Back after a loooong time

ouchpotato

Hello everyone

I was a regular on here a couple of years ago, but I have been away for quite some time - I'm not really sure why except that I think I was trying to 'ignore' the arthritis and get on with living if that makes sense?

Anyway, after one flare up too many I have come back to the fold to get some tea and sympathy and spend time with people who understand.

To recap, I have OA in facet joints, hips, knees, wrists...the usual kit n caboodle. Plus slipped discs, spinal stenosis, DDD and nerve damage which manifests itself as severe pain in the front of the thigh.

I am now having a horrible recurrence of tennis elbow, which I have had for 3 years plus now, in both arms.
I have had radiofrequency ablation on my spine which did nothing at all, steroid jabs in my spine which did work for a while, and alos in my elbows which worked great the first time, but now lasts no longer than a few weeks.

That is me up to date.

I currently don't have a GP, so I am struggling by myself - he behaved very inappropriately, which I reported to the GMC, who in turn reported him to the police, so I am between GPs and struggling.

I have enough cocodamol to see me through to the New Year, as well as amitriptyline but I am really not managing well with the elbows. I can't lift anything, even an empty cup, in my left hand and my right is almost as bad. Life is pretty stressful at the moment and it's all catching up with me really, hence me being back here.

I've tried an elbow strap, which has limited effectiveness - does anyone have any suggestions? I've looked at double cuff braces and even a sling as movement is agony.

Well...there ya go, that's my story, lol.

[Deleted User]

Hi ouchpotato,
welcome back to the fold, it's always lovely to have people back he'd been away for a while getting on with their lives. Sorry to hear you're having such a rough patch with your elbows, do any kind of exercises help at all?
It sounds as if you need to get yourself a new GP as soon as possible, and get a referral for your elbows, as it sounds like the co-co-codamol is not giving you enough pain relief. I hope you manage over the next few weeks, you might find this section of the website useful as it gives lots of ideas for pain management, https://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/living-with-arthritis/managing-pain-and-fatigue
meanwhile welcome back, and keep us up-to-date with how you getting on.
Best Wishes
Sharon

stickywicket

Welcome back but sorry things are rough right now.

As for a doc- you can just sign in with a new one. All you have to do is turn up and they do the paperwork though you usually have to make an appointment before anything will be prescribed. Good luck.

ouchpotato

Hi Sharon, and thank you for the message. I do have exercises to do, but at the moment they are too painful - it's a catch 22 sadly. I'm not sure what else they can offer me by way of pain relief, I am allergic to morphine, and NSAIDs, so I think I am pretty much stuck.I have the forms to fill out for the new surgery, and will get them done tomorrow.

Thanks Sticky, it's nice to be back, although not nice to need to be!