Frustrated and dis heartened

Cacm123
Cacm123 Member Posts: 3
edited 24. Jul 2014, 09:22 in Young people's community
Hi, im 17 and have been stiff for as long as i can remember. When i was 10 i was at the doctor with painful knees, i was turned away with paracetomol. Again when i was 12 i returned with a painful lower back, i was turned away with paracetomol. When i was 14 i developed an extrememly stiff shoulder and neck were i atteneded my gp around 6 times and had 2 courses of physiotherapy. I can now actually move my head but not fully recovered. Then about a month ago i woke up to a ridicously swollen knee that has stopped me from walking, for the past month it has been going up and down but never full recovered. Ive had 3 blood tests which showed high 'crp' which is a syptom of RA but it then dropped levels so i have been advised to rest for a month and go back for another test in a month. I am recieving very little support from my gp i am being made to feel as if im over reacting. I cant get out of my bed in the morning without several pain killers and i dont believe that is normal for a 17 year pld. My aunties and dad have rheumotoid arthirits very bad. I am not complaining i am just desperate to get an answer so i can be treated before any real damage! Can anyone please help and offer advice i would be ever so grateful. Sometimes i cant even grip a bowl.

Comments

  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello, it's lovely to meet you and I hope we can help. GPs know a little about a lot but yours is not doing too well by you (I had a similar one when my troubles began); given the family history of RA he should refer you to a rheumatologist as soon as possible. A high CRP is indicative of an auto-immune arthritis and of course the figures fluctuate, that's what they do. Never mind waiting for another month, please go back (with your dad maybe?) and ask for a referral to rheumatology. The youngest person we have had on here with a juvenile form of arthritis was eighteen months old so if the GP says your too young tell him with confidence, that he's wrong. It may be worth contacting AC on the Helpline here and asking them to send you some literature so you can take that in and show him to strengthen your case. I wish you well and please let us know how things go. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • Cacm123
    Cacm123 Member Posts: 3
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi there, thank you for your reply its lovely to meet you. I am so grateful and ecstatic as i feel i am now being took seriously. I am going to phone my gp today and follow your guidance. The doctor dd mention about my knee that i was 'too young' though my mum corrected her then she jumped to the conclusion it was viral. But then never treated the virus. Is there a reason why they are so reluctant to take me seriously in terms of arthiritis.
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I think the 'reason' might simply be that even some GPs are very non-clued-up about auto-immune arthritis. Of course GPs can't be experts on every condition (That's why we have specialists) but sometimes, on here, I get the impression one or two GPs need to mug up on the facts eg if you have several relatives with RA and you have morning stiffness and high CRP levels then warning bells should be ringing. All I can say in your GP's defence is that RA rarely attacks large joints first so as your pains seem to have been moving around different large joints, I guess it wasn't blatently obvious.

    You might not have RA or any other auto-immune arthritis. I hope you don't. But it needs investigating. Why not print off some of Arthritis Care's publications on it? http://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/PublicationsandResources/Listedbysubject You could make a note of relevant bits, or highlight them, and take it from there. Good luck. Please let us know how you get on.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright