Chronic, degenerative and only likely to get worse.

LolaCrayola

This is what my doctor said last time while hurrying me out the door. Today I went back with reinforcements, she asked me why. I said, ' I know doctors are not interested in things they can' t cure'. Needless to say I now have a referral to the Pain Clinic and the Orthapaedic Clinic. I am becoming very cynical about what it takes to get appropriate treatment.

dreamdaisy

Arthritis is all of those things but as to the last, who knows? Everyone's version of this disease is different in how it progresses but what is certain is the right treatment will alleviate the worst of it. Finding that, however, can take a while. If you have OA then yes, there is not a great deal to be done medically apart from pain relief and possibly anti-inflammatories but joint replacement is an option further down the line. It's just a shame that things have to get so much worse before that happens. DD

Folara

DD is right, there isn't much that can be done until you get the new joints. However, the Pain Clinic are good and understand what you are going through. They can offer all sorts of alternative treatments as well as more conventional ones. I had acupuncture organized via my Pain Doctor and it really did help in the short term. I am due to have some weird electric shock treatment on my sciatic nerve to help alleviate some of the pain from that. They look at your condition as a whole and try to make you feel better as a whole.

Good luck with it.

Fols x

GraceB

Lola,

I too am 'chronic' with OA. I'm 47 and yes it is a shock when you hear those words. However, that's what they are - words.

Don't let this dreadful condition rule you - you must rule it. I take the view that it's a battleground - the OA may win an individual battle on one day but I'm definite that it's not gonna win the whole flaming war!

Get angry, get fighting and most importantly - keep those joints moving.

Take care,
GraceB

hileena111

Hi
Well We know it is chronic etc but to actually hear those words spoken makes such a diference.
I know i have kypho scoliosis {as well as OA} but when a doc said how much worse i was since he had last seen me i came out and cried
They can be so tactless at times!!!
You have got arthritis....it hasnt got you....just remember that!!!
Love
Hileena

Avrielle

Hello. I'm sorry to hear that your doctor hasn't been so great with you. Luckily, I have a great GP who seems to care and listens closely to my needs and does his best to help me.

I was only told that I likely have arthritis a few weeks ago and I have yet to recieve a diagnosis. I saw a Rheumatologist and he was just so awful when he spoke to me, he left me feeling so rotton!

I'm due to see Pain Management next week. I was refered for my ongoing foot problems, but next week I will be seeing him about my knees and hips too.

Pain Management are normally good and my Pain Management doctor is a really nice guy! I'm hoping that he will be able to optimise my medication and offer some possible form of reasonable pain relief treatment for me, just for the short term. Or perhaps refer me to a physiotherapist within the Pain Management Team.

I know the options are there. I hope you will gain something useful from the Pain Management Team too.

xxx