please help

kazt84

Im 28, my crp is always high most recent one (last week) was 19 and my esr was 32, i have pain in most of my joints,the worst being my hands and knees, My doctor tells me that he doesnt think i have arthritis as im too young!! i do have Psoriasis. Can anybody suggest what i sould do next? as im really fed up of the pain and its affecting my job
Thanks for reading
Caroline

valval

you need to ask for referral to rheumy they can do better tests you are not to young to have it and it needs treating val

Petitesse

Hi Caroline,
I am sorry to hear you are in so much pain. Dealing with GP's can be quite frustrating!
I am not sure why he would say you are too young to have arthritis. Spondyloarthritis is the name for a series of inflammatory disorders, where psoriasis arthritis is one of them. They often occur in young people 20-30s.
I have another of these disorders, reactive arthritis, and was diagnosed when I was in my mid 30s.
I have recently been to hospital rehab with others with Spondyloarthritis. 3 of the other patients were diagnosed in their late teens.
Has your GP given you any medication? Like NSAID?

LignumVitae

Hi Caroline,

I'm really sorry to hear you are in pain and struggling to work. Your inflammatory markers are high. I agree with Val, I think a referral to a rheumatologist is the way to go. I have a sero negative arthritis and I started at 21. Arthritis is no respector of age.

Let us know how you get on, sending you some hugs,

LV xx

dreamdaisy

Hello, it's nice to meet you and I am glad you have found us. I have psoriatic arthritis but that label was attached only after my skin obliged with a bout of psoriasis on my soles and palms. Prior to that I was classed as an inflammatory arthritic (my markers were much higher than yours) but PsA falls into that ghastly category of sero-negative arthritis and, without the evidence of the skin, it proved to be harder to diagnose ( a long and very boring, story).

Arthritis can hit at any age (perhaps your doctor would care to take a look at the 'My Child' forum on here ) but, as is always the case with GPs, they know a little about a lot rather than a lot about a little. Is there a history of auto-immune trouble within your family? If so then I think that is your 'way in' to see a rheumatologist, although I suspect that should have happened by now given the figures you have quoted. I wish you well. DD

kazt84

Hi thanks to everybody for replying,
My gp has told me not to take any nsaids as I have a hiatus herna, although.I have been givien them in the past when I've sprained things! I have no family history of any auto immunin arthritis both my parents have ostio arthtitis both requiring ops for it, although my grandma had RA.

friarygirl

Hi, sorry the GP seems so behind the times re his info! If you have some abnormal blood tests it cant be "nothing" as abnormal is abnormal!
What the "cause" is can ,however, take a lot longer than any of us would like to think and medicine is not always an exact science!
sometimes the watching and waiting stages before a diagnosis are the worst parts of our illness histories.
take some time to keep some notes of things which are difficult, what might make it a good or better day than others eg if you exercise, if you walk, what can and cant you do withut pain etc. see the gp again taking some notes of questions and concerns. be clear and not afriad to ask for a referral to see a consultant but
when you do see the Cons dont expect them to tell you there and then that you def have a specific condition. it can and often does take time esp when results are abnormal but not fitting into a specific band for a def easily identified condition.
dont be upset by that- it doesnt mean you are not in pain and not suffering just that it is not always easy!
I have MCTD and 13 other seperate conditions besides all of which interlink into a big auto immune disease pattern. taken years to get it all identified and sorted but it didnt mean they werent there before the experts I needed to see could assist in sorting it/treating things and supporting me.
the helpine here might also support you along with us of course too.
dont give up and dont lose heart because they cannot tell you atm.
seek the right help and you are not too young to be ill/have a condition/disability and that is a v poor and inaccurate statement to be making to any patient!
FG

kazt84

Thank you for all your replys, I'm going back to my gp on tuesday so ill see what he has to say then.
Caroline

barbara12

Hi Caroline and welcome
Lots of us have had battles with our GPs, I ended up changing mine, you must go in there and make yourself heard, I know its not easy..but just say to yourself this is my chance to get over to them how much pain I am in, and go for it..if they dont listen go back again till they do.
I do wish you well with it all and please let us know how you get on xx

dreamdaisy

The familial evidence is there in your Grandma having RA. These things have a genetic aspect and can cheerfully skip generations as I have so beautifully proved with my family (and as you may be proving now). The only thing that led to my receiving meds was that my ESR and CRP were both 160 plus for a good while, and even with the meds remained at that level because those meds were too puny and given too late. No matter, that water flowed under that bridge a long while ago. GPs know a little about a lot and should, therefore, be more willing to refer people to those who know a lot about a little, but those who do so appear to be far and few between. Keep nagging, keep asking, keep a diary etc and I hope you gain that referral sooner rather than later. DD

Soretoe2

Hello kazt84, Sorry to hear your troubles. I can't really add much to what has already been said except to say I was 3 years old when I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, have psoriasis and associated eye problems. You are definitley not too young.
You need to insist on getting a rheumatology appointment. They will do all the necessary tests and won't think you are too young either!
Good luck, let us know how you get along, Joy.

kazt84

Thank you everyone

Colin1

tell your doctor you want a referal to the hospital to see rheumy
colin

tillytop

Hello and welcome from me too.

I am so sorry you are struggling so much and that your doctor seems (to me anyway) to be letting you down so badly. I was 28 when I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and, as others have said, there are plenty of younger people with arthritis of all types. And I feel very cross on your behalf that the combination of psoriasis and pain in multiple joints hasn't flagged up to him the possibility of inflammatory arthritis.

As I think has already been said, when you go back to your doctor, please push for referral to a rheumatologist because it is only a rheumatologist who can confirm (or not) an inflammatory arthritis diagnosis and who can prescibe the specialised medication required to manage the disease.

Really good luck at the docs - and please do let us know how you get on.

Tilly xxx

kazt84

Thank you everyone, just been to the doctors, he now thinks have inflamatrory arthritis and is at last referring me to a rhumy