Hi everyone I am new here and need to speak to people living with arthritis

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Cami25
Cami25 Member Posts: 1
in Living with arthritis

Hi All, I’m a newbie

Sorry if I babble on but I am finding life/ pain unbearable. I am in my late 40s and have always been physically fit and I of a slim build. I have bilateral osteoarthritis in hips, knees, hands and wrists.

My hips were diagnosed in 2022 and the rest of the other joints were diagnosed this year but I have been suffering with severe pain in all of these joints since 2022. I have tried physio and different pain killers but they haven’t helped and I don’t know what else I can do. The GP is unable to provide stronger meds and I feel they are fed up with my moaning.

I have to use a stick/ crutch to mobilise for standing and walking but my wrists hurt too much to support me. It will be comforting to speak with other people who are living with arthritis and how they manage their pain.

Regards Cami

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  • Trish9556
    Trish9556 Member Posts: 891

    hI @Cami25

    Welcome to the hippy club although I am sure you would rather not be here.

    My right hip went in November 2022 and I had a replacement hip in May 2024. I think you need to have an honest conversation with your GP about referral to your Orthopaedic team or get your physio to do it. I don't think GP's understand Osteoarthritis and just think it's a natural part of getting older, although not in your case.

    Have you had any xrays recently? If not, I would ask for up to date ones when hopefully this will give you some evidence to onward referral.

    The process of referrals for treatment is long and hard with lots of hoops to jump through depending on where you live. My personal route was GP>xrays> MSK physio>MRI & steroid injections>referral to hospital.

    I had a lovely physio at the local MSK team who eventually referred me to our local private hospital via NHS choices, which was the closest hospital with the shortest waiting list. You can wait years to have surgery in a NHS hospital. My surgery was 9 months later, can be quicker, depending on what your surgeon says.

    I would imagine the process would be the same for your other joints although the NHS will insist that all are treated and referred separately. More tick boxes

    You can keep getting stronger painkillers which in the end just don't do anything - in the months before my surgery I could not do anything, the pain was excruiating.

    Good luck

    Trish

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