Help for my 16 yr old with seronegative arthritis in hands

Nuttymum

My 16 year old daughter has been diagnosed with seronegative arthritis and today I have become increasingly concerned about the debilitating pain she is experiencing. She has been prescribed Diclofenac to manage her pain but even with this it's still there and this morning she awoke and told me her hands felt like they were burning. I'd appreciate any ideas/thoughts on ways to help her either medical or alternative therapies. She is approaching GCSE time and I'm increasingly worried about how she will cope.

dreamdaisy

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

In my seventeen years' experience of arthritis an anti-inflammatory is not enough to ease the pain to any great extent. I take a daily diclofenac (plus tummy protector which I hope your girl has too) but I have to supplement that with pain dullers (pain killers is a misnomer because they don't, they just dull the sharper edges). I take at least four 30/500 strength co-codamol per day to help me cope better with the pain. Is your lass taking anything such as paracetamol? If not it may be time to go and see the GP and discuss her options with him. I wish you both well and please let us know how she gets on. DD