New to site and Arthritis

lupin15

Hi to all.
I am new to this site and have joined for advise and information. A little about me. I have had breast cancer and secondary in lymph gland. I have been clear for 4 years but have had terrible lower back pain and hip (pains in hands if doing too much writing or typing) Lose of strength in my arms and now my knees are joining in. I put all these conditions down to the medication i was taking but have had an xray on Thursday and have been told it is arthritis. Now waiting for a letter to be sent through to my GP for him to refer me to the specialist. Feel relieved that it is not the cancer back back really angry with my body at the moment. My bones are also loosing density due to medications, treatment and being crashed into the menopause. Sorry i really sound like i am moaning but am trying to get my head around this and what medication i am lightly to be offered. I would appreciate any help/feedback as i want to be really prepared for when i see my GP. At present the paracetamol and inbrufen is not working to stop my pain which was helping about 6 months ago. Codiene gives me really bad stomach ache and reluctant to take as i am waiting to see specialist about stomach pains. Looking forward to hearing from you. (please excuse any spelling errors...

mellman01

Morning lupin you moan all you like kid that's what we all do on here, can't help much with pain meds but has your GP offered anything else othere than Codine??, I use to take the stuf but went on to Tramadol, less side effects for me, right just hang around a while and others will reply to you, it's a bit slow on here right now not sure why but more advice will follow!.

lupin15

mellman01 wrote:

Morning lupin you moan all you like kid that's what we all do on here, can't help much with pain meds but has your GP offered anything else othere than Codine??, I use to take the stuf but went on to Tramadol, less side effects for me, right just hang around a while and others will reply to you, it's a bit slow on here right now not sure why but more advice will follow!.

I have not been to the doctors yet. I am having bloods taken on monday. They tried twice on thursday but my veins are crap since the chemo and they can only take blood from one arm. I will have to make an appointment to see what they can do. Just putting it off really...i am trying to pretend this has not happened..but the pain does remind me. Silly really. I will get my head around it just need time to accept my body is falling apart. I will give it a good talking to later.

frogmorton

Hi Lupin

Welcome from me

First of all - it's not the cancer. That is GREAT news!

As for the arthritis - dont panic :shock:

There are lots of painkillers you can have and I take lazoprazole to protect my stomach so i can take decent pain meds. Might be the ibuprofen hurting your belly to be honset.

You need and anti-inflam like taht and a pain med like the codeiene.

I have arcoxia anti inflam and now a butrans pain patch and co-codamols for breakthrough pain.

Hope you get sorted soon.

Love

Toni xx

mellman01

Hello me dear bloody slow on here isn't it, it will get going later I promiss, I bet their all still hung over from friday night down the local night club, there a right bunch of ravers on here!.


I stand corrected Toni has just popped in, Morning Toni good to see someone is up!, I'll catch you lot latter I have got to go now as shopping awaits oh what joy! :shock:

barbara12

Welcome to the forum Lupin
You have come to the right place, we are a friendly lot really...and very supportive....so you rant away..it will do you good.
There are lots of meds that your gp can prescribe you, whar suits one dosnt suit another.... you stay with us and we will help.you through it...post any questions you have in Living with arthur...you should get more replys
Hope to see you posting more very soon
Love
Barbara xx

lupin15

barbara12 wrote:

Welcome to the forum Lupin
You have come to the right place, we are a friendly lot really...and very supportive....so you rant away..it will do you good.
There are lots of meds that your gp can prescribe you, whar suits one dosnt suit another.... you stay with us and we will help.you through it...post any questions you have in Living with arthur...you should get more replys
Hope to see you posting more very soon

Love
Barbara xx

Hi Barbara
Thanks for your reply. Just want to have enough information so when i do go to the doctor i have some chance of getting meds right nearly straight away. It makes it more difficult because i have a stomach problem at present and i suppose i really need to get that sorted first. Think i have a tens machine in my room somewhere i might dig it out and give it a try. Nothing ventured nothing gained.
Catch up with you later.

lupin15

babycham wrote:

Hello Lupin How are you this morning yes some of us have been up all night and a little slow getting going I have been in the chit/chat...cafe pinching all the food when you feel better but cant sleep you can often find someone there to chat to and do moan as much as you like you have been through some tough times and need to let of some steam you sound very brave to me Looking forward to hearing from you xxxLoveBabycham

Hi Thanks
It is great to get so many replys so quickly and i am sooooo glad i have found this site. Had a lie in this morning..husband has walked the dog but i have the price for it. Stiff, pain etc, you know the sort of thing. Getting old before my time. Feel 21 inside shame the body is not keeping up with my brain will give it a good talking to later. Handed to know that i will find someone to chat with when i cannot sleep.
Off to do some housework...been on line for hours...teteteteheheeh must get on. catch up with you later.

julie47

Hi Lupin

and welcome to the forum

I am sure you will find it interesting and useful

It is amazing where time goes when reading everyones comments'
the housework gets forgotton

Hope the dr can soon prescribe something to make life a bit easier.

