Thumb joints

Twirlywoo5

My thumb joints have been extra painful this week .I don't know why . Up to now it's been my left knee . I dont know what to do . It's getting me down . Last blood test showed uric acid levels were up .I'm scared to go back to the doctors to find out why .

dreamdaisy

Every arthritic joint I have has been extra painful this week, last week too. I know it's due to the lovely combination of the winter weather affecting my OA and my PsA attempting to flare. Come the warmer weather the OA will subside somewhat which will improve matters.

I prefer to know why things are as they are because that means I am informed about what to do to mitigate matters. I have always thought that not knowing means you don't have strategies in place to help you help yourself because of the lack of information and understanding as to why things are as they are.

If you have not been asked by the GP to return to the surgery for further tests then, in my experience, it means the results are within normal limits, ergo no need to worry. DD

Twirlywoo5

Thanks for reply . My thumb joints were bad about a month ago . I d started on a new meds bendroflumethiazide for blood pressure. They can cause gout apparently so doctor tested for uric acid which came back as slightly raised At the moment the way things are in my life I'm having a lot of stress and having a couple of vodka a d lemonade , not every night but sometimes every other night . I dont think I'm alcoholic as I dont crave drink a d will only drink vodka if there no vodka I won't drink any thing else whisky, rum etc as I dont like it. And only have a drink at night before bed. I stopped taking bendroflumethiazide on doctors instruction and thumbs were quite good. I was supposed to go back and have blood tested again but I haven't as my thumbs were really sore again this week. I m so ashamed it might be the extra alcohol thats raising uric acid and will be embarrassed and very ashamed if the doctor states this . I can do without the drink but at the moment I feel the vodka relaxes me . My blood pressure has been ok . I am 66 . It's a continuous circle. I know I make myself worse as I worry about everything . Sorry I know this is a bit long winded a d also a bit mad .

dreamdaisy

Your reply reflects your state of mind, you are uncertain, worried, scared, all understandable. My mother always said that to know one's enemy made defeating it easier, if you don't know what to tackle how can you tackle it? Not dealng with it leads to more fear and uncertainty.

Gout is an auto-immune inflammatory condition and has nothing to do with the consumption of alcohol. Of course meds can cause side-effects - I too take bendro with two other BP meds thanks to another drug for my PsA - but I had no idea it might raise uric acid levels, I'll find out more. My husband has the occasional bout of painful gout and a few days of Naproxen sorts it: he's aware he's lIving on Easy Street. Alcohol before bed is not a good idea as it disturbs sleep, leading to further stress.

Have you had a talk with your GP about what is happening? I cheerfully admit I have been taking a low dose of an anti-depressant since 2011, as both my rheumatologist and GP reason if I am stronger mentally I can cope better physically and they are right. DD

Twirlywoo5

Thanks again for the reply. You are right I need to man up or whatever the term is now. No more escapism. I'll give it a week of no alcohol and then get blood test done . Thanks for listening and help. I actually feel better today .

stickywicket

Twirlywoo, you have been very honest with us and that can be a very hard thing to do so well done you.

All of us with long term medical conditions need to work closely with our docs because, if we don't, they can't help us effectively. If I were to give you half the ingredients for a recipe you wouldn't be able to make and cook the dish, would you? It's the same with us and docs. The more they know about what's happening to our bodies the better they can help.

So it would probably be really helpful, for both you and your doc, if you could manage to (wo)man up and tell him or her that you are sometimes drinking vodka to help you relax at night. I know nothing of the potential interactions between alcohol, BP meds and uric acid levels but your GP does and will be much better able to prescribe the right meds for you if he has the full picture.

As you'll know, stress in other areas of our lives can make pain worse. Sometimes there are things we can do to lessen the stress. Other times we just have to put up with it but try to push it into a corner as much as possible; find distractions; do other things.

I'm sure that, between you, you and your GP can make life better for you – not perfect as that doesn't happen with arthritis but better than it is now. Please keep in touch.

dreamdaisy

Hello, how are things going? You mentioned you felt a little better so I hope that continues.

Some general thoughts here: I think January is a pig of a month, it seems to pass at half-speed, all the glitz and shimmer of Christmas has gone, it's ages to pay-day (if one is fortunate enough to have one of those), although daylight is lengthening thanks to the usually abysmal weather one doesn't notice, often family stresses have come to a head leaving everyone with the fall-out, all conspires against us being bright and breezy. Then factor in our aches, pains, disturbed sleep . . . . Is it any wonder we get down in the dumps? DD

Twirlywoo5

Hi yes thanks feeling better not quite sd down x thumb joints seem to have eased a bit . Now left knee really playing up and other knee beginning to join in. I have been considering asking doc about knee wash or similar as MRI scan shows a meniscus tear . Have been put off reading lots of negative experience of knee surgeries making oa worse. I'm not sure of the way forward . My friend reckons I'd be better talking to a specialist surgeon but how to I get that appt. Doctor keeps telling me to use voltarol . Helps a little bit . Do the exercises on the site help ? Or do they make knees worse .

stellabean

Hi twirlywoo5 I am glad you are feeling a little better, I have OA, RA, fibromyalgia crohns and other problems. I had a knee problem which turned out to be lump of cartilage and debris and had it removed by arthroscope I took slightly longer than expected to get back to normal but have found the surgery has helped with the locking up or giving way.Any surgery on a joint can lead to development of OA in the future because the joint has been messed with, but as you have a meniscus tear you may need that sorting out or you could do more damage to that and your other knee. It would be a good idea to talk to your GP. I do pilates with a specialist physio for people with spinal problems and arthritis I also do exercises to help keep my muscles strong and I do find them helpful but you have to be disciplined and do them regularly. It isn't as hard as that sounds you can fit things into your day. If you are going to try exercises start slowly don't go at it full pelt or you could make the pain worse in the beginning. Good luck

stickywicket

Exercises help a lot if done carefully and regularly. Even better, ask to be referred to a physio for your own tailored set.

I've never heard of knee surgery making OA worse. It's done to make it better though, if by 'knee wash' you mean an arthroscopy, they don't help everyone.

Twirlywoo5

Thanks bothxphysio said she couldn't help with knee exercise .

stickywicket

That sounds very odd if you were referred for your knee. Physios can only deal with the joint (s) that the doc has asked them to deal with. Were you referred for your knee or for something else? If for your knee what reason did the physio give for being unable to deal with it?

dreamdaisy

Exercise of the right kind is important to keep the muscles around the affected joint/s as strong and flexible as possible so the joint is better supported, it won't repair any damage already caused but may well slow the progress of the OA to other joints.

Other people's experiences of operations is not a useful guide: who knows how fit they were before the surgery, whether they did the recovery properly, whether their circumstances and condition similar to yours etc. An aquaintance moans long and hard about her knee replacement 'failure' but she failed to follow post-op procedures and did not exercise the new joint because it hurt. Stupid woman, of course it would hurt but the hurt would lessen as time passed and she healed. That was a few grand of NHS money down the drain because she refused to do her bit to help herself. Silly moo.

I've had both knees cleaned to remove solidified inflammation and it achieved nothing, arthritis continued because that is what it does. The inflammation caused by my OA is localised and goes with rest and Voltarol but the pain remains. Arthritis hurts, end of, but at least with OA you know when it will worsen: poor weather and overdoing things are the usual culprits. DD