Things really suck at the moment!

chantelle

Hi,

Things are a bit bad at moment, my RA has been playing up quite a bit. I have already had both my knees done when I was 25, then I had both my elbows and left shoulder done when I was 28. I'm 30 now and will be having my right shoulder and left hip done, which I don't mind about. The thing that is really scaring me is that it's affected my neck, the inflammation has caused some damage. They are first checking to see if nerve damage has been caused and if it hasn't that is a bonus but I will still need some type of op to sort the damage out. That is the thing that I'm freaking out about, give me a replacement and I can cope with that, but not knowing what they will do to my neck is scaring me. I know it will be ok, but I am not a person who can deal with the unknown when it comes to my body I need to know in advance so then I can get my head round everything and be prepared. Sorry for venting and thank you for listening.

Chant xxx

maria09

Hi
I'm really sorry you are having such a nasty nasty time
I have no advice to give you just wanted to send my support
Maria

stickywicket

Hello chantelle. I don’t think we’ve met before but that’s a lot of surgery you’ve had/are about to have. I like your pragmatic attitude to it.

We do have some people on here who have had neck surgery and I hope they’ll be on soon to offer support. My own RA has caused problems in my neck area in that I have little head movement and this, combined with other stuff, causes the occasional swallowing problem and means I can struggle to breathe in when I have a bad cold. I scare anaesthetists However, no-one has suggested ops or nerve damage and that’s fine by me.

I presume the surgeon will tell you what he proposes to do, and to achieve, why, and how successful the op usually is before you give consent. At that point you can choose whether or not to go ahead.

I agree that operations involving the neck up are scary, but sometimes necessary. If you enter ‘neck operation’ into the Arthritis Care search engine you’ll find a few threads from people who have had them. I wish you all the best.

kentishlady

Hello Cantelle. Am so sorry you are having such a rough time at the moment and have obviously had a lot of surgery to cope with over the last few years. I do hope everythimg will improve for you soon. I can understand how you must feel about your neck as I feel the same way about my back.

Sending you some gentle hugs ((())) and my thoughts.

Beryl

constable

I can well understand how you must be feeling. Hope they work out very soon as to what they intend to do for you. You are so young to have to be gong through all these ops and my heart goes out to you. I really do hope that this will be the op that will get you back to some kind of life. Sending you some hugs of comfort.

frogmorton

Hi Chantelle

My neck plays up too and I loose sensation in my chest/shoulder and tingly fingers etc. Had back surgery which is slightly less scary, but at Stickwicket says some on here have had it and lived to tell the tale

Dorcas (currently off after TKR) Elna and who was the other? Did Juliepf have it done too?? Oh I am so easily confused sorry :? .

Can you do a 'search' Top rt side of page?? Keywords like neck surgery and opt for 'Living with arthritis forum' only

Love and ((()))

Toni xxx

mig

Hi Chantelle ,I can't help other than sending hugs (((()))) and if you need to have a rant this is the place to do it .take care.Mig

maria09

Hi
It seems we are all having a bad time of it at min
Hopefully we will turn a corner and feel better soon
Maia