Osteoarthritis could it be psoriatic arthritis?

Knee20

Further to my previous query re steroids I wondered if anyone had been misdiagnosed when they exhibited symptoms of psoriatic arthritis.I ask this as I have been told by rheumatology/ doctor last year that I do not have psoriatic arthritis ( my blood test for rheumatoid arthritis was sero negative )A doctor at my local surgery last year listened to my symptoms and also dismissed psoriatic arthritis ( It was a phone appointment as of course they would not / could not do face to face)

I have recently found some information relating to psoriatic arthritis and I have suffered most symptoms over the past two years.

1)Ankle stiffness and pain ( Achilles soreness and Plantar Faciitis) and pain in walking .

2) Flaky red/ white skin on many body areas eg Lower back ,inner thigh folds , between two fingers, elbows,knees .scalp,behind ears and occasionally on knuckles.I also had a basal cell carcinoma op 18 months ago after dermatologogy referral after flaky red skin on arm would not heal)

3) Ankylosing spondylitis ( was told I had this after MRI two years ago) and and sacrollitis pain in pelvic area.

4) Regular blood tests show high CRP levels and sed rates.

5) Toenail pitting ( was told I had toenail fungal infection 18 months ago)

6) Eye problem ( I had subconjunctival haemorrhage in one eye about 12 months ago which cleared up after a few weeks ) Eyes get tired and dry.

7) Psa can affect your heart and lungs ( I have found it hard to breathe at times and was surprised to be referred to a cardiologist last year after composing of intermittent rib pain - I have since found out that Psa can affect your ribs and therefore breathing.

Over the past 18 months my joints have got steadily worse and I am now concerned that if I have had Psa for some time without having the correct treatment I could be causing more and more damage to them.

Has anybody else had this problem re diagnosis or is there any test that would prove or disprove whether it is osteoarthritis or psoriatic arthritis.Would I be better asking a dermatologist or asking for referral to different rheumatologist.

Unfortunately as I have had so many problems over past two years I have ended up being passed onto/referred to several health departments eg neurology ,rheumatology,orthopaedics,cardiology,dermatology yet a link to all these problems appears to be psoriatic arthritis.

Any advice or thoughts welcome - thanks

stickywicket

I can understand your concern if you've needed so many specialists. Our bodies can be very disturbing things at times. I can also understand your wanting to link all these problems and to get a treatment that would possibly sort them out.

You say a rheumatologist has told you you don't have PsA. They can make mistakes in diagnosis but not usually. You do say you were diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis but, if that were the case, you would almost certainly have been put on the same medication as you would get for PsA. Ankylosing Spondylitis is a form of inflammatory arthritis. I wonder if it was actually Spondylosis that you were diagnosed with. That is basically osteoarthritis of the spine.

The cardio and lung problems that can arise from RA and PsA basically rarely do arise and, when then do, it is usually after many years. I've had RA for 60 years. My heart is fine and my only lung problem is asthma which I had years before RA.

High CRP and sed rates are odd things and need a doc to interpret as they can rise for several reasons.

it's true that sme people just get osteo in the odd joint. Maybe it's been overused or maybe had a trauma. But others do seem to get it in several joints.

Perhaps you could take these concerns to your GP. If it would help you could print out Versus Arthritis' section on PsA symptoms and tick which you feel you have. You could, in the last resort, ask for a second rheumatological opinion but such appointments are not easy to come by in our current covid climate.

Hairobsessed123

I was diagnosed throu my MRI results for PsA all bloods were normal ! I do have toenail changes and a patch of psoriasis on my scalp xxx

sunnyside2

I have psorasis and arthritis. I was referred to a rheumatologist at one point and she felt it was standard arthritis as its not uncommon to have both and is not always connected

jamieA

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/54614/osteoarthritis-could-it-be-psoriatic-arthritis

@Knee20

I've had a somewhat similar experience. I've always had psoriasis but then 9 months ago I was diagnosed with PsA - initially inflamed knee, then shoulders, hands and foot. Since then I've been seen by at least 6 rheumatologists as well as my consultant. One thought I had polymyalgia rheumatica and another thought I had osteoarthritis. I even asked my consultant at our last meeting whether he was sure they were treating me for the right thing as neither methotrexate nor sulfasalazine has appeared to work. Also in that time I've had lung problems - pneumonia - and heart issues and a very high CRP level.

I get the impression with the medics that since there's no definitive test for PsA then it's down to taking into account as many symptoms as possible and forming a considered opinion.