how do you manage arthritis

only49

hi just wondering how you all deal with the pain of arthritis? do you take you pain killers as you be prescribed them e.g. 2 every 4 hours no more than 8 in 24 hrs, or just as and when required, or is it a case of sheer stubbornness and painkillers.

I take mine as required as I don't like taking them unnecessary unless I have to, I find heat always helps cold definitely don't,

looks like the weather about to take a turn for the worst it talks about the white stuff grrrr we've had enough poor new born lambs are going to have it tough

bailey27

Hi
I cant manage mine at the moment. I have constant dull achey pain but get mad days / weeks when it is very intense. I am fairly new to it too so amybe with more experience I be able to manage better.
I take painkillers when required as I find when I take at regular intervals they play up my stomach even though I also take omeprazole twice a day.
I find heat always helps and have been known to take a bath several times day! - and today I bought a Homedics massage thingy to go on my chair which is quite nice and relaxing.

jaspercat

Hi, with the help of my gp my pain is well controlled at the moment, I take Tramadol 3 times a day, always in the morning because the aching is quite bad, and everytime I go to bed, I can take my Tramadol 4 times a day if I need to, but they make me drowsy love Jaspercatxx

fayrose

I agree with you only49 and I only take them when I HAVE to. Mind you, when the pain is bad I take probably more than I should do, but hey, how else do you get through a day sometimes.

Good to hear that you are able to decide when to take your painkiller meds and best wishes to you.

Fay x

speedalong

I take my arcoxia as regular as clock work - every morning and if ever I forget - I quickly realise my mistake ...

I take my other pain meds as required - but always before bed. I do sometimes wonder if I would be better taking them regularly - but they are really constipating.

I also use heat pads LOTS (microwaveable ones.) I have used both cabbage leaves and also iboprufen gel on my knee.

Baths help - but are tricky to fit in to my schedule.

Speedalong

kickyloo

I'm not coping very well at this moment. I'm in agony. I'm dosed up and can't take any more until 10.30. The last dose didn't seem to even do anything. I'm strapped up to my TENS machine but its only really tickleing the pain.
To make it worse my hubby is away so feeling very lonely and sorry for myself. Friends and family just don't understand and all they go on about is that I should get on and have a baby ("then I won't have time to be ill" - thanks Mum, yeah I've just got RA coz I've got nothing better to do!)
Still, I'm thankful for my lovely cats and the fact I'm seeing my consultant tomorrow. Maybe he can do something?

valval

well have pain meds but only take them when things bad as do not want them to stop working that my worry that body will become used to them. if i need them i take them as can not walk with out them some days so need them .but on good day do not take them we are all different and so what works for one does not for another i find cold works sometimes but other times need heat

psyart

Hi - I find I have to take some in the mornings, about hour before I think about getting up - normally about 6am, as cant manage otherwise and just lately I have been on them at least twice more during the day! I like most, take them only when I really need to - when the pain gets to me or if I start to feel really tired with the pain (does that make sense?). Some times I have had to take some during the night but only if I really cant sleep!!! Sometime I wonder if I had constant supply of pain killers, then would I feel better but I rattle enough as it is and its taken me a long time to admit that I need to take them on a regular basis!!! I have tried slow release pain killers, for night time, but they gave me migraines?? this happened to anyone else??

think it has to be what suits the individual??

Louise xx

dorcas

At the moment I take tramadol 3/ 4 times a day and amatriptyline at night. Rheumy Doc said better to take these regularly to keep pain at bay as other meds not working just now at controlling arther.

Was on oxycodone too but wasn't happy to take them for very long as it left me with no other options when things got too bad. (if that makes sense)

I was able to reduce the pain killers when the anti tnfs & Mtx were working a year or so ago and was just on codydramol then.

Think it depends on how active arther is and the balance between how effective other meds are at controlling the flares and the pain. So I move back and forth between different pain killers!

everyone's different aren't they?...I go by what rheumy says.

dizzy thinking about it!
Iris x

only49

speedalong wrote:

I take my arcoxia as regular as clock work - every morning and if ever I forget - I quickly realise my mistake ...

I take my other pain meds as required - but always before bed. I do sometimes wonder if I would be better taking them regularly - but they are really constipating.

I also use heat pads LOTS (microwaveable ones.) I have used both cabbage leaves and also iboprufen gel on my knee.

Baths help - but are tricky to fit in to my schedule.

Speedalong

hi speedalong my son autistic as well, i bet life far from boring in your household i love there honesty and the way they see things

dorcas

kickyloo wrote:

I'm not coping very well at this moment. I'm in agony. I'm dosed up and can't take any more until 10.30. The last dose didn't seem to even do anything. I'm strapped up to my TENS machine but its only really tickleing the pain.
To make it worse my hubby is away so feeling very lonely and sorry for myself. Friends and family just don't understand and all they go on about is that I should get on and have a baby ("then I won't have time to be ill" - thanks Mum, yeah I've just got RA coz I've got nothing better to do!)
Still, I'm thankful for my lovely cats and the fact I'm seeing my consultant tomorrow. Maybe he can do something?

Hey kickloo!

sorry you're having such a rotten time with the pain. when's your hubby back?

Friends? Family?....what are they about :!: maybe you should get them some info leaflets on RA and make them read them. :roll:

it's really tough when no-one around you seems to understand...but you always have us lot here on the forum. 8) 8) and we DO understand.

take care lovely...hope you feel bit better sooner than soon. Iris x

dorcas

speedalong wrote:

I also use heat pads LOTS (microwaveable ones.) I have used both cabbage leaves and also iboprufen gel on my knee.


Speedalong

What's wiff the cabbage leaves :?: :shock: :idea:

never heard of that being a treatment....tell us more pleez

Iris x

salsal

cabbage leaves were commonly used to treat mastitis by putting a leaf in each bra cup they are very good at reducing inflammation

blanch a leaf in boiling water for 30 seconds then loosley bandage to site of pain with a loose weave bandage

i use this on my horses if they get knocked or sore

skezier

Salsal,

Thank you cus I was told to wear cabbage in my bra long ago and I just felt he was insane I didn't do it, I kinda smell of so many things I didn't want to add cabbage to the mix Nice to see you Cris x

Hi Sylvia,

Some days I take more than others. For sheep shearing I will be doped to the hilt in advance but usually I just have permanent pain of varying degrees and well the thing I hate the most is it ages me so much :roll:

There are so many combinations and maybe you need to see if something else is better for you? Cris x

speedalong

Hi Only49,

You said,

i bet life is far from boring in your household

How right you are!!!

Thought you might appreciate this tale!
Today we went to the local shopping centre and experimented with S pushing me in a wheelchair .. he was fab!! Needed a bit of help with steering and abandoned me in WHSmiths - but did so well and was very pleased with himself - beauty of it is, we're now home and I'm not knackered! The walk in the carpark was just right for me! I could have had a scooter or a wheelchair today - but went for the wheelchair because I would need to concentrate more in a scooter ... it also meant S was holding on and we were both getting a bit of exercise. Now I know that was successful we can try me in a mobility scooter at the nature park etc which broadens my options for wearing him out a bit in the Easter hols!
I so need my op now!!

Speedalong

only49

speedalong wrote:

Hi Only49,

You said,

i bet life is far from boring in your household

How right you are!!!

Thought you might appreciate this tale!
Today we went to the local shopping centre and experimented with S pushing me in a wheelchair .. he was fab!! Needed a bit of help with steering and abandoned me in WHSmiths - but did so well and was very pleased with himself - beauty of it is, we're now home and I'm not knackered! The walk in the carpark was just right for me! I could have had a scooter or a wheelchair today - but went for the wheelchair because I would need to concentrate more in a scooter ... it also meant S was holding on and we were both getting a bit of exercise. Now I know that was successful we can try me in a mobility scooter at the nature park etc which broadens my options for wearing him out a bit in the Easter hols!
I so need my op now!!

Speedalong

hi speedalong that sounds like great idea to tire the kids out, i had a race with my son today, i was on my scooter and a place that safe for him and me, anyway i said i race you and made a big thing of it like you do, and guess who won me, yeh scooter 1 son 0

speedalong

Hi Only49

hi speedalong that sounds like great idea to tire the kids out, i had a race with my son today, i was on my scooter and a place that safe for him and me, anyway i said i race you and made a big thing of it like you do, and guess who won me, yeh scooter 1 son 0

I'm glad we aren't the most unlikely looking pair out together ... Sounds like you had fun today too.

