Does this sound like Osteoarthritis?

[Kevin_In_Illinois]

Hello.  I'm 49 years old and relatively active.  I play golf on a regular basis and try to exercise at least a couple times per week.  I have not had any other serious medical problems.

Over the last couple months I've developed pain in my feet and hands.  It started in my feet with the balls of my feet aching and feeling "weak".  Not sure if weak is the right term, but they just didn't feel normal.  Pain is not severe, but has not gone away.  Lately there has been some pain in toes and occasionally down the sole of my foot.  I have also begun having pain in my hands.  Started in the joint at the base of my thumbs, but now I'm noticing it in my finger joints and thumb joint.  I mentioned this to my MD at my annual physical and she felt that it was probably osteoarthritis (mainly due to the fact that there was no redness around the joints).  She didn't order any kind of tests to confirm this diagnosis.  I've also started to notice some tenderness in my elbow joints when resting my elbows on a table, and my knee joints have been a bit stiff and sore after using my exercise bike.  I notice the pain in my feet the most when I first get up in the morning,   It's less noticable as the day goes on.  The hand pain I notice throughout the day.

I have always had an office job, so I'm surprised that my joints would have had enough wear and tear to cause osteoarthritis.  I'm planning to report to my doctor that it's been getting worse.  None of the pain is severe, but it's there every day and I'm concerned based on my age.  Also concerned that it could be something other than arthritis and if so want to get it diagnosed as early as possible.

Based on my description does this sound like osteoarthritis?  Are there any further tests you would recommend?  My only other symptoms are occasional back pain and occasional tenderness around my rib cage.  I have also been diagnosed with diverticulitis, although it doesn't flare up often.

[james_kildare]

I know you must spend some difficult moments, the pain caused by this disease is similar to the pain I had and thanks to God the calm with the pain medication prescribed by a doctor I only recommend you be careful with side effects and prescribed medicines that you findrxonline indicate that we must prevent and always know contraindications.

[brettfavree]

I also suffer from this type of arthritis and my doctor recommended me to take vicodin for pain relief and is not presented its side effect anxiety xanax which put me in findrxonline acquire.

[seachangeau]

Hello Kevin,
good heavens - you actually sound like you have peripheral neuropathy, possibly from vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) poisoning ( a quiet epidemic ) Pain in the bottom of the feet is the classic symptom and it causes arthritic symptoms. late stage you will get very tired and wobbly. Are you taking a multi vitamin with more than the RDI 1.7mg in it?
Depending on the dose it can take years to cause problems.

At any rate if you suspect it the blood test is easy to do ( be careful the sample taken is protected from light and done as soon as possible after stopping your vitamins as the blood level drops quickly but the nerves however take months to years to repair ) The other common cause of odd joint pains in office workers is vitamin D defficiency - also very easy to test for but I'd say the foot pain is the give away symptom.

another caveat if your MD uses the Merck manual the probable toxic dose is set far too high. Visit the b6 toxicity forum on medhelp and see if this sounds like you.
Even 25mg has been reported as causing toxic effects ( 25 mg is nearly 1500%RDI and half the UpperLimit set in Australia and the UK).

[Abhijeet Ghosh]

Dear Friend,
Well am not suspecting osteoarthritis, but another form of arthritis called as Rheumatoid arthritis.But to be dead sure, we need to do a number of blood examinations-which includes ESR, CRP, CCP, RA FACTOR, besides the routine hemogram. In india, blood tests can be done on request of patient itself, but i don't know if same is allowed\accepted in your country.
So get these blood work up done, so that, we can go ahead with the discussion,.
Also along with these tests, i would request you to do a uric acid test done also,
This was about the investigation part only,as till the time we are clear with the reports,we really can't decide about the treatment.
Hence we would discuss furthee,after the results are available.
As a symptomatic treatment,paracetamol 500 mg three times a day,would be sufficient, along with an anta-acid,if you got acidity issues.
Regards

[Kevin_In_Illinois]

I was hoping for a response from a doctor.  The pain is getting worse in my hands and feet and I'm now having some occasional pain in my elbows, knees.  The joints don't really feels stiff, just painful to flex.  I'm also feeling some pain and kind of a numb/weak feeling in my ankles.

Is is common for osteoarthritis to spread quickly like this?  I'm just worried it's something more serious.

Kevin

[Kevin_In_Illinois]

For $5 I was expected a more timely response.