Feeling aggravated

[JDQuinn75]

Had my appointment with my gp this afternoon and brought up to him on how my arthritis was making me feel and the pain I was having told him one of my main concerns was my hands also said I was feeling in other part of me still witch he already knew about. Well after he looked me over and listen to me heart and even check my feet he saw the to I've had problem with do to to nail fungus. He gave me a prescription for that but as far as trying a different pain med I got nothing. Nor did he reccomend xrays or an MRI to see what could be done. At this point I think I'm going to be my own doctor. I thought for sure he'd say well let's have you try this medication to see if it eases your pain your experiencing still. Nope never happened.

[Hidden]

I don't know your history but if I had nail fungus and worsening arthritis I'd want a blood panel and a referral to rheumatolgist for possible Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA).

A rheumatologist might then order MRI or CT to rule this out. Can't say about new pain meds but if you want these then you should go back and ask for a referral and also for pain meds or a trial of steroids even to see if this is inflammatory or not. Steroids should really help if you have PsA but won't if it's OA.

It's no good when GPs just fire fight all the time they need to refer you to a specialist who can join up the dots or recommend stronger pain relief.

Ps sorry if you already have PsA and just want new pain meds - I'm new to this community!

[JDQuinn75 in reply to Hidden]

I haven't been told that I have psa as of yet. I've only been told that I have OA. It was 2015 when I was diagnosed with that. That was before I was feeling it in my back like I am now. It just seems odd after he ask how mine is or if it's giving me trouble. Yes he gave me something back in March to ease the pain but it's bot done one thing for me. Yesterday he said to take it as needed. I told him it wasn't helping when I was taking it. That should give him a hint that something else needs to be done. My previous gp already referred me to a rheumatologist back in 2015. I went to him a couple of times. He's the one that told me I have osteoarthritis. RA was ruled out spa wasn't even mentioned at the time. By now I think something else needs to be looked into, because the pain us horrible and unbearable some days.

[Hidden in reply to JDQuinn75]

Okay well thanks for explaining. I have severe OA in my lower spine and neck but neither cause me the kind of pain that my Sjögren's causes - which is high inflammation. I can't tolerate any pain meds so I just use daily walking and beginners Pilates as exercise to try and keep the OA at bay. The fungal infection and severity of pain immediately made me think of PsA though and if I were you I'd go back to the GP and be very firm.

It takes imaging to diagnose but the fungal nail infection should have been a red flag to a decent GP I would have thought? But sometimes you have to lead them firmly yourself! My cousin has PsA but not psoriasis although it's in her family.

[olly17man in reply to JDQuinn75]

I know how you feel JDQ. I sometimes think I have more than O/A - the pains I have change from general aching all over to shooting pains down the back of both legs and now a gripping pain in my lower back. I'm waiting for a hip operation but now my doctor has 'red flagged' me up for an MRI. I'm so tired of being in pain all day and a lot of the night. Walking is the worse. I hope you are having a reasonable weekend. Best wishes.

[JDQuinn75 in reply to olly17man]

Olly17man, I'm half way tempted to call the rheumatologist I saw in 2015. I feel I've been fighting this enough that is time to stop playing around and get serious about the right treatment. What 8m taking now isn't doing squat what so ever. I Don't think my gp is taking me seriously enough right now. I feel there waiting for it to get to the point that it starts crippling me. The last to happen is loose my mobility or get bad enough that I have no choice but to start using a wheelchair. Now with this in my spine as well I feel that's the path I'm headed if my doctors don't take this seriously enough. FIVE years from now I know this will have progressed more than it is. I already have days that this will put me in tears it hurts so bad. Plus when my lower back acts up it'll damn near drop me to my knees as well. That's happen several times already.

[Hidden]

Sorry to hear all you're going through Jason. Chronic pain is horrible, and I, as you know, have osteoarthritis like Twitchy in the lower spine and neck. But now think I also have fibro which is a bummer.

Why your doctor didn't agree with having you get an MRI is beyond reason. Go back and tackle him! Demand the x-rays and MRI. You're the one suffering, not him.

[ITYFIALMCTT]

I assume that your GP refused your request for both additional pain relief and the scan? Did your GP give any reasons for refusing?

And, as per TT, it sounds like you might need an evaluation for PsA . I'm undergoing evaluation for this at present despite having only a tiny patch of psoriasis and some squiffy ?fungal toenails. My GP wondered if I have seronegative RA but this consultant has stated that her likely diagnosis is PsA (waiting for additional blood work and imaging) tho' there is a differential diagnosis of erosive osteoarthritis.

I thought the problem was restricted to my hands - but the consultant suggests that it might be more widespread (e.g., feet, back, and neck - whereas I'd put those issues down to a series of injuries, other anomalies etc.).

I agree with the others, it sounds like you need another appt. and explicit request for a rheumatology referral.

[Hidden in reply to ITYFIALMCTT]

Sorry to hear you are suffering and not being listened to.

A pain specialist gave me some good advice recently " Do not let any doctor GP or otherwise tell you you don't need an MRI or a referral to a consultant, it's your body and your pain"

It's not easy to stand up to doctors but we need to stand up and fight for our health.

I am still struggling to be heard, but won't give up x

[ITYFIALMCTT in reply to Hidden]

Hi Hidden - your reply came to me rather than JDQuinn75 - so I'm just tagging that here so the OP sees it.

[Hidden in reply to ITYFIALMCTT]

Thank you x

[JDQuinn75 in reply to Hidden]

Therese1, I know exactly what you're saying. I even told him what he gave me back in March wasn't helping me much at all. Now that I feel it in my upper spine I feel it more than I did before.

[JDQuinn75 in reply to Hidden]

Therese1, I was already referred to a rheumatologist two years ago. They only did xrays on my right shoulders and both hips the. At the time I wasn't having the pain in my spine like I am now. It hurts to move some days and very tiring as well. My only comfortable position is sitting on my couch. I Don't want to turn in to a couch potato because of the pain. I'm so tired feeling this way. I need my comfort back and need to be able to get around without hurting all the time. I turned 42 this past Monday and this is what I'm going through. I'm relaxing right now and trying to stay off my feet for awhile. Back in March my doctor mentioned about physical therapy he didn't bring that up last week what so ever. I was surprised that he didn't ask me about getting set up for it. He did say back in March if that the pain didn't ease up taking the Diclofenac then that would be tried next. Plus I wasn't given anyrefills on the Diclofenac when he gave to me in March. He said quote unquote take it only when needed. Not on a daily basis. Plus I was only giver 20 pills not even a months supply in them.