just been diagnosed

ohithurts

Hi everyone first post here.Just been diagnosed with oesteo arthritis and was a bit bemused at consultant appointment (which think he knew)so went to see my own GP who strangely (as he is normally very good)said its only arthritis but you do have it in lots of places spine,shoulders,hips,knees,hands etc and everything i have asked him he just says you dont want to do that cos you are only young 45 so he being no help and im in constant agony.Am taking naproxen and gaberpentin at the moment and i go into hosp for facet joint injection on 15th april.Just wondered if anyone can advise where to go from here if gp being so dismissive cos i really dont think he understands how much pain im in.Also been treated for years for sciatica which i still have and just finding it all a bit much.Sorry for the moan lo

vonski

Hi
Welcome to the forum Sorry to hear your news, you're probably still in shock. Doesn't sound like your GP is much help, is there another one at the surgery that you could see. They do vary quite a lot so if you can try different ones until you find one that will listen and understand. In the meantime come on here and moan as much as you want, we all do it You will get a lot of support.
Love
Vonski x

hezmarie25

ohithurts wrote:

Hi everyone first post here.Just been diagnosed with oesteo arthritis and was a bit bemused at consultant appointment (which think he knew)so went to see my own GP who strangely (as he is normally very good)said its only arthritis but you do have it in lots of places spine,shoulders,hips,knees,hands etc and everything i have asked him he just says you dont want to do that cos you are only young 45 so he being no help and im in constant agony.Am taking naproxen and gaberpentin at the moment and i go into hosp for facet joint injection on 15th april.Just wondered if anyone can advise where to go from here if gp being so dismissive cos i really dont think he understands how much pain im in.Also been treated for years for sciatica which i still have and just finding it all a bit much.Sorry for the moan lo

Hi
Nasty gps! I only joined this site yesterday and already have been welcomed and had kind words from lots of people. There is loads of info on here and already I am addicted. (Must be it is now 1am!) My first gp was horrid to me. He said exactly the same, oh it only arthritis and gave me paracetomol! I kept going back and he said I was in danger of suffering from hypochondria - hope thats spelt correctly . Needless to say I stopped going to see him and just coped with over the counter medicines. Then I moved house and it was out of the area so I got a new gp. Miracles began to happen. He was sympathetic and listened to me, my first appointment with him was a ten minue one but 50 minutes later I was just coming out of the door! Having an understanding gp is essential. Once diagnosed with oa I felt it gave me a sense of relief because I honestly thought I was going soft and my first gps attitude did not help at all!! I have tried lots of different medications some worked a little, some not at all but my gp was very understanding and said it was trial and error to find what would suit me and control the pain as much as possible. If you are not happy with your gp, tell him, and then seek another one if you have one in your area. Ask around your friends for recommendations its like shopping for something expensive, before taking the plunge you would ask around to see if you were wasting your money or not. Well dont waste your health hun, its your health and its very important to you and you have to be strong and get him to understand or take the step to find another gp.
I wish you well and send a smile your way.
Heather x

frogmorton

Helo OIHs
A very big welcome from me!!!
So sorry about your OA and about your GP Ya boo - some of them are real meanies!!!, but some are great too.
I think you could consider seeing another Gp? That's one option. Not really available here because they are in short supply and won't take you on unless you don't already have a GP, but maybe you could see a different one at the clinic - I have done that in the past.
On the other hand you can try to look after yourself using different things like heat pads, modertae exercise (there are some on the arthritis care main site), you can but slightly stronger meds over the counter than you may be on - take advise from pharmacist?
There are other things whicgh can help like physio, whcih you could ask to be referred to.
Main thing for me would be though to take someone with you to see you GP whenever you have to go as they can tell them how it really is for you. THis DOES help - honest!
In the meantime as Heather says - you DO have us!!!!!
Take care
Toni

elnafinn

Good morning to you Welcome

Hope you are having better weather than we are in Buckinghamshire at the mo, but of course, it is the weekend isn't it? 8)

I would try another gp in your surgery too. One who is sympathetic to patients with arthritis.

If it is difficult for you to change gps ask your present gp to refer you to a rheumatologist. I have a feeling that most people with RA see a rheumy but there is no reason why you cannot too with OA. After all, OA comes under the umbrella with all the other arthritisis and that is who you get referred to. Why not at the same time be referred for physio for your sciatica. Is your consultant doing your facet joint injections? I have had them done under xray and anaesthetic.

You say your gp is usually good. That may well be, but many are very blinkered when it comes to diagnosing arthritis. If you get referred to a rheumy by him you have him out of your hair and can go on from there.

Keep posting and let us know how y ou get on.

I wish you well,

Luv
Elna

mistywillow

elnafinn wrote:

Good morning to you Welcome

Hope you are having better weather than we are in Buckinghamshire at the mo, but of course, it is the weekend isn't it? 8)

I would try another gp in your surgery too. One who is sympathetic to patients with arthritis.

