I am 36 and for about 10 yrs I have been getting a lot of
pain in both knees. I have been to the doctors several
times and she just dismissed it as nothing really, and
take some ibuprofen. Also for the past 6 months I have
been getting very stiff and sore hands and fingers. The
only way I can describe it, it's is as if my skin on my
hands have shrunk 2 sizes and my skin feels tight, also very sore elbows if I carry anything heavier than an empty shopping basket. I take
ibuprofen for the pain but it doesn't help. So 3 weeks ago
I went back to the doctors and she told me it was the
onset of arthritis, no test or anything, just it's the
onset of arthritis and to take cod liver oil and
ibuprofen. Anyway I went for a walk on Monday, only about
2 miles on very flat ground, nothing strenuious. On
Wednesday afternoon I started getting pain in my right hip
and groin, since then the pain has gotten worse and also
i'm getting pain in my right knee. The pain isn't so bad
in the morning, but gets worse as the day goes on untill
it's hardly bearable. Is this arthritis of the hip? I've
never suffered pain in the hips before. Both my
grandparents on both sides of the family have/had bad arthritis
too.
Regards
Kyla
Wow! I can't tell you whether it's arthritis or not but a blood test will show it althought they can't always tell by that either. I think I'd go to a different doctor and get another opinion. It doesn't sound like your doctor is very caring. It could be RA or something else entirely but a blood test is a good place to start. Sorry not much help to you but that's about all I can suggest.
Windshadow don't ignore pain - change doctors. I've complained to my doctor for years about back pain and soreness in my fingers. He can't see anything on me except that I'm overweight, so that's his answer for everything. I didn't even go to him to talk about my worsening hip pain, because my last doctor visit he said "Oh, you've got a long way to go before your crippled"!
When I finally couldn't take it anymore I went to an orthopedic doctor, who was so thorough and wonderful, took xrays and allowed me to explain everything. Turns out I waited too long to seek treatment, and am destined for hip replacement now due to severe OA. I only have 1/16" of cartilage left.
The point is, don't make my mistake - find a GOOD doctor and start proper treatment before additional damage is done!
Welcome Kyla. It sounds like you have arthritis but what kind....I think you need to be more forceful and ask for x-rays, blood tests etc. If your doc won't do it...change until you find someone who is willing to have a serious look at what is causing the pain and inflammation. It took me 7 years, 2 general practitioners, 3 rheumatologists and 5 surgeons. Keep looking til you get someone you feel comfortable with and is willing to work with you til you have something that fits.
Good hunting!
Thanks all for the replies. I am going to make an appointment to see the doc on Monday. If I get the 'take ibuprofen and cold liver oil' off her I will switch.
I will let you know what she says.
Regards
Kyla
I just wanted to say "Hi" and that I agree that you need x-rays at a minimum...and some compassion and attention from your doctor. Good luck to you Kyla!I feel really bad for the way you are being treated by this doctor. Change, this person is not paying attention. If you are already having hip pain this bad, something is wrong.
My doctor did an MRI. He suspected I met have bone necrosis, which means the bone is dying. This happens from high prednisone use. Fortunately, that was not the problem. It is fluid my hip and yes it hurts.
Here's how he treated it. He got back with the physical therapist. I had already seen them for my knees. Both knees have severe OA and I will need knee replacements. But there are synvisc and cortisone shots for these as well as physical therapy.
There really are a lot of combinations that a good doctor can use. For the level of pain you are having Ibuprofen and cod liver oil just don't cut it. You have the right to sufficient pain relief and you are being denied it. It doesn't matter if the doctor thinks your fat or whatever. Prednisone is great for putting on weight and makes it almost impossible to get rid of. This sound more like the old "you're just woman and don't know what your talking about." Don't ever accept that kind of treatment. It is totally unprofessional and really unethical and morally reprehensible.
You deserve treatment and you need to demand it. When you get pain relief, and see function come back into your life, it will prove to you that it is very satisfying to stand up for your own well-being.
Hi all and thanks for the replies. Well I fiannly got to see the doctor today, last week the kids were off school so it was to hectic to think about going.
She perscibed me Diclofenac, and she is calling the hospital to make an appointment for x-rays. I also have to go back to the doctors on Monday for blood tests
Kyla
Hi all :)
Well I got my blood results back today, they came back negative. As silly as it sounds I feel disapointed, simply because if it had been posative at least I would have a name for all the pain I'm in. Now I feel like everyones going to say oh well it must be all in your head, and I'm back to square one. :(
I still have x-rays to have yet, although I could be waiting a while for those.
Just because your blood work came back all good doesn't mean you don't have a problem. Theres is still more that can be done. I had x-rays all they showed was soft tissue sweeling in my feet. Also had MRI's they showed I had bone erosion in my hands and feet. My blood work also came back good. Don't give up keep pushing. I fortunately have a good primary and a great rhuematologist.Don't get discouraged . It really can take a long time for arthritis to show up in the blood work (8 years for me). Just because the bloodwork is normal doesn't mean you don't have some kind of arthritis. Often the base line Xrays are normal but later the deformities start to show. I remember feeling disappointed too when my tests were always negative. It made me feel like I was a faker. The pain is very real and there is a reason for it which eventually will be found out. It just might take a long time.All I have to add is get some MRI they show early bone erosion MRI are much better at that stuff than an x-ray. First off if your symtoms are new the x-rays may only show swelling. But the MRI might show bone erosion just like lindaK said they usually only pickup the bone deformities. By that time all the damage is already done. It all depends on your doctor and who they learned there stuff from. Not neccessarly the school but who they did there enterning with.