Nurses always have trouble with my veins too after 22 years of blood tests.

Don't do too much housework. oooh look at time no wonder I am hungry OH coming home soon it nearly lunch time

juliepf x

angel1

Lupin, hello, and welcome to the Forum.

What a lot you`ve had - and are still having - to contend with. I feel though that your attitude of wanting as much information as possible, especially regarding meds, is going to help you tremendously.

If it`s OA that you have, there are quite a number of treatments, usually in the form of painkillers, and anti-inflammatories. If you are finding that paracetamol, and co-codamol are not doing the trick, the next one prescribed is usually tramadol. This is morphine based, and can cause nasty side effects in some people. If you can tolerate it though, it gives very good pain relief.

With the anti-inflamms, it`s a whole different ball game. They are really useful drugs, but many people cannot take them for various reasons. The most common is stomach problems, although this can be alleviated, in most cases, by taking a stomach protector. It`s when they affect other organs - in my own case, kidneys - or increase BP, that GP`s are reluctant to prescribe them. I would imagine, in your particular case, and with your present stomach problems, that they will hesitate to let you have them., until you have had all the necessary tests.

If it`s any other form of arthritis - RA, PA etc - that you are suffering from, I`m afraid I only know what I have learned on the Forum, and better qualified people than me will be along to help you there. As Barb said, you would be better to post this on LWA, where medical matters are discussed more fully.

I hope some of this is helpful.........Ange.x.

skezier

Hi Lupin,

A welcome from me as well, they are a nice lot here.

As Ange says normally you have a pain killer and an ant-inflammatory for all the types of arthritis. I wonder would patches work for you?

Its very hard to get your head round another condition when you have had so much happen already. Information is always valuable as it helps you to see its going to be ok once they have got you stabilized and know whats actually wrong.

I so hope things get easier for you and its nice to meet you. Cris x

dreamdaisy

You have a great deal on your plate, you poorly girl. I cannot add anything to what the others have said - treatment will be dependant upon diagnosis, and sometimes that can take a while. You do need some quality pain relief, that is a definite first step. Pain killers do not take it all away - well, not for me - but they do dull the edges of it all and make life a little more comfortable.

Re the thread - the mods may move your thread to LWA - if you find it's disappeared from here, check there! I hope you have a better day today. I'm glad you have found us, I am sure we can help. DD

skezier

Good point DD!

Mods it might be better on the LW site, maybe you could move it please? Take care Cris x

lupin15

skezier wrote:

Good point DD!

Mods it might be better on the LW site, maybe you could move it please? Take care Cris x

Hi Have my thick head onto today what is LWA site??? You will have to forgive i am the new girl on the block...Treat me gently now people.
I am quite happy to have the idiots guide.

dreamdaisy

Look underneath my reply: you will see the wordss 'Back to chitchat forum' (I think!) in blue, then just under that, to the right, there is a box that says 'select a forum'. Click on that, click on Living with Arthritis and it will take you to that forum. There's another route to but I can't remember the wording - I'll go and check now.

Right. At the top of the forum board (the bit that lists all the topics) written in blue it says 'back to forums'. Click on that and you will see all the forums listed. You can then click on the one you want. Hope this helps! DD

skezier

Hi Lupin,

Its the Living with Arthritis forum and more people would see it there so you might get more help.

You pick up how to use the site as you go, its idiot proof cus I use it Cris x

lupin15

skezier wrote:

Hi Lupin,

Its the Living with Arthritis forum and more people would see it there so you might get more help.

You pick up how to use the site as you go, its idiot proof cus I use it Cris x

Found it found it. God this is like hide and seek... i am sure i will get there in the end. :? My husbands computer is playing up so i will go and find the laptop...just have to remember were i left it???

lupin15

rehab44 wrote:

lupin15 wrote:

skezier wrote:

Good point DD!

Mods it might be better on the LW site, maybe you could move it please? Take care Cris x

Hi Have my thick head onto today what is LWA site??? You will have to forgive i am the new girl on the block...Treat me gently now people.
I am quite happy to have the idiots guide.

