How does one get diagnosed?

[Krawlins]

Hi, I've had aches and joint/muscle pains for 5 years plus, I've had some osteoarthritis diagnosed, and DDD in MRI of lower spine and a bulging disc. Now my hips, knees, ankles and feet all seem to suffer. Are we meant to go to our GP to get X-rays of each joint one by one or should we be referred to rheumatology so that a specialist can confirm you have arthritis in all your joints? My ankles have always been loose and I had leg aches and pains as a child, these pains are back now in joints and muscles of the thigh and calves. I have never been able to wear heels but I still get pain in foot/ankle in decent trainers?? My shoulder joints have this same looseness so when I lie on my side in bed the upper shoulder doesn't stay in place and I wake up with shoulder/neck ache. Anyone have similar? Joints are never red or swollen but my foot/ankle goes hot. Feel like I wish I had a cage or scaffolding around it. Just bought an ankle support but was only a cheapie just to try out. Look forward to reading your comments. I'm a 57 y o woman who had an emergency op in 2012 for a seriously bulging disc at L5/S1 which is recurring but orthopaedic surgeon not keen to do major surgery e.g. fusion.

Thanks for reading.

Kay x

[Hidden]

Go to your gp. They will refer you. Good luck

[Krawlins in reply to Hidden]

Thanks SMark, to rheumatology I guess?

[Legat in reply to Hidden]

Is that the usual procedure? My GP just sent me to a physiotherapist even though she admitted mine seem like arthritis symptoms...

[Krawlins in reply to Legat]

Hi Legat, I've been referred to physio so many times now that if I was to do all the exercises for all the different parts of the body, even just once a day it would take me two hours, I've got printed sheets of exercises I'm meant to do. I never believe physio is the answer, it does probably help if you're just talking about one joint/limb but when your joint pain is widespread it's very difficult !

[Legat in reply to Krawlins]

Absolutely. I'm not impressed with my GP's response... Best of luck!

[Hidden in reply to Legat]

Go back. See another. You have right to a proper investigation.

[helixhelix in reply to Krawlins]

It sounds as if you have all sorts of different pains, so much sympathy as it is so wearing. I have arthritic damage to knees, neck and lower spine, plus rheumatoid arthritis that affects hands, feet, elbows and shoulders....

And yes you need to keep pushing to get a thorough investigation but please don't underestimate how important helping yourself is. Daily exercises are essential to me if I want to function at all. Perhaps you need to ask for a session with a physio to put all your sheets of exercises together into a simpler routine that you can do?

I start the morning with stretching exercises - which takes 10-15 minutes and then slot it little bits and pieces throughout the day (like standing on one leg while I brush my teeth). Is that really too much considering it could save you huge amounts of pain?

[Krawlins in reply to helixhelix]

I couldn't agree more about the exercise, I've found if I don't do the stretches I am worse, it's a case of making the time and committing oneself. Just now I have a swelling over my hip and buttock, it's so tender, believes it's my bursitis and I've never had it swell up before? Skin is painful to touch, similar to shingles, hurts to rub voltarol cream into it. I've been to drs so much lately due to this pain. I was turned Down for a blue badge which is fair enough, you can't see my pain, I'm good at hiding it.

I'm sorry to hear you have all this pain too, do you take any painkillers or other medication alongside your exercise routine?

[helixhelix in reply to Krawlins]

I have quite heavy duty drugs for the rheumatoid arthritis, so I try not to take anything else where possible. However I do have things like prescription strength anti-inflammatory drugs and several different types of painkiller should I need them.

[Hidden in reply to Legat]

In my case I was sent to have individual xrays of the required zone which were at then reviewed by orthopaedics as I had no evidence of muscular injury. In case of my feet I had gone to a minor injurys clinic who suggested I had gout as one saturday morning I woke crippled by pain in my toes. My gp sent me for xrays and had a blood test confirming gout and finding osteoatrhritis. This has since been found in knees and shoulders.

[Krawlins in reply to Hidden]

Ouch! Have you been given anything to take and has it helped?

[Hidden in reply to Krawlins]

Nothing other than my normal pain medications. I rarely sleep through the night. I have a whole host of problems separately very painful and nothing really helps. Number of conditions is 27.

[Krawlins in reply to Hidden]

oh dear Mark, sorry to hear that

[Hidden in reply to Krawlins]

Its no problem now. Im stuffed well and truly.

[Legat in reply to Hidden]

Sorry to hear, and thank you for sharing your experience. I'll try a different GP. All the best.

[Hidden]

Orthopaedics probably at first or xrays team

[Skypony]

Hi Kay, as well as imaging, blood tests are likely to be done to look for any autoimmune or other factors. After a broad range of tests I expect you'll have a much better idea what's going on, and that can be very helpful as uncertainty tends to increase perception of pain. Good luck!

[Krawlins]

Thank you skypony, xray of foot tomorrow evening so that's a start, just hope it does show something that they can do something about (probably a steroid injection !!!)

[Skyla2]

Some gps are a nightmare and mine definitely is. I’ve been telling her for years about my chronic lower back pain and right groin pain, I’m on Pregabalin,Tramadol,Amitriptyline,Naproxen.she also sent me to physio which didn’t help.She just assumes it’s all part of my fibromyalgia even though I can’t walk some days, anyway I had an accident and fell on my right side and had X-rays done I had broken my right ankle and foot, but they also X-rayed my hip and found I need a full hip replacement ASAP as it’s rubbing bone on bone in one place,Trust me I wanted to go to my doctor and say “I told you so”. So having faith in gps is really hard sometimes, if you don’t think your getting the care and support you need you can change docs, don’t make my mistake and go on for years excepting what he/she say when you may need some further investigations..good luck for the future.

[Krawlins in reply to Skyla2]

Oh dear Skyla that's dreadful, thank goodness you got your x-rays in the end and don't have to wait too long for your hip replacement.

My problem is I go to the Drs an awful lot, I have so many symptoms and only discuss one at a time, but someone needs to join the dots, I'm sure they're all related to one disease or illness, i.e. thyroid, auto immune or arthritic condition. I got my one chance with a rheumy but blew it on blood test results so that was it. I want someone who listens to all the symptoms and can marry them up?

Best Wishes to you, thank you for your reply x

[Skyla2 in reply to Krawlins]

I’ve been thinking about a solution for you and how about you write everything and I mean everything down in a letter and pop into your surgery for the attention of your doc, he or she will have to read it and if that doesn’t work change surgery and take the same notes for your new doc to read, I know how hard it is to get them to join the dots trust me, I think this is very much worth a try.

[Krawlins in reply to Skyla2]

thank you, I have often done this but from their point of view I feel they see that list and think hypochondriac. I will never give up though x

[Skyla2 in reply to Krawlins]

I have osteoarthritis of many joints but also fibromyalgia is it possible that you could have fibro too? Maybe a few answers to other problems you are so bravely facing.x

[Krawlins in reply to Skyla2]

When I asked if I might have fibromyalgia the last dr said and I quote "probably have", that's not really a diagnosis is it ? I'd ideally like to go back to rheumatology but don't know if they'd do that again for me x