Hi , hope you are all doing ok. I haven’t written on here for a few months since I saw the rheumatologist, back in September he diagnosed me with OA , not ruling out RA as I have so many symptoms but no evidence as such . Anyway thing have gotten worse I think I told you I had been to podiatrist as I have PTTD on both feet , he also said this is generally caused by an inflammatory Arthritis so he suggested going back to rheumatologist ( easier said than done) . When I was at rheumatologist in September he said he would keep an open appointment for a year in case things changed , well apparently they had discharged me 🤪. Anyway between podiatrist and GP and myself writing to him he wrote back sending me for a scan and depending on outcome he would see me again... so got a call to go for a scan yesterday great get there and it was for my wrists!! I mean the only upper body pain is in my elbows, the radiologist couldn’t do my arms to but said he would definitely request for me to have a chat with rheumatologist again.
What I’m really asking is , is this all normal, it’s so frustrating I have been feeling so ill so often for a year , my husband had to take time off last week because I could hardly move and the unwell feeling is so bad , my worry is that I have a lot of damage being done and nothing helping me really .I take coco Damol 30/500 4 times a day 90 mg ant inflammatory and recently after a fone call to GP I take amitriptyline at night as I can’t turn without pain , they have spoke about methotrexate but reluctant to give me it without evidence of RA , but wondered if anyone in same position has tried it under the same circumstances, as I need to get my life back , one day I think I feel good today painful but don’t feel ill ....then bang next day I’m floored. So sorry for long post but as I’m sure your aware no one seems to get it ❤️
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Goodwin69
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I assume the bloods they take to confirm diagnosis of RA were negative but there is a sero negative RA where blood tests are negative but you have joint inflammation. Maybe you are in this group.
I had the same consultant sent me for a scan on my right wrist although pain in both.
Hi, thankyou for replying, yea I had quite a bit of joint inflammation especially ankles and elbows, the ectoroxib helped with that but pain and unwell feeling is terrible , are you serious negative? X
Perhaps it’s time to get a second opinion as you are suffering badly and your consultant doesn’t seem to be helping you that much. Have you thought about seeing a private consultant?
Thers so much going on i would try to get back to see rheumatology. I have OA and sero negative RA . You have many of the signs of RA :swelling stiffness difficulty moving in the mornings etc so i would persist in contacting the doctors and explaining again your list of symptoms x
it was a nightmare for me, too. It took me 21 months to get a diagnosis. Did the rheumatologist check your joints for bogginess. I just asked about this on here and it seems like that is how most rheumatologists diagnose inflammatory arthritis. I saw one who misdiagnosed me with fibromyalgia who did not check my joints.
Hi , thankyou for replying, he did check my joints back in September I would say they are more “boggy”now , again back then he insisted on x raying my hands and of course it showed OA but they don’t bother me , my mum also had rheumatoid arthritis and it’s like looking at her in a mirror x
Keep on at them. It sounds as if you have inflammatory arthritis from your symptoms but they are diagnosing you on the basis on tests not the whole person.
Hi , thankyou for replying, yea it’s weird when all the symptoms started I was prescribed ectoroxib but they didn’t work , so that was one of the reasons the rheumatologist said it’s more likely to be OA , but since then things got worse and the physio suggested trying them again so GP prescribed ectoroxib again but 90 mg and the made a difference so obviously things have changed since rheumatology appointment, I’m hoping I hear from them this week x
I feel for you. I am in the same boat myself. Rheumatology keep telling me I have fibromyalgia but I am so swollen in the morning I even struggle to get out of bed. I have just asked for a second opinion this morning.
I thought that fibromyalgia was your brain registering pain when there was no physical cause. But then my rheumatologist said that my puffiness above my wrists was my fibromyalgia and not my RA. My doctor says that the puffiness is definitely not fibromyalgia. 🤷♀️ Good luck with getting to the bottom of this. When I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia I believed the doctor and a year later I happened to get a call from a rheumatalogist I had been referred to 18 months prior. She just happened to call. I thought what the heck...I will go and see what she says. She felt my joints and said you have RA. I said, "No, it is fibromyalgia!" It was terrible. So happy you are pursuing a second opinion!
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Rant - Elbow RA/OA
The differences between OA and RA...
ra/oa in neck and swimming 
See, I knew I was right. It's RA flare not OA!
So sore and tired from what oa/ra is doing to my body.
