over whelmed

emmaadams

Hi i have recently been diagnosed With Arthritis in my knees . it affects both of them and is severely painful . i have suffered with this for the past 5 years . i am only 30 years of age , i have 2 children and find it difficult to do anything with them..i recently had an arthroscopy in which they did a full tendon release on my right knee , i'm still having regular flare ups in my Right knee but because my legs keep going Numb i have been referred back to my GP to get this issue sorted as well. i am currently taking Paracetamol/Dihydrocodeine for the pain .i have been on these since Christmas but feel as though they are no longer keeping the pain at bay, i don't really want to be on painkillers for the rest of my life , is there anything that will help ?? my husband helps out a lot around the house . i just feel like my life is over and that there is nothing i can do about it ...

daffy2

I'm not surprised you feel overwhelmed Emma, you have a great deal to cope with. There are options with pain relief,but it may take persistence on your part with your GP and may take a while to sort out what is best for you. There is also pain management which involves ways of dealing with the pain, such as distraction, heat/ice etc. Arthritis Care also run courses such as 'Challenging Arthritis' which cover various topics and can be very helpful - not least because you are with others who know the kinds of problems you are having. Have a look on the main website and see if there's anything in your area.
There will be other forum members along in due course who can give you more specific info as they are also parenting or have had surgery. In the meantime hang on to the thought that there is life with arthritis, it's different but it can be good, and you will get there in due course.

stickywicket

Hello Emma. Welcome to our forums but I 'm so sorry you had to find us. Believe me, although things are tough right now, your life isn't over. You have a good husband and two little ones. I, too, have been in your situation. I had OA in both knees when my boys were little. Mine came as a result of many years of RA so I got two new knees much earlier than is usual. They made a world of difference so there is light at the end of the tunnel for you.

Your children are actually a big asset as they will keep you mobile at times when you'd really rather just lie down and rest. Exercise is good for knees that have OA and is even prescribed sometimes now. Swimming and cycling are good forms of exercise for knees. By keeping the muscles strong the knees are better supported so they hurt less.
I've never had numbness though. I'm glad yours will be investigated.

There are other painkillers besides the ones you are taking. There are also anti-inflammatory pills which might help. 'Painkiller' is a bit of a misnomer. They don't. They ease it a bit. That's all.

Maybe a good chat with your GP? Maybe, also, you could ask to be referred to a Pain Clinic. They're good at offering ways of dealing with chronic pain.