Hi all, not been on here for a while but found out something last month that I didn't know about RA. Saw my Rheumy normal 6monthly visit even though I had waited a year before I got an appointment. Both my hands have become very painful knuckles very swollen finger joint painful my Rheumy then told me referring to my previous X-rays on my hands that my knuckle swelling & pain due to RA but my fingers was due OA & didn't know that you could suffer with both always thought it was one or the other. Rheumy told me having if you have RA then you can also suffer with OA but not the other way round. Now waiting to have Physio & hot wax treatment on both my hands. Have also got to have a Spirometry test ( Lung Function ) as I have a pulmonary fibrosis possibly due to the RA, I'm 70 this year so things don't get any easier as you get older, best wishes to my fellow sufferers.
Now both types of Arthritis : Hi all, not been on here... - NRAS
Now both types of Arthritis
Know how you feel as I’ve got both as well 😩
Me too
Me too...my fingers are now growing in all directions!
And me! I was told very much the same as you, awful having to endure both. Was told too it’s typical the knuckle joints in hands are RA and both bottom joints in fingers are OA. I was told when starting disease modifying medication that it wouldn’t help my OA but it did and got movement back in some affected OA areas
I wonder if anyone has had surgery on deformed fingers?when I saw a hand surgeon,for an unrelated problem, he said he could
Operate & straighten my finger....but surely if there is OA it would just revert to being “wonky”.......?
If you have straightening finger / toe surgery the finger / toe would remain straight. Kinda like a knee or hip replacement , the surgery will have a lifespan attached to it, but the procedure should last for years.
Yes but a finger is kind of used a lot more than a toe isn’t it? I wouldn’t want just a straight forefinger...that would be less use than the wonky one!
And in fact my cousin had a hammer toe straightened about 4/5 years ago & it's well on the way to bending again....& she had pins in for a long time when she had the surgery.
I would only have my finger straightened if I had a solid gold guarantee it would be a usable digit & that won’t be forthcoming I’m sure!
Toe surgery often disappoints, and is a very painful thing to have done. The private sector flourishes on this type of surgery ( immoral in my view of the surgeons not to come clean on this matter). When I said straightened I meant repaired (!) , but finger surgery can bring good benefits to functionality, not without risks though.
Personally I would not have surgery unless I was desperate.
I had bunion surgery about 6 years ago & I can honestly say I had very little pain..,,,despite everyone describing the horrors I was to expect! It was a long old process, because as soon as one foot was walkable- I had the other one done.....for the first time in about 50 years I can wear strappy sandals...just when the loathed trainer is in fashion!
The procedures now used in this sort of surgery have improved tremendously...two cousins also had the family curse & had bunion surgery maybe 20 years ago & neither went back to have the second foot done!
I’m not desperate to have my finger straightened, but my surgeon always looks at it longingly when I see him away from the hospital!
I've got both as well. I've had OA most of my adult life, unusually it started when I was very young. Then RD in my late 50s. Sigh.
I have both as well darling.xxx
Yes me as well I’ve been I pragabalin and it’s really helping my back pain but I get a lot of pain in my shoulders wrists and fingers that swell my knees are really swollen the left is worst and lm 71 next but you just do what we can when we can all the best 😵
Yes I have both. You can have primary osteoarthritis at any time (and even if you already have RA) and there’s also a secondary osteoarthritis that come about as a result of the RA inflaming joints repeatedly. Joy.
And having OA doesn’t protect you from getting RA. Like Mmrr I had OA first, from my mid 40’s.
I was diagnosed at 48 with both when I had my diagnostic appointment to confirm RD. I can't say I've heard that if you're diagnosed OA first you can't then be diagnosed with RD though, is that what he actually said? I understand that OA can't cause RD but RD can lead to OA (as a secondary condition), that makes sense but not as your Rheumy stated. That said I can't recall reading it anywhere.
I hope the hand physio helps, I've had it too as my hands were becoming so weak. The strengthening exercises helped a little bit they are still problematic. The spirometery test too, fingers crossed the pf is manageable.
I wasn’t diagnosed but I had OA in my 30s-and I wasn’t diagnosed with RA until I was in my 50s...so diagnosed or not- it happens!
