Not diagnosed yet

starlight

Went to see my GP on monday and he sent me for an xray of my left knee.
I've had pains continuous pain since last march and before that it used to come and go.
I can't walk for long period, can't go up and down the stairs if only sideways, specially down. I can't bend down on this knee.
My GP said it could be arthritis.
I already have my neck cracking and it's been going on for years! I also have my hands and feet painful sometimes.
Some of my aunts used to have rhumatoid arthritis so i could be going the same way.
My GP told me to use painkillers,i told him i use nurofen, but the problem is that i dont want to have to keep taking painkiller all day long and everyday, i don't think it's good.
And also,can rhumatoid arthritis shows on the xray?
Apart from taking nurofen all day long what can i do to ease the pain?
I am nearly 51 and i have to look after my daughter who is 9 years old. It means i have to bring her to school and back 4 times a day by walk and it takes us 15 to 20 minutes each times, after that i am so tired.
I have to wait at least 7 days for the xray results.
Sorry i am all over the place! :roll:
Thanks for any reply.

valval

hi sorry you had to find us try wheat bags or frozen peas wrapped in a towel some find heat helps others cold it a matter of trial and error others will tell you some creams you can rub in but do not worry it makes arther worse good luck come talk to us when ever you need to wether it for advice or just to let off steam we are here. the help line team will be along with good advice soon val

helpline_team

Hi Starlight,

Thanks for your enquiry to Helplines. First of all the x-ray is to look for the commonest type of arthritis - osteoarthritis (OA). This shows up as the joint space closing up, as the joint is showing the degeneration of the ageing and healing process which is osteoarthritis. If OA is found then key self management is: muscle strengthening, weight loss (if needed) and using pain killers as appropriate.
Rheumatoid is a much rarer condition and is diagnosed using a few blood tests, typical would be RF, ESR, CRP, FBC.
Because it is so much rarer, they might not look at this problem until ruling out OA.
I wonder if you've seen any of our information yet?
http://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/PublicationsandResources/Listedbytype/Booklets
see coping with pain, and understanding arthritis.
As you are mentioning your pain being not well controlled, it's worth knowing that using parcetamol too may well be recommended.
If you'd like to talk about your arthritis do ring our helpline.
hope that helps Guy

starlight

Hi,
Sorry it took me so long to reply, had problems with my back and knees.
Thank you very much for all the links, it was very useful, but didn't read all, i need more time.
Since yesterday, my left wrist is swollen and painful, i can't do anything with it. I don't even know how it came, it just appeared, i just went to the playground with my daughter but i just played on the swing with her, once at home i saw my wrist swollen and in pain.
I called my GP practice for my xray results, the receptionist said there was nothing wrong with it, so i told her how come i am still in pain with my knees and what's more my wrist now, of course she couldn't answer and gave me another appointment for next week.
What i'd like to know is what's wrong with me?! If it's not arthritis then what?
Last year i had an xray for my neck and they saw nothing but it's still cracking, now this! and still nothing, i don't understand.
Does anyone would know what it is?
Also i get tired so quickly.
I am really confused.
Thanks again for your help, much appreciated.

helpline_team

Dear Starlight

I'm so sorry to hear that you are not having much luck with your diagnosis. Does your GP know about your family history of RA? If so have you had any blood tests? X-rays may not always show the extent of any damage and as this is an ongoing issue it might be worth discussing an MRI scan and blood tests with your doctor.

It is obviously causing you distress and debilitation so please stress this to your GP. It may also help to talk things through with one of us so please feel free to give us a call, and when you find the time have a read of the booklets on our website particularly one called Understanding Arthritis. This will help you understand different types and bring up questions to discuss with your doctor.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Best wishes

Simona

starlight

Thank you so much for your help.
I have been reading a bit more about arthritis and from what i understand i could be having gout, i got most of the symptoms. It says that men are more prone to get it but women can get it after the menopause. My menopause started when i was 44 and i am nearly 51 now.
I thought that gout happened to people drinking too much and eating rich foods but i dont drink and my diet is not that rich.
I know that i am a bit overweight and it started at the menopause, i was such a stick before! :roll:
I'll try and research more on the subject until my appointment!
Anyway, thank you for replying so quick and your kindness.

