Hi all

dotty123

Hi all,
I have been reading through the posts and just realise how selfish I am for feeling sorry for myself. So many of you really suffer, yet it freaks me out and scares me to death as i don't know what will happen to me further down the line.
I have OA diagnosed 3 years ago, this last year I have gone down hill fast, my hands really suffer the most. My right index finger is very crooked now and my other knuckles are starting to enlarge, I struggle to fully bend my fingers in, it feels like I got a tight glove on restricting me to bending. My rings are really tight and I get all sore underneath them. I am struggling to lift / pull and grip and preparing veg is painful as I can't cut the veg .
I can't carry carrier bags with heavy weight in either so I have try to carry bags further down my arm.
And to top it all now , my left hip keeps going. It doesn't happen everyday, it can be a few times a day then nothing for a few days, but when it goes it hurts and I limp. I am so scared now.
I have a follow up appointment next month and I am looking forward to a good rant.
I feel really depressed as I am only 42 and I cannot do half the stuff I used to, no more DIY or gardening.. all the things I loved to do.

I look down at my hands and feel like getting a hammer to them,
Luckily I work part time, but unfortunatley I don't feel well enough to add more hours and yet I need the income and need to earn more. But how and what can I do that doesn't tire me .

I don't know whether this is to do with OA my toes keep turing blue eeekkk what the hell is that about ??

Anyway my rant is over and I tried to keep it short. I really do feel for you who have this wretched nasty disease..

Big hugs to you all and thanks for sharing your post and makin me realise I am not alone.

I still need to come to terms with it all and I am on antidepressants now .

stickywicket

It wasn't a rant, Dotty123, it was just a list of what you can no longer do without pain coupled with a fear for the future. This thing is very scarey at first - and sometimes at second, third and fourth - but it's not all bad news. If you look at the Simple Ideas.... thread above you'll see there are lots of ways round doing difficult stuff, even if your joints don't always do what you want of them. Often things can be re-arranged so that you can do them - even gardens.

One thing I'm not sure about is the fact of your toes turning blue. I think I'd get that one checked out.

Take care.

dotty123

Thank you for your reply, I suppose another visit to the doctors about the toes, I forgot to mention I have 2 lumps that have come up in the palm of my hand ( large pea size ) don't hurt to press yet hurt to change gear in the car, one popped up about 3 month ago and is growing by the week and lump two has appeared , they seem to be on a liagment. Again I can press them but opening jars and bottles does bother them .. any idea's what they can be.

I hate going doctors, you can only mention one thing at a time and at the moment I have other issues aswell as the OA... I am falling to pieces. Don't know what is priority :sad:

Ankyspond

Hi,

You are allowed to 'rant' as you call it, I rather think of it as letting of steam! SW will tell you I have done a bit of that over the last few days and sometimes its what we need to do.

Let poeple on here help and support, sorry you are having such a bad time and hope you can get some of it sorted out. xx

valval

hi welcome do not feel bad about feeling sorry for your self we all know how hard it is to get your head around it all and how scary it is. my doc lets me mention more than one thing at once just as well would be there all the time other wise but you need to find out what lumps are good luck val

hileena111

Hi Dotty
Dont feel bad about ranting.....thats what we are here for....to listen and to try to answer your questions....usually someone has an answer.
As for your doc....can you book a double appointment with him and then you can get a few more things mentioned...I've got a double one on Friday. Also if you have more things to mention make a list out before you go and put the most important things at the top so that at least you get asking those We are big on lists here. ....everyone reminds each other.....have you made a list out? {more if you are seeing a consultant than a gP} but it works just the same.I have to do one for Friday
Have you found the sticky topic towards the top of this forum......things to make life simple.....there are loads of good tips there...especially for handling things etc....not as much for mobility {which is more what I need} :roll: How much do you need to carry bags? I dont know your situation? I've got OA in my hips and lower spine also scoliosis and that means I cant carry things.....told not to carry them :oops: :oops: My husband does the majority of the large shop, I drive, so I drive to a supermarket with a shopping trolly in my car, pack the things in the shopping trolly or if you are only using one supermarket use there trolly...I live in a village and use some of the loal shops as well, take the things out of the car and put in boot, when you get home, out of boot and into shopping trolly and int the house....sounds a nuisance but you get used to it. You do adapt and do things differently without really realising it.I use a dressy bag if I'm going out for a meal or something like that but if I'm just meeting friends for coffee or going somewhere casually I use a smallish back pack {not a big rucksack } hands free.
Ask any questions you want to or need to....we all do.
Have you met your OT {occupational therapist} yet? I think you can self refer {you can in this health authority} and they are a gold mine of information about gadgets etc for doing vegetables and all sorts of things. Get in touch with her if you havent already and see what suggestions she has.
Love
Hileena

