CONFUSSED

rosyred

Hi everyone
Im just alittle conffudled about this arther i hope u can clear a few things up for me
1st Why is it that it makes u so tired?
2nd Dose anyone else get this feeling like some thing is inside ur legs feeling like poking it?
3rd Got an appointment to see consultant 27th may just wondering what they will do or ask? And how bad have u to be for knee replacements?

4th my knees are getting very hot hot hot, only just started this dont no if its the arther or not ?

Sorry for so many questions i have looked and looked and really cant find the answers
Thk you Alli xxx

dreamdaisy

Hello roseyred, hope I can help.

1. I visualise my arthritis as a gremlin, pus-coloured yellow and spiky, and he feeds on the energy I have to fuel his flares. That is why I get so tired, he's taking my energy for himself.

2. I have PA which started in my left knee in 1997 and my right in 2003. Both of these joints sometimes feel as though a red-hot poker is being pushed thro from one side of the joint to the other. To go to your fourth point, both my knees swell and become very hot: I should ice them to reduce the swelling and heat but I don't bother now because as soon as I stand up and walk to the fridge to replace the bag of 'Daisy's knee peas - not to be eaten' they swell and heat up immediatley. Little buggers.

3. Is this your first consultant appointment? If so start writing down a list of symptoms and their impact on your life. I did this for my first rheumatological appointment and I've just found my list - it says, 'Hot, fat left knee, I cannot walk well, I cannot put any weight on it, I cannot stand still for long, my other leg is taking all the strain, I cannot sleep comfortably, it is very hot. I feel tired all the time, I have little energy, I can no longer ride my bike or dance. It's worse when I over-do things.' I also took The Husband for moral support so take someone with you - it does help.

Other people will be along soon to give their advice - listen to our wise words! We've all been there and done that. Dreamdaisy

PS Don't forget to let us know how you get on. We are interested in you and we will do what we can to help.

angel1

DD has given you some really good advice. I think the best bit was to write a list - as long as you like - take it with you, and DON`T leave until you have all the answers you need.

Regarding the tiredness, extreme pain will always cause this, and it`s probably the most constant complaint of all of us here. You have to listen to your body, and rest when you are able to. Because of my work - Counsellor - I have studied the effect of chronic pain on the psyche. Unfortunately, it does lead to varying degrees of depression, and understanding this can be helpful.

Joint re-placement often seems to be at the discretion of the Surgeon concerned. I had my TKR in my early sixties, and was considered to be "on the young side". I have known much younger people, in great pain and distress, who have been refused surgery. It`s just yet another thing we have to fight for.

I feel that you are tackling your problem in the best possible way, by aquiring as much knowledge as possible. Good luck with your appointment........Ange.

sharmaine

Hi Rosyred

Sorry to hear that you've been feeling a bit low. I have OA in knees etc but I don't get that hot feeling - I'm sure someone will come along with some advice. I do get tired with arthur.

I hope it goes well when you see your consultant make sure you tell him how you've been feeling.

Regards
Sharmaine

rosyred wrote:

Hi everyone
Im just alittle conffudled about this arther i hope u can clear a few things up for me
1st Why is it that it makes u so tired?
2nd Dose anyone else get this feeling like some thing is inside ur legs feeling like poking it?
3rd Got an appointment to see consultant 27th may just wondering what they will do or ask? And how bad have u to be for knee replacements?

4th my knees are getting very hot hot hot, only just started this dont no if its the arther or not ?

Sorry for so many questions i have looked and looked and really cant find the answers
Thk you Alli xxx

bailey27

Hi
Tiredness unfortuntely comes with it. Some days i feel fab and can go shopping and walk for miles, other days like today I feel abosultely drained and barely have the energy to stay awake. You need to make sure the days you feel good you dont over do it and suffer for it the next, it will take years to get the hang of, I only had my diagnosis last year and still cannot balance it properly. On the tired days i couldnt get throught a day without several strong coffees / red bulls and have now realised your body wants to rest for a reason and lets us know by sapping our energy. If your body is tired then rest, if you fee good then great just dont push yourself too much.
With referance to knee replacements I am sure they have a protocol to follow. My knee gives me bother and was told that if i was 40 years older they would replace my knee, but having just turned 30 this week i am classes as being too young and so they are doing a different op instead.
The longer you can leave it before getting your knee replaced the better because they dont last forever and i believe (please correct if i am wrong) they can only do each knee a maximum twice So with an average of 15 years for each knee i am guessing if i had my knee replaced i'd have run out by 60.
Make sure you write alist of questions before your appointment because when you get in there you will forget and kik yourself for not remembering.

livinglegend

rosyred wrote:

1st Why is it that it makes u so tired?
2nd Dose anyone else get this feeling like some thing is inside ur legs feeling like poking it?

4th my knees are getting very hot hot hot, only just started this dont no if its the arther or not ?

I will try to help with questions 1 and 4 but in the reverse order.

4. When you have Rheumatoid Arthritis, the white cells start attacking each other in your joints, no one knows why. Just like a bee sting, more and more white cells pile into the fight, but against themselves. This causes inflammation inside the joint and it gets hot. Many people have used cold packs wrapped in towels to cool the joints and it helps for them.

1. As you are producing lots of white cells, your body thinks that you are ill, (which you are), and so it says that you need to rest. Hence you feel tired all the while. All you can do is rest as much as possible when you are able to do so.

Your doc will most likely take blood tests, which may or not show RA markers in your blood and advise on painkillers. Keeping a diary, as someone said, is a really good idea as is a list of questions to ask.

Note that this is just an educated guess as I am not a medic, just another RA sufferer trying to help.

Joseph 8)

rosyred

THK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH FOR UR ADVICE.

Im now sat on the bed listening to my neighbours have a BBQ, Sent hubby along as i just dont feel up to standing sitting being talkative :oops: . Sounds crazy but just wanna be left alone tonight .!

Allix

dreamdaisy

Hello Roseyred. I hope you are feeling a little brighter today. Dreamdaisy

valval

rosyred wrote:

THK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH FOR UR ADVICE.

Im now sat on the bed listening to my neighbours have a BBQ, Sent hubby along as i just dont feel up to standing sitting being talkative :oops: . Sounds crazy but just wanna be left alone tonight .!

Allix

hi glad you did not feel you had to go it awfull if you feel you have to go and make nice much better to stay home and chill out he could always fetch you a burger bless him . we all have times when we want to be alone so you not on your own we under stand all been there done that val