If it is difficult for you to change gps ask your present gp to refer you to a rheumatologist. I have a feeling that most people with RA see a rheumy but there is no reason why you cannot too with OA. After all, OA comes under the umbrella with all the other arthritisis and that is who you get referred to. Why not at the same time be referred for physio for your sciatica. Is your consultant doing your facet joint injections? I have had them done under xray and anaesthetic.

You say your gp is usually good. That may well be, but many are very blinkered when it comes to diagnosing arthritis. If you get referred to a rheumy by him you have him out of your hair and can go on from there.

Keep posting and let us know how y ou get on.

I wish you well,

Luv
Elna

Good morning to you all
Vonsky and Hezmarie clearly you are night owls
hi oithurts
I don't know if any of you have had experience with a pain clinic. GP's often just don't have enough knowledge about chronic pain control and maybe that's why some of them are so dismissive of pain. The clinics are run by anaethetists and it is their remit to try and sort out pain caused by all sorts of conditions but which is not being well controlled. Like all things they vary according to area. My local one (st albans hosp) was terrible. the consultans looked at my x rays and said no wonder you have pain and then proceeded to prescribe paracetamol when i am already on stuff like tramadol!. I wrote a letter to my GP practice afterwards and said that i really felt that they should know how dreadful this clinic was when thinking of referring patients to it. My GP practice is excellent, i'm lucky. I asked to be referred to the pain clinic at Kings college in London. They do accept out of area referrals you can persuade your GP to refer you. My experience at the clinic was excellent. A kind and knowledgable doctor who tweaked my meds and offered a grat deal of support.
The others are right. take someone with you when you go, your GP will be more attentive if two of you are there.
Good luck
Gillx

woodbon

Hi and welcome to the site! I have OA in quite a few places, my GP is great, she sent me for x rays and blood test and then to the rhuemmy. Not so Good.... Anyway, the other s have all made very good suggestions and I think taking someone with you when you go, is a real help. My rheummy was not very helpful and only a locumn, but when I went to see him the second time, with my husband, he was a lot more helpful and referred me on to a neurologist, explained why I was getting pain and the result of the MRI scan.

Its so much a lottery out there and unless you know someone, who will recommend a doctor, when you move its not easy, I know. If you live in some places you can't choose because theirs no-one else! I really hope things get better for you. Love Sue

joanlawson

Hi
Only someone who has never experienced arthritis could say it's only arthritis :!:

One useful thing I did was to pay privately to see a consultant. It cost £123 but he was wonderful at explaining things and he had the time to really listen. After that I went back to the NHS, armed with the information he had given me, and I knew what to ask for.

I find it is useful to write down anything you want to ask about , and take the list in with you. My husband came with me , and wrote down the answers we were given.

Joan

hezmarie25

Hi again
What a good idea to take someone with you when you go to see your gp and getting a referral to a specialist is also good. The idea about going private for initial consultation and then taking this to your gp is an excellent idea. I may consider this to see if they feel I need the knee replacement! Thank you xxx
Anyway I hope you get it sorted.
Take care x

eckstardeluxe

Hi there, welcome to the forum. I joined after my diagnosis and have learned so much about my condition and met some wonderful people. I have end stage OA spine & sacral area. I'm 33 so it was a big shock. You mentioning the sciatica seems linked to your OA. My illness was caused my Osteomyelitis in childhood and so progressed rapidly, I get very bad sciatica because I have 3 bulging discs and spinal stenosis. Both are complications of advanced OA so I'd be wanting xrays and an MRI if I was you to get a full idea of what's going on. Tramadol is the best drug I take for the sciatica, with diclofenac it really becomes manageable. I find sitting in the lotus position really helps, I feel most comfortable on the floor like this. I also get it bad during the night so the Doc gave me amitryptiline to help with that and it does work, although you get some weird dreams! If I can help at all just send a message. xxx

ohithurts

hi all thanks so much for all your advice and support sorry its taken so long but im feeling really down and tired at the moment I will take your advice and take someone with me to GP see if it makes any difference :!: Will keep you all posted getting my facet joint injection in couple of weeks so hopefully that will help

josiec

Hello!
Tons of nice people and support here - it's a great help! Can't really add anything that others haven't already said, but wanted to add my welcome
Regards,
Josie

woodbon

Hi, The pain makes you tired don't it? Hopefully the injection will reallt help you.

I sometimes think GPs don't like arthritis because they can't offer an awful lot to the patient and they don't understand, on a personal level, the pain caused. I'm lucky,. tje GPs I've seen at my practice are very good. I hope you get sorted out. Its a shock being told you have arthritis, and you need time to come to terms with it. Love Sue