoriatic arthritis!" :o I finally got a referral to a rheumy and was officially diagosed when I was 27. Was such a relief to find out what was going on with my body!!!!

    Poppy x
  • fester
    fester Member Posts: 98
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    About 11 years of age give or take a month or so, all i remember is not being able to get out of bed then ending up in hospital for best part of a year. At the time my parents were told it was rheumatic fever but my new consultant informs me it was more likely a severe start to the world of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis later becoming adult R.A with a liberal sprinkling of A.S to go with it :lol:
  • wibberley
    wibberley Member Posts: 421
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Was diagnosed with JIA aged 7. Went into remmision after a couple of years and stayed dormant until aged 22. Burnt out again after a couple of years until last June (aged 43) when a burst Bakers Cyst started all symptoms again.

    Think I may have other forms of arthritis now as well as JIA but no-one in the medical profession seems too bothered about that :cry: !

    Have no idea whether this current relapse will burn itself out this time or if I'm stuck on medication from now on.
  • nearlybionic
    nearlybionic Member Posts: 1,899
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi
    My hip pain started when I was about 22, which was hard work as I was doing my nurse training at the time. I got married when i was 23 and cycled around the Greek Islands on honeymoon. Don`t think I`ve been able to manage a bike since!!
    NB
  • kirsty123
    kirsty123 Member Posts: 42
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I was 23 when I got diagnosed, but had pain for about a year before that, (Im 24 now) and after reading your stories not sure Im looking foreward to the future lol. going to the GP today to get DMARDS though so hopefully they will work xxxxx
  • bailey27
    bailey27 Member Posts: 689
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi
    Had problems since late teens but not formerly diagnosed with artritis until i was 28-29.
  • tkachev
    tkachev Member Posts: 8,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I know the very day it started, 2nd November 1999. I was 36 and a new mum,
    Elizabeth
    Never be bullied into silence.
    Never allow yourself to be made a victim.
    Accept no ones definition of your life

    Define yourself........

    Harvey Fierstein
  • barbara12
    barbara12 Member Posts: 21,281
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    What a good question Joy,
    I thought i had only had OA for around 2 years, till I went back over my medical records, and realised that i had problems in my 20s. my GP said that this can somtimes happen, and you can get a reprive, then it shows it ugly head again :(
    Barbara x
    Love
    Barbara
  • bertyboy
    bertyboy Member Posts: 1,860
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    i have had achy knees with no strength in them for a good few years hills were a no no some days , spent five years on building sites going up and down stairs with buckets of water and vacuums and various other things lots of climbing on and of kitchen tops lots of kneeling would get home and they would both be twice the size so finally thought it was time to go Dr the rest is history , but it is in most of the family in one form or another
    I know i am a lady ,all life is a journey xx MAY xx
  • jenzie06
    jenzie06 Member Posts: 708
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I was 15yrs and had really painful feet every morning then woke up with a very sore and swollen finger. Thought I'd broken in my finger in my sleep. Eventually I had a RA and Fibro diagnosis after about 5yrs.
  • jonny_g
    jonny_g Member Posts: 13
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Was involved in a car crash when I was 22 and injured my knee, seems to have been the start of my seronegative arthritis. Got a swollen knee and from there started affecting my other joints.

    Took a good 5 years to get properly diagnosed though :shock:
  • joyful164
    joyful164 Member Posts: 2,401
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    skezier wrote:
    Hi Joy,

    I got my first x-ray at 15 - 16 and it was early on set in my knees. By 20 my feet had joined in then soon after the back. Its no respecter of age is it any more than the other kinds eh? Have no idea how long I had the pa for though cus well have had a ? for many years over it.

