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Date: 17.08.2013
From: Shan Duncan

Subject: Help. Boyfriend 21 might have arthritis??

I have no clue about this so Im gonna just see what people here think.

My boyfriend is 21, and for about a year he's had pain. It's started with his knees, he was told was ligimentitits. But in the last month his pain and creaky cracking joints have got worse. He needs to crack his toes, fingers etc. he has been on holiday from work for nearly a fortnight and he says the pain has got bad.

He just made me tea (I'm pregnant) and you could literally hear his legs/knees creak with every step. The symptoms and the noises have literally came full force out of nowhere in the last fortnight. It's actually shocking everytime he moves something cracks. In so worried.

He had a doctors appointment today and he's being referred because the doc says it could be a joint condition but sounds like arthritis. His hands were a bit swollen so he's gettin some sort of cardio referral too?

Also he has a constant temple headache & migraines (he takes beta blockers to ease it) which we were told by a consultant after clear MRI results was caused by a joit condition where his joints in his jaw are too tight. They've said surgery to loosen them will stop the temple headache, which might stop his migraines.

BUT the doc said today it could be arthritis that is causing it.

Basically he is devastated by what he was told, the doctor said arthritis only gets worse, and its worse the younger you get it because you have it longer. I'm expecting our first child in Jan. so any advice anyone can give me will be greatly appreciated. Does it sound like he has arthritis?
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Date: 17.08.2013
From: marlene

Subject: Re: Help. Boyfriend 21 might have arthritis??

Hi Shan, your boyfriend seems to be having a rough time at the moment. Try not to panic wait until he has been seen by a specialists. It sounds like too many people are throwing so much speculation at him. If your boyfriend does have any form of Arthritis it is not the end of the world there is help out there.
I have had Osteoarthritis since my thirties and I am now 62yrs it hasn't stopped me from doing anything. Maybe I do it slower!!
It is a shock when someone suggest arthritis as everyone assumes this is only for old people how wrong they are.
Does your boyfriend have any good pain medication until he has had all his tests? (if not ask GP). I find a nice hot water bottle on the achy joints help. You can buy them cheap on Amazon.
I can't understand why a professional would say its worse when you get it younger as you have it longer. Until these people have done all the test they shouldn't be worrying you.

Keep your chin up and take time to rest as you are having a little one soon (how lovely).
Hope this helps XX
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Date: 17.08.2013
From: Linda Bradley

Subject: Re: Help. Boyfriend 21 might have arthritis??

Hi Shan, as Marlene says, try not to worry. I know its easier said than done. But until he's had all his tests and spoken to the cunsultant no-one knows. There is a lot they can do now too. I know someone who's had it since she was 18, not stopped her doing anything. I found some anti-inflammatories worked for me. Like Ibruprofen, until I was put on medication. Hope this little bit of advice is a help. Take care both.
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Date: 25.08.2013
From: Shan Duncan

Subject: Re: Help. Boyfriend 21 might have arthritis??

Thanks for both your replies. He's been on a massive downer an seems to think his life will be over. To be honest from the way the doctor described it, ie could be on sticks or wheelchair by the time he's 30 etc, I can't blame him. But your replies have helped a lot

He got letter yesterday for a referral for rheumatology. Sometime in the next 12 weeks it says.

He's panicking as his bloods were done on Thursday and the letter dates Friday. I feel so ba for him so much that it makes me cry to thin of the pain he can be in. It seems to have came from nowhere. Plus he hasn't had any pain meds for it as the doctor said he couldn't give him anything until they know what it is. Not really helpful as the pain is making his job unbearable (factory work)

I'll show him this though, hopefully your replies might help him while we wait. Thanks so much xx
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Date: 25.08.2013
From: Colin W

Subject: Re: Help. Boyfriend 21 might have arthritis??

Hi Shan

dont worry to much , there is alot of us here with Rheumatiod Arthritis a long time , myself since mid 90s but the treatment has improved so much in that time & they can control most arthritis so well now

you said his legs/knees creak but that dont always mean its something like RA , my son legs does that & he has fybromyalgia & if you have hypermobile joints dont help either but one thing for sure is that he wont end up cripled & in a wheelchair so dont worry to much

one thing you could try is Ibuprofen from a chemist , its a anti-inflammatory drug & painkiller & if it helps its worth trying
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Date: 25.08.2013
From: Linda Bradley

Subject: Re: Help. Boyfriend 21 might have arthritis??

Hi Shan, don't know what the Dr was thinking telling him that! Fool. As I said earlier and Colin has said too Ibrprofen worked for me. Tell him not to be afraid to take them. Its his body and you do what ever to get by. I even went to to get accupuncture. That helped too. Tell him not to worry. Bless you both.
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Date: 26.08.2013
From: marlene

Subject: Re: Help. Boyfriend 21 might have arthritis??

Hi Shan, of course your boyfriend can have pain meds what is wrong with his GP????
I was given pain meds straight away to cover me until I got a correct diagnoses then they were changed for better ones. NO ONE BUT NO ONE has to be in pain. Go back to the GP with your boyfriend and be more assertive and say you are upset at the amount of pain he is in and if you get no joy go to A&E.
Take care and chin up your boyfriend will get help when he see the correct consultant. X
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