New Member 2014

Chaz

Hi, My name is Chaz and I live in Kettering, Northamptonshire. I finally got diagnosed with arthritis this year, even though I have suffered from it for many many years, but to be honest I didnt want to know.

I now live with my son and daughter-in-law who now care for me, although I am still able to walk and have use of my hands at this time I am in constant pain and expect to rely a lot more on my son in due course.

I also suffer depression and have been under the doctors for this over 10 years now and the arthritis has now had a big impact on this and how I am coping with the knowledge of what my future may be. This has hit me hard as I have never been one to rely on anyone else and have always just got on with life even when I was a single father of 3 kids under 10, although they are now all in their late twenties.

I did attend the local meeting but felt very awkward as I also suffer anxiety and find it hard sometimes to mix, the biggest problem for me was that most of them were of a later age than myself and generally I surround myself with younger people as I dont want to get old,

I hope to attend more events and even organise some within the local community, I would like to see if I could create a younger section of the existing group as I am sure there are many of the younger age that are losing out on association with families in a similar situation.

Looking forward to connecting with many people on here in the near future

Chaz

Numptydumpty

Hi Chaz, and welcome to the forum.
I used to live near Kettering, in fact I was born in a village called Woodford. My mum still lives there so I visit frequently, but I now live in Lincolnshire.
I'm sure you'll get a lot from this forum, the people are a great bunch, helpful, understanding and in spite of everything, full of humour.
Good luck with your group.
I look forward to seeing your posts.
Take care,
Numpty

ouchpotato

Hi Chaz

I'm in your neck of the woods. What type of arthritis do you have? Not that it matters, they all suck equally!!! I'm 45, with OA in lots of places. Keep posting on here; they're a mad bunch and quite rightly so...who wants to be normal?! But you will get loads of advice, sympathy (if you want it) and most importantly understanding. And a good laugh too.

Look forward to getting to know you

x

villier

Hi Chaz

Welcome to the forum, you have come to a great place, it is like one big virtual family here, as the others say it is not all gloom and doom, to me laughter is the best medicine and it's free. It is OA I have and other dross gong on. It is lovely to meet you hope to see you around.....................Marie x

barbara12

Hello Chaz and a warm welcome from me
You have brought up your family and looked after them and now your son is returning this,I know its hard to lean on family but I am sure you do what you can.
Has for the depression thats is hard to cop with , there are quite a few on that have been on ADs due to the impact that arthritis has had on there lives..including me...you now have us lot to talk to , and has I tell everyone talking is a really good release ..I hope we hear more from you very soon..

DebbieT

Hi & welcome Chaz,

I'm glad to hear that ure family are supporting you, it will mean a lot I'm sure!!

I was diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) & Osteo Arthritis (OA) wen I was 37. I also have Fibromyalgia (fm) & severe chronic plaque psoriasis, I've just started a biologic to treat the psoriasis. I'm now 43, 44 next month.

My hubby became disabled wen I was 32, he was 34 but we managed to keep a small social life. Wen I got bad at 40 we weren't so lucky but we had our 1st Grandchild to ease the blow Now we have 2, one of each ... They light our lives so much

Our youngest is the only one left at home, she's 19. The other 3 are 20, 23 & 25, they've all got birthdays still to come. They all do wot they can & are brilliant, but she is our main carer. She is a carer by profession too, poor kid.

With regards to depression & anxiety, which I've always battled with. I found councelling helped me. It's not for everyone, I didn't think it was for me but I had an awful few years, which came to a head, in 2013 & I feared I'd be locked up :shock: I knew I needed help badly, it was like weight fell from my shoulders everytime I left her office. Id do it again in a heartbeat, now I know it's nothing scary

I hope you can get a group up & running for ure age group. Is there a local paper you could approach to interview you explaining wot you have & wot ure hoping to achieve perhaps? Then give out a contact email or similar for people that are interested??

Good luck & I look forward to seeing you around forum.

(((Hugs)))

Xx xX

dreamdaisy

Hello, it's lovely to meet you and I am pleased you have found us. I began with one kind of arthritis when I was 37, it was finally diagnosed nine years later as psoriatic arthritis (an auto-immune kind) and the joint damage from that has led to osteo in a number of very useful joints and now fibromyalgia. No matter, it is what it is, it will do what it will do, and denying it won't get me anywhere.

The diagnosis of OA in April 2011 was a blow and I began to take a low dose of anti-depressants which I hoped to stop after I was in a better place. Much to my surprise my rheumatologist advised me to stay on them to help me cope better with the pain, so I did but have now reduced the dose from 20mg to 10mg per day. I have also moved house and can cope better physically so, hopefully, I can stop the 10. We'll see. I am deliberately childless but am very happily married to a good bloke who is happy to do stuff when I can't.

Arthritis does not only affect the old - many people think there are two kinds, osteo and rheumatoid (and lump them together as 'arthritis' ) but they are different beasts. Osteo is the most common but RA has a different cause - it's an auto-immune disorder and there are close on 200 types of auto-immune. It's a creaky minefield out there. I don't belong to my local branch of AC but am considering joining; I don't care about the age range, we're all affected by a pig of a disease and they are the most likely people to properly understand. Arthritis can strike at any age - it respects no-one. I have a stony heart but it always goes out to the children - the youngest I've read about on here was 18 months old.

You are talking to the initiated on here, we know what it's like, the challenges, the frustrations, the anger, the disappointments and the occasional high-points. For me it's all about finding the positives in my life, my friends, my husband, driving my car, sunshine - they all help. I look forward to seeing your name here and there around the boards and I wish you well. DD

bubbadog

Hi Chaz, welcome to Arthritis Care Forum family! You are in the right place and you can get support as well as information and we do occasionally have some fun!!