Is it really osteo when my eyes now effected?

Jools71
Jools71 Member Posts: 16
in Living with arthritis

Hi everyone. Thanks for all the comments last time. My capability work meeting went well. Just the first stage. Work really supportive.

Im questioning my diagnosis this week. Wondering if anyone has had similar ? So i have IBS and was diagnosed with OA last year. Hands, knee, lumbar facet joints. I have a family history of Chrones and Ankyolising spondylitis. My calprotectin levels read high. Went to rheumatology a year ago who did bloids and said no inflammation. Mri showed osteo. I feel like i have more than osteo. My joints are all flared up worse since having covid, so much so j can hardly walk down stairs in morning or lift the kettle. I am in so much pain. I am active, i walk 3 x a week, do yoga and outdoor swimming. My eyes have been bothering me recently so i just returned from optician and she said they have inflammation due to the arthritis. Can this be caused by osteo or is it more likely RA? Im so confused as feel so unwell. Im also experiencing pins and needles in my hands a lit and starting to feel severe pain in my feet aswell. To me it seems like a lot of inflammation going on?

Any advice helpful. Please. So fed up feeling unwell and approaching a year i have been off work.😭 i am only 50. I know that with RA there is good meds to control it. Where as i only have lots of pain killers. My sister gets an injection weekly for her chrones and its stopped all her pain in her joints. With the NHS can you push for a 2nd referral?

Thanks

Julie

Comments

  • Shell_H
    Shell_H Member Posts: 548

    Hi @Jools71,

    I'm most definitely not an expert, but I do believe Osteoarthrtis can cause some inflammation, even tho it is comminly thought of as the non-inflammatory arthritis. However, you're not wrong to be questioning, and you can most definitely request a second opinion on the NHS. You have enough family history and questions to have a good reason to ask for it. You'll probably have to go though your GP surgery - asking them if you could make an appointment for a second opinion on your arthritis. You'd also do well to write down all you thoughts as to why you're querying it, so you can be concise (I know I can get flustered no matter how much I rehearse what I'm going to say).

    I hope this helps! Do let us know how you do, I'm hoping you get more support soon!

    Shell

  • Jona
    Jona Member Posts: 406

    Hi@Jools71 ,

    I am on year 11 trying to find out what’s wrong, I have RA bloods high but they keep telling me it’s osteoarthritis but I have recently been diagnosed with a skin condition and crp levels always high, I went for my normal routine eye test and she found cataracts in both eyes and I’m constantly getting infections but to be honest I agree with Shell_H ask your gp for a second opinion like I said I’ve been 11 years trying to find out what’s wrong but all I get is eye rolling and insults so I’m afraid I’ve lost all confidence in doctors but keep pushing yourself to find out what’s wrong

    good luck and take care

    Jona 😊💐

  • BettyMac
    BettyMac Member Posts: 217

    Dry eyes can be caused by lots of things but it might be worth asking about Sjogrens Syndrome - even if just to rule it out.

    There’s a section about it on the main part of Versus Arthritis

  • Seaiguana
    Seaiguana Member Posts: 2

    Hi Julie could it be psoriatic arthritis? Sometimes the skin psoriasis comes after, rather than before the psoriatic arthritis, apparently. PsA is related to IBS and chrones, plus uveitis is often part of it too, which is eye inflammation

  • Jools71
    Jools71 Member Posts: 16

    Well i do have IBS and a fam history of Chrones. To have Psoratic do you have to have bad skin?

    Funnily enough i have had an itchy patch on my back for over a year!

    Feel like a hypochondriac!

  • Coopersmam
    Coopersmam Member Posts: 11

    Hi Julie yes it is possible for osteo to affect your eyes .As a rule it's usually caused by arthritis in the cervical spine . Could possibly be a link as you have it in the lumbar spine. Osteo does cause inflammation especially if the bony growths are compressing on a nerve . If you feel like you need a second opinion from the medical profession you have a right to ask for one. It took me months of pestering the doctor to get taken seriously so keep trying .

    Sandra

Categories