Just diagnosed yesterday

Sami

Hello everyone X Ive just turned 50 and just found that I have arthritis in my cervical and thoracic spine and both shoulders. OMG..I'm so shocked. It's hard as I'm away from my home caring for my parents at the moment due to covid. A&E department can't do an x-ray, mri, or blood test b'cos of the virus and I have no gp here in Kent, mine is in Yorkshire.
They just said to me..." ahh it's arthritis, we don't know what type...go home and get your xrays, blood tests when you can".
Meanwhile, im here caring for my parents in immense pain..it's as though the vertebrae between my shoulders just collapsed suddenly last week carrying heavy shopping.
I know that this forum will be invaluable to me and Thankyou for reading xxXxx

chrisb

Hi @Sami,

Welcome to the forum.

Sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis. It must be difficult dealing with this news along with caring for your parents and now having to wait for further assessment.

Our website has lots of useful information which may help you in the time being. A good place to start could be here https://www.versusarthritis.org/search?query=thoracic+spine+

You can also call our free Helpline on 0800 5200 520, or email helpline@versusarthritis.org (Mon - Fri 9:00am – 8:00pm) if you ever feel the need.

Please do get involved in the various forum topics which I am sure you’ll find beneficial.

Best Wishes

ChrisB (Moderator)

Sami

Thankyou so much! Ive been feeling very alone recently. Bless you for your welcome 🙏

dreamdaisy

Hello, it's nice to meet you and I am sorry you have had to find us. I cannot help much as I am an old hand at arthritis, know what I have (plus why I have it ) and have no family calls upon my time. I am familiar, however, with forcing myself to do things my body really doesn't want to face and to dealng with the impact the disease has had on my life and how I live it - after 23 years there's no excuse for not being so. I started psoriatic arthritis when I was 37, osteo was diagnosed when I was 52 and am now 61. DD

Lilymary

Hi Sami, and welcome. I was diagnosed very “suddenly” recently, I went from having”a bit of a limp” to going straight onto the list for a new hip, as a very active 60yr old. So I know what a shock this is. Mine crept up on me over the years, and a fall triggered everything kicking off big style, with an X-ray revealing advanced deterioration of both hips, even though there are currently no symptoms in one of them. Have you had an X-ray at all yet? Do you know your options for treatment? Have they put you on any pain relief? I’m on handfuls of painkillers until the health service gets back on its feet, but tbh I don’t think this will be enough to get me back to work, so the lockdown has been a bit of a blessing so I can evaluate what I can and can’t do.

Of course, the timing has made it doubly difficult for you when you’re away from home and caring for your parents, but I do hope you can at least get some good pain relief until they can offer something better tailored to your condition.

Sami

Thankyou for your messages..I'm going to try to find an operative phlebotomy service near me tomorrow, I've been given the appropriate documentation, they said it will be a fortnight to get the results. No chance of an x_ray at mo. Meanwhile I feel like I've been hit by a train.
It's okay though, the way will become clearer I'm sure. At the moment i can do about 5 to 7 hours out of bed. I just need to know how advanced it is, what type, etc before I can really focus on the healing process...one day at time I guess .
♡