help

ayeshea
ayeshea Member Posts: 2
edited 9. Oct 2013, 11:18 in Chat to our Helpline Team archive
My gp did a blood test and diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis (it affected only my knees to start with) and was prescribing tablets to help, he then told me I dont have arthritis and put it down to over flexible joints. This was five years ago and I am now in pain everyday and most mornings my hands and wrists are extremely painful and more often than not at least two fingers on each hand are stuck bent and it takes hours before I am able to straiten them, I am only 40yrs old and unsure what to do as feel my gp will just dismiss me again but the pain and stiffness in my hands, knees wrists and shoulders is affected my life amd causing me pain and upset. What can I do?

Comments

  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,764
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello ayeshea. I'm not a member of the Helpline, just an ordinary forum member. I've had RA for a long time and I think you are right in thinking you need some help here.

    Blood tests are a good indication of some forms of arthritis but, if your GP is saying first you have it then you don't, maybe a second opinion would be a good idea. Ideally, this would come from a rheumatologist. You can ask your GP to refer you. But, if you feel a bit intimidated by him/her, is there another GP in the practice whom you could see?

    Taking a friend or partner will give you confidence and a second pair of ears is always useful. I hope you can get this sorted as, if you do have one of the auto-immune forms of arthritis, you need the right medication for it and only a rheumatologist can prescribe that. I hope all goes well.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • helpline_team
    helpline_team Posts: 3,784
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Dear Ayesha,

    Thank you for your post to Helplines. If you'd like a chat about getting a diagnosis and what's happened you are most welcome to ring us for some support.

    What's happened before and what concrete information is in your notes may affect your options. The rheumatology referral tends to be useful if inflammatory arthritis is suspected or if things are particularly difficult to diagnose. Another option is the musculoskeletal clinic - and they can be quicker to see sometimes.

    But dealing with the GP sounds like something where you might want to talk over your strategy. We are here if an informal chat about it would help.

    Good luck.

    Guy

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