Glad to have found this group

[Pengoch]

Hello, and thank you for the add. What follows is my bio, which I am using to explain why I wish to be included in this group. I have questions and no answers.

My first awareness of osteoarthritis was in 2014 when I was told my should pain was due to bone spurs, no cartilage, and osteoarthritis. That same year, in December I had my first shoulder replacement. Everything seemed fine for a while then in 2019 I started having problems with my hips. In the past two years, I have had three other joints replaced: both hips and the other shoulder. No one in my family has osteoarthritis or has had any joints replaced. I am not overweight, never have been, and I eat healthily. In fact, other than the joint replacements I am healthy. The only thing my orthopedic surgeon could attribute this to is my contraction of Lyme disease in 2018 and the double dose of steroid treatments that followed. I'm curious if any others have this experience.

[Happyrosie]

I’d be surprised that a dose of steroids could cause osteoarthritis - but who knows? Arthritis is such a common condition.Speaking for myself, I’ve fortunately not had any joint replacements as yet though have suffered with arthritis for some 25 years.

The treatment I was given is pain relief, exercise and diet. By diet I mean eating well, cooking from scratch with plenty of vegetables. Some people find that rubbing gels into their skin helps (I don’t!). I’ve tried a Tens machine with no benefit.

[DorsetLady]

I had osteoarthritis way before I was on steroids -and hefty doses for GCA (Giant Cell Arteritis,

My GP (who had an interest in rheumatology) said -most people over the age of 50 have OA, for some it causes pain for others it doesn’t!