Hydrotherapy/acupuncture and physio

lynnemarie1123
lynnemarie1123 Member Posts: 295
edited 5. Jan 2015, 00:51 in Living with Arthritis archive
Merry Christmas all x

I was refered back to physio on Monday x lovely lady suggested (amongst other things ) hydrotherapy ( start tom am ) and acupuncture to follow ( not had either before) I've put my condition out of mind recently and put myself bottom of the list !! In Huge pain and uncomfortable at the moment ! So much so I broke down in tears in front of the physio.

Amitriptline ceasing to work. 30/500 co codamol no effect anymore. Arcoxia no effect 90 mg !! . Had a tele convo with Gp to discuss meds ! He was no use and only offered me 120mg for 8 days! - suggested I get in touch with rhumy helpline in new year.

Ive booked a tel app with rhumy tom ( yes Xmas Eve) what should I say ?? I feel like I'm banging my head on a brick wall at the moment! I'm sick of bring in pain! Sick of not sleeping ! Sick of not walking properly suck of not being able to sit for more than 10 mins before being in agony!

I'm sorry to moan ( I'm not normally a moaner). And I know there are people out there in a worse position than me! I'm just in a bit of a state with it all !!! :-( xxxxxx

Comments

  • As5567
    As5567 Member Posts: 665
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Merry Christmas to you too!

    I have had lots of hydrotherapy in the passed and it really does help build up those joints you find difficult moving out of the water. I'm not sure if you're doing it as a group or alone? I had always done it as a group and although at the time I was under 18 and most of the people there were in their pension years it did turn out to actually be fun rather than typical physio. Usually on the first couple of sessions if you are in a group they will ask you to leave much sooner than the others, this is to save you from over doing things even though you will probably feel like I did by thinking I haven't done much I can do a lot more..... a couple of hours later I really did feel it and was glad I got told to leave the pool early! It's surprising how much you can get done in the water and how effective it really is on building up those muscles and getting the joints moving.

    I did have a short course of acupuncture once as a trail basis and didn't find any benefit from it so it was discontinued. It was surprisingly relaxing in a strange sort of way while it was being done and there was no pain felt at all.

    I had a very long discussion with my rheumatologist yesterday about anti inflammatory meds such as Arcoxia. I have always been a big fan of Arcoxia because its the only drug in its class that is easy on the stomach and it gives me one less thing to worry about, but a very common thing with Arcoxia is that it loses effectiveness after long term use. Like your self I have had the 120MG 7 day dose several times and never felt that it helped much. My suggestion to you would be to speak to your rheumatolgist about trying another anti inflammation medication. Until yesterday I was under the impression there was just Naproxen, diclofenac, ibuprofen, ,meloxicam and Arcoxia. My rheumatolgist at first did suggest one that I've never heard of but from passed experience I knew that Meloxicam had worked well for me in my teen years and that now as an adult I can be given the double dose. Today I have felt much better than usual since starting back on the meloxicam last night, not fantastic but it sure is an improvement.

    From what I can tell about your post I'm in the same sort of situation as you at the moment, nothing has really worked for almost a year now and am fed up of this pain, especially not being able to sit down in one spot for more than 10 mins....it can be really frustrating I know. The only thing we can do is keep fighting and keep trying out new drugs and therapies until something works. We're all different, I know that one day I will get back to the days where I can get by and manage things at my own pace, not pain free...far from it but be in a position where I can cope with it all and get on with life. I'm sure you know what I mean...

    I hope your telephone appointment goes as well as it can do for you tomorrow, try to make a list of things before the telephone call so you don't forget anything, and most importantly don't be afraid to ask for anything. These last few months I have had to fight and fight for things that I need and I've learnt that if you don't ask you won't get.
  • lynnemarie1123
    lynnemarie1123 Member Posts: 295
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    You have no idea how much your post has helped me x thank you x I'll let you know how I go on xx thank you xx
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hydrotherapy can be a useful treatment for some, the same with acupuncture so you won't know until you try. Physio too has a role to play in helping to keep our joint-supporting muscles strong and flexible but that needs constant practice, not just the odd half hour at an appointment. As you've discovered our bodies do become attuned to a certain dose of a med and then demand more for a similar amount of relief to be felt - for that reason I don't take that much for pain relief (because nothing works as I would wish) so that way I have leeway for when things worsen, which they do from time-to-time.

