Any ideas please??

Mruaru

Hi everyone, have joined this forum as need some ideas from people who understand the problem. I was diagnosed with inflam arthritus three years ago. After the initial agonising outbreak after taking steroids it backed off to what it is today. I did not show for rheumatoid although due to the symptoms of the initial attack the hospital thought that it was. Have tried most anti inflamatory treatments but am on painkillers (tramadol) now to control it.
i am diabetic as well as other health issues. Most of the worst pain is in my ankles but i find it very difficult to describe the pain.It can affect other areas like hips and knees but not as bad. Have also just had both wrists done for carpel, tunnel
I don't get a lot of swelling now but the pain is constant. Don't seem to get any rest from it and some days I get very depressed and low and feel completely energy less. It Really affects me as a person and is a great destroyer of relationships in combination with the diabetes.
Is there ant rhyme or reason to this condition as there appears to be huge parts of it that are unanswered. I know it could be worse but that does not make me feel any better.Thanks.

valval

hi welcome you did not say what other meds you are on pain meds will not help with inflimation and that causes dammage i hope rhummy is still seeing you and that you get some good meds soon the exhaustion and feeling like i am the tim man who has been out in the rain is horrid val

frogmorton

Hi Mr Muraru

Welcome to the forums

I am so sorry about your constant pain

Sounds like you have tried a lot of meds so I presume you see a rheumatologist? I too am negative for RF, but some people do get their bloods go positive after a time - no idea why :roll:

I am in a similar position to you and I went on one of the arthritiscare 'managing your long-term condition' courses.

You can find it by starting on the A/C main page on this site.

I can't tell you how much it helped me - as much mentally as physically.

Love

Toni xxx

Mruaru

I was under rheumatologist but not now as there was nothing else he could do unless things develop further. I have been told about these courses but never really done anything about it. I will have another look at it. I have had a lot of councelling for other issues in the past which has really helped although i find it hard to see how if you are in constant pain your mind can some how over ride it.
Thank you for your thoughts

barbara12

Hi Mruaru
And welcome from me
It is a bit of a minefield, I have had two positive for RA, but yet they say I havent got it has the levels drop to 0, I suspect inflammatory has I get flares everywhere, but they say OA....I suppose some of the meds are the same apart from the RA ones.
Must say I didnt get on with Tramadol, but they do say they work very well for some people.
Have you been referred to a pain clinic,they can be a big help... you carry on talking to us lot.it really does help to get things out, and to talk to people that understand some of what you are going through

dreamdaisy

Hello Mruaru, it's nice to meet you and I hope we can help.

Basically there are two kinds of arthritis, osteo (which is described as 'wear and tear' but that label is now coming under closer scrutiny as many young people get it) and then auto-immune, which is caused by an over-active immune system attacking the joints of the body. They are often called 'inflammatory' and there are many different sorts. I have a sero-negative type, psoriatic arthritis, but for years I was defined as an 'inflammatory-type arthritis' as they could not properly identify it. Once they did nothing changed in the way of treatment. The meds I take for it are controlling it but the damage that has already done to my knees and ankles has led to OA.

The pain is constant but I can ignore it most of the time, it's there twanging away in the background but the pain dullers remove the sharper edges. I've learned over the years to do a little then rest a little. I've just been diagnosed with carpal tunnel so I have to go and see my GP for a referral to orthopaedics, I'll do that when I can be bothered.

Have you ever been given meds other than steroids and anti-inflammatories? I loved my oral steroids (I was given those when I had to come off all meds for a while) and they really made the difference but I have now weaned myself off them. I have never found much relief from anti-inflammatories apart from Celebrex, but my then GP took me off those due to cost. I am on injected meth (I took the tablet form while being an 'inflammatory' and I 've also tried leflunomide, cyclosporin and three anti TNFs. (I am currently on humira). Have any of these treatments been suggested to you? It could be that they are not appropriate due to the diabetes but I'm not a doc so don't know! DD

bubbadog

Hi Mruaru, I wanted to welcome you to Arthritis Care forum and hope you find it helpful and enjoyable.