19 and trying to deal with living with osteoarthritis :/

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SJP93
SJP93 Member Posts: 9
edited 31. Jan 2013, 14:04 in Living with Arthritis archive
Im 19 and was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my hip in October 2012. I suffered with CDH when I was younger and now this! I have been having constant flare ups just like yourself and am unable to do alot which means my social life is absolutely awful. I even find it difficult to sleep. I have been told to stay on anti inflammatory medication and pain reducing medication such as paracetamol, ibuprofen and codeine but nothing helps. I had a steroid injection in November which I was told would work within a week and have me walking properly but no! As well as this, I dont have a social life from work as I am unable to work due to the flare ups and the weight baring issue! It drags you down and can totally sympathise with you!

The one thing I have learnt through this though due to the trouble I have had with the hospitals and consultants is that we have got to keep fighting for what is right for us and for our treatment otherwise because we are young they wont do anything! And their ridiculous excuse is that we would cost to much money!! Well we will with all the painkillers too! Keep your fight and dont give up till its solved and then we can get our social lives back and hopefully live with no flare ups

Am I being positive or just dreaming? Dont want to live with the pain, the flare ups and the muscle spasms anymore!

Comments

  • taylor04
    taylor04 Member Posts: 18
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Sorry to hear of your diagnosis and your struggle for effective treatment. I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in Sept last year (I'm 30 years old) - for that thankfully I got through the system and started on treatment pretty quickly but for previous health issues it wasn't so easy so I can sympathise with the feeling of having to fight for it. But do keep fighting and being positive about getting relief from your symptoms. There are lots of things that can help you. A lot of it is trial and error but do keep persevering to find what works for you. Realistically you may not be forever free of flare-ups but your overall quality of life should be able to be dramatically improved with the right treatment. I wish you all the very best!
  • SJP93
    SJP93 Member Posts: 9
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Thankyou Taylor :) its nice to know that there are people on here who will help and guide people through who are in the same situation or have been in the same situation as others.

    You said there are lots of treatments to help and its all about trial and error?! Do you know any of the treatments or things to just reduce the pain while we are waiting for the best possible option?

    Again many thanks and all the best to you too :) x
  • taylor04
    taylor04 Member Posts: 18
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Well, not too sure about all the medication side of things but as a physio I know a bit about supplementary treatments and pain relief. Acupuncture can work really well for pain relief and releasing muscle spasms. Or electrotherapy modalities like TENS which interrupt nerve messages to the brain. I think hydrotherapy is also really good for arthritic joints, especially if you do it in a proper warm hydrotherapy pool, as the warm water soothes and relaxes tense muscles, and enables you to move joints more freely without putting weight through them. Plus doing movements against the resistance of water is great for strengthening muscles around the effected joints which help to protect the joint from further damage.
  • bubbadog
    bubbadog Member Posts: 5,544
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hi SJP and welcome to Arthritis Care Forum. You have made a good decision joining as you are not alone, there are many members who like yourself where diagnoised with Arthritis at any early age. I myself was diagnoised with Osteoporosis while in my mid to late 20's! I had to fight consultants and doctors before I was diagnoised and was passed from hospital to hospital, G.P to G.Pl till I found a G.P who would listen to me and start from scratch. As for social life well I'm past the drinking and partying thing now! I'm married and a fun night for me is watching a movie snuggled on my sofa with my blanket over me and my fluffy boot slippers on drinking hot chocolate!
    As for meds I'm afraid that's just a hit and miss till you find the ones that suit you. Welcome again to Arthritis Care Forum, look forward to more of your posts!
  • barbara12
    barbara12 Member Posts: 21,281
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    hello and a warm welcome from me
    I have OA but im much older than you at 62...nearly 63.. :o
    I have had OA for around 4or 5 years but I can go back to my childhood and I had all sorts of problems with my joint but in those days it was just growing pains.
    I do feel for you at such a young age, but there is help out there has well has the meds there are course for pain and how to deal with it , many on hear have had lots of relief from them.
    But the one thing I have learned is distraction...anything you enjoy doing ...within reason...
    And talking to us lot will help enormously...
    I do wish you well with everything...take care xx
    Love
    Barbara
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hello SJP, it's nice to meet you and yes indeed, you are far too young for OA but it happens, alas. It sounds as though you are doing the right things with the anti-inflammatories and pain relief, really that's all can be done at the moment. Exercise is important to help keep the muscles surrounding the joint in shape so they can better support it and using a stick (held on the opposite side to the affected joint) can ease a great deal of strain when walking. I have two sorts of arthritis affecting my knees and ankles, my OA has resulted from joint damage caused by my auto-immune one. Sleep is not easy thanks to pain but you do get used to the lack of it, well, sort of. :wink:

    Even though I am considerably older than you my social life is also affected, arthritis is an isolating condition and many people do not understand its impact but we do. I hope you are having a reasonable day today and I wish you well. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • Sjp93m
    Sjp93m Member Posts: 2
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Bless you all for the lovely wishes for above post. This tough cookie who posted is my eldest daughter, she has done and is doing lots of physio, hydro therapy, acupuncture etc...... We spend most days driving to one appt or another.

    As her mum it's great to see a site that she can find support in, and people who can relate to what she is going thro. She's a fab, gutsy daughter who has been dealt a mean hand at such a young age, however she has fight, determination and I no she will deal with this and still be smiling :D

    Luv ya simone

    Mum xxxxx
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,428
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    I was going to add a 'hello' and welcome to sjp93 and I see there is an sjp93M too!! For MUM!!!

