Hello everyone Im new here

Paulaec · 20. Nov 2010, 05:27

Hello to you all.
I thought I would join your forum as I have suffered with arthritis since I was 38, I am now 59.
Obviously it is progressing...I spent a very restless night as the pain in my right hand kept me awake.
I asked the doctor a couple of weeks ago (when I had another problem) if there was anything I could do...he stated no just rub some gel into them ...its wear and tear! not very helpful really!
Does anyone else suffer in the same way? I use nurofen gel and tablets that reduce inflamation...and it does help .
Nice to meet everyone.
Paula

coco67 · 20. Nov 2010, 05:34

Hi Paula

welcome to the forum, there a great bunch in here , if you want a cuppa or just a natter pop into the chit chat forum, there is a cafe etc there and always some one floating around.

i suffer with my hands amongst other bits and bobs, have you tried the wheat bags you heat up in the micro, i usually use them when everything else fails and they help.

look forward to seeing you around the boards and hope you get some help soon. can you see a different doctor

coco xx

tjt6768 · 20. Nov 2010, 05:40

Welcome Paula, hope you're ok..
I have recently been disgnosed with sero-negative in bothe wrists and have had a lot of pain in my hands, I'm on a lot of painkillers and hydroxycloroquine but none of it seems to be doing a great deal. I do recommend getting some capsaicin cream though, made from chillies, I use it 4 times a day and it eases the pain enough for me to do my excersises, which is better than nothing

Tony

dorcas · 20. Nov 2010, 05:55

Hi Paula and welcome to the forum from me too.

I have PA (psoriatic arthritis) and it has affected my hands too. I bought a hot wax therapy unit, after I'd tried this 'treatment' out at physio, and find the hot wax penetrates the joints more effectively and is really soothing!

Have you been referred to Orthopaedics or Hand Therapy? ... as there may be other options that they might be able to suggest. I've had hand surgery which definitely helped me with my wrists.

Nice to see you posting here and I hope to see you around the other forums too.

Iris x

skezier · 20. Nov 2010, 06:41

Hi Paula,

Welcome from me as well, they are a good lot here.

I can't help thinning your gp isn't doing as much as they could.... lie iris I wonder have you been referred anywhere for the hands at least? I think you need to and also have a tablet review with maybe a different doctor if you can see one? There is a lot that can be done to help you!

I also find heat helps my hands and wrists but some find cold does....I don't know if it does cus I am allergic t the cold

I kinda think gels work on muscle... they don't really help the bones.... You need to see a different and more sympathetic doctor and ask for a referral if you haven't got one. Nice to meet you. Cris x

Paulaec · 21. Nov 2010, 09:36

Thank you for the lovely welcome,
I have decided to go and see another doctor as Im sure there must be something that can be done.
It causes me probs with everyday life with things such as opening jars and tins pulling a plug out of the socket, doing up shoe laces and buttons to name a few.
I will try a wheatbag..thank you for that advise ..heat definately helps ..
I hope you all have a lovely sunday..
Paula x

jillyb1 · 21. Nov 2010, 10:43

Hi Paula , welcome from me too . I recently acquired a new pain relief toy which treats you with pulsed electro magnetic field therapy . There are many models around and I'm really not sure if they actually work to ease the pain or if it's purely psychological but I feel less helpless when trying to do something about the pain ! Wonder if anyone else has tried this , seems to help my hand pain . Jilly

barbara12 · 21. Nov 2010, 10:52

Hi Paula
And a very warm welcome to the forum, I have OA in quite a few joints, I think you are doing the right thing by going back to your GP, for some reason quite a few of us on here have had to fight for the right treatment.
I do hope you get some relief very soon.
Love
Barbara x

Paulaec · 12. Mar 2011, 04:57

Hi again everyone
I did see another doctor just before Christmas,as my ankles
became swollen and painful, I had blood tests (which came
Back all ok) I had X-rays on my hands - result severe OA which
I knew! But on Friday I have an appointment with a reumatologist
At the general hospital- so hopefully he will offer some help
And relief. I hope everyone else is ok Spring is On the way Px

caterina57 · 12. Mar 2011, 05:05

Welcome back Paula
Glad you seem to be getting better treatment now, let us know what the rheummie says
Cath

tjt6768 · 12. Mar 2011, 05:08

Morning, hope that things aren't too bad for you at the minute. Glad that you at least have your rheumy appointment, I see the rheumy nurse on the eighteenth, maybe get some answers myself. I am in the middle of a nasty flare up, everything is playing up at the minute, knees, hip, back, wrists, hands and fingers... Lol
Ain't we just blessed... Lol

Be well, have a good weekend...

speedalong · 13. Mar 2011, 20:04

Hi Paula and welcome,

I have wear and tear athritis (OA) in the hips and knees.

Anti-inflammatories and pain killers help, as does heat. Some of the folks on here have hot wax machines which really help their hands, I'm sure they got them from Arg*s.

Speedy

julie47 · 14. Mar 2011, 04:18

Hi paula

Just want to wish you luck with fridays appointment. I hope they can give you something to help ease your pain.
Take care
Juliepf x

Paulaec · 16. Jul 2011, 02:59

Hi again everyone,
Sorry I havent been back for a few months.
After my visit to the specialist in March I have felt very
negative about my arthritis- he told me where the problems
are in the joints in my body (after examination)
When he had completed it, he told me I was a perfect weight
and continue to keep to it (Ive always been the same weight)
Then told me he was discharging me as there is absolutley nothing
he can do! he told me to come back in 50 years if I wanted help when there may be a cure! I think maybe ill be pushing up daisies by then

You can possibly understand why I feel negative about it, maybe I
thought they were going to offer some kind of relief for me-I was certainly wrong!
Paula x

stickywicket · 16. Jul 2011, 04:48

I can see why you're feeling a bit deflated about the whole thing, Paula. My guess is that your GP was just trying to leave no stone unturned when he referred you to a rheumatologist as I don't think they can do anything for OA, just for the auto-immune sorts of arthritis. (Mine's RA but, after years of it, I now have both.)

I always feel it must be very disheartening for the OAers to be told it's painkillers and surgery only but, I guess, better that than false hopes. And, as/when/if it comes to it for you, joint replacement surgery gets better and better all the time.

When I was diagnosed, 50 years ago, I was told a cure was 'just around the corner'. I've been round so many corners I'm dizzy but that elusive cure still hasn't shown up. However, it's still possible to have arthritis and a very good life. I hope you can achieve that.

frogmorton · 16. Jul 2011, 05:04

Hi Paula

l wondered where you had gone.

Good to see you but l can see how frustrated and upset you must be :sad: l concur with Sticky and beleive genuinely your GP WAS trying his/her best to see if ANYTHING at all can be done.

I think with :sad: OA at the mo it is just a case of waiting until joints are bad enough to replace

Having said that there was some information a while back about OA being like the Cinderella service between the inflamtory-types and OA. It was posted on here by someone...then Someone from A/C itself responded. If you were to maybe PM the helplines l think they could dig it out for you.

It detailed research being done now so might hearten you a bit??

Love and HUGS

Toni xx

Hello everyone Im new here

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