Hi there

mummyb

Hi everyone, I'm new to this website and just wanted to say how lovely it is to finally find a place where people understand what I'm going through. After a diagnosis of OA about three months ago, I am still learning about what this diagnosis means for me. I have accepted now that my days start off with severe stiffness and pain and that some of the things I have taken for granted, I cannot do as easily, but by far the worst part has been the feeling of isolation as none of my nearest and dearest really understand how painful and restrictive this can be. I'm trying to stay positive and get on with things but this is easier some days than others. Anyway, I look forward to getting to know people and thanks in advance for being there.

Brenda

abfab1963

Im a newbie too Brenda.....PA.

I too find that family dont realise the difficulties I face at home....especially as I am trying VERY hard to keep working.

In have an appt with OT next week...hoping they can help me a bit.

Take care
xx

barbara12

Hi Brenda
A very warm welcome, I too suffer from OA, and it is hard coming to terms with it, but like you say just talking to people that understand is a big help.
I find that reading living with arthur give you so much info, it really helps you understand what is going on, and you are not alone.
You take care and hope to see you posting more very soon.
Barbara xx

mummyb

pixyandfaries wrote:

hi brenda ,have i said hi to you already some,where!? :shock:

Hi, yes you did say hi already, a double welcome from you. Thanks for being so friendly.

mummyb

abfab1963 wrote:

Im a newbie too Brenda.....PA.

I too find that family dont realise the difficulties I face at home....especially as I am trying VERY hard to keep working.

In have an appt with OT next week...hoping they can help me a bit.

Take care
xx

Hi there abfab, thanks for your warm welcome. I hope your appointment with the OT goes well next week. I had an OT appointment recently and she gave me some splints to support my wrists. They're a bit ugly but they really do help.

I too am continuing to work full time. I love my job but its hard to get moving some days. My employers have been very understanding this far and I'm very grateful for that.

I look forward to getting to know people better. Everyone seems really friendly.

Best wishes
Brenda

frogmorton

Hi Brenda

I am very pleased to meet you.

If you are looking for understanding then tis is the place for you

If you're looking for support - then this is the place too.

Sometimes the family are too close for us to burden them and we feel we moan too much. here you can say what you want (so long as it's not nasty to each other ) without feeling like you will upset anyone.

Glad you are here - even if it DOES mean you got the greaded arthur.

Love

Toni xx

mummyb

barbara12 wrote:

Hi Brenda
A very warm welcome, I too suffer from OA, and it is hard coming to terms with it, but like you say just talking to people that understand is a big help.
I find that reading living with arthur give you so much info, it really helps you understand what is going on, and you are not alone.
You take care and hope to see you posting more very soon.
Barbara xx

Thanks for your warm welcome Barbara12. I feel like I'm learning so much already. everyone seems very friendly and I look forward to getting to know people better.

Please can you tell me, is it usual to experience pain everyday with OA. My painkillers do help but never take it away completely, just make it more bearable.

I hope you are keeping well. Thanks again for your welcome.
Best wishes
Brenda

dorcas

Hi Brenda! welcome to the forum from me too.

It's not easy living with arther and the constant pain but at least you know you are not alone! this is a great community of people always ready to provide support and advice.

It's also great to take 'time out' on the chit chat zone and forget about arther for a while and share a few laughs. there are some mad things that go on in there....! but it's all good fun and you will be made very welcome if you jump in. x

hope to see you around the forum soon.

Iris x

mummyb

frogmorton wrote:

Hi Brenda

I am very pleased to meet you.

If you are looking for understanding then tis is the place for you

If you're looking for support - then this is the place too.

Sometimes the family are too close for us to burden them and we feel we moan too much. here you can say what you want (so long as it's not nasty to each other ) without feeling like you will upset anyone.

Glad you are here - even if it DOES mean you got the greaded arthur.

Love

Toni xx

Hi Toni

Thanks very much for your lovely welcome, its so reassuring to know there are people heer. I feel so happy to have taken the plunge and joined in. everyone has been great and I'm learning so much from everyones expreriences. Thanks again for your welcome.

Best wishes
Brenda

barbara12

Hi Brenda
The pain can be there most days,mine is in my hips knee and back, I do have some really good days, I dont know why, it doesn't seem to be anything I do different.
Being on here has taught me how complex arthur can be, i try not to take my meds everyday, depending on how I feel.
What I have found is that exercise is good, it keeps the joints moving and frees them up, you have to listen to your body, at the moment I am trying to get my gp to refer me to a rheumy to explain more.
You take care
Barbara xx

mummyb

dorcas wrote:

Hi Brenda! welcome to the forum from me too.

It's not easy living with arther and the constant pain but at least you know you are not alone! this is a great community of people always ready to provide support and advice.

It's also great to take 'time out' on the chit chat zone and forget about arther for a while and share a few laughs. there are some mad things that go on in there....! but it's all good fun and you will be made very welcome if you jump in. x

hope to see you around the forum soon.

Iris x

Hi there Iris

Thank you for your lovely warm welcome. everyone has been lovely and very supportive. Its a lovely feeling just to know that people are there who understand. I'll have a look on chit chat as you recommend and have a look at the fun going on there. Thanks again for being so nice.

Best wishes
Brenda

dachshund

Hi Brenda and abfad.
i'm pleased you've found this forum.
the people on here are kind and helpfull
so any problem we hope will be sorted out.
enjoy yourselves.
joan xx

dippydoodah

Hi Brenda
Welcome to the Forum, sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I am in the same situation as you also. I got my diagnosis of Generalized OA in February this year and Im just getting my head around it and still learning.

I understand about the family not quite understanding, whilst mine are supportive it has taken them a while to see how bad things can be for me sometimes. I hope you find the understanding and support you need from your family and friends but you have come to the best place here, Ive found it very informative and it has helped me so much and everyone is so friendly.

Nice to meet you.
Caroline x

mummyb

dachshund wrote:

Hi Brenda and abfad.
i'm pleased you've found this forum.
the people on here are kind and helpfull
so any problem we hope will be sorted out.
enjoy yourselves.
joan xx

Thank you so much for your kind welcome. I am looking forward to getting to know people. Everyoone has been very kind and I really appreciate it. Its so good to receive such a warm welcome and to feel so wanted.

Best wishes
Brenda

mummyb

dippydoodah wrote:

Hi Brenda
Welcome to the Forum, sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I am in the same situation as you also. I got my diagnosis of Generalized OA in February this year and Im just getting my head around it and still learning.

I understand about the family not quite understanding, whilst mine are supportive it has taken them a while to see how bad things can be for me sometimes. I hope you find the understanding and support you need from your family and friends but you have come to the best place here, Ive found it very informative and it has helped me so much and everyone is so friendly.

Nice to meet you.
Caroline x

Hi Caroline

Thank you so much for your lovely welcome and words of comfort. I do have a lovely family and they are very supportive but they're not quite there yet in understanding just how this ailment makes you feel or the levels of pain involved. They're used to me being in control and taking csre of everyone else, its taking them a bit of time to realise that I can't always be there for everyone all the time at the moment. But they are very good and I don't know what we would have done at Christmas without my elder daughters. Thankfully they took over and we had a lovely time, which made it specil for my youngest two. And my hubby, bless him is worth his weight in gold, he's a darling and looks after me well. I can't help feeling that I'm putting on them all though and we all still seem to br adjusting to this.

I'm so glad I plucked up the courage to join the forum as everyone has been lovely and its so nice to know that others totally understand. I'm looking forward to getting to know people better. Thanks agsin for your kindness. Best wishes, Brenda

skezier

Hi Brenda,

A welcome from me as well Sorry I am late seeing you but I also have a fair bit of oa, its not funny is it?

I think staying positive is a good one, Legs always says think of what you can do rather than what you used to do and she was right on that I found.

Hey isolation I do know :roll: your not now though cus you found this lot and they are so good at helping when your down, encouraging you and answering questions when you need as well. I promise you one thing though, with the right meds it gets easier. You will find your way to live with in the confines the bones put on you........ or so they tell me Take care and nice to meet you. Cris x

joyful164

Hello Brenda

You will find lots of advise on here. Most of us have had similar problems plus plenty more besides. The worst thing is finding the best pain relief for yourself.

At first I thought I just had Psoriatic Arthritis and then I was told I had Rheumatoid Arthritis. A year after that diagnosis, I was quite ill and there followed a period of such pain and immobility, I could hardly walk at all. Then Polymyalgeria Rheumatica was diagnosed to go with the others and now, I am told I have OA aswell.
So there is a lot to take in. If at any time you yourself are confused, then the helpline may be able to help aswell.
If you want to get away from all the pain and problems, then we can sit down in the cafe and eat non fattening cream cakes any time of the day or night.
See you sometime

Joy

dippydoodah

Hi Caroline

Thank you so much for your lovely welcome and words of comfort. I do have a lovely family and they are very supportive but they're not quite there yet in understanding just how this ailment makes you feel or the levels of pain involved. They're used to me being in control and taking csre of everyone else, its taking them a bit of time to realise that I can't always be there for everyone all the time at the moment. But they are very good and I don't know what we would have done at Christmas without my elder daughters. Thankfully they took over and we had a lovely time, which made it specil for my youngest two. And my hubby, bless him is worth his weight in gold, he's a darling and looks after me well. I can't help feeling that I'm putting on them all though and we all still seem to br adjusting to this.

I'm so glad I plucked up the courage to join the forum as everyone has been lovely and its so nice to know that others totally understand. I'm looking forward to getting to know people better. Thanks agsin for your kindness. Best wishes, Brenda [/quote]





Hi Brenda
Your very welcome. It sounds like you have a wonderful support system which is great for helping and coming to terms with all this. I am in the exact same situation. I have a wonderful husband who helps with our children and takes over for me when Im having a bad time without a single complaint but I have always been the one who looks after my little family, looking after the house and the children and its hard to let go of the control sometimes. My hubby does have to shout at me at times to get me to stop doing something when he knows its hurting me but Im too stubborn to sit down :oops: I feel lazy which I know is wrong and I need my rest at times but Im so used to being so active and hate sitting around. I guess its something we all have to get used to. Its not just me who has adjusted my life, its my husband and kids aswell and it affects them just as much which makes me feel guilty sometimes but he is so reassuring and kind about it all, he always puts my mind at rest.

It sounds like you have that same support system from your family but I know sometimes it helps to talk to someone who's going through the same thing.

If you ever want to talk to someone who understands this is the best place or you can always message me too.

Caroline x

valval

hi brenda it does take a while to get your head around all this but well will be here if you need us . it does get better so stick with it good luck val

mummyb

skezier wrote:

Hi Brenda,

A welcome from me as well Sorry I am late seeing you but I also have a fair bit of oa, its not funny is it?

I think staying positive is a good one, Legs always says think of what you can do rather than what you used to do and she was right on that I found.

Hey isolation I do know :roll: your not now though cus you found this lot and they are so good at helping when your down, encouraging you and answering questions when you need as well. I promise you one thing though, with the right meds it gets easier. You will find your way to live with in the confines the bones put on you........ or so they tell me Take care and nice to meet you. Cris x

Hi Cris

Thank you so much for your lovely warm welcome, I'm so pleased to have taken the plunge and finally joined up to the forum, I've been overwhelmed by the fantaastic support I've received and can see that this is a really good place to be. Thanks for your wise words and I especially walue the advice to stay positive and concentrate on what can be achieved rather than what I can't do anymore. I'm looking on this as a bit of a challenge and am just trying to get on with things, its harder some days than others. Since joining the forum I already feel much more positive about it all. Its very difficult to explain to family snd friends how exactly I'm feeling, but here I don't feel have to explain at all cios everyone aklready understands, its fab.

Well its been lovely to meet you, thanks again for your lovely welcome. I hope you are well at the mo.

Best wishes
Brenda

mummyb

pixyandfaries wrote:

we is a loverly lots on here we is do come over to chit chat and join us mad lot in the cafe some time, your welcome anywheres on the site

good job we got lubly hubbys aint it

You certainly are, I've been overwhelmed by the welcome I've received, you've been especially nice. Lovely to meet you.

Best wishes
Brenda

mummyb

dippydoodah wrote:

Hi Caroline

Thank you so much for your lovely welcome and words of comfort. I do have a lovely family and they are very supportive but they're not quite there yet in understanding just how this ailment makes you feel or the levels of pain involved. They're used to me being in control and taking csre of everyone else, its taking them a bit of time to realise that I can't always be there for everyone all the time at the moment. But they are very good and I don't know what we would have done at Christmas without my elder daughters. Thankfully they took over and we had a lovely time, which made it specil for my youngest two. And my hubby, bless him is worth his weight in gold, he's a darling and looks after me well. I can't help feeling that I'm putting on them all though and we all still seem to br adjusting to this.

I'm so glad I plucked up the courage to join the forum as everyone has been lovely and its so nice to know that others totally understand. I'm looking forward to getting to know people better. Thanks agsin for your kindness. Best wishes, Brenda

Hi Brenda
Your very welcome. It sounds like you have a wonderful support system which is great for helping and coming to terms with all this. I am in the exact same situation. I have a wonderful husband who helps with our children and takes over for me when Im having a bad time without a single complaint but I have always been the one who looks after my little family, looking after the house and the children and its hard to let go of the control sometimes. My hubby does have to shout at me at times to get me to stop doing something when he knows its hurting me but Im too stubborn to sit down :oops: I feel lazy which I know is wrong and I need my rest at times but Im so used to being so active and hate sitting around. I guess its something we all have to get used to. Its not just me who has adjusted my life, its my husband and kids aswell and it affects them just as much which makes me feel guilty sometimes but he is so reassuring and kind about it all, he always puts my mind at rest.

It sounds like you have that same support system from your family but I know sometimes it helps to talk to someone who's going through the same thing.

If you ever want to talk to someone who understands this is the best place or you can always message me too.

Caroline x[/quote]

Hi Caroline

Thank you so much for your kind words and support, It means a lot to me.

Best wishes
Brenda

mummyb

joyful164 wrote:

Hello Brenda

You will find lots of advise on here. Most of us have had similar problems plus plenty more besides. The worst thing is finding the best pain relief for yourself.

At first I thought I just had Psoriatic Arthritis and then I was told I had Rheumatoid Arthritis. A year after that diagnosis, I was quite ill and there followed a period of such pain and immobility, I could hardly walk at all. Then Polymyalgeria Rheumatica was diagnosed to go with the others and now, I am told I have OA aswell.
So there is a lot to take in. If at any time you yourself are confused, then the helpline may be able to help aswell.
If you want to get away from all the pain and problems, then we can sit down in the cafe and eat non fattening cream cakes any time of the day or night.
See you sometime

Joy

Hi Joy

Thank you so much for your lovely welcome, oh gosh it sounds like you have/are still? having such an awful time and yet you still care enough about others to make them feel welcome. Thank you for this it means so much to know that other people are out there who understand, I'm so glad I found this place.

Stay strong and thanks again, best wishes
Brenda

mummyb

valval wrote:

hi brenda it does take a while to get your head around all this but well will be here if you need us . it does get better so stick with it good luck val

Hi Val

Thank you so much for your kind words, everyone has been lovely here and I'm overwhelmed by the support I've received. Thank you so much for being there, its such a comfort.

Best wishes
Brenda

hileena111

Hi and welcome to the forum.
Sorry I'm so late finding this.......I've got OA in hips and ankle....The best thing is to try and pace yourself and be positive like you say....things you CAN do not things you CANT.
I'm just getting over a hip replacement so am not doing the "pace yourself" thing LOL I expect to be able to do more and then suffer for it. But keep coming back ...this is the place you'll get the answers. As for friends and family......I dont think anyone who doesnt have arthur really understands it......They can be supportive....I have a fantastic supportive husband but even then not sure that he realises.
Arthritis Care have lots of booklets....why not get some of those and try and get your family to read them or leave them lying about.
They are free. I used to be a volunteer for Arthritis Care and one of my jobs was to make sure the local docs and local hospitals were well stocked with these...if not I had to order more and take them there and find a stand to put them in. Love Hileena

mummyb

hileena111 wrote:

Hi and welcome to the forum.
Sorry I'm so late finding this.......I've got OA in hips and ankle....The best thing is to try and pace yourself and be positive like you say....things you CAN do not things you CANT.
I'm just getting over a hip replacement so am not doing the "pace yourself" thing LOL I expect to be able to do more and then suffer for it. But keep coming back ...this is the place you'll get the answers. As for friends and family......I dont think anyone who doesnt have arthur really understands it......They can be supportive....I have a fantastic supportive husband but even then not sure that he realises.
Arthritis Care have lots of booklets....why not get some of those and try and get your family to read them or leave them lying about.
They are free. I used to be a volunteer for Arthritis Care and one of my jobs was to make sure the local docs and local hospitals were well stocked with these...if not I had to order more and take them there and find a stand to put them in. Love Hileena

Hi Hileena

Thank you for your lovely message and your warm welcome. Your advice about the leaflets was good and I've already had a look at them, they do explain things in some detail. I'll ask my lot to read them, it might give them some insight into whats going on. It sounds like you are going through it at the mo, best wishes to you and I hope you make a speedy recovery. Thanks again for your warm welcome,, best wishes, Brenda