GP registrar and appt about my arthritis

[Wombat27A]

I saw a GP registrar in my first face-to-face GP appointment this week and with wearing a mask too, I think I got misunderstood or something. It's going round in my head and I can't quite work out what's what.

I was diagnosed with hip arthritis back in 2017 and have been managing that but my hands and feet are really sore just now, so I wanted to talk about how best to manage them. My hands and feet have been sore for a few years now, much worse in winter and it affects my driving and mobility. So mgt is important to me.

He told me I'm too young to have arthritis and that some things remain a mystery and a cause is never found.

I have hypothyroidism and roseacea, which are autoimmune issues plus adhd, which can have muscle, soft tissue and joint-related issues too. Plus I take a statin and now hrt...

He's asked for blood tests, so I'm happy about that as it will help with the thyroid and statin medication and also look for inflammatory markers but he's not expecting any to show up.

I'm not wrong to assume it is actually arthritis here, am I? I think I want to go back and point out arthritis is possible at any age but aibu?

If you have been diagnosed with hip arthritis then you aren’t too young! The blood test will be to see if it’s Rheumatoid arthritis I suppose.

I was diagnosed with arthritis (osteoarthritis) in my hands at age 42. X-rays & ultrasound to confirm. (a wait of 9 months for rheumatologist appointment to say they would request ultrasound because it wasn’t rheumatoid, then a further 8 month wait for the ultrasound!) Once confirmed I was discharged back to the GP. Other than anti inflammatory meds/painkillers there isn’t anything they can do. It has started to affect my driving too. I was told to do physio exercises!

Maybe once your blood test results are back book to discuss with another GP?

Not too young. Rheumatoid arthritis can start in your mid twenties. There is a childrens form of arthritis. That doctor was talking twaddle. Good to consider other causes I suppose. I would get your bloods done then maybe discuss with another doctor. It would be helpful if you can submit feedback about that doctor via reception and highlight areas where you felt he caused confusion.

Thanks for the details about what they would do with a referral. Very helpful.

I'm a bit older than 42 but it's been going on for the last 10 years.

Yep, I was wondering about mentioning it to the practice but they're run off their feet and it's a rural area, so they struggle to get staff, so I don't want to add any more aggravation. Otoh, I agree he was talking twaddle!

Are you sure that ADHD is associated with any of the issues that you are experiencing?

I've had inflammatory arthritis since age 30!

The doctor probably means you are too young for osteoarthritis, which is presumably what was meant when someone diagnosed you with "hip arthritis". They will definitely know that inflammatory arthritides (including rheumatoid arthritis but there are many others) can occur at any age. Osteoarthritis can occur young as well but it's uncommon and worth thinking again about whether that diagnosis is correct.

You don't say who diagnosed hip arthritis and on what basis.

Erm, it's one of those things that doesn't help. There is evidence* that you're more likely to have hyper-mobility and other joint and gut issues. But if I start mithering a GP with this sort of thing, they think I'm mad.

Where it really doesn't help is that I can't organise my thoughts when in stress situations like this and start to feel incoherent. Much worse atm, as I'm menopausal.

*I have a background in science, so happy reading research papers.

Hip dx was by a hip surgeon at a specialist orthopedic hospital.

I also think he means you are too young for osteoathritis and has sent you for blood tests to exclude inflammatory arthritis.

However I'm late 40s and have got osteo in my fingers.

I'd get your blood results and then discuss again. If it is osteoathritis, sadly they aren't going to do much except suggest you exercise.

Yep, I think that was what he was saying. It was just some of the phrasing could have been better!

Plus I could have been clearer and it's bothering me and again where adhd isn't helpful is that you don't let things go easily when misunderstood.

I’m early 40s and diagnosed with mild osteoarthritis in one hip via scans. Can happen. He sounds like he didn’t read your file properly and made assumptions.

He needs to read up on arthritis. Yes OA is more common as you get older (because it’s wear and tear) but both OA and RA can be diagnosed younger (I was told I had OA in my hips in my 30s) and RA is most common diagnosed between 40 and 60 in the UK but people as young as 20 get it, plus as pp said there’s a juvenile form. I would consider flagging you that this reg is misinformed because he could cause issues for some patients.

Oh and I started with Osteo in my early 30s.

I've had osteoarthritis in my hip since I was 27!

I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid at 26. (29 now)

It hasn't got much to do with age as it's auto immune condition. GP is an idiot, but I also had an idiot GP. It's a constant battle

Perfectly possible that you have osteoarthritis in your hip.
They should exclude rheumatoid arthritis though because it's very different and is treatable. Without treatment RA would get worse.
OA isn't really treatable other than with pain killer and joint replacement.
I have both kinds. Started with osteoarthritis in fingers age 50.
Diagnosed with RA aged 56.
Now 64 and there have been ups and downs but the RA is well controlled with drugs. The OA has got much worse in ladt 12 months.

Whatever sort it is, keep moving. If the blood tests show nothing inflammatory it's unlikely they will refer you on.

I feel much happier now.

I had another look at the links between hypermobility, joint soreness, etc. again and I've ordered myself a bigger splint for nights, to include my thumbs. Might tape my feet. The once the school holidays are over, I'll start swimming in the local manky pool again.

Thank you all!

Just to add, not saying yours is, but blood tests didn't show anything before my inflammatory arthritis diagnosis. It was along and drawn out process but scans confirmed it. You can be sero negative in RA too.

I was diagnosed with RA at 19 it's a complete myth that you can be 'too young'
Yes it's more likely in older people but it's an autoimmune disease and not linked to age.
Hopefully you are sero positive so markers show up in your blood work which helps with diagnosis.
You can however be sero negative (no blood markers) and still have it but it's harder to diagnose.
I would be asking for a referral to rheumatology although that may take some time to get and actual consult.

I also now have osteoarthritis in my feet due to damage from the RA and I'm now in my 40's

I wear orthotics from an orthotist (referral from podiatry which was a referral from rheumatology) to help with the damage in my feet (reduce further damage and pain) , so yes there is usually something they can do.

You can be sero negative in RA too.
This is true, mine was sero positive to begin with.
When my osteoarthritis is bad it's helped by wearing "arthritis gloves"
I also have tendonitis and tenosynovitis. Don’t know if they are related.

You can however be sero negative (no blood markers) and still have it but it's harder to diagnose.
I would be asking for a referral to rheumatology although that may take some time to get and actual consult.

That's me. I have had rheumatoid arthritis since age 33, but it took 8 years before I saw a rheumatology consultant. She told me that 40 per cent of RA patients are sero-negative. It was 'officially' diagnosed by sending joint fluid from my knees - which were swollen up like balloons.

I'm on methotrexate now, and that drug is marvellous and has enabled me to continue working. At one point I could barely walk. Please keep pushing to see a rheumatology specialist. The GP I saw originally said it was 'hormonal' that my finger joints were so swollen that I couldn't hold a pen.

@anotherbrewplease like you, it took about 8 years to see a consultant. Kept being fobbed off/ being told it was something else etc. Wow - 40%, that's shocked me, so glad you're better now.

OP ask for scans and referral to rheumatology if needed. I'm obviously in the system but I see my consultant next week after not seeing them for a few years!!!!! But apparently here there is a 10 month waiting list for referrals!