Need some help with info.. Osteo feet and hands plus L5 S1..DDD...Help please

[Neon65]

Help with understanding what happens next after xrays show signs of Osteo in feet and hands plus my L5 S1 has shortened ( DDD)

[Happyrosie]

What happens next depends on your medical team. They may recommend Physiotherapy and which type of painkillers are most suited to you, depending on your circumstances.The website Versus Arthritis is a good source of information.

Please be aware there’s no cure for arthritis and you should not buy any product you see advertised unless you’ve been given recommendations trusted sources - your pharmacist, relevant charities or indeed here on this forum.

[Neon65 in reply to Happyrosie]

Thank you Rosie, waiting to book appointment with doctor as we speak.Is there further tests I can have part from xrays to confirm in detail etc

[katieoxo60]

Hello Neon65, I have had foot and hand arthritis since in my thirties, they were recently X-rayed again for any further deterioration. Main treatment is pain relief but I did have wax treatment for hands. Arthritis Action has a good hand advice video but there are very few hand consultants. There are also many new ops for hand problems that do help some, speaking from experience the earlier you have treatment the better but queues on NHS are long. I just recently had a total knee replacement. As there is no cure it is very important you learn ways to manage your arthritis and any pain plus the emotional impact of this illness. It is a case of learning to live with it and what is best for you to cope with it. Do use any gadgets that relieve muscle strain i.e electric can openers. as this helps to reduce deterioration, exercising hands is simple and does work , I use light weights others use the Chinese hand balls. Trainer shoes or orthopaedic sandals can help feet along with shoe inner soles. Good luck with finding what makes it best for you.

[Neon65 in reply to katieoxo60]

Thank you so much for reply, just trying to make sense of everything I've got and why.Been given some bad genetics I think lol.. Heart disease, Hypothyroid, Diabetes 2 these alon has so many different side effects too..sleep apnea, chronic fatigue, DDD.. Now this. Think I need shooting...😁 I work as a carer and can barely move when I get home. Lv my job but just too much. I have always been a fighter but just feel like giving up sometimes.

[katieoxo60 in reply to Neon65]

Hello again , working as a carer is not easy even if fit. My last job before retirement was in dementia services as a cook. Contrary to popular belief osteoarthritis is not a disease of old age and many people work with it. Unfortunately even doctors don't know much about treating the symptoms other than painkillers. having had these problems for many years I appreciate what you are saying about the all over effect unfortunately nobody accepts that some popular drugs used for other illness can worsen existing health symptoms with out you or the medics realising this is happening. Some none major illness is treated as not impairing your abilities to enjoy life, but can be more debilitating than a major illness that has known treatments that work. I agree with you if we were animals we might be shot to alleviate the suffering, but it seems some of us have to just live each day ill and often put through more suffering trying to find relief. Try to keep your job it serves as a distraction from your problems. I have a question, have you ever had your physical issues labelled as mental and ignored?, don't have to answer on here of course. Enjoy the rest of your day.

[Neon65 in reply to katieoxo60]

Hi thanks for reply;I have never been actually labled as mental but feel it most of the time with everything going on with me. I feel its never ending problems. Everyone else may feel I sound like a Hypochondriac but honestly everything I have has been medically proven. I just live my life researching nd talking about health issues all the time. I should have been a doctor..lol probably know more...🤣 just can't remember after 10 mins of reading.

One thing I do know is I am a fighter and won't I've up until I find the best help available for me. No such thing as normal anyway..😊

[katieoxo60 in reply to Neon65]

That's the idea, some of us want to know more about our health, not just a pill to take. I am the same everything I have had is documented , including skin cancer, broken bones, operations and births. Then there's ongoing illness which is the one that gets most of us down. Yes you are right no such thing as normal we are all different in many ways and some of us have disability as well as illness. I was told I should have been a nurse because I know more than some medics themselves do. I've been fighting most of my life but suddenly you run out of steam as you get older. I felt so ill on Tuesday would have much rather stayed in bed. This is a week later and little change, and that's all because of side effects of tablets to control blood pressure. Keep your research up for the best care and treatment.

[Neon65 in reply to katieoxo60]

Thanks for the reply, Sending big hugs and hope we all get some help one day.🫂

[Neon65 in reply to katieoxo60]

So sorry to hear this, I hope you find your answers and have a good support network in place.

Sending big hugs and always here for catch up, or any questions etc.

Kind regards T...

