Hello,

I've had achy knees for about a year on and off but most recently it has been continuous, It started when i was driving for long distances. My knees hurt more in the cold, going up and down stairs and in the morning/after resting.

A few weeks ago (when it started to get colder) i had the same symptons in my elbows and a few days ago my wrists were hurting..now i feel like my joints are slowly giving up on me.

Does this sound like arthritis of some kind and is it worth seeing the doctor? My experience of doctors is not good-they always seem afraid to tell you whats wring and just send you to the hospital instead and i don't want to go through that again. Whats the process of diagnosis? Is it worth it?

I'm only 20 and had to give up some sports because i was in so much pain, i'm worried it will effect my career as i'm a musician and need my joints to work!!

Any help at all would make me feel better and not alone!

Holly

It sounds exactly like the symptoms I had, especially if the pain is in joints on both sides of your body. It sounds like rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, but it could be something else too. I would contact your regular doctor, who will check you out, and most likely refer you to a rheumatologist, who deals with all sorts of arthritis.

If it is RA, it's important to catch it early, so that you can head off joint damage. Good luck.

Hi Holly,

Sorry to hear you are in pain and wondering whats wrong. Four years ago my knees were aching all the time, they got worse then my feet, toes, ankles, and elbows were affected. My Fingers and hands were joining in as well, and I couldnt understand what was wrong with me, my doctor said it looked like arthritis, and referred me to a rheumatologist, this is what you will need to do as well. I was diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis four years ago and have spent all this time finding the drug that suits me most. Psoriatic arthritis kicks in usually after you have suffered from psoriasis, and I had this the year before. Have you ever had psoriasis? You may have this kind of arthritis, nobody will be able to tell you until you have bloods and see a consultant. I am on dmards and prednisolone at the moment and waiting to find out if I can take enbrel or remecaide. I see my consultant again in November. My knees are very painful at times and cannot kneel or dance or walk very far, my toes dislocate on walking and life has got pretty miserable at times.:( Mind you, I am 50 and you are only 20, hopefully you will catch things early and get the disease under control. I wish you all the best. Let us know how you are doing.

Ronnie :)

Thank you everyone for reply!

Ronnie i've never heard of psoriasis, i'm not sure what it is??

And Shavefan-yes i forgot to mention but whatever joint is causing me trouble within the next day the other one begins to get painful.

I'e decided that i will go to the doctors tomorrow as even typng this my elbows and wrists are twinging a bit.

Thanks for your help!

Thats ok Holly, good luck with the doctor tomorrow. Psoriasis is a skin complaint, where your skin gets covered in scaly rash.

Ronnie

Got told i do have arthritis but need a blood test to see what type it is?!

I got given Diclomax Retard to take and got reccommended a homeopathic medcine called arsen. alb. Anyone heard of these?

The other thing is that i've heard that after a blood test your blood can sometimes come back clear - does that mean it's not arthritis but something else or does it mean it's a type of arthritis that doesn't show up in your blood?

Confused?!