GOT SOME VAGUE ANSWER'S

barbara12

Has the heading says...after 6 years of wounder and many test... the Rheumy clinic got together and came up with..I had scarlet fever has a child and they think that turned into rheumatic fever...it was the early 60s :? ...so that cause ankylosing spondylitis that went into remission and then OA and they say Fibro on top..this was because of all the rib pain I have..so a few answers..now I have to make my mind up has to do I have this back op.. stenosies ..or my second hip first..so happy not to have any inflammation..but quite confused..oh well life goes on...
Thanks for reading..xxx

stickywicket

Yeees. With the emphasis on the 'vague', I think, Barbara. Not totally satisfactory.

I think I mentioned before that my 'Stills Disease' (aged 15) probably started with my 'rheumatic fever' (aged 11). The trouble was, in those days, there was much less knowledge than there is now so everything was vague and probably not well diagnosed. And now it's too late to go back because what happened happened - whatever it was :roll:

We live in the present, not the past, so, as you quite rightly say, the decision now is which surgery to go for first. I hope someone will give you some advice on this, if only your GP. I guess it might not matter which. I think I'd be thinking on the lines of you having coped well with one THR and got that working so maybe that would be the lesser of the two evils to start with. But that requires the horrible sleeping on back for 6 weeks. Would your back cope better or worse with it after the back was fixed :roll: Oh decisions! Decisions! I think a spot of medical help, maybe from your GP?

Meanwhile......(((())))

theresak

Oh, plenty to think about there, Barbara. As Sticky says, maybe a chat with your GP if you trust him/her.

I hope things become clearer for you.

barbara12

Thanks for you reply's SW and Theresa..
I feel more settled now I know what went on when I was in my teens..thankfully it hasn't effected any treatment, it was just not knowing..have any of you ever read through your GPs records..it makes brilliant reading..I was such a sickly child... :shock: and one note says...she is determined to get out of bad and back to school...no I wasn't..
SW I remember you saying you didn't get treatment early enough like you say in those days they didn't know any better.. :roll:
I am due an appointment with the Neurosurgeon..so its make my mind up time he did give me 5 months to think about it.. :roll: xx

Megrose489

Pleased that you got some answers, Barbara, even if they are vague. I agree with others that a long - well, 10 minutes - talk with your GP may help to clarify things for you.

Take care,

Meg

Boomer13

I can sure relate to the vague answers syndrome, Barbara. It's not reassuring, especially when you are far along with arthritis, etc. The seronegative types are particularly sneaky and devious in how they hide from even modern medicine (((()))). Take care of yourself.

Like the others have said, I hope your GP can lend a helpful ear and explanation.

Anna

hileena111

Hi Barbara

Well you know my opinions
Is it this is it that......that goes back to the time 2 different hospitals were say to both of us....referred pain from your hip to your back, no referred pain from your back to your hip :?
This seems just as confused.
Like the others say.....your GP might be able to shed some light on it

Love
Hileena

barbara12

Thanks for your reply's Meg and Anna
Meg think this next appointment with the Neurosurgeon will make my mind up :shock: I think the other hip is odds on at the moment...hope your appointment goes well for you
Anna like many others we get so much info off this forum,but its still so complex and hard to get your head round it...at least I have a bit of a clue now..hope you are keeping ok..

barbara12

Oh just spotted you Hileena...at least I know why I was a sickly child... I now know this other hip needs doing and the back...so hopefully when the hip is done I can leave the back :? ...you know better though... :shock:

dreamdaisy

Oh heck, how frustrating for you, I am sorry, it's a bit of a chicken-and-egg situation, no? I reckon that you are stuck with a real Hobson's Choice as to your next move - one thing will affect the other and in no small way either. Oh heck.

I think some time out is required so you can properly absorb what you have been told, and also have a chat with your GP, your ortho surgeon perhaps and anyone else who may be able to advise, then it may be time to draw up a list of the pros and the cons for both situations and the one with the longer list of pros wins. I realise it's far easier typed than done. ((( ))) DD

barbara12

Thanks for your reply DD
I now know what an hard job the rheumy have , I really needed to be sure what was going on, still not sure about being in remission for so long :?but there you go ..I will have a long chat ..again ..with the Neuro..I didn't do this 5 months ago think I was in shock..and do more homework on the net..onwards and upwards...

tkachev

Personally I'd go for the hip op, but only because my back pain went as soon as I had a THR and now that my other hip is in increased pain that side of my back is hurting. but of course it may be different for you...

I had scarlet fever as a child too.....


Elizabeth xx

tjt6768

Mmmm..... A tricky one. As mentioned, make an appointment with the GP. Maybe even a double one as you might have quite a few questions etc. Hopefully they can give you some good advice. I have no idea what I would do first if it was me hun.

I wonder, could glandular fever cause problems later on in life? I had it twice even though they say you can only have it once. I was very ill with it on both occasions.

Xxxx

mig

I find this thread is getting very interesting regarding childhood illnesses,though i was never ill apart from the usual things i did get on and off for a number of years what they called growing pains in my legs none of my siblings had this and none of them have ra,when on my first rheumy visit we were going through my medical history and i mentioned this the rheumy said mmmmm now what does that mean that its of no consequence or it means something. Mig

stickywicket

I think the umming and aaahing were probably because there's always been a bit of a question mark against 'growing pains'. When I was diagnosed with 'rheumatic fever?' they started of thinking it might be growing pains but it soon became obvious it was much more. I think, although growing pains do exist, there is a concern that sometimes other things can get misdiagnosed as them.

As for glandular fever - I don't think there's any known connection. One of my sons had it at uni and, despite a rheumaticky Mum, continues to be as fit as a butcher's dog. Not that that proves anything :roll:

applerose

It is very confusing, isn't it? I guess it's like a lot of things, they either don't know or things change every few years as they learn more. I had growing pains as did both of my sisters. I was diagnosed with RA at 52 and OA at 55. My sisters both complain of joint pain but won't go to their GP as they believe it's just an age thing and nothing can be done about it. It would be interesting to find out about other childhood conditions like glandular fever.

stickywicket

According to Arthritis Research UK, 'Growing pains' may be an early symptom of osteo though no mention is made of auto-immune arthritises. http://tinyurl.com/pcn7ovs

The only thing they say about glandular fever is that it might actually protect against lupus. http://tinyurl.com/qahylkn

barbara12

Thanks for your reply's Mig, Tony, Elizabeth, and Christine
Mig I had 2 brothers and none of them were effected with growing pain..it does make you think..
SW thanks for the link the Rheumy says that I could have gone on to get rhematic fever and that is now known to cause Arthritis..or something along those lines..I was still suffering when I started work shoulder back and legs..I was really interested to know what they thought..
I would like them to find a link if only to help young people pick up on it, but suppose these days checks are done if children complain of joint pain...
Thanks again everyone..think its the other hip first.... :balloon: xxxxx