    Lovely to meet both of you

    Mum you are soooo right she will be absolutely fine with the right attitude (I can see she has that!) and your support. I am so glad she has found this forum because it really is a fabulous place to come for advice, a moan and a bit od distraction too sometimes.

    Love

    Toni xxx
  • constable
    constable Member Posts: 2,115
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    HI sjp

    Just wanted to say that you have chosen a really good forum. Sorry that you have to contend with oa at such an early age. But you have a good attitude and a good caring mum.

    You make sure that you use this forum and ask as many questions as needed. They are brilliant on here and will always do the're best to help.

    Keep on posting.... and mum as well.

    Look forward to seeing you both around.
    Karen xx
  • bubbadog
    bubbadog Member Posts: 5,544
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Welcome to SJP's mum, great to have a mum as well as daughter on here! She sure does sound like a trouper, I hope she will grow more stronger while being on here from all the support she will get from us all. Welcome again 'mum' !
  • villier
    villier Member Posts: 4,426
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Welcome the SJP's, you have come to a great place, I have only been a member for about four months and the advice and support on here is second to none, post all you want there is always someone around to listen and as you know sometimes getting things off your chest is as good a medicine you can get, if you check out chit-chat you will be sure of a good laugh, also, a good tonic. Nice to meet you both and hope to see you around..............tc...............Marie xx
    Smile a while and while you smile
    smile another smile and soon there
    will be miles and miles of smiles
    just because you smiled I wish your
    day is full of Smiles
  • barbara12
    barbara12 Member Posts: 21,281
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hello Mum
    I do hope your daughter stay with us, its a great place for her to get loads of support and great info...and may I say what a lovely mum she has...and if you need us we are always here xx
    Love
    Barbara
  • kentishlady
    kentishlady Member Posts: 809
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hi sjp and Mum. Lovely to meet you both. Am sure you have come to the right place for support and advice. If you need to moan and/or let off steam, this is the place to do it as we all know what it's like and how it affects you differently each day. I suffer with OA in my back, don't know where sjp has it, but find that warmth (i.e. warmed wheatbag) gives some relief. Have also got a couple of pain gels which my GP prescribes, Voltarol and Capsaicin - the first doesn't have much effect on me although the second is a little help. However, have recently found a different gel - Pernaton - which I am finding helps the most. I should add, however, that everyone is different and just because it helps one person, it may not help another - or vice versa.

    Hope to see you around again. Take care. Beryl
  • SJP93
    SJP93 Member Posts: 9
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Sorry I havent responded to the replies in a couple of days. Thankyou for welcoming my wonderful mum :) its nice to know that she is gaining comfort from this too! Thankyou all for your posts..this really is helping right now as my relapse has gone on for about 2 1/2 weeks now and doesnt seem to be easing but I look forward to coming on this forum and hearing from all of you! Gives me some social times and something to look forward too.

    I need a bit of advice from all you..
    I have booked to go on holiday in May and have had to take out insurance as I suffer from epilepsy too. Due to me being rushed to hospital last year because of my hip whilst on holiday, shall I put the arthritis down on my insurance and explain what happened last year too?

    Once again thankyou all for the lovely messages and sorry I havent been on here for a couple of days. Look forward to hearing from you all again :)

    Much love and take care xxx :)
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,715
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hello SJP93 and Mum :) I travel to the USA every year to see my son and I can tell you you really must declare everything otherwise your insurance could prove invalid. By all means play it as lightly as possible but don't actually conceal anything.

    Some companies are better than others for covering those of us with health problems so it's worth shopping round, tedious though it is. Good luck and I hope you have a great holiday.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • SJP93
    SJP93 Member Posts: 9
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hi StickyWicket :)

    Thankyou for your response. I have taken out the thomson single person insurance and have yet to write to them to explain my condition. Shall I just say that I suffer from OA and have flare ups so then if god forbid it does happen whilst in Egypt I am covered?
    I panic about these things now as dont want to make myself any worse and want to make sure that I will be okay.

    xx
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Just because you have a policy doesn't mean you will be covered. Read the small print very carefully and the even smaller print twice. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • SJP93
    SJP93 Member Posts: 9
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hi DD,

    Thankyou for your message.
    If you have a policy, you can ring the people who you have taken out your policy with and they will then add it to your policy regarding disabilities etc. I can remember doing this last year regarding my epilepsy. I am just unsure of what to say regarding my OA as I had a bad flare up whilst in Turkey last year and need advise as to what to say. Do I keep it short and sweet by saying I have OA and suffer from flare ups quite regularly or do I go into details explaining what happened last year? x
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,715
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Any decent travel insurance policy will ask if you've had any hospital admissions, or had to go to an outpatient's clinic for anything other than a routine appointment in the last 12? (maybe 24) months. If you don't tell them about what went wrong, and then something does go wrong while you are away, you will not be covered. You can't hide a hospital visit under the broad headline of OA. OA is what you have normally. An OA flare is fine as long you don't seek out medical advice but, if you do, they need to know. It's not worth trying to get a cheaper deal. If the insurance policy doesn't ask these questions I'd be very suspicious about what exactly it did cover.

    Sorry to put a bit of a damper on things but far better safe than sorry. Shop around. Some are much cheaper than others for the same cover. Don't take the first quote.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • Nasic
    Nasic Member Posts: 16
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Welcome to the forums both of you :)

    I'm 27 and have only just been diagnosed with OA too! (It's in both my knees) so I know a bit of what you're going through. I'm still very early on in my treatment but like others have said it's about finding what works for you :)

    Staying positive is really important but don't worry if you have days were you feel a little negative, I think it's safe to say we all do :)

    Hope things start to improve for you!
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