Arthritis spreading?

clairewfw

Good afternoon all....

Just found this forum and hoping some of you well informed people can give me some advice. Like most of you I suspect, my arthritis story is fairly long so I'll briefly explain:

About 12 years ago whilst expecting my third child I had a swollen, painful left knee. After several investigations/consultations it was thought I had psoriatic arthritis (I have had mild scalp/skin psoriasis all my life) This knee problem didn't cause me too much of a problem until November 2010 when it became a lot more painful and I am now on twice daily naproxen (have tried steroid injections which did not help) More recently, I have noticed frequent jaw pain and in the past few weeks my left thumb joint is painful every day too. My job involves minute taking sometimes for 2 plus hours at a time and as a very cack handed left hander, I'm worried how long I can carry on with my job and if in fact, the constant use will make the joint worse!

My questions - are the new areas of pain likely to be the arthritis spreading? and what, if anything else can be done?

Look forward to reading any replies and hope very much that none of you are suffering too much today

Claire

dreamdaisy

Hello, it's lovely to meet you and I am glad you have found us. Everyone's arthritis is unique to them in how fast it develops and how widespread it becomes, and we are all different in how we react to the medications. I have PsA (although it took years to be diagnosed as such and once it was nothing changed meds-wise) and I too began with one fat, hot and continually swelling left knee. Fifteen years on I now have 38 affected joints, with some hefty OA thrown in to try my patience even further. Who knows if this will happen to you? None of us can answer that, but the point of the meds is to help dampen down the immune system, thus slowing the progress of the disease and reducing the levels possible joint damage. I had naproxen and found it less than helpful, I now have diclofenac for use when required. That works so well I ration myself! I am on a few other meds as well and the PsA is very well controlled, I only wish I had been able to have them earlier as I am sure I would not be in the pickle that I currently am. Hey-ho, no matter. I wish you well, and I hope you are having a reasonable day. DD

frogmorton

Hi Claire

firstly welcome to the forum from me

Could well be the arthritis spreading (let's hope not), but in your shoes l would be asking for a referral to a rheumatologist as there are medications which can help prevent damage to your joints.

As for the dictation - l think l would consider asking whether you could use a dictaphone instead of taking notes? There is also software which can convert words to typewritten text (google dragon for example).

Hopefully other more knowledgeable folks will be along soon to advise further

Love

Toni xx

clairewfw

Thank you for the replies

I do have an appt with GP on Friday so will ask for referral - I was seeing one privately years ago and he seemed reluctant to prescribe the disease modifying drugs (I was mid thirties at the time and my symptoms were very manageable so maybe that's why?)

With regard to my job - I work for the local authority and we are in the process of being outsourced so am reluctant to make ripples at work as the company who wins the bid will no doubt be much more likely to 'not care' and as only been there 3 years I would be much cheaper than most of the oldies to be made redundant! I shall have to start re -training and acquiring some new skills!! I shall look into the dictaphone thingy but I have a feeling that has been mentioned before and pooh-poohed. :?

Claire x