New to Forum

[Jayhawker]

hello,

I’m new to this group. I hope to learn as much as possible about living with osteoarthritis.

I’m a 70 year old single women from the Inited States. I have been experiencing incredible pain in my left foot/ankle as well as muscle cramping in my keft calf and thigh. Occasionally I also have moderate pain in my left hip.

Initially my medical team thought this was related to some medications I have been taking to address dangerously low white blood cell count and CMV post kidney transplant. (I received a deceased donor kidney last November. The kidney is working very well. What a blessing!)

Because the pain was thought to be related to transplant issues, no X-rays were done until this past Monday after the pain had escalated to a point that I was unable to walk, sit, or lie down without extreme pain. Following the X-rays I was diagnosed with moderate to severe osteoarthritis.

I can’t take many pain medications due to the kidney but am allowed to use Tylenol. I’ve also been using a combination of cold and gear to try to relieve thd pain some. I have a recumbent elliptical machine which I have been able to do two lite 12-minute workouts on daily. (I’m doing these at level 1 out of 10 right now just to try to keep my muscles moving some.) I’m walking with a walker but experience pain while walking or shortly after I stop walking. I’ll begin physical therapy in a few weeks.

Are there other things I can do to manage this pain?

Jayhawker

[lowraind]

I have searched for as much information as I can get for chair yoga. I have severe lower back pain, as well as CKD, Lupus, spinal stenosis, rheumatoid arthritis... I make my search very specific, such as chair yoga for lower back pain, and have found several yoga teachers who have you tube exercises. I find that when I miss a day or two, my pain is much worse. I don't know if that would work for you, but it is worth a try.

[Jayhawker in reply to lowraind]

Thank you, I’ll do some searching to see what I can find.

Jayhawker

[Batty1]

In my opinion OA is always the first thing doctors say when Xray shows inflammation…. How long has this pain been going on?

I use Australian Dream Cream for my Psoriatic Arthritis pains this stuff is wonderful it has helped me through my struggles with pain.

[Jayhawker in reply to Batty1]

The severe pain has been going on about 4 weeks. As I mentioned, I initially thought it was related to some of the medications I’ve been prescribed and using related to my kidney transplant. But the pain has increased significantly over time. The transplant team ordered X-rays. They were done this past Monday.

Thus, this is a very new diagnosis. I’ve asked my primary care physician, who ordered the X-rays, to refer me to a rheumatologist. He didn’t think that specialist would do anything but referred me to physical therapy.

I’m still contemplating contacting the rheumatologist for an appointment to see what she thinks. At a minimum she is more likely to confer an accurate diagnosis and set up an appropriate treatment plan. If this is OA, I want to be sure I know the full extent of the joint damage.

Your comment leads me to think I should seek out a second opinion. Is a rheumatologist the professional you would suggest?

Thank you,

Jayhawker

[Batty1 in reply to Jayhawker]

I would seek out a rheumatologist its not uncommon to develop Arthritis especially after a health issue…. My PSA showed up after I had a thyroidectomy for cancer prior to this I did not pain.

[Jayhawker in reply to Batty1]

Thank you

[Happyrosie]

the British charities who deal with arthritis issues, two of whom are Arthritis Action and Versus Arthritis, have information on their websites which you may find useful.

[Jayhawker in reply to Happyrosie]

Thank you