Exactly. I'm not sure you're the exception to Whiskers64 's Rheumy's rule do you? Diagnosis is confirmation but physical evidence can be there before don't you think, it has to be for an eventual diagnosis! So, OA can be present a good while before RD rears it's head as you proved. 😕
I was told by an orthopaedic surgeon years before the swollen misshapen joints of osteo appeared that I had OA - when I broke my ankle skiing! Of course I didn’t believe him at the time as I had no symptoms.....but he was right!
I wonder if the rheumy meant you often develop OA when you have RA, but not necessarily the other way round!
Look at all the sportsmen & women who have OA, but not RA.
Remember Christine Wozniaki, the tennis player....she announced she has RA & she could possibly develop OA as she gets older?
Got both too with OA mostly in get and ankles. Aren't we the lucky ones?
Yes, it's quite common. Had RA since 1987 aged 36, and OA for 5 years. I'm 68.
I found out I had osteo as well when Rheumy sent me for one of those radioactive bone scans. When she spoke to me with the results she said I was 'riddled' with it. I have damage to most of my joints, some days are worse than others but I exercise regularly as I was told it helps to build muscle around your joints to support them. It seems to work quite well except on my neck and shoulder pain.
Me too, my L thumb he feels is more OA now and my neck pain X-ray showed the moderate degeneration C4-7 hence my OA there causing me my latest problems! Makes sense I guess as that's why they want to control RA so fast at the start as all this is going on otherwise!
Happy days 😉
I’m 54 and I found out I also have oa in my hands also after having an ex ray. Just before Christmas. I did mention it to my nurse about a 2 year ago that my little fingers were starting to bend.but I’ve got it in my wrists too. I also never realised you could get more than one form of arthritis I’ve two types. Plus fibromyalgia my is Question does anyone have more than two forms.
Yes me too r a diagnosed 6 and bit years ago then rheumy told me had osteo in both knees due to previous injuries some many years ago. I am have to admit 72 years only last week so not used to it yet!!
I too have both also PMR and FM waiting to start treatment try and keep positive very hard when in constant pain
I am relatively new to this forum but I read the posts every day I also have both RA + OA and it’s a real pain and I mean it literally and when both flare up it’s pure misery Just got to grin and bear it I go to see Rummy in June so I’ll see what he says then but been suffering a while with both
Have to agree with you, every aching bit I was highlighting with my specialist, she was saying that was OA - bloody heck which is which?
Me too I have both, RD since early twenties and in the last few years developed OA in both knees and one hip, 53 now. All three need replacing, one knee done last August, now awaiting MRI on hip to see whether knee or hip to be done next.
Yes me too. Never rains etc
Yes I got both had a new hip last year and that was OA
I was never told it was possible to get both , no fun getting old . Try to keep smiling.x
Hmmmm - I'm not sure that I really true... I have had OA for about 35 years, but only had RA for about 10. And the OA is starting to get more active the last few months as well... so, yeah... Not to disagree with a professional.. Just my personal experience
I had OA first and then later RA was added to the list as well as fibromyalgia, gout and PsA so it shows that you can have many different types of rheumatic illnesses. I don't think that your rheumy is right in saying that RA has to come first as I know other people who had OA first. All I can say is that the pain for all of them is getting worse and some days I just wonder how I am going to carry on like this. I am 68 so a similar age to you.
Bless you 🥰 doesn’t get any easier then... I’ve been laid up all over the Easter with horrible chest infection & ear infection 🙈😩 feeling quite sorry for myself... I shouldn’t though cos I know there are always people in a worse situ... I usually thank my lucky stars I can still go out to work (not this week though 🙈).
I’ve got to be referred for OA too in my thumbs, the pain is horrrendous.
Que Serra Serra...
😘
I have both as well, plus psoriatic arthritis, so a triple whammy for me ! Plus I’m 70, so snap!! Your rheumy sounds good, at least you’ve had a good explanation and a bit of a treatment plan. It’s hard when our hands are badly affected and we are unable to do the things we want. Xx
I love the hot wax treatment, my whole body needs that
Hello Whisker64:
Where are the golden years!!!
My heart goes out to you and sometime I don't think life isn't fair BUT what can we do about it. We have to be strong and if we have a family and grandkids stay strong for them.
I wish you all the best and remember stay
STRONG
I have noticed since starting on MTX 4 months ago that my finger joints (index & middle fingers) nearest the nails have seemingly suddenly become quite knobbly. The rheumy nurse said they look more OA than RA 🙄
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