Hi Everyone,
I have an X-ray report and it sates I have mild and moderate osteoarthritis in my hands and feet. Is osteoarthritis common with PSA and also I recall from watching a YouTube video that was posted here by Dr.Arvind of Royal Free Hospital… that sometimes osteo can be misread and sometimes sonogram is better? Should I be requesting more X-rays of other joints that are problems too? I’ve also been told over the years I have calcium build up,deposits…is this common?
Our son has signs of osteo in his feet. We found this out through X-rays when he was 16. He has complained of back pain over the past few years too…I’m thinking we should do a follow up for him too? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated 
Thanks,
Tara
One of our members here was misdiagnosed with osteoarthritis for years, and quite a few joint replacements. Can you ask for these to be reviewed again, ideally by a specialist? And osteo at 16? That definitely requires a second reading.
Thank you Stoney! I agree and my son has feared being sick like me 
actually Both my kids stress about having arthritis as its been hard on them watching me flare over the years. He is 6’3" and we believed it was growing pains over the years…his back mostly. He has bunions on both feet…that was the reason for the X-rays. I think I will talk to our family doctor and get a referral to my rheumy in the city. I must say it would break my heart if he had it!!
I'm assuming you are in BC Tara??? I'd contact Seenie -= shes on this site (or she may be checking in) OA in a 16 year without injury is just not smelling right. In any event the worlds leading clinic for this stuff is in Toronto (I believe). I know its a long ways away but its a beautiful train ride..... BC has a fairly liberal provincial insurance. Talk to Seenie (she knows the ropes) about how to get your Boy in. With a family History, its doubtful its OA especially with Spinal Problems sounds like the start of PsA (spondylitis type) He is at the exact right age (17 - 18) for that to start. I know there are some good/greta docs in the Vancouver area. i just don't know who. You need a pediatric specialist to tell you what I hope it is - nothing but a big misunderstanding
Hi Lamb,
My doctors name is on my profile, she works for the arthritis center of Canada and linked to the Mary Pack arthritis center. Wow I’m kind of sad and stressed now but will get our son in for some follow ups. He is currently home as he had some strange internal bleeding this past fall and had transfusions…it was scary stuff but they never did find out why. He had every internal test possible…could this be linked? I will talk to Seenie. Yes we are in BC. Thanks again!!
tntlamb said:
I’m assuming you are in BC Tara??? I’d contact Seenie -= shes on this site (or she may be checking in) OA in a 16 year without injury is just not smelling right. In any event the worlds leading clinic for this stuff is in Toronto (I believe). I know its a long ways away but its a beautiful train ride… BC has a fairly liberal provincial insurance. Talk to Seenie (she knows the ropes) about how to get your Boy in. With a family History, its doubtful its OA especially with Spinal Problems sounds like the start of PsA (spondylitis type) He is at the exact right age (17 - 18) for that to start. I know there are some good/greta docs in the Vancouver area. i just don’t know who
Its the The Psoriatic Arthritis Clinic at Toronto Western Hospital. I'm not trying to be dramatic or scary, we (as a society) just don't take kids "problems" serious enough thinking they will out grow it. An yhea his previous problems COULD be related. There is all kinds of gut issues with PsA (and other soft tissue including heart and lungs) The good news is kids usually DO get a pass for a while in their twenties....
As I recall there was a Linda Li at Pack who published quite a bit several years ago. I believe she was rehab/Pt. Good stuff. Its probably a good place to start.
Lamb I also for got to add they did look at his back and said he has slight scoliosis of the spine and believed this was the issue with his back. I have an uncle back east who has arthritis of the spine…I really need to know more about my family history. My mother also has arthritis and her hands are all crippled. She told me they said it was Osteo however she has not been proactive with treatment or follow ups. I also have a cousin who’s daughter has juvenile arthritis…
Thanks Lamb I will totally be looking into our sons health issues further.
Yep Lamb you’re absolutely right! I guess scared is not really what I’m feeling but more over whelmed now! He also was sent for tests on his heart years back as the doctor thought he had a possible heart issue. Unreal…thanks so much for your feedback!
Did I hear someone mention my name? LOL! And yes, Stoney, that would be me. 
TaraLynn, most radiologists are generalists, and in my experience, they label anything that looks like joint deterioration as OA. My knees were OA. They were both replaced. My hips were mild–to-moderate OA at the time that I got my PsA diagnosis (which came about because I had foot erosions). I questioned the OA-thing repeatedly, to the point where my GP got fed up and told me that “You can have both OA and PsA, you need to stop worrying so much.” My hips were said to be OA, mild at the time.
When my hip went from mild to severe in one year (while my rheumie experimented with this 'n that) I ended up seeing my surgeon. I asked him whether the damage looked like OA to him. He said that, from the x-rays, it looked inflammatory to him. PsA. This was borne out when I lost nearly 2 litres of blood in surgery because the hip was so inflamed. (I never really understood this until Dr. Arvind Kaul explained how that happens in the PsA lecture.)
At about the same time, I went to the PsA Clinic at Toronto Western for a second opinion. They said that my disease is severe, and that the knees, hips and feet are all PsA damage. I will be having my other hip replaced soon. (The other hip is a story on its own.)
