Husband 32 yrs old, Diagnosis proving difficult???

MrsK

Hi
I was wondering if anyone else's diagnosis proved difficult? My husband is 32 years of age and has been suffering from joint pains for nearly a year now with the pains getting increasingly worse. Its started in his hands and feet and now affects nearly every joint in his body.
He suffers from psoriasis and they thought he might be suffering from psoriatic arthrisits but all his xrays, MRI scan and bloods have all came back negative with no signs of inflammation??
They have put him on a course of Methotraxte to see if it gives him some relief but have admitted his diagnosis is inconclusive.
Has anyone else had the same issue in being diagnosed??
He is a working diary farmer, milking 100 cows a day, twice a day, every day of the year with no time off work. The pain is affecting his livelihood and he is very frustrated not having found the answer to what is causing all his pains... they have mentioned fibromyalgia but said it doesnt tend to affect young men??

It would be great to hear anyone elses experiences in similar situation??

Many Thanks
Sharon

LignumVitae

Hi Sharon

It's quite common for them to diagnose by stabbing in the dark (or that's how it feels). How long has he been on the meth?
I've been playing with arthritis for 14 years and my bloods rarely show much nor do my x-rays. My arthritis is still in the undefined state of 'inflammatory arthritis' because it has never done anything to fall into a specific class. I've been on meth for a few years now and it has worked well for me until recently. Before that I was on different disease modifying drugs.
Is there any possible way your husband could take a bit of a break from work? I realise it isn't like me taking a break from a computer based job but arthritis feeds on somebody being rundown and fatigue is a common symptom - such a physical and demanding job must be tiring for somebody in the bloom of full health, for somebody in pain and struggling it isn't going to help things calm. Has he had steroids?

Boomer13

Hi Sharon,

I have a similar illness without inflammatory blood markers or much to indicate more than mild arthritis on x-ray. I am, however, affected in every joint and in my spine. I was in diagnostic limbo for a long time and received my diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis about one year ago. I also have a muscle and nerve problem that is still undiagnosed.

I wish you and your husband well and hope he can receive a med that will help. It's a terribly painful illness.

dreamdaisy

It took years for me, my trouble began when I was 37, it wasn't until I was 42 that I began some meds and then, when I was 46, the proverbial medical penny dropped when my skin helpfully obliged with a bout of pustular psoriasis on my soles and palms. In giving him methotrexate they are obviously thinking along the lines of an auto-immune form of arthritis (of which there are close to 200 kinds) so diagnosis can take time. Is there any way he could employ someone to help him with the milking? Arthritis is a demanding monster of a lodger who moves in without any invitation and we have to make some major adjustments in our lives to accommodate it. DD

stickywicket

Hello MrsK and welcome from me, too.

Mine was a very straightforward diagnosis but it's not so for everyone and, to some extent, it doesn't matter as the medication is much the same for all forms of auto-immune arthritis. Your husband is taking methotrexate and that is good. It's one of the usual starting meds but it can take some weeks to kick in. I hope he's also been given folic acid to counter any side-effects and please tell him to be very conscientious about the regular blood tests.

I'd assume men can get fibro but the treatment is simply pain relief. I guess, with his job, he'll need to be very alert and not on the strong pain relief which can make people drowsy.

I can 'hear' that you're hoping it's all a bit of a mistake. It could be but your husband's story isn't too unusual and the rheumatologist seems on top of things. Why not give our Helpline people a call and talk things over with them?

BluesWalk

Heya and so sorry to hear about your troubles. I have heard how hard it is to run a farm and that you are like on the go all the time every morning up feeding etc. Even on Christmas! . I also know how cruddy it has got for dairy farmers lately with the stupid prices people are buying at, a lot of people are selling at a loss. I can only image what throwing this into the fray has caused.


I was diagnosed like 3 years ago when I was like 23. In my prime struck down by this horrid affliction. I am on like really strong painkillers etc but they don't even do anything really. It's a long arduous process which I haven't even finished yet with finding the right medication etc even then, what kind of life you can have is something I would look at. If it's all on your husband I would think about what you can do to make it easier for him, like taking more breaks etc...but to be honest I used to labour on construction sites and you can't graft with arthritis...

MrsK

Thank you all so much for taking the time to reply. It is greatly appreciated and it helps to hear that others have also had similar problems with diagnosis.
My husband was given a steroid injection yesterday to help him get on with his work and is starting on methotrexate & folic acid at the weekend, with regular blood tests booked in.
We were hoping to have been given a clear diagnosis from the consultant yesterday to give us an idea what to do about his work/ livelihood and decide whether or not he should sell his cows and perhaps look for work elsewhere. Unfortunately, after seeing the consultant we are no further along and he is going to try to continue struggling on with his work to see if methotrexate eases the pains.
Interested to hear if anyone else in such a labour intensive job has had to give up work??
Sharon

dreamdaisy

I am not, like, Blueswalk but there are big issues at stake here, no? I have had a rough day but just wanted to let you know that we do understand the impact this has had on you and your husband; please stay with us because I feel sure that we can help, and we will. DD

stickywicket

For some on these forums the not-very-clear diagnosis can go on for years but the disease still continues :roll: Methotrexate can take some weeks to kick in. I hope it's sooner for your husband but, even so, it's a tough job he's doing.