dotty123

Hi again , so far I have changed my kettle for a handle on the top as I can hold it better, I only drink out of cups now as mugs can be too heavy on my index finger and worried I will burn myself, I have given up on the nice trendy handbags, I have a handbag that goes over my shoulders, when in town I tend to keep going back to the car to drop bags off.I do do the shopping and try to balance the weight evenly in the bags and if someone is at home they can help me get stuff out, I always use 2 hands !!
I can only carry a dinner plate with 2 hands too, just to be on the safe side.
I find thin pens and cutlery a hiccup at times to try to use chunky handles.
I can't remember the last time I cut the grass as I can't hold in the switch
I can't carry or daren't carry the hoover up and down the stairs, our stairs are really steep and struggle in the night If I need a wee ( as our bathroom is downstairs ) and you know what us ladies are like
I miss doing all the diy jobs so much, I loved decorating and flat packs but I cannot use a screwdriver anymore

I really can't stand this, I admire so many of you on here who sound so chirpy
xx

Thank you for time

stickywicket

Dotty123, you are already thinking 'out of the box' if you've changed your type of kettle, opted for cups, not mugs, chunky pens etc. A willingness to change and adapt will be a real asset to you. It's ongoing. I see where you're coming from with the cups but, after years and years of RA, I'm better with a mug - thumb one side of the handle, all my fingers the other and left hand underneath. Not pretty but very effective.

If you look at some of the disability aids shops online you might get lots more ideas. Sometimes it's not necessary to buy anything new, you can just adapt what you have.

Before we moved to a bungalow I used to keep an old hoover upstairs - or there's laminate. An upstairs loo of some form (chemical?) might be worth contemplating for those midnight jaunts.

What's the difficulty with a screwdriver? I ask because so many have naturally chunky handles. Is it just tightening the screws? Could you continue with your hobby but get some helpful person to tighten everything up for you?

You can stand it, Dotty123. You will cope. Good luck.

dotty123

Hi, I find my wrist hurts after using a screwdriver, I can grip it but the palm of my hand feels it and then the wrist xx

traluvie

HI dotty ..

Sorry to hear your finding things hard at the moment..We all do and as the others said you don't need to apologise..When your life has to get used to changes it can be hard, you need to talk to others that can understand and we do..
You have already been given some great advice..I am still new to arthur and my lifestyle too has changed drastically..I have had to learn to listen to my body and to try and accept things as they are..This has not always been easy and i do have them days where i feel really down..I just try and remain positive and the kids and my OH kept me going too..I think of myself lucky to have them as i know others are less fortunate..

Thinking of you, were always here to listen and help if we can..Take care

stickywicket

Would some sort of wrist splint help, Dotty123? It would give your wrist some support while you were using the screwdriver and also protect your palm a bit. Just a thought.

hileena111

Hi Dotty,.
You are adapting.....so much for my lecture about adapting
It will be harder for you because you are younger than me.
Try not to fight it...makes things worse.....Check online for anymore disability aids that might help you
I said...its my mobility thats affected more and I try to think of little things that I CAN do not what I CANT do....eg I've got a car....I live at the bottom of a very steep hill into our village and havent walked that hill for a long time....but I've got a car so can drive up and thren walk through the village. Not like my friend who is in the same position as me {mobility and the same hill to get up} she cant drive so has to stand and wait for a bus { about a 2/3 min drive}and then still walk....so I'm thankful for that.
Love
Hileena

frogmorton

Hello Dotty

very pleased to meet you.

Sorry it's because you have the wonderful arthritis :roll:

I wonder if your hands have ever been looked at? L only wonder because my ex MIL has trigger finger which results in fingesr pulling inwards over time...the issue has to so with the plam of the hand or something....anyway cure has been very simple so far....couple of steroid jabs into her joints and hey presto ex MIL all happy for 12 months or so

Love and hugs

Toni xx

dotty123

Hi Toni, I have OA nodules on the knuckles ( 3 fingers at moment ) right index finger is the worst and on hot days I can't fully bend it, my middle finger on my left is a bit swollen and again I can't fully bend it. I have been under the hospital for 2 years and due a review next month in which I can explain my hip has started to play up ... I got 2 lumps coming up in the palm of my left hand. I have already had surgery to remove a lump on the inner side of my middle finger which wasn't OA related. I get twangy feeling in my right hand too , not very often but it makes me jump when it happens.

So I kind of feel pretty conscious about the appearance of my hands too and tend to hide them away as much as I can. I don't mean to sound vain lol If I was 20 yrs older I could perhaps cope better, but not at 42

I have tried all the cod oils, and aromatherapy and gels and hot wax and anti flam tablets , but nothing works for me.

I sound such a whinger sorry

You all are so kind here ...

julie47

Hi dotty

I have been reading your thread and all of thee replies and there are some good Ideas for you.

as for the screwdriver...have you considered an electric/rechargable one?

I am pleased that you are finding ways to make things easier for yourself it is amazing the things we do so that we can cope.

Take care
Juliepf x