oa verses auto

valval

well was just messaging with a pal who said i was in far more pain than then but to be honest the autos can be controled and we get better help than the oa just to be given pain releife for years till old enough for op must be so depressing so which do you feel is worse i have some oa in hands but far more joints affected with inflimation which is nearly under control at moment i feel lucky so which do you feel is worse to have . this is such a hard question to answer as oa can be operated on. auto can affect so much of body and organs so which way do you vote
val

skezier

Oh Val every single arthritis know to man are vile and none of them are worse than any other.

A cuppa and a (((( )))) and a hope that everyone agrees they are all as bad as each other and totally evil. Cris xx

CJHunter

skezier wrote:

Oh Val every single arthritis know to man are vile and none of them are worse than any other.

A cuppa and a (((( )))) and a hope that everyone agrees they are all as bad as each other and totally evil. Cris xx

Hi Val,
How can one be nicer to have than another, totally agree Cris.xx

valval

i to voted they both total crap to have and each has there own problems.
just wanted to make people aware and think of problems others have it some times so easy to get caught up in your own problems you do not always see what others are struggling with and how it might affect there out look on life. have lovely day val

dreamdaisy

Wise words my lovely, you are good at those aren't you? I think that both are equally vile (and having both I now know that for sure) but I, if given the Hobson's choice of which to have, would opt for OA every time, simply because I feel it's the more straightforward of the two. It may not be that straightforward in terms of cause but in terms of treatment it's direct. Pain dullers and exercise, rest, pace oneself and then, in the far distant future (well, it is for so many of us) there may be the option of surgery. OA plays fair, inasmuch as you know where you are with it.

The auto-immune versions are far more sly and insidious and the meds are - on face value- quite scary things. To be honest I resent the endless injecting and swallowing of things that only control matters - and not necessarily that well. I also resent the endless hospital visits which are necessary to log one's steady deterioration but hey-ho, it is what it is and it will do what it will do. All I can do is try to make the best of things and to that end I am today raising two fingers to the meth as I have a heavy cold and nasty sore throat. Eureka! No meth stabbing today! There is a god! DD

stickywicket

I'd endorse all DD said. I'm not voting because they're both rubbish but us auto-immune types end up with two for the price of one.

Shooter

just a pitty gp,s etc dont have the time to read these forums ho ho!

tjt6768

I've had OA for many yrs now, and it's dreadful, constant and relentless..
However.... In the past, almost three yrs our whatever it's been since I won the arthur lotto and got the auto business... Boy has it taken me by surprise, it IS wicked, vile and disgusting... And as already stated, the meds ain't so much fun either..
I can't wait for new knees with the OA, yes the spine is a bit trickier, but the other ain't going away...
Good thread Val

PollySid

dreamdaisy wrote:

would opt for OA every time, simply because I feel it's the more straightforward of the two. It may not be that straightforward in terms of cause but in terms of treatment it's direct. Pain dullers and exercise, rest, pace oneself and then, in the far distant future (well, it is for so many of us) there may be the option of surgery. OA plays fair, inasmuch as you know where you are with it.

I have OA, never been diagnosed with RA and hope I never will. Please excuse me if any of my assumptions are wrong, I am not an expert on RA or Psa or any other types of arthritis. This is just my feelings and thoughts.
I read the posts on here and find the thought of all the medication and constant hospital visits that those of you who have auto immune types alarming.
I sometimes wish that the doctors would have more time and consideration for people with OA, some specialists especially, find we have not got an auto and discharge us as if we are wasting their time.
I used to think my Mum didn't go to the doctors enough with her OA, or they would be checking her condition surely. I now know that it would have been pointless her going as all they would have done is increased her medication without listening or asking much at all.

Most of us I am sure would just like them to take notice long enough to let us have the scans or xrays so that we can know for sure what is happening to our joints and bones. The auto arthritics know because they are given regular blood tests and are monitered (and possibly get scans etc).
'You are old, you have age related, degenerative arthritis, and you are a bit overweight which isn't helping it' seems to be the general view of the medical profession (and the press too judging by today's Express).