    Hey they are not jut quick did you see how clear they have got now a days? When thy do my neck I watch the screen and well its sort of nice to actually see where the pain comes from ...... Maybe just me there....... Hope you have a good day. Cris x

    So sorry that you have suffered for so many years. I try to think back to my early years and wonder how long this disease must have been dormant in my body. I know the time and what brought on the PMR but not the RA.
    Yes, they are quick with the Xray. Makes me feel stupid now for ringing my consultant a fortnight ago asking him if I could have one so that it would be ready for me for my appt. :oops: :oops:
    I'll help you with the calves tonight

    Love from Joy
  • joyful164
    joyful164 Member Posts: 2,401
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    minky67 wrote:
    With me i had a bad motorcyle accident when i was 17 & laided badly on my back & right hand.
    Ive had unexplained back ache & Tenosynavitus in my right wrist ever since.
    I was suffering terribly with bach ache, neck pain & my Knees & hips were becoming increasingly unbearable until i went sick from work with a seized neck in march 08.
    I was given physio to remobilze my neck & my Gp refered me to a Rhymy for all my other pains & the neck had lose quite a bit of mobility & has to this day. I was dx with OA,cervical & lumber spondylosis & costochrondiritis in Aug 08.
    I was 41 when i was dx but ive been suffering with unexplained pain & constant trips to the GP for over 20 yrs. Ive had scans & various other trips to consultants over the yrs but nobody came up with an answer. Then in Oct 09 i got dx with Fibromyalgia & that certainly does explain the yrs of unexplain pain & all the symptoms fit in place. So i think the Fibro has been with me most of my life but its a hard one to dx & until resently GP & even consultants didnt like to dx it. It been a relatively new disease to come to the surface.
    Im now heading for 43 & the pain from OA is gradually getting worse, somedays i cant get out of bed or dress myself,I also use crutches or a crutch when im out as my knees arent to good & i need the support. All my muscles are weak & with Fibro its very hard to exercise but i do try to keep as mobile as possible.Im greedy i cant just have one condition :roll:
    debs
    Gosh what lot you have had to go through. I'd give you a big ((((((())))))))))but sounds like it might hurt.

    I think, when you start thinking back as far as you can go, a lotof pains which you couldn't understand at the time, suddenlybecome clear. Your accident didn't help. My accident, falling down a 6ft hole and landing on my feet( Which jarred my spine) was the start of my OA and I was always slipping disks after that. A I think the onset of RA or PA was 20 years ago, when I would be walking along and suddenly my toes would lock and also I could seem to put one step in front of the other because it was so painful.

    Your not that greedy. I have at least 5 different conditions wrong with me.

    Joy
  • jennyanydots
    jennyanydots Member Posts: 49
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I have had knee pain since I was a child always aching never new why ... right behind the knee caps and then it would subside for a long time .. the next joints were my fingers I remember being at work one of my first jobs when leaving school was working in a shop .... my fingers all swelled up and were so so painful to touch ... doctor said it was arthritis and to keep them dry and warm .. but my employer told me to mop the floor which meant getting them wet .. I told her I had arthritis she did not care .... I was only 16 ... fortunately they settled after a few weeks and I have it intermittently since then ....

    I have it in my spine and hips now constantly, but I am in my fifties so to be expected I suppose .....

    jennyanydots
  • janie68
    janie68 Member Posts: 1,186
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I was diagnosed with RA when I was 23, it started in my big toe, dr thought I had gout! But it spread very quickly and 2 weeks later I could not walk. So to cut a very long story short, I saw a consultant privately and went into hospital the next day. Now I'm 38, and I am looking at ill health retirement from nursing, which I love.

    I am now on so many meds, I rattle and also have 2 injections a week. Can it get any worse? Better not do!!