[Happyrosie]

You’ve probably had blood tests which would include “rheumatoid factor” and Erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Can’t think of anything else,

[Amkoffee]

I am assuming that your doctor says you have osteoarthritis. There are literally hundreds of arthritis and each classification of arthritis needs to be treated differently. Rheumatoid arthritis which is an inflammatory arthritis causes joint damage that typically affects the hands or feet first. This can be evident on an MRI. Osteoarthritis is deterioration that's happened to the joints typically from age-related wear and tear. There's very few treatment options for this type of arthritis other than pain relief. Some physical therapy will help at least for a while. About your back... the L5/S1 vertebrae's are the most common vertebrae's to be affected first by age-related arthritis which is what DDD is. Actually it's the disc between those two vertebrae that is causing the problem. That particular problem does respond very well to physical therapy I highly recommend that you spend time every day doing stretches and doing safe exercises that a PT as shown you. Some blood work that would be appropriate would be to check your rheumatoid Factor. Also you should have your inflammatory markers checked. That would be your ESR (sed rate) and your CRP (C-reactive protein.)

[Neon65 in reply to Amkoffee]

Thank you for your reply, most interesting. I'm just worried about the fact I've only had xrays on a few areas but saying mild but I'm having severe pain in hips, spine and feet. Mild pain in hands but neck and shoulders, knees are starting too. What should doctor be doing fr me now? Hopefully seeing him next week..

[HeronNS]

Two bits of advice: avoid using nsaids as much as possible - you might need them for headache or something, but don't use for arthritis. They interfere with cartilage renewal. Also consider taking glucosamine, preferably in a capsule not a hard tablet, and at a mealtime. These do help with maintaining cartilage, although they are not painkillers. I have taken 2x1000 mg glucosamine sulfate for many years. First diagnosed with arthritis at 40 but sure I had it earlier. Now 75 and still kicking!

[Neon65 in reply to HeronNS]

Hi again, I have told doctor I don't want anymore tablets but want alternatives. He has given me Gels( ibuprofen) as I can't take tabs interfere with Thyroxine.

Trying but worried as have so many over the years which has caused a lot of problems side effects etc. So try not to take any if I can bare pain.

I am still working as if I didn't I would sieze up..But need to reduce hours and job role as not suitable and I'm just burning out and in agony.

Doctor says I need a work life balance. Easier said than done when I'm on my own with bills to pay. Trying to apply for lower rate PIP to help, so I can reduce hours. But u got to have no arms, no legs and blind to get it...lol. Difficult all round. Open to any suggestions.😊

[HeronNS in reply to Neon65]

You're in the UK and I'm not (Canada) but I have seen elsewhere in HU people posting similar problems and receiving good advice. It would be perfectly legitimate as your issues are related to the health problems you have, so please consider making a new post describing your situation as you have just done to me. I have polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and I have often been so grateful that I was on the way to retirement anyway when I got ill. I worked for a few months undiagnosed and it wasn't easy, so I can appreciate what you are going through. There will be others here who have dealt with similar situations so I am sure you'll get some good feedback. Good Luck!BTW there is more than one community dealing with osteoarthritis, another is Osteoarthritis Action, if you haven't already signed up there as well, although it doesn't have as many members as this one.

healthunlocked.com/oa-action

Amkoffee gave you some very good advice about things to try and get your doctor to help with, like testing your inflammation markers, etc. Osteoarthritis is, at least in my experience, something which creeps up gradually as joints become worn. It is basically incurable but not dire, and tends not to affect the entire body at one time (e.g., one finger after another, eventually the whole hand is stiff, but it happens gradually and each joint flare is tolerable because isolated). Other types of arthritis can often be treated more effectively, once diagnosed.

Good Luck!

[Blackknight1989]

All good posts but have to take SOME exception with the above post and, “Osteoarthritis, at least in my experience, creepy up…doesn’t affect the entire body.” While that is USUALLY the case (HeronNS does “qualify“ that statement somewhat, no enough,IMHO…lol. If you have a bad case of full body osteo as I do, it certainly CAN AFFECT the entire body. Further, each joint flare isn’t tolerable if for example the flare is in both hips, both knees and both ankles. Quite debilitating AND will ruin an otherwise good week!

I know most here suffer from diseases considered much more widespread throughout the body and with perceived worse potential symptoms. However, I have suffered with “plain” OA since my early 30s and now need the dreaded “double” knee replacements predicted at initial diagnosis. Over the course of these 20 plus years with just plain OA several rheumatologists have “attempted” to explain my joint issues with the more serious JA, it is in fact just “old person” OA.