Hi sorry not been on in ages and instead of being diagnosed with RA they’ve said osteoarthritis

Hi everyone, hope you are all not in too much pain.

Quick reason I haven’t been on here I nearly passed away in March I got covid shingles and pneumonia all at once didn’t hold out much hope for me I was in ITU for 5 days and in hospital for 11 days I’ve got PTSD now and am on pregabalin for it. (150mg in morning and 150mg in the evening).

Anyway as you might know all my pain symptoms came on all at once in March 2022 and everything pointed to RA even the inflammation markers saw woman privately she thought not and weirdly I went for my NHS appt on the 6th March 2024 on an urgent basis. My whole family came with me, Stew and Dad and within the week we all had covid they were pretty ill but not as ill obviously as me.

Anyway whilst in hospital even though I told them the pain was in my hands, wrists, my back and my legs again only x rays and ultrasound were done on my hands and wrists and the doctor rang me up and said I have early onset osteoarthritis which was a surprise to me.

I’m getting over physically being in hospital but my legs are that sore it’s a struggle to get upstairs and also we’ve had to purchase a wheelchair as I can’t walk any distance.


I was wondering if anyone suffers from osteoarthritis would be willing to share their stories with me and the doctor has sent me to someone for perhaps injections. I use flexiseq on my knees is there anything else that would help?

I’m on wait for it 8 co codamol a day, 8 tramadol a day, 6 nurofen a day, plus I’ve now got a leg infection so I’m on antibiotics for that.


Trying to be as positive as I can be just if anyone out there had the same diagnosis, were you just told the only option was injections just any stories that might help me or just can they diagnose me with osteoarthritis without looking at my back and legs? Does osteoarthritis just show up in the hands etc and they think it will be in other places?

My Nan on my dads had osteoarthritis but she was well into her 70s or 80s when she got it and my mums dad had osteoarthritis and he had to give up work at the age of 59 as he was in so much pain.

I’m 50 just for reference feel like I’m in my 90s at the moment.

Very grateful to have got through the covid shingles pneumonia incident in March so I’m counting my blessings I’m still here even with PTSD. Oh I have heard of diclofenac does that help?

Sorry to have rambled on and hope you are all as well as you can be.

Thanks for any replies.


Julie xxx



Comments

  • Daisy23
    Daisy23 Member Posts: 2

    Hi, sorry to hear what you’ve been through/going through. I’ve recently been diagnosed with OA in my right hand. When I mentioned that I also have significantly reduced movement and pain in my hip, the doc said it sounds like I have OA in my hip too but didn’t send me for any tests so I’m guessing they might not always check but can’t be certain. Hope things improve for you soon.

  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,898

    Hi Julie

    I am so shocked to hear how poorly you have been and so glad to hear you are over that terrifying experience. I had wondered where you had disappeared to.

    I think inflammation from inflammatory arthritises like RA tends to show in the hands and ultrasound is supposed to be the best way to see it??? So a standard test to back up 'negative' R factor blood results.

    There are unfortunately a fair few people here who have arthritis of the osteo type in multiple joints. I have even known people end up in hospital with the agony of it. This can be as debilitating, painful as any inflammatory kind of arthritis so no-one should minimise it.

    Sounds as though there is a huge genetic factor for you with so much of your family having it too. Such bad luck.

    I am sending you some ((())) and just glad to see you are ok - and survived that covid pneumonia.

    Toni x

  • Jewels1973
    Jewels1973 Member Posts: 58

    @frogmorton Thanks so much for the god wishes the covid has gone now thankfully it has shaken me up but I think I’m on the up with the help of progabalin. Thanks for the hugs very much appreciated, Julie xx