Diagnosis.

ju2505
ju2505 Member Posts: 1
in Living with arthritis

I am a 58 female. For over 12 months now the pain all over my body, which is in different places daily is slowly getting worse. My strength is disappearing my flexibility has gone and my weight has increased due to not wanting to be as active as usual, I feel like an old woman.
I have had numerous blood tests, all the doctors keep saying is it’s probably arthritis and keep moving. Which I do, waking through out the night in pain and having to get up and walk around, I don’t sit around during the day.
Feel the GPs telling me it’s arthritis is not a diagnosis just an assumption. How do people get a proper diagnosis and help from the GP

Comments

  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 30,064

    Hello @ju2505 welcome to the forum. I hope you'll find it as helpful as i have here.

    Are you feeling like the 'diagnosis' of Arthritis is more a case of they don't know so they are calling it that rather than that they know?

    Have they done any imaging at all Xrays or the like I mean? That is one method of being sure. Also sometimes ultrasounds and also MRI scans, but i think Xrays are fairly cheap.

    I am also presuming you've had bloods done and they haven't shown anything useful? What i mean by that is sometimes bloods can indicate which type of arthritis it is. Like Rheumatoid factor for Rheumatoid arthritis can show in your bloods.

    I sometimes think it's helpful to see a Dr (pick the nicest at the surgery!) with someone with you to support you. You are less likely to be fobbed off that way. Takes away little of the power I perceive Drs have being the gatekeepers of resources.

    Sending you some ((())) and if it helps a lot of us have trouble getting properly diagnosed so don't give up

    Toni x

  • Ellen
    Ellen Moderator Posts: 1,857

    Good morning @ju2505 welcome to the online community on behalf of the moderating team.

    I see you are feeling as though your Dr has assumed your symptoms mean you have arthritis.

    Frogmorton is referring to tests which help Drs diagnose arthritis so maybe this might interest you?

    https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/healthcare-professionals/training-and-education-resources/clinical-assessment-of-patients-with-musculoskeletal-conditions/investigations/

    Can I suggest something which probably sounds terrible when you are in pain, but gentle exercise can really help with arthritis pain.

    https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/exercising-with-arthritis/exercises-for-healthy-joints/

    my best wishes

    Ellen.

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