Hi everyone. I'm Julie, 40 years old from the UK. So glad to find this website - it's been hard finding people locally that I can talk to.
I wondered if any of you could offer me your thoughts? Frankly, I am baffled as to which type of arthritis I have, and the UK arthritis societies say I am a bit of an oddity. I am awaiting hospital tests but in the meantime am very worried and confused.
At present, almost every joint aches or clicks. These are the joints that I am having problems with:
Left jaw joint (loud clicking since late teens - recently flared up after I chewed on it badly but has now settled to just the clicking).
Right jaw joint (clicks, but no other symptoms).
Back of neck (clicks/grates and sometimes stiff. Sometimes feel a little dizzy if I flex the neck a lot. Generally no pain otherwise).
Left shoulder (clicked for years but 6 months ago it began giving me terrible pain similar to muscle spasms and pinched nerve). For years, I have had carpal tunnel symptons in this arm.
Both hands (fingers ache a lot, whilst left thumb is worse and often stiff and tender. Grip can sometimes be affected but only slightly. Think mainly middle joints of fingers and little fingers ache more than others).
Wrists - no real problems yet but left one has minor click. They do ache but may be referred pain from hands.
Knees - both have been dodgy for years with weakness and occassional tender pain/grating sensation (but never any clicking). Left knee has begun to click when I drive.
Ankles - both are stiff and click a lot. No real pain though.
Tops of both feet - click a lot but no pain.
Left big toe - some minor pain and stiffness.
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On top of that, I do often feel tired - lethargic. I have no swellings at all and no outer inflammation. I have no deformed joints and no hot pain. There's no redness and no nodules of any kind.
Bizarrely, some of the clicking has existed for over 20 years (jaw for example), but a few of the symptons have struck suddenly: within weeks of eachother. In fact, this week alone a new symptom occurred each day for 4 days!
I have a history of back trouble (a worn disc) but have had varied views on any connection.
I have quite frequent "viral" problems that affect my throat in particular - swollen gland (often just the one) and some spasm pain.
I've been told I don't quite fit into either RA or OA very neatly - altho I seem to fit RA more so than OA in my opinion.
What's baffling me is why many of these symptoms have occurred rapidly and are so widespread, whilst the other symptoms have been around for 20 years with no progression.
From your experience - do you have any thoughts on which type this is typical of?
Whichever it is, what kind of prognosis do people with RA/OA have?
So sorry for all the questions - know so little about these conditions and have few people to turn to for help.
Thanks to anyone who can help.
Best wishes to you all for recovery from your conditions.
JULIE
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Julie, one thing I would encourage you to check into is thyroid disease. It can easily be checked by a blood test, and it fits your symptoms. I was in a similar circumstance 8 years ago, and it was amazing how much better I got after I was treated for an underactive thyroid.
Do you have a low body temperature, heavy periods, dry skin, hair loss, intolerance to the cold? Those are also symptoms of hypothyroidism.
Hi Hillhoney - thanks for your reply.
Never occurred to me about the thyroid - I'll definitely ask about that at my hospital appointment when they do the tests.
There is a history of underactive thyroid on both sides of my family, several aunts etc and even my mum!
I do have dry skin, used to have terribly heavy and painful periods (had a hysterectomy because of it), no hair loss, not sure about body temperature although do feel cold easily. My mum has cold hands for example, but I don't have that myself.
Didn't occur for a second to explore non-arthiritic possibilities so it's been really helpful of you to suggest it Hillhoney. Thanx very much.
Will let you know how I get on after the hospital tests.
Best wishes to you Hillhoney - how are you coping with your ailments?
Hope everything goes well and they find an easy soluiton for your problems.
It was a process of trial and error before we got my thyroid hormone level to a good level, but once we did it I felt a lot better. I encourage you to seek an endocrinologist to have yourself thoroughly checked, rather than just your family doctor.
Many of the disorders of the thyroid are auto-immune diseases, just like RA, fibromyalgia, polymyagia, asthma, and so many others. That is why a lot of symptoms are the same. There is a lot of work to be done in the study of auto-immune diseases and how they are related. Having one auto-immune disease also puts you at a greater risk of developing others. It's like your body starts attacking itself - if they can ever figure out why, so many people will benefit!
Good luck, Julie!
Thanks Hillhoney.
After reading your first reply, I managed to get an appointment with my doctor that day. They've scheduled me in for bloodtests on Tuesday, so I can get some basic results through before my hospital referral.
Will keep you posted.
Thanx again.
JULIE
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JulieG, It looks like I am a bit of an oddity myself I have just been diagnosed with pseudogout and I am 38. 50 percent of those with my disease are usually in their 90's. It looks like I might have hypothyroidism as well.