Very Confusing Symptoms

rugbygirl
rugbygirl Member Posts: 691
I am hoping someone could maybe give me an idea of where to go with this.

Its a bit of a long story but I will try to keep it short. At 15 I was nearly killed in a road accident where a car hit me on the right and I was thrown through the windscreen. No breaks nothing but a damaged head and some major bruising. Last year I was on holiday with my husband and we done a lot of walking on one particular day. I had a few pains in my back but thought it was just stiff.

Anyway, it continued and about a week after we returned I started going to the doctors. Originally it was sciatica, then my weight, it was in my mind and finally after a change of doctor I was referred to the orthopaedic specialist.

In February of this year I was finally diagnosed with degenerative arthritis of the spine, sciatica and a slipped disc. I was then given a caudal epidural in March and when I was seen in the pain clinic a couple of months later it had helped although not brilliantly.

Now I am having trouble with my right wrist (being investigated for carpal tunnel) right shoulder, hip, knee, shoulders and my feet.

For everything but the feet the joints are painful to move with a burning sensation and I have clicking in a lot of them too.

My feet however are unbearable. I can barely walk on them because the pain is so much. I cry myself to sleep some nights because even though I have taken all my meds it is still too painful. Nothing is easing the pain.

I have been for blood tests but they apparently said I had had a slight infection (no more information). I have mentioned the pain and clicking to my doctor and he has just shrugged it off saying talk to the pain clinic or the physio (for my wrist) and there is nothing more he can do. This time last year I felt on top of the world and then within a month things had fallen down around my ears health wise. I feel like no one is interested in listening to my issues because I have only recently been diagnosed. They dont see to think that there is a problem but I know there is and so does my husband. Even crying in the doctors hasnt helped. Can you please point me in the right direction and advise me who I should see. I cant take this much more.
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Comments

  • helpline_team
    helpline_team Posts: 3,463
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Dear Jaki,

    Thank you for your post to Arthritis Care Helplines. We cannot give you medical advice, but I'll do my best to give you some ideas to explore. You may need to get someone like a physiotherapist to go through your new symptoms with you in detail and help you work out whether they fit into the picture of osteoarthritis (oa).

    You already have mentioned nerve involvement with your oa in your back (sciatica), so some sensations in lower limbs like numbness and burning may be explained by that.

    You did not say how old you are or if overweight is a big factor, but in younger people a severe trauma can set off early oa, and we do know that the process is speeded up by lifestyle factors like overweight.

    You could discuss with your GP getting a musculoskeltal referral to assess your feet if the GP is unable to explain what's happening to them (if the GP is able to diagnose them without a referral then they need to tell you their diagnosis perhaps.)

    It can happen that arthritis will start to be noticed in other places if you've become less mobile and are a lot of pain generally. If that's the case you may need real support and encouragement to self-manage.
    http://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/LivingwithArthritis/Self-management

    If you feel like a chat about things you are very welcome to give us a call.

    I hope that's helpful

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

    Oh flower I am sorry to see this post..... I know where you are cus I been there.

    The 'nothing I can do ' bit is soul destroying and that makes the pain much worse cus somehow (well with me anyway) if I am down or feeling swamped i have far more pain.

    thats kinda the pain management bit I guess.... We manage cus we have to when we are doing things or feeling ok but not when we don't cus its overwhelming if you think about it.

    Like you my oa started young. 15 when it was found in my knees and the same kinda time they found my feet really had it.

    Not caused by weight issues but almost certainly the pounding both physically and literally my feet got is why it cam in so young.

    Infact all of mine is impact and going through a windscreen must have jarred you quite badly both physically and mentally.

    Has the disc gone back flower? See if it hasn't then maybe an ortho opinion would help? the ortho rebuilt my spine when I was in my 20's and though I have never been told I have degenerative disc I have had 4 removed, 2 rotted out, got 2 dehydrated and one well on its way so I kinda think the disc ain't so good.

    I know its bad pain Jaki and I also know in my case again I was questioning my quality of life. My life is a bit complicated by so many dependents. Its good in a way cus I have to keep going regardless of how unwell or useless I am.

    8 years ago it all fell apart cus i was really bad. I wasn't looked at at all between '88 and 2000, but thankfully I did see a rumo every 6 months back then and he is so kind and asked is there anything else I can do.... he got this tidal wave of hate, frustration and desperation and he changed my tablets!

    It was such a big help. didn't stop the pain all together but it helped 10 fold. Then he agreed since nobody was helping he would help the oa as well.....

    He has been true to his word ever since and changes the tablets again when needed.

    Your under the pain clinic, can you ring them and get then to see you sooner? Again I am lucky and see mine every 3-4 months and she uses a lot of trigger injections, botox (thats good too Jacki) and he does the old nerve blocks and injections into the facet joints from time to time.

    Personally I reckon an ortho opinion is worth talking about to the painclinic. There might be something the ortho's could do to help?

    The feet thing.... it could be the feet them selves, again my have been rebuilt, but some of the pain I get is from the back.

    What are they giving you for the sciatica? Gabapentin and pregabalin are very good for that but also so are exercises and your physio should be able to help that one. I know you said you EEO the physio for the wrist but talk to them about the sciatica. They can't give you drugs (or at least no physio I have ever seen has) but they can write to the doctor with recommendations.

    I would also tell them how bad it is and could they do you a full tablet review cus what your taking isn't working for you. If you can't ring them... write to them jaki and just bullet paragraph what is happening to you and would they help.

    Now your gp.... see another! I really think you need to cus the 'care' gp's give to oa is very much down to the individual doctor you see..... the one your are seeing doesn't sound like they have a very helpful attitude.....

    Jaki i hate seeing the last bit of your post cus been there and got the T- shirt.... I know how bad it feels but there are things you can ask for that would help you and you only need one doctor in your corner.

    Leaving you a ((( ))) and a huge hope you can get some help. Cris x