Arthritis - is that what I've got? At 35? And is anything to be done?

[brawhen]

I think I've got arthritis?? Is this likely at 35, or some other explanation?

On both hands, I've got aches in my thumb joints (right down to base), and also in bottom two knuckles of my first fingers. They are a bit stiff, and worse if I've used them a lot. It's worse some days than others. I have quite a computery job, but it's not associated with lots of typing. It seems worse in damp weather (!). It's bad enough on a bad day that I can't get to sleep or wake up sore in the night.

I've been putting ibuprofen gel on. Should I be going to GP and seeking something better, or is it just something you put up with?

I've also got similar but milder in the joints of my big toes.

(In retrospect it's been going on for a few years I think, though is definitely noticably worse now. I remember mentioning it to a GP about 5 yrs ago (appointment was about something else but wondered if it was connected - she didn't pick up on it). Also had sore hands in both pregnancies - had some carpal tunnel probs at end of first pregnancy and I think had put the sore fingers down to that, but in retrospect think it was separate.)

Help! Imagine what I'll be like at 65...

Am googling arthritis as result of pregnancy...

I'd go and see the GP for them to check it out. They can do blood tests for most types of arthritis.

I am 38y and have psoriatic arthitis. Was diagnosed this summer and now under the hospital and having various meds to try and help it. Mine is linked to psoraisis which I have had since being a teen.

Sounds like osteoarthritis if anything. Rheumatoid doesn't usually affect the base of the thumb and tends to go into remission in pregnancy or start post-delivery, not start during pregnancy. Probably worth seeing your GP but be warned, blood tests do not diagnose or rule out rheumatoid.

Now I'm scaring myself that I've got Rheumatoid arthritis and haven't done anything about it. Anyone?

See your GP. It doesn't sound like rheumatoid but not enough information given here. However, early diagnosis and treatment=best outcome. Good luck!

I've had rheumatoid arthritis since I was 16. Stiffness usually eases with activity . Your experience sounds the opposite. Gels do not work. if you want to see if ibuprofen helps, take it in tablet form. But if you are worried, just see a doctor.

almost certainly osteoarthritis.

I suffered exactly the same symptoms a few years ago at the age of 40ish. GP was crap and just said its osteo, take analgesics and live with it.

As my thumbs are vital to my business I decided to do something about it and did an extensive web researchsession and found a cure!!!

One month b4 I had read article that said all men around 40yr old should drink 250ml of tomato juice to ward off prostate cancer. I found a website saying that 4 foods can trigger osteoarthritis attacks and tomatoes are the main one!
I stopped drinking it and within a week the symptoms and pain had gone!
Now I have to limit my intake of said food or it flairs up again the following day but I can live with it.

The four foods were

1. Tomatoes
2. Strawberries
3. Oranges and citrus fruit
4. Dairy produce (milk, yoghurt, cheese, cream, ice cream)

Try eliminating one at a time and see if it helps. It worked wonders for me.

Good Luck.

Do go your GP. Don't let him/her get away with saying 'You'll just have to learm to live with it' like my GP did.

You are way to young to put up with this without having some proper advice on how to manage it. Many people use alternative medicines/treatments to manage their arthritis, my parents do, but I don't. I was diagnosed in my early 40s, and can't accept 'having to live with it' as it affects every aspect of my life as mine is in my hands too.

I try and have a healthy diet with plenty of beans and pulses as this is supposed to help. I use a lot of ginger in my cooking as that is supposed to help too. I wear fingerless gloves a lot of the time when my hands are aching and full gloves when outside in autumn, winter and when cold in the spring. When my hands are warm, they ache less, I have been known to put them in a bowl of hot water when they really ache!

I saw a consultant and was prescribed a Disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (which seems to help quite a bit) and a pain killer of which I talk a regular, but low dose. I've been on these for about 5 years now and they control the pain and swelling quite well.

I know that many people are keen not to go down the prescription drug route, I don't share that view for a couple of reasons. I want to delay the onset of very serious symptoms, such as hand deformation, as my grandmother had this and it made her life very difficult. Also I have a young daughter and its important that my arthritis doesn't affect her life.

There are lots of things this could be for me my MCTD started in my thumbs and I am one of the bizarre people whose immune mediated disease started in pregnancy ( I've got a really screwed immune system). However, last December I thought I was having an MCTD flare got my meds etc got better, but bloods were normal. Immunologist thought it was viral arthritis, but now 10 months down the line it looks like it was related to carpal tunnel syndrome.
So really the GP is the best person to look, feel and manipulate then give a diagnosis.

Thanks everyone. I'm going to try and see the GP this week and will be fairly pushy to get it investigated.

I saw the GP yesterday. I think it went quite well. He took the time to listen etc, and had a good prod of my hands. Talked through family history, my history etc.

He doesn't think it is RA - though not dismissive - eg said he would not rule it out completely. He said there was a possibility it could be some kind of 'hand strain' rather than arthritis.

We agreed that (1) would do full set of blood tests (were done same morning in surgery), (2) I will take ibuprofen 3x day for a month and try to keep hands warm (fingerless gloves etc) for full month to try and blitz any inflamation, (3) I will see same guy for an appointment after the month is up (booked in before I left)

For anyone else reading this in a similar situation, I am really glad that I went to GP. Yesterday morning I was having trouble picking up full cup of tea, and pushed buggy to surgery with my elbows as my hands hurt. As posters said above - has to be taken seriously as I it's not just my own life that will be affected.

Sounds like a good approach from your GP. Best of luck.

Hi, Hope you have have good results back from the blood tests. I suffer with psoriatic arthritis so know how simple tasks can be a struggle. If you are still having problems after the month make sure you do pursue it, it took them a long time to diagnose my condition.

If any of you feel hearing someones account of life with arthritis I have a blog which you may find helpful. Feel free to take the link from my profile.

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