Oh dear, didn't realise I was so passionate about it, I will get off my soapbox now

fowls48

Hi Every one , i have Ra in my feet still waiting for hospital visit , i also have it in my knees and hands it stinks !!.

dreamdaisy

I think we're all passionate about arthritis, Pollysid, simply because all of us on here have one form or another. One of the major troubles with both sorts is that they cannot be 'cured' - well, not yet: for the auto sorts the meds suppress the immune system in an attempt to stop the flares and the body attacking itself, for the OA there is not much out there apart from the things I listed. Yes, those of us on meth etc should be closely monitored (I have always been conscientious about the tests) but they show very little to do with the arthritis, they check for the effects of the meds on our bodies and organs and that is why they are so key. Once you have arthritis, well, you don't know how fast it will develop, how severely and what the total effect will be but you become aware that it is there for good, and that is where somewhere like this steps in with support and information.

My late FIL had both OA and an auto-immune version. He flatly refused to go to see any doctor, or take pain relief, and now I am in a similar boat I can understand why. I would love to step off the hospital merry-go-round but ultimately that will only harm me - and there's enough damage done there already! Doctors have finite time to deal with patients and one of the biggest problems with arthritis is it is so common - I think that strongly works against having an empathetic ear being lent to one. Whatever form we have it's debilitating, demoralising and depressing, but over time we all find our way through the arthritis maze and find ways to cope. Life can still be lived albeit in a rather compromised way. I think that's the bit I find the hardest, not the fact I have arthritis. DD

stickywicket

PollySid wrote:

I sometimes wish that the doctors would have more time and consideration for people with OA, some specialists especially, find we have not got an auto and discharge us as if we are wasting their time.
Most of us I am sure would just like them to take notice long enough to let us have the scans or xrays so that we can know for sure what is happening to our joints and bones. The auto arthritics know because they are given regular blood tests and are monitered (and possibly get scans etc).

I could well be wrong here, PollySid, but I think the reason why rheumatologists discharge people with OA is because there really isn't anything they can do for them. I think they only X-ray when they think there's a chance new joints may be needed. I don't recall getting any X-rays before then and I only get them now to check the state of things before and after operations. I've only ever - in over 50 years of arthritis - had one MRI and that was when my hip broke and they thought it might be bone cancer. (It wasn't) Plus, the regular blood tests are simply to determine if the strong meds we are given are damaging other bits of us. They do also tell if the disease is active but I don't think (again, I could be wrong) that there is any blood test that tells anything about OA.

I really do empathise with the situation of those who have OA without an auto-immune variety. It must seem as if we get all the treatments, X-rays etc but it's not quite like that - well, not in my experience anyway.

valval

having a bit of both do get that oa off rheumy and so he not interested but how the heck am i supposed to know one from the other lol just let him know and he can decide what he treats what he ignores

jaja

Hi....i think both are horrid deseases.....this year iv had arther in my life for longer than without.......i tried sulfa for 3 days once and vomited none stop so have never had anything else(except Nsaids and painkillers)....so iv sort of jumped off that 'merry-go- round'

JAJA
.

woodbon

Hi, I have OA and I suffer a lot of pain sometimes and yes, we do have 'flares' which knock us out. I don't really have a preferance for the type of arthritis I have, I've had loads of x-rays, scans, ultra sound and MRI. I've had carpel tunnel surgery, but nothing (for arthritis, anyway), worse, so far.

I don't think you can compare them too much. Both all types are horrible, some have side effects to medication which are worrying and nasty. On the other hand I nearly died from anti-inflams that caused an ulcer which perforated. 'YUK' and OUCHHHHHHHH, with a month in hospital!

Sometimes, people think they have OA but, it turns out to be RA.
Well thats enough from me for now. We all have to make the best life with what we have, thats my feelings. It matters to get a diagnosis as soon as possible so the right treatment can be given and that is important.
My soap box is going away!!!