OA in both Wrist joints

[Leepeelee]

Hi , I am a 53 year old male, I have had issues with both wrists for about 2 to 3 years now although the first 2 years were masked by steriods that I was taking for a different condition.

In January 2020 I was diagnosed with a condition called PMR, through the process of this diagnosis I have had lots of blood tests, Xrays and scans etc which is when my rheumatologist pointed out that it looks like both wrist and thumb joints are lacking cartilage and that the pains in my wrists were more likely to be due to OA and not related to the PMR.

So, I spent almost 2 years on Prednisolone to manage the PMR symptoms which was tapered gradually as the PMR slowly went away. I completely stopped the medication after a long tapering process and have now been clear of PMR since August 2022.

Since then, both wrists seem to have got a whole lot worse. whenever I over do it with the usage of my wrists, the pain in both wrists increases hugely and I feel very unwell with it. When i say " im over doing it" that is not doing much at all. all I did today was an hour of sweeping on the driveway and it has left me feeling like this.

I have always been very active, I am a manual construction worker so very used to hard work.

Can anyone advise? Does OA pain make you feel unwell as well?

Thanks

Lee

[DorsetLady]

I have had OA for a long time, before, during and after I had GCA [which you will be aware of as you had PMR] - mainly in larger joints.

Although it has been very painful at times [prior to 3 replacement surgeries] can’t say I’ve ever felt unwell with it…

Think it may need further investigation.

Normally I would recommend using Flexiseq cream, but it doesn’t seem to be very useful when you don’t have cartilage and synovial fluid for it to work on…but it might be worth a try - very often on offer in high street chemists, or the online store beginning with A…

[Happyrosie]

along with what Dorset lady says -

Have you been on to the charity Arthritis Action lately, and read up about OA?

Also, an hour’s repetitive work sounds like too long when it hurts.

[Hidden]

Hi Leepeelee

I have been diagnosed with OA from broken thumb bone bits, and worn out thumb joint cartilage (like yourself) .

Also, I have rhuematism in my hands that is unbearable unless I take 750mg glucosamine HCL (hydrochloride, not sulfate) +250mg shark chondroitin twice daily to reduce the pain and restore movement in my hands, and completely getting rid of neck-cracking when I roll over during sleep.

I've not been a construction worker but have pushed myself in sport and manual labour on top of injury and wonder if your feeling unwell after doing relatively light labour is due to pushing through the pain and it's the body's feedback?