I haven't heard that phrase fpr ages... Welcome welcome. I have opened a tab for you behind the bar of the Cane and Able cyber pub that we have on here. Help yourself to anything behind the bar except for Fat Kev the barman, wander around the chit chat forum, The Cafe is normally run 24/7 but if you get up really early you might find someone lurking in the Night Owls and Early Bird threads
If you feel like a rant or a moan the Post A Grump thread is the place to go.. you will get marked out of 10 by the Grumpmeister, he is a miserable ****
Once again welcome all of us here have been down the road that you have now started on, don't ever be afraid of asking for directions, you will get everyones support, advice, help and a shoulder to cry and lean on

Rehab

It will not let me reply to your message....God the screen is running around all over the place. I think i might nip to the Cane and Able pub. Hope you have ready salted crisps???and salad cream to dip them in??

skezier

Hi Lupin,

Glad you found it and you will get more help here flower. Good luck with the lap top hunt Cris x

valval

do not touch the peanuts he has had them years lol welcome val

marion1952

Hello Lupin

Welcome to the forum.. I've only just spotted your message - sorry, I'm a bit slow today..

Sorry to read that you have got another health challenge to contend with.. it will be good to have some blood tests done and perhaps x-rays so that you know what's happening with your joints and you can then have a 'plan of action' ..

There are people on this site with vast experience of arthritis - I'm quite new to it and have found it really helpful..

Look forward to hearing more from you

Marion x.

hileena111

Hi Lupin
Welcome to the forum......sorry about the pain but there are loads of pain meds ...you might have to keep pestering your GP....depends on what he is like.....a lot of us have probs with GPs
Enjoy the forum

Love
Hileena

lupin15

marion1952 wrote:

Hello Lupin

Welcome to the forum.. I've only just spotted your message - sorry, I'm a bit slow today..

Sorry to read that you have got another health challenge to contend with.. it will be good to have some blood tests done and perhaps x-rays so that you know what's happening with your joints and you can then have a 'plan of action' ..

There are people on this site with vast experience of arthritis - I'm quite new to it and have found it really helpful..

Look forward to hearing more from you

My husband says that i greedy and i only have it because its free...good point i suppose. I have had xrays of my back and hips which shows very little cartilage i suppose once i get to the specialist they will check the other parts of my body.(hands, elbows knees etc)

Marion x.

lavenderlady

hi Lupin I'm lavender lol we msut like our flowers or is your Harry Potter Prof Lupin , well one thing you said definalty 100% agree with you , I hate my body for letting me down giving so much pain and for making old before my time :x
I had a hysterectomy last october so I know hat being thrown into the menopause quickly, I take dixirit for the sweating it really helps plus for any breakthough flushes I take Sepia its homeopathic and our Dr gives it to us on prescription mum had it as well, Boots sell it along with heath shops the little green bottles, since hitting 40 my health has gone downhill so fast I feel angry with my body for letting me down so badly, I've got OA although some say theres also some other arthritis involved as my fingers toes etc are the same as a 70 year old lady I'm 49. also got spondelothesis in my lower back my xrays show a mess down the botto9m of my spine a couple of DRs words not mine, SMA Spinal muscular atrophy a form of lower motor nuerone disease, making my arm and back numb and very weak, then theres the damn diabetes I cannot get under control recently was fine for a few years before :x under active thyroid stomach ulcers etc

lupin15

hileena111 wrote:

Hi Lupin
Welcome to the forum......sorry about the pain but there are loads of pain meds ...you might have to keep pestering your GP....depends on what he is like.....a lot of us have probs with GPs
Enjoy the forum

Love
Hileena

I have had no problems with my doctors at out practise...they are second to none. I just do not like going. I feel like i have lived there over the past 6 years and do really tire hard to stay away. I also have asthma which was brought on after the chemo...i know not happy with just one condition... I am not sure whether everything is linked some how ...maybe someone else is the same. I will have to get myself down there next week.

lupin15

lavenderlady wrote:

hi Lupin I'm lavender lol we msut like our flowers or is your Harry Potter Prof Lupin , well one thing you said definalty 100% agree with you , I hate my body for letting me down giving so much pain and for making old before my time :x
I had a hysterectomy last october so I know hat being thrown into the menopause quickly, I take dixirit for the sweating it really helps plus for any breakthough flushes I take Sepia its homeopathic and our Dr gives it to us on prescription mum had it as well, Boots sell it along with heath shops the little green bottles, since hitting 40 my health has gone downhill so fast I feel angry with my body for letting me down so badly, I've got OA although some say theres also some other arthritis involved as my fingers toes etc are the same as a 70 year old lady I'm 49. also got spondelothesis in my lower back my xrays show a mess down the botto9m of my spine a couple of DRs words not mine, SMA Spinal muscular atrophy a form of lower motor nuerone disease, making my arm and back numb and very weak, then theres the damn diabetes I cannot get under control recently was fine for a few years before :x under active thyroid stomach ulcers etc

Well that has cheered me up...i am glad it is not just me. I cannot take any meds for menopause as i have had oestrogen feed cancer.
Have to cope with the sweats...which do slowly ease off but my meds cause them as well. My hubby has spondelothesis in his spine...three disc dehydrated knees are shot. We make a right pair.
I am sure it will all get sorted out and i do not have time to be poorly.