need some advice

raven2008

I have been suffering with my joints for a few years now and although no formal diagnosis has been found i still seem to be suffering with the same problems mainly mornings and cold weather are the worst.

Morning stiffness (Sholders, lower back, hips and knees)
Pains in the joins
Fatigue
Tiredness
Dizzy spells

Morning.
Most morinings it will take me about a good 20 - 30 min to get out of bed
firstly i would need to excersie my joints from moving my ancle around in circular movements until the clicking goes away.
then streching until my sholders stop clicking
then i would hold my upperleg up and do a kick movement until my knee frees up but sometimes i have to wait until i am mobile and then press and push against my knee a few times until the clicking has stopped
I have been trying to study my body and figure out what makes it worse and what makes it more manageable and i've noticed my joints seem to get worser in colder condidtions my knees
I cant sit more than 20 min without feeling like im stiffening up and have to get up and walk around. If i ignore it i seem to get resless and fatigue.
Walking out and about days can vary on my bad days i will have stiffness and pain in mylower back and legs and knees
on a good day i will still have the stiffness but if i keep pushing myself to keep i can usually get to where i want to go without having to stop

Stairs
My daughter had an extra stair rail installed for her own problems but has also helped me to get up and down the stairs properly.
I dont seem to have problems coming down the stair except sometimes i could be leaning to forward and come down to quick which had made me slip on a few occasions.

Going up the stairs can be tricky i would use the hand rail to get up and that has helped improve things for me. I sometimes will gets like a burning stabbing pain in my knees before i get to the top fo the stairs and depending on the pain i would have to stop half way to three quaters of the way until the sensation/pain goes away it doesnt happen much at home anymore because of the stair rail but it does happen more out in other peoples home and out and about.

Docs and treatment
Co-codmaol 500mg/30mg + Dicloflex 50mg
I have been to the docs about my problems had tests done and been refered to the specialist at the hospital but that was some time ago had some physo also

They did blood tests which came back negative and i had an xray done when i saw a specialist they was testing for ankle spondylosis but came back neg he was doing other test and said that if i came back when i was 40 - 50 he would have said it was down to ware and tear but because im younger he dont know.

i seem to be ignored by my docs i think they seem to think im putting things on or thats just me thinking that im not really a peoples person.

All he said there's nothing he can do at the moment because i knows im having problems but don't know what so all he can do is just give me pain killers.

anyone with experiences with my symtoms? i would gladly answer any questions anyone has.

Thanks for reading and listening to my ramblings lol

Poppyg1rl

Hi Raven,
Firstly, you're not rambling, you have clearly stated what problems youre having. Raven, it seems to me that you need to go back to your GP and ask for a review of your medication, are you on a stomach protector at all Raven? maybe Lansoprazole or something? you should be if you're taking diclo's for a continuous amount of time, so that's what I'd ask first, Raven, I think it would be a good idea to print out what you've typed up here and give it to your GP to read, you've put across your pain and morning stiffness and maybe the GP would have a clearer idea of how much you're suffering that way and be able to refer or put you in touch with physio again.
You do need support and guidance with any Arthritis, please try the GP again and, you can self refer to social services, and they will send someone out to assess your needs in your home. Speak to your GP though, and don't forget we are always here to listen to you, we'll always try to help if we can.
Thinking of you, x

jez

HI,
Sounds a little like tendenitis feels like joints due to thats where tendons pass through, tiredness due to extra ummph with muscles needed to move joint due to stiff tendon,
Clicking is not helpful it damages the joint causing OA (pulling the joint out of alignment) slower exercise is better.
jez

frogmorton

Poor you Raven

(and of course a big welcome to the forums from me)

People do get OA in their thirties, twenties and sometimes even younger their teens. the Doctor should know that(also known as wear and tear). Doc should also know that bloods tests being negative isn't always conclusive...there are many forms of arthritis which do not always show in bloods.

I would say you are doing the right things for yourself atm (takes a look on the main A/C site for range of movement exercises you can do yourself) and the painkillers and diclos (anti-inflammatory) are not inappropriate. Maybe it woudl help to be referred for some hydrotherapy as well.

I am guessing your Doc is looking for something else to make his diagnosis clearer. A lot of us are/have been like you part of the 'great undiagnosed'. You will need to be persistent to be honest, have Xrays again a couple of years after the first ones and some people find ultrasound shows inflammation up better if there is some.

Finally you could ask to be referred to a consultant again in the future if you are worried for a 2nd opinion.

Love and luck

Toni xx

julie47

Hi Raven,
I am sorry that you are suffering so much,.all I can suggest is that you must go back to your gp and take a copy of what you have wtitten here so that you dont miss out any details.
If he doesn't help try another gp in your practice. Ask if you could see a specialist.

I hope you get the help you need soon
Take care
Juliepf x

scozzie

Hi and welcome Raven
I won't add much as the above advice is very good and covers everything, but do pester the doctor and all til they realise how bad things are for you?
Take care, Scozzie

dreamdaisy

Hello Raven, it's nice to hear from you again albeit for a not very good reason.

From what you have said this sounds like OA to me - osteo arthritis. It can strike one at any age and can often result after a joint trauma such as an injury. OA can be harsher in the cold weather and yes, stiffness and fatigue are par for the course. I have been doing stairs like a three year old for more years than I care to remember, long gone are the days when alternate legs would do that job.

If you have reported this to your GP in the way that you have written it here then I am surprised that he is not taking you seriously. GPs deal with OA, rheumatologists the inflammatory sort and OA is not diagnosed via blood tests, it's usually Xrays or scans. I suggest you ask him for a referral to have some Xrays of the most troublesome joints, that may well give better information on what is happening. I wish you well. DD

skezier

Hi Raven,

this sounds so wrong to me and it shouldn't be happening to you at all. Its possibly so many things and maybe more than one but they need to have some form of provisional or certain diagnosis for you.... this just isn't right.

my advice.... see someone else and push for a rumo opinion/second opinion and not by the folks tour have already seen....

its all so wrong cus the g is wrong there is a lot more that could be done and just they are out of their depth they still have to send you to someone who can actually help you.

i think also phoning the helplines here is a good idea. the number is at the top of the page.

you can't keep guessing whats going on you need to know... i think thats stating the obvious but am cross they have done this to you and you really do need to see someone else, either a different gp in the same practice or change gp's.

hang in there and with luck if you fight your corner you will actually get some long overdue help. nice to meet you and i am so sorry your being treated this way. Cris x

cutieclaire

Hey Raven,

I hope it gets better soon and you keep going back to get it sorted.

I was like you, all bloods came back as negative although my inflammatory marker was up when I was at my worse.

I also have no damage (thank goodness) i my joints which are in pain. I have a lot of pain in my lower back and in all other joints so the specialist has diagnosed spondylarthropathy which is RA.

I would keep on going back and get a referral to a specialist and keep on telling them what you have said on here. They will have to do something eventually.

Meanwhile keep using this sight, its really good support xxxx

Love and best wishes

Claire xxxx

suzygirl

Hi, you have been given excellent advice and I hope that with all our encouragement you can find the strength to be persistent with your gp and get some proper help. X rays and a second opinion are not unreasonable requests, and I am sure would be of benefit to you.

Take care