    I think I've said to you before that I can no longer remember pain-free and that is liberating. I don't dull the pain too much because it is a useful feedback for when I'm getting close to overdoing things but it has taken me years to come to terms with the fact that this is life as I know it. I remember the frustration of it all very well (and it still occasionally hits when I see my contemporaries still playing tennis etc.) but they don't appreciate what they have, whereas I do viz. I don't have much and I have to eke it out.

    We don't lead easy lives but, to my way of thinking, more and stronger drugs is not an answer because they only remove you from the pain, not vice-versa. There is no complete solution to pain and joint damage for auto-immuners, some things provide a temporary relief or temporary reduction but that's it. At least we live in a time when these things are available, and for that we should be thankful. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • Littlemoose
    Littlemoose Member Posts: 3
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi there, I'm new to this website and saw your post and felt I needed to reply having been in a similar state myself many times. I'm 28 and suffer from pseudoachondroplasia (a form of dwarfism) which led to OA developing in my mid-teens. I had my first hip replacement at the end of October and so am currently laid up VERY bored and feeling pretty stiff and miserable. My girlfriend is being incredible but there's only so many times she can massge my sore shoulders from using crutches too much.

    I have had huge success with both hydrotherapy and acupuncture in the past. Acupuncture is great for pain relief and sleeping. However, I also have depression and found it did make me feel very low for a good 48 hours afterwards. But as long as you expect it then it's ok. My girlfriend and I would have a girly night on the sofa planned for every post-acupuncture evening and she knew not to expect too much from me for a few days. I also had to take the rest of the day off work because I needed to sleep for 2-4 hours afterwards. It was definitely worth it for the pain relief though.

    Hydrotherapy was a good social thing as well as being a relaxing activity at the time. However, I agree with others who have said you'll feel it later. I found 48 hours afterwards was when I was doing my grumpy PMT act on the sofa from being sore! Only hydro was more than once a month :lol:

    Good luck! It's miserable when you feel like this but remember it will ease - my pain is always worse in the winter.
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Littlemoose. I just wanted to say welcome to the forums :D I'm glad you've had some success with hydro and acupuncture but sorry things aren't too good right now. It must be tough still being on crutches so long after a hip replacement and it must make the recovery so much harder - and more boring :wink: Have you been given a time frame for getting rid of them or does your other condition make it harder?
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • lynnemarie1123
    lynnemarie1123 Member Posts: 295
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi little nose x thank you for your post and support and got making me smile :-) xxx
    I loved hydro x my first session was fairly sedate but your right about the social thing x I chatted to people who I wouldnt normally :-) xx I didn't stop the whole day after as it was Christmas Eve and as a mum I had certain duties lol xx
    I had my 2nd last Monday and it was a lot more intense I def felt like I'd had a work out after ! Again I didn't stop for the rest of the day so felt wiped out the day after.

    I've managed not to take painkillers and sleeping tablets over Xmas and feel ok about things xx
    I do hope you've had a lovely Xmas and thank you for sharing your experiences xxx
  • Tia1723
    Tia1723 Bots Posts: 43
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hey that’s a great start lynnemarie. I agree with littlemose on hydrotherapy being a good social thing. It gives your relaxing and community social atmosphere; that’s a big change from bore routine.
    I wish you get the same kind of experience with acupuncture too. It may take a little time though, to show its benefit so be a patient. But believe me; acupuncture has a respect among physicians. Of course, nobody can be sure whether you will be benefited from this or not, unless you try it, but I guess there no harm in trying it out at least once.
    The treatment of course differs at each stage from an early stage to a more atrophy and dull stage. Treatment has to be maintained because the condition is chronic and cannot totally eliminate the reactivity. However, it can certainly alleviate pain to some extent.

    Tia.