So, in my uneducated but (sadly) experienced opinion, the bottom line is: if you have PsA (or any other kind of inflammatory auto-immune arthritis in your genetics) question the OA readings – OA is a garbage-can diagnosis. And teenagers don’t get “OA” for no reason. Ask for a referral to Pack for your son. I’m also thinking that a referral to an orthopedic surgeon specializing in feet might be a good idea. In this neck of the woods, it can take a very long time to get in to see one of those. Be pro-active. It can take a relatively long time to get a diagnosis and, if it is PsA or similar, it can take just as long to find something to control it. This disease usually works slowly, but once there’s damage, it can’t be reversed. Never mind being nice.
Thank you Seenie I’m sorry to hear you have gone through so much and I know the road is a long one because I use to argue with my doctor in my late 20’s when he said I was to young to have arthritis and then another doctor sent me to see my now rheumy. My GP does not have the knowledge but he has totally been a wonderful doctor and in a way I guess he is learning by having me as a patient too. Today the nurse called me and said my blood test came back and my inflammatory levels were down…she processed to say I guess the MTX is working? Ummm news flash…my levels have only been high a few times in my years of being sick and even with a foot that was totally swollen with sausage toes…my level was down so?? Yep it’s frustrating that the ones treating you don’t have the knowledge…I was also told the mtX was impacting my iron levels, I mentioned this to my rheumy and she said who told you that? I said the nurse and she informed me it was the disease not the MTX…so I can’t assume the ones treating me locally know because they don’t. I now follow up and inform them after seeing my rheumy. Seenie I’m sorry for all that you have gone through and I’m thankful that you share your information because not knowing what is going on is hard enough but knowing the ones treating you have a lack of knowledge…well that makes one have to research and advocate for themselves. Again thank you 
Seenie said:
Did I hear someone mention my name? LOL! And yes, Stoney, that would be me.
TaraLynn, most radiologists are generalists, and in my experience, they label anything that looks like joint deterioration as OA. My knees were OA. They were both replaced. My hips were mild–to-moderate OA at the time that I got my PsA diagnosis (which came about because I had foot erosions). I questioned the OA-thing repeatedly, to the point where my GP got fed up and told me that “You can have both OA and PsA, you need to stop worrying so much.” My hips were said to be OA, mild at the time.
When my hip went from mild to severe in one year (while my rheumie experimented with this 'n that) I ended up seeing my surgeon. I asked him whether the damage looked like OA to him. He said that, from the x-rays, it looked inflammatory to him. PsA. This was borne out when I lost nearly 2 litres of blood in surgery because the hip was so inflamed. (I never really understood this until Dr. Arvind Kaul explained how that happens in the PsA lecture.)
At about the same time, I went to the PsA Clinic at Toronto Western for a second opinion. They said that my disease is severe, and that the knees, hips and feet are all PsA damage. I will be having my other hip replaced soon. (The other hip is a story on its own.)
So, in my uneducated but (sadly) experienced opinion, the bottom line is: if you have PsA (or any other kind of inflammatory auto-immune arthritis in your genetics) question the OA readings – OA is a garbage-can diagnosis. And teenagers don’t get “OA” for no reason. Ask for a referral to Pack for your son. I’m also thinking that a referral to an orthopedic surgeon specializing in feet might be a good idea. In this neck of the woods, it can take a very long time to get in to see one of those. Be pro-active. It can take a relatively long time to get a diagnosis and, if it is PsA or similar, it can take just as long to find something to control it. This disease usually works slowly, but once there’s damage, it can’t be reversed. Never mind being nice.
P.S
… Need to get a lap top still this typing on my phone is tough!
How do you use it on the phone? Every time I get an email with a reply I click on the reply and it takes me to the website but, there is no box at the bottom to reply to it. I can only read the forums from my phone...
TaraLynn said:
P.S
.... Need to get a lap top still this typing on my phone is tough!
The National Psoriasis Foundation has a great Web Cast I watched a few months back... If you go to this web site you can create an account to view previous web casts and also there is a new one coming up August 20th about Psoriatic Arthritis. He really goes into depth about the many types of Arthritis and how they affect PsA. He talks about all the types of treatments and how you can be diagnosed. https://www.psoriasis.org/events/webcasts
You have to sign in. I’m using an iPhone and if you go to the upper corner of the phone there is a dark box, you click on that and it brings up a list. First I sign in and then go to desk top view. I manage however the chat box also comes up and takes over part of the screen so it’s tough to see what your typing when responding
SublimeAmiga said:
How do you use it on the phone? Every time I get an email with a reply I click on the reply and it takes me to the website but, there is no box at the bottom to reply to it. I can only read the forums from my phone…
TaraLynn said:P.S
… Need to get a lap top still this typing on my phone is tough!
Thank you! I’ll check it out
SublimeAmiga said:
The National Psoriasis Foundation has a great Web Cast I watched a few months back… If you go to this web site you can create an account to view previous web casts and also there is a new one coming up August 20th about Psoriatic Arthritis. He really goes into depth about the many types of Arthritis and how they affect PsA. He talks about all the types of treatments and how you can be diagnosed. https://www.psoriasis.org/events/webcasts