Speedalong

speedalong

Hi Iris,
I tried cabbage leaves after my friend said her mum had sworn by them. I was a bit dubious, but also desperate for some relief. Looked it up on the internet and cabbage leaves were claimed to be good for inflammation - but how to apply them varied. So I decided to go for the easiest method first and I just put the cabbage leaf on my knee at bedtime, pulled a tubigrip knee bandage over it and went to bed. The knee was the smallest (least swollen) I had seen it in awhile, by morning!!

Speedalong

dorcas

Thanks speedalong,

interesting!

if doesn't do good at least it's not going to do any harm is it?

Irisx

only49

speedalong wrote:

Hi Only49

hi speedalong that sounds like great idea to tire the kids out, i had a race with my son today, i was on my scooter and a place that safe for him and me, anyway i said i race you and made a big thing of it like you do, and guess who won me, yeh scooter 1 son 0

I'm glad we aren't the most unlikely looking pair out together ... Sounds like you had fun today too.

Speedalong

well you have to make boring old shopping fun dont you lol

only49

fayrose wrote:

I agree with you only49 and I only take them when I HAVE to. Mind you, when the pain is bad I take probably more than I should do, but hey, how else do you get through a day sometimes.

Good to hear that you are able to decide when to take your painkiller meds and best wishes to you.

Fay x

hi one thing i learnt time and time again is listen to your body or you will pay for it, and sometimes i dont and thats when i pay for it and need the painkillers, hot baths, and what ever else works, i find keeping the cold weather away from my knees as well.

hileena111

Hi Speedalong
I got a little 2nd hand moboility scooter when arthur was quite bad.....not bad enough to need it all the time...I drive.....but I live in the North East and there is the Metro Center and it is very large.....My daughter convinced me to hire a scooter...I fought my pride and did and saw so much there that I had forgotten was there because I didnt get far normally when I went in. So I bought this scooter.....and now after my hip replacement....They let me out of hospital on Monday and on Saturday I was in the Metro center LOL Peter drove me in...got me on the scooter and then he went into town and to a car boot sale....now he leaves me for about 4 hours and comes back for me.....gives me so much freedom. I still have arthur in my other hip and my ankle.So def. try the scooter....got to admit I dont go outside on mine....Just large shopping malls or car boot sales ...although not in this weather LOL
We will be going away at Easter but just for days so the scooter will be in the car and I'll use it when I need it and just use my stick if I dont need it....I'll still only be 7 weeks post op then so wont be able to walk great distances.
Go for it as far as the scooter is concerned.
Sorry I'm rambling...hope you can figure this post out

Love
Hileena

only49

hileena111 wrote:

Hi Speedalong
I got a little 2nd hand moboility scooter when arthur was quite bad.....not bad enough to need it all the time...I drive.....but I live in the North East and there is the Metro Center and it is very large.....My daughter convinced me to hire a scooter...I fought my pride and did and saw so much there that I had forgotten was there because I didnt get far normally when I went in. So I bought this scooter.....and now after my hip replacement....They let me out of hospital on Monday and on Saturday I was in the Metro center LOL Peter drove me in...got me on the scooter and then he went into town and to a car boot sale....now he leaves me for about 4 hours and comes back for me.....gives me so much freedom. I still have arthur in my other hip and my ankle.So def. try the scooter....got to admit I dont go outside on mine....Just large shopping malls or car boot sales ...although not in this weather LOL
We will be going away at Easter but just for days so the scooter will be in the car and I'll use it when I need it and just use my stick if I dont need it....I'll still only be 7 weeks post op then so wont be able to walk great distances.
Go for it as far as the scooter is concerned.
Sorry I'm rambling...hope you can figure this post out

Love
Hileena

hi i got one that goes in the boot of my car and it comes to bits so you have it with you should you need it, i did not really what to have one as i felt it was making it obvious that i had a problem, so i decided that i had to stop being so silly and go for it, and now i use it when ever i know i going to need it, even hire one when i go away, i would not be without it now, and would miss it if i did not have my scooter, i used to miss out on walks with my son and hubby and now i dont i can join in too

dachshund

Hi Speedalong.
my sister sue and i have cerebral p and i have arther we both have mobility scootas and we go out every day on them taking our dachshunds for a walk they love it they can sit on when they want a rest. i also go to the hydrotherapy pool and we go to the gym we are 69 this year.
joan xx