I'm too young to have arthritis!

[Gumdrop]

I've just been told by the practice nurse that my blood test has come back positive for arthritis, and I need to have an appointment with the doctor to "manage" this going forward.

I'm 39 F pity'sS and now I feel about 139, and very very low. Anybody out there been through this, and can tell me that I'm just being daft, and it'll make no difference to my life? Please?

Aren't there different types of arthritis? My MIL has always had it since I have known her (met her when she was 51) but it doesn't make a lot of difference to her. Also know of someone who got it as a teenager and is wheel-chair bound. Hopefully yours won't be so severe. How did you find out about it in the first place?

DH was diagnosed at 27

Do you know what kind of arthritis you have?

no-one can tell you your prognosis I'm afraid but it could just be minor impact or none on your life

you will need to find the right medication / treatment programme which can be trial and error and very frustrating

but with any luck you'll be able to manage it with ibuprofen

please don't worry too much

DH has ankylosing spondilitis and psoriatic arthritis by the way

and we've done loads of alternative treatments that I can talk you through if you want

think you need more info from GP first .. find out what your SED (or ESR) rate is .. that's what they'll test the blood for it basically shows level of inflammation in your body

Thanks - I've calmed down a bit now. MIL has severe arthritis, although I don't know the details, and barely manages to hobble around, so I think I was jumping to the conclusion that mine would be the same.

Found out because I was having some pain with my toe joints, so had a blood test done to rule out gout (my, what glamorous ailments). Almost wish it was gout now! Facetious I know.

Better book appointment with GP.

remember just cos someone you know has 'severe' arthritis .. even if a direct family member.. it doesn't mean you will

you may well go through the rest of your life with the odd twinge in your toe

will be here for you whenever you wnat to chat

I was diagnosed as having arthritis at 28. I'm 33 now.

I keep on top of the pain using anti-inflammatory drugs (voltarol).

Provided you keep on top of your medication and take your GP's advice, you should manage well.

a girl at my school had it, she must have been 14 or 15.

I've got a type of rheumatoid arthritis and have had it since I was about 30 (now 41). Although I do get nights when I wake up with sore joints, mostly it doesn't affect my day to day life at all. I'm better if I keep moving, in fact, and have never had time off work with it. I take a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (similar to Voltarol or Nurofen) and another drug which keeps it relatively under control.

If it is only affecting your toes so far, you should be able to keep it at bay. Your doctor will probably refer you to a rheumatologist and organise some Xrays of your toes to see how bad the arthritis has got.

Get to the doctors and get on drugs!!

When I was doing my paediatric placement during my physio training I treated a little girl who wouldn't have been more than about 7.
It does depend on what type of arthritis you have and how quickly it develops or doesn't to how debilitating it can be.
Do try to get a referral to physio while at your gp too as things like hydrotherapy and exercises can sometimes help maintain mobility even if it can't improve it.
All the best

Detoxing can really help - find an iridologist in your area www.gni-international.org who can find out the reason why you are getting the arthritis and treat and probably reverse with natural treatments accordingly. Patrick Holfords book called Beating Arthritis Through Diet is excellent too. You poor thing - best of luck.

I was diagnosed with RA when I was 30 and told I would be in wheelchair in 10 years - well Iam 4 months of 40 and toallty fine except for bad elbow which is controled by steroids every 2 years.

Don't accept diagnosis = diet really makes huge difference, try alternative therapies... they work for me...

what type did they say you had?

Well, it's apparently osteo arthritis, and we've started off with Ibuprofen + review in a month - so can't be too bad. Feel a bit of a fraud now Just had vision of me in MIL type velcro fastening slippers shuffling round house and felt sorry for myself.