Re carer with Osteo-Arthritis

18amandah
18amandah Member Posts: 34
edited 14. Apr 2016, 04:26 in Living with Arthritis archive
Hello, I am Amanda, & I am a carer for my Disabled Husband, who has OsteoArthritis. He has been on the same old meds for years. I have only had Osteo-arthritis for the last two or three years, had a hip replacement last year which has not worked as well as it should have. Now I have awful pain in my knees. I have to help my Husband with things, as he is severely sighted & deaf.I am absolutley terrified of all Hospitals and fear one day I will have to have an op on my other hips & knees.I am into reflexology & having a jacuzzi when ever I can and also having crystal thereapy as well.Some one told me to buy white wine vinegar & add clear honey. But how much ?Very sorry to moan. I am in meltdown, as 4 years agao My elder half brother died.Regards Amanda :splash:

Comments

  • Ladybrown
    Ladybrown Member Posts: 130
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Amanda
    Sorry to hear that things are so difficult for you. I also have OA, in my knees. Have you spoken to your GP about your situation? There are lots of variations of pain management that you can try - getting a good regular medication regime has been really important for me and the most important lesson I have learnt is not to wait until the pain peaks before taking the pain pills. Unfortunately we have to get used to taking our medicine, even though we may not like to, and it is much more effective if taken regularly.

    I would also suggest asking to see a physiotherapist as the benefit to knees from the right kinds of activity can be very good. You might also find a referral to a pain service helpful, depending on where you live. We have one here in Portsmouth which includes access to mindfulness techniques and Tai Chi classes as part of the programme, along with addressing the emotional aspects of dealing with long term pain.

    OA won't necessarily involve hospital treatment yet (many people manage it without surgery) but the key thing is to try to access the support you can as early as possible. I've had a lot of pain in my knees for 10 years and believe me they are not keen to replace those joints!! Heat can be very helpful - a hot water bottle is a good friend to me on a cold day. I also lost a bit of weight and the difference to my knees was astonishing. I am afraid I don't know anything about using white wine vinegar and honey - there are so many alternative treatments out there that it is hard to keep up.

    Take care, and I hope that you will find this group as supportive as I have
    x
  • elnafinn
    elnafinn Member Posts: 7,412
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Amanda

    I thought cider vinegar was used with the honey, so do not know if this will help.

    1. Mix apple cider vinegar (half to 1 tablespoon) and raw honey (half to 1 tablespoon). (Note: Apple cider vinegar is actually made from fresh, organic, crushed apples that are allowed to mature naturally in wooden barrels, but you can get it easily from the grocery shops or supermarkets.)
    2. Dissolve in a glass of water (10-20oz).
    3. Take it once or twice daily.

    Elna
    The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.

    If you can lay down at night knowing in your heart that you made someone's day just a little bit better, you know you had a good day.
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    It varies from person to person, those who swear by their vinegars don't have OA as I recognise it and I find that vinegars make mine worse in terms of pain. There's no harm in trying though but keep it up for a good few months, it won't undo the damage already there (nothing repairs worn cartiledge) but it might slow the degeneration and progression of the OA.

    Replacement joints are not guaranteed to work, the patient has a role to play in doing all the post-op exercises for a very long time to help the muscles around the joints to strengthen, it's a long process. I don't go to hospital for my OA, I take pain relief and the occasional anti-inflammatory but I have to for my other arthritis where I am seen in clinic for a chat about how things are going.

    Are you in touch with social services about accessing more help for you with your husband? He obviously needs a great deal of care but you need help to give that, don't you? DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben