RA and OA are NOT NOT NOT the only kinds of arthritis. Arthritis can start at ANY age from before birth to just before you die. Janet, what they are telling you is just plain stupid. Not ridiculous, stupid.
They think I have some atypical form of psoriatic arthritis and/or reiter's (another type of arthritis) or some other kind of arthritic disease. There are a LOT of new treatments for arthritis and immune diseases. Some of the biologic medicines are MIRACLES for the right patients. I have tried 2 and not had much luck with them, but I know people who were given their lives back by them.
Finding the right medication for arthritis is as much an art as finding the right psychiatric medication combo is for a child. But they can work miracles if you find the right medications.
It is very very common for patients to NOT absorb/understand/remember what they hear in doctor's offices. Being in pain makes this much much worse, so it is no wonder that your husband comes home with mixed up info, crazymama. My pain doctor encourages people to take notes and if writing is a problem he has been known to either write it himself or get a nurse to come take notes for a patient. It is a very good idea to double check what your husband tells you about the appts. heck, my husband has few medical problems and I still have to go with him if I want a problem taken care of. he just won't remember to ask, even if I write it down. Or he won't remember what they say. he had a mole taken off recently that was really BAD. It would not have been seen if I hadn't gone and asked. I even circled it with a sharpie before the appointment so that he couldn't say I asked about the wrong one (he is a moley kind of guy, lol). It was cancerous but we got it before it spread or got too deep. It was just luck. But even with no substantial problems he gets what the doctor said all mixed up.
Is there any way your husband could take a recorder to his doctor appts so you could hear what they say during the entire thing with-o having to call later? I have an aunt who started this with one of her ex's because she couldn't always go and the doctor got impatient when he had to take time out the day after each appointment to speak to her. Not saying that your husband's doctor minds, but it might help keep things really clear if you had the recording.
I hope he gets some REAL help and they can fix the problem with his joints quickly.
(((((hugs)))))