    Janie :)
  • Starburst
    Starburst Member Posts: 2,546
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I started having pains in my hands and stiff feet when I was about 18/19. I got diagnosed at 21 with inflammatory arthritis. They're still not sure what type, probably RA.
  • jaspercat
    jaspercat Member Posts: 1,238
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi, my RA started with pains in my hands when I was 37, I saw the gp who put me on Naproxen, things didn't improve over a period of some months, I was then referred to a Rheumy who in one visit diagnosed RA, the one medication that worked caused me problems with my blood so I had to try something else, they are still struggling to find another medication that works love Jaspercatxx
  • cutieclaire
    cutieclaire Member Posts: 134
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I was on a fun day with the Brownies and I was in a crawling race. That same afternoon my right knee got extreemly hot and swollen. My mum took me to the GP and he tried to inject it to get the fluid out. All I can remember is the pain of that needle!!!
    I was then taken into hospital a few days later and I had Septic Arthritis. I have had problems with that knee ever since really. At the age of 14 years my hands and wrists were painful and swollen and my GP just said to rest it. My dad had private health care with his work so he got me to see someone and I had blood tests where I was diagnosed with Polyarthritis (inflamation of more the 4-5 joints). From then nothing was done!!! Now at the age of 22 after children and a really stressful year I had about 6 weeks of real flare ups and felt really ill. They tested me for lupus and all sorts but now been diagnosed with IR and they are still doing tests to see if its RA. I now with a fantastic GP and consultant who are beginning to get some kind of pain relief and treatment.
    XXXX
  • woodbon
    woodbon Member Posts: 4,969
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello Joy,
    Now, thats quite a question! I think I've had odd problems for at least 17 years, but that was in my shoulder and the physio just called it wear and tear from whiplash, which had happened years ago, that was cured by rest, I had a perforated ulcer and didn't finish the physio, but had enforced rest for about 3 months and it disappeared in the main.

    I think the real start of the main proplem was about 5 years or so ago, just slowly. The first thing I noticed was that in the mornings I had 'heavy' legs and when I got out of bed my back cracked like a series of clicks. Then I started having sleeping probs as it hurt to turn over.

    Its hard to be sure because in care work, for the last 12 years or so their is so much physical work and often you hurt bits and pieces and just except it as part of the job.
    Love Sue
  • jinger
    jinger Member Posts: 15
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Well mine's a bit of a strange one (but that's me all over :D )

    I was at infant school when mum frog-marched me to the docs as I was wearing my shoes out too quick and she'd noticed me walking a bit wonky and being prone to falling over/tripping up over nothing. Doc told her I'd grow out of it and told her to buy me Clarks Start-Rite shoes which were sooo expensive in those days! Used to do a lot of gymnastics when I was young as mum thought it would strenthen my legs until having my appendix out put paid to that (but that's another story). Age 12, I went back to the docs as I was having a lot of pain in my feet which I initially put down to too much hockey and netball - doc put it down to growing pains again.

    Speed upto about age 18 and my knee gave way several times. Got referred to the hospital, had 3 arthroscopies and a bit of knee work done. Still having problems with my feet but this was ignored by the hospital and my doc. Age 23 I got so fed up I had to demand to be referred back to the hospital to find out exactly what was wrong. They referred me onto a podiatrist who gave me orthotics to put in my shoes as he'd noticed I'd got fallen arches, inverted ankles with limited movement in them. By this time my left foot had swollen up so bad that the only shoes I could wear were sandals with velcro straps. He referred me onto another podiatrist who said I'd got plantar faciitis (sp?) and told me it would get better within 18months (yeah right!). A couple of years later the pain in my feet were getting so bad that I started to use a walking stick on the odd occasion. My doc was getting concerned about the amount of painkillers and anti inflammatories I was necking down and referred me back to the hospital. I was given an MRI scan on my feet and ankles which took 4 times as long as normal as my feet kept twitching whilst it was being done. The scan showed that I'd developed osteoarthritis in my metatarsals. I was also diagnosed with tenosynovitis in my ankles and was basically told there was nothing that could be done for me. And it was all down to having wonky feet when I was small - if they'd splinted me then, I wouldn't have these problems now.

    So here I am currently age 34, one normal sized foot and the other still looking like an elephant's, still in pain, not good at walking and managing to hold down a full-time job. Luckily it's desk-based and my manager is very understanding. I'm always being told that if I'm having trouble walking, to ring up and someone from the office will come and pick me up (I only live 3 streets away!) as I'm unable to drive and my hubby works away during the week. AND I've agreed with my next door neighbour today to do the Race For Life with her for the first time this year - I wonder how many have done it whilst using a walking stick?!?! What have I let myself in for - oh well, keep popping the pills and carry on :mrgreen:
    In a world where everything is a copy .... I remain an original