OA in multiple joints | Arthritis Information

Please help! I am looking for info and other people who have OA in multiple joints. I have it in neck, lumbar spine, feet (big toe), hands(base of thumbs), right hip, right knee, and both shoulders (glenohumeral). I have been repeatedly tested for RA and I don't have typical symptoms of RA, I just have tons of OA and it is miserable. I can find lots of info about OA in individual joints but nothing about widespread OA. Any info would be so welcome!

Thanks so much, Kat

Hi, Kat,

I have OA in my hands, wrists, knees (severe), ankles, feet, shoulders, neck and lower back. My rheumatologist calls it generalized osteoarthritis. I have also been diagnosed with Erosive Inflammatory Osteoarthritis. It is damaging my hands and my feet at an alarming rate. I was taking Plaquenil to stop the damage, and the Plaquenil was wonderful...........but I had an allergic reaction to it last month, so I cannot take it anymore.

EOA damages joints like RA and is as painful as RA per my doc. It does not attack the organs like RA. Most people just have it in their hands. I have it in my hands and my feet. EOA is also bilateral..on both sides of the body, like RA. My rheumy is "thinking" about what to try next. As a result of the joint damage, I can no longer play my guitar. I am also starting to have trouble writing with an ink pen.

I take Tramadol and Soma every day. Without those meds, I would not be able to work. I am 56 years old/femaile.

VHi Kat and Vee,

I don't have alot of time (I"m at work) but I wanted to jump in ---I have questions too, I just had an x-ray on my neck and my Doc said I had a lot of arthritis (bone spurs). My body has been hurting with muscle and joint pains for five years I didn't expect anything to show up. I've been use to beening let down and put on antidepressants. That's My medical madness story!! I think my new Doc is a good one (I hope) I've been through so many.Vee I see you have Fibromyalgia, i do also. How do you know what is causing what? I am new to the arthritis....does it progress from here? I also have an autoimmune disease (Sweet's Syndrome) in remmisson. Iam currently sufficeint on my vitamin D but not optimal. I was deficeint. I could sure use some advise.

Hi, JKay,

I do know what yo mean about doctors. So many of them just want to brush patients off. I was in pain for ten years before I reached my breaking point. I went to see my NP ( I like her better than any MD in town ) and she saw how much pain I was in and how worn down I was by the pain. She ordered blood tests and looked at my swollen joints, etc, and prescribed Plaquenil and Vitamin D. My level of Vit D was 22 at the time. It is 35 now, but she and the rheumatologist wanted it up to 65. My arthritis panel came back normal except for an elevated CRP showing inflammation. My NP thought I had seronegative RA, but the rhematologist diagnosed Erosive Inflammatory Osteoarthritis, Fibro, and generalized osteoarthritis......as in, I have it almost everywhere.

I had both the EOA and the Fibro flaring at the same time a little over a week ago. That was fun........not! I missed two days of work that week.

Fibro is sometimes a burning pain, and sometimes it just makes me feel as though I have been beaten up. The arthritis makes me stiff and my joints are painful. You are right, though. It is difficult to distinguish between the two sometimes. Both cause extreme fatigue.

It would be great if you could have your doctor run an arthritis panel to check for autoimmune markers and then refer you to a rheumatologist. Rheumatlogists treat Fibro, too.

There are many medications that can help you, but it is a trial and error kind of thing because everyone reacts differently to medications.

Personally, I could not function w/o the tramadol I take every day for pain.

So sorry you are having these issues, but welcome to the arthritis family. You will find that most arthritis sufferers are sympathetic, encouraging, and eager to share and gain knowledge to help themselves and others.

Peace,
VVee,

Oh Hey! I bet we all could tell some unbelievable stories about the doctors we've seen. Not to mention the ones that have misdiagnosed us. I've had that done a few times, makes it hard to believe them. I always ask for a copy of my blood results. This makes me kinda sceptical about the fibro.I've been tryng to get these Doctors to look at my other auto immune disease. My Dermatologist had told my Np at the time to keep a watch on me. Five years of me complianing went by, I mentioned it to her and she said " Oh yeah you had that weird thing" she looked in her notes "your Derm told me to watch you". I about fell off the table. I was so upset!! This disease is connected to RA. My older Brother has it.

I have been tested for most of this. Currently it is the trial and error with the meds. I am working my way up to 50mg. on Savella for the Fibro, Voltaren 75mg 2x daily anti-inflammitory, Flexerill 10mg. Topamax50 mg.1x, Wellbutrin 75 2x daily anxiety, Temazepam 15mg. sleep, vit D-3, Calcium +D, by the way I have got my vit D up to 40 :). I do have the muscle twitches not so bad as they were when I was on Cymbalta only. I do not want to stay with all this med hopefully it will change.

I am so glad you answered my post. It is comforting to know you can talk to someone that knows what you are going through

Hi, JKay,

Great to hear from you again! I agree with you about forums. It helps me a great deal to talk with others who understand the pain and fatigue of fibro and osteoarthritis. I know I would be downright depressed if I wasn't able to "talk" to other people. We all kind of help each other thru the bad days and we learn from each other, too. It is a win-win situation.

My rheumy says that low Vit D does indeed cause muscle and bone pain. Have you noticed any difference in your pain level since you got your level up to 40? Congratulations on that, BTW!

This generalized osteoarthritis and Inflammatory Osteoarthritis is quite a lot to handle, but there are much worse things to have. I am so thankful for my meds and the good doctors I have encountered. My ortho is a sweetheart. I was in a LOT of pain from hip bursitis a couple of weeks ago. I made an appt to see him, and the very next day he called me after he was through w/surgery and I went over to the hospital and he used the cat scan to inject my hips w/a steroid. The relief was almost immediate. I could have hugged than man.

Hope you get some answers soon. Hang in there, and remember you are not alone.

Peace,
VVee,

I must be a just a chick-a-dee compared to your pain. I am so sorry, I hope you are getting some relief from your pain. How do you deal with this? I try and then my anxiety gets the better of me!

Like, now.....I've been feeling better-- gaining some energy. Started my diet , getting back into exercising (Zumba)slowly very slowly, I still feel weak in my arms and legs and I give out in 20 -30 min..

A new thing has come up with me. I have had a lot of people telling me that I drink too much water. I never noticed, until they all said something about it. My mouth is very dry,I assumed it was side affect from drugs. I am like a chain water drinker when I finish one I'm on another. I seen my Doc today...she gave me the Diabetes kit to test for 7 days. I don't think it is diabetes. I don't know what else to think though. I know last blood test my hemoglobin was sliightly elevated. But glucose was fine.

Later Jeanie

Hi, Jkay,
No one is a chick-a-dee. If your pain is interferring with your life, then it is serious. Your pain is as real as mine, and I am sorry you are in this situation. Do you take Tramadol? Tramadol will make a person very thirsty. You are supposed to drink a glass of water every time you take it. My mouth is always dry, too, and I drink water, and way too much Diet Coke. LOL I hope you blood glucose test comes out okay. I so admire you for exercising. I used to exercise almost every day, but I haven't exercised in a long time. I have to get back on the exercise band wagon. Thanks for the nudge! Take care, V
Copyright ArthritisInsight.com