Hi all,
New to the forum but not new to arthritis!

Just need to vent as I am in a dark place at the moment!
I am 34 and since turning 30 which felt more like 70 especially how I feel now.
I am a very tall fellow and with that always had aches and pains in my back, neck shoulders and other areas whilst being casually told when growing up it was growing pains(I wish)
Anyway one day out of the blue my constantly cracking knee gave way and dislocated my knee cap and this started happening more often than not, so after seeing a few different consultants I was diagnosed with bilateral valgus deformity had an athroscopy on my worst knee and nothing improved so I had reconstruction surgery and (touch wood) its not dislocated since, still gives me a lot pain and cracks a lot and was nonchalantly told I had arthritis.
Then I started getting awful pain in the soles of my feet which then diagnosed with plantar fasciitis and a leg length deficiency due to a misaligned hip and now shoulder, neck wrists are killing me in which I have been told just last week that I have a deformed clavicle and will need surgery due to the clavicle coming detached from my breast bone!
Throughout the last 4 years I have had various pain killers, anti inflammatories, physio, insoles, massages, braces, taping up, herbal medicines and I only feel worse!
Now the prospect of more surgery is getting to much to cope with as I do not see a light at the end as every time I did something else goes. What next as I get older with a degenerative disease? Potentially 3 ops in 5 years to start with I will end up in surgery on an annual basis!
Sorry for the rant but has anyone else experiienced the same or is this it now or does it get better?
Thanks for reading, hope I haven't bummed out to many people..
Comments
As mods we are here to help with any problems you may have on the message boards.
There are lots of lovely people here with a wide range of experiences with arthritis and the problems of living with the condition. Just join in wherever you like you will be made very welcome.
I look forward to seeing you posting on the boards.
Best wishes
Mod John
Definitely not. If you can put up with the reality of all that the least we can do is to read about it.
There is no doubt that arthritis, whether osteo or an autoimmune form, can arrive much earlier than previously thought. It's also quite 'normal' for osteo to set in at the site of an old injury. But some of what you write seems a bit strange for arthritis. Knees don't usually dislocate with arthritis and clavicles don't normally detach from the breast bone.
I guess you just want less pain and fewer operations but I wonder if anyone has actually worked out why all this is happening or if you are just being treated piecemeal for the different things.
Have you ever seen a rheumatologist? Do any family members have autoimmune disorders? If you have a leg length discrepancy you might need surgical shoes rather than just orthotic insoles.
I hope you feel a little better just for getting it all down in print. We can't cure anything on here but it's a good place to share experiences and empathy.
How tall are you? My first boyfriend was 6' 10" and he had aches and pains due his height and coping with ordinary sized furniture and public seating etc. I wonder if you are struggling with loose ligaments, or hypermobile joints? Your skeleton is not as it should be with odd length legs, some joint deformity, has anyone looked at you as a whole rather than as a collection of troubles? Are other family members tall or have had similar troubles? Arthritis can begin at any age (the auto-immune ones can start as early as 18 months old) and OA is not unknown in young people now but because it is so ubiquitous it is often nonchalantly mentioned by doctors. DD
I will try and answer what I remember from your replies.
Family history is hard to answer as non or them are no longer with us...but I do remember my mum & grandmother had arthritis and my other grandmother had a hump back, apart from that no clue.
I am 6'8.
I have seen
A knee specialist
A foot specialist
A shoulder specialist
But non together despite me asking but it's probably due to NHS red tape or funding or whatever but I keep trying!
When I fractured my clavicle it never came away from the breastbone and when the guy noticed it he had a very concerned look on his face as I hadn't reinjured it? :?
My knee as I think mentioned not one problem until the dislocation and my other leg is giving me pain which I didn't have before the bad one dislocated so...??
Again thanks and thanks for any advice
Ohh and it is too hot!! :too-hot:
Who diagnosed you with arthritis? Did they specify that it was osteo or another form? If the latter then you must have had blood tests and should be seeing a rheumatologist because they deal with the auto-immune conditions (around 300 kinds) and GPs with OA - I have a creaky foot in both camps but I still think that your symptoms are different to mine and others with both kinds.
I agree about the heat, I am wilting yet again, my joints are misbehaving as a result. YUK. :too-hot:
DD
I think it is possible that more would be achieved for you by addressing muscle imbalances, gait irregularities etc to try and prevent the need for more joint surgery. Muscles that are unhappy can cause immense pain, and that can add to the problem as others then tense up as well.
Your story is so familiar to me, but Im a lot older at 66..but had joint pain from being very young..and yesfgrowing pains.. :roll:
I have been on this forum for many years now and its has been such a good help, in the information you can get and the support off others..so please stay around talking is a good release..
Barbara