starlight

Sorry it's me again.
Not much luck with my GP, the last time i saw him he wasn't even looking at me but at his PC and typing! He just said i send you for some blood tests and that's all. I was really disappointed, i felt he didnt listen to me while i was explaining all my pains.
Anyway, the blood tests came back fine and when i called the surgery to know what was happening she said i didn't need to see the doctor as the results were fine!
But i have still pain! My other toe on my other foot is so painful and i can see it's starting to get red and changing shape like the other one. My wrist is still weak and swollen. I feel pain in my fingers sometimes and my knees and my lower back.
I don't know what to do, i dont normally complain about anything but i can't stay like this.
The last time my GP gave me some painkiller but i can't keep taking them.
And if i ask for another appointment, he is gonna think how annoying i am.
I am not happy at all with my GP and anyway i don't feel like going back. I was thinking of healing myself by whatever i can find, or may be changing my diet is the way to do it.
Sorry i am so down!

helpline_team

Dear Starlight,

If you'd like to talk about things you are very welcome to ring our freephone. I can imagine there may be quite a lot to say and options to mull over. This is very much the kind of situation that can be worked on during a self management course too.
see http://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/InyourArea for more on our local courses

Hope we can help further

Guy

carola

Hello Starlight.
I just spotted your posts.
I started with similar pains & swellings in the same body parts. And just like you, the first few times I went to GP he DIDN'T EVEN EXAMINE ME!!!!!
Luckily at the time I was still able to work so could afford to go private twice (cost me £550) then a few weeks later I had to give up work.
Initially diagnosed me with Rheumatoid Arthritis then recently rediagnosed me with Polyarthritis caused by SLE (a form of Lupus). Polyarthritis just means swellings in more that 4 joints or something).
I am not saying you have the same illness as me however I would say ask your GP to refer you to a Rheumatologist. When you see the Rheumy take a notebook with a few bullet point questions such as all your symptoms, when they worsen, when they improve, ask about different blood tests for different illnesses. They took so long to diagnose SLE for me as the symptoms mimic Rheumatoid Arthiritis.

It can all seem so daunting just now for you however please persevere as once you have the diagnosis you can focus on getting better.
Keep us posted and all the best.
Carol

starlight

Thank you so much Guy and Carol!
I'll try another appointment with my GP but i am not very optimist, not with this doctor!
I heard that cherries are good for arthritis?
I've been looking everywhere for home remedies for it!
Anyway thanks ever so much.
Starlight

helpline_team

Dear Starlight,

Cherries have been shown to have a positive affect on gout, to find out about the research on cherries and gout you may find it useful to follow this link to Arthritis Research UK’s report on complimentary therapies:
http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/Files/Complementary and alternative medicines_11012010154331.pdf

As you mentioned gout I am wandering whether you have had a blood test to measure the amount of urate in the blood, as a raised level will diagnose gout. You may find it useful to follow this link to our gout factsheet, which details further how gout is diagnosed:
http://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/PublicationsandResources/Listedbytype/Factsheets/main_content/GoutfactsheetJan10.pdf

I hope this is helpful. You are always very welcome to call us here on the helpline if you would like more support from the helpline team.

Thanks
Adele

alitarot

valval wrote:

hi sorry you had to find us try wheat bags or frozen peas wrapped in a towel some find heat helps others cold it a matter of trial and error others will tell you some creams you can rub in but do not worry it makes arther worse good luck come talk to us when ever you need to wether it for advice or just to let off steam we are here. the help line team will be along with good advice soon val

hi Val.

i have similar knee issues , mine is osteoarthritis which wasn't diagnosed until i had an MRI, the x-rays and bloods showed nothing. I too hate taking medication, in fact it has a bad efect on me so i avoid it unless absolutely have to. I find resting with my knee elevated is really the best, lie on the sofa with some cushions under it, even half an hour like this can help...alsousing an ice pack helps too.