In so much pain

Jillinpain

Hi
My name is Jill, I'm 47 and have been in pain for the last 17 years, it started in my shoulders and neck when I was told I had a trapped nerve, then it was that it was wear and tear with age, then 2/3 years ago I was told I had cervical spondylosis, 2 year ago I started having problems with my foot/ankle for no reason, no injury (nothing) couldn't walk thought it was gout but wasn't, I sprained my knee Nov 2015 just by kneeling on my soft bed (bang) that went, still in pain, and now last Tuesday 18/7/2017 my right hand and wrist (with no injury again) are swollen and unbearable to move, I know going to the doctor is a waste of time, they'll just say keep on with the painkillers I take 2 paracetamol and 2 ibuprofen every 4 hours, I do have naproxen but only take them when not on ibuprofen nothing is working for me right now, I just don't want to get out of bed as I know ill just cry all day in pain, sorry for going on I just wanted to get this off my chest and I know there are so many going through the same thing, hope we can chat. Thanks 😔

[Deleted User]

Hi Jill
I am so sorry to hear that you are in so much pain, it really sound like you have had a rough ride over the last few years. We do have a booklet on managing pain that you might find useful, here is the link. https://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/living-with-arthritis/managing-pain

It is really hard to do anything when you are in so much pain and it is also hard to fight your corner when you are feeling so unwell. However I really would recommend you go to your GP and ask to be referred to a rheumatologist, I am assuming you haven't seen one? If you have a rheumatologist then it is certainly time to ask for an urgent appointment and explain in detail what your symptoms are. We have a great little booklet that you can use to keep a diary of your symptoms in here https://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/assets/000/001/207/my-plan-for-life-with-as_original.pdf

Of course it is always really useful to toalk to other people who understand what you are going through and I am sure our wonderful members will be along shortly to talk to you. Keep us up to date with how you get on
Best Wishes
Sharon

frogmorton

Oh Jill

You really do sound to be suffering so much

I have to agree with Sharon that one last trip to the Dr is definitely in order. When my arthritis first kicked off I was backwards and forwards to the Drs with no luck then one day when things were badly swollen I took my brother with me. Hey presto! immediate referral to rheumatologist

I always take my husband to rheumatology with me now too. Safety in numbers and less easy to be fobbed off

BUT I would first fill in that diary Sharon mentioned so that you have 'evidence' which is almost tangible.

You look after yourself now no-one should be suffering like you are without help and support ((()))

Love

Toni xx

butterfly

Hi Jill
I was sorry and sad to read your comments it isn't a very pleasant place to be!

I too was backwards and forwards to the doctors with neck and shoulder pain. They too said that I had a trapped nerve and without sounding clever I just knew they were wrong. I was so past myself, it got to the point where I couldn't even unscrew the toothpaste. In the end and in tears I just asked my doctor for an appointment with a Rheumatologist. I asked for a private referral it was quicker. It took him Rheumatologist just 10 minutes to diagnose.

Please make an appointment and ask for a referral even a private one to get you on the road. A good idea from Toni, take someone with you.

I will be thinking of you and sending warm hugs.

Take care.

Love Denise OO

dreamdaisy

Hello, I can empathise with how you are feeling and I think many of us on here have been in a very similar position. I wanted to acknowledge your post and will do a proper reply tomorrow. We usually say that 'it's a shame you have had to find us' but I think it's a good thing that you have because we get it. And we've got it too. DD

stickywicket

Hi Jill and welcome from me too.

I'm glad you did manage to get it off your chest. I hope it helped a little but I hope we can help more too.

What comes over very strongly in your thread is how very unhappy you are. You sound quite defeated by all this and chronic, relentless pain can do this to all of us. It actually distorts the way we see things so that all appears to be doom and gloom when it doesn't actually have to be.

You don't say whether or not you have ever seen a rheumatologist but you do say that your foot pain wasn't gout. I wonder if it was a rheumatologist who decided this. Basically, GPs deal with OA and rheumatologists with auto-immune types of arthritis. Has anyone ever suggested yours might be auto-immune? What other symptoms do you have besides pain? You are entitled to ask your GP for a referral to a rheumatologist. At least, with that, you'd have a better idea of what you're dealing with and knowledge brings power.

It's true that, if it is OA, the GP can't do a great deal other than prescribe pain relief, anti-inflammatories and physio. But we can do quite a lot to help ourselves. However, our heads need to be in the right place for that and, right now, I think you're struggling just to get through the day.

If the problem, or part of it, is that you don't gel with your GP, you can always see anyone in the practice or even change practices very simply by just going to another one and asking to join. They do the rest of the work.

Arthritis of any kind is a pain, in every sense of the word, but it doesn't have to be so bad that you don't want to get out of bed. It can be much, much better than that. You have taken one big, brave step by posting on here. Let's keep the momentum going. Try taking another today. And keep talking to us.

dreamdaisy

Chronic pain is wearing on us both emotionally and physically. It depletes our energy, disturbs our sleep, affects the quality of our relationships and can leave us isolated and frightened. Are any of your troubled joints hot to the touch? I have an auto-immune arthritis and that was one of its hallmarks. The joint damage that caused has led to OA in some very useful places and pain is my constant companion: when the OA was diagnosed in 2011 I began to take a low dose of an anti-depressant and still do, this bolsters my mental state and helps me cope far better. I have around forty affected joints, some with both conditions and am reliant on walking aids. So what? They help me go further and do more, I am thankful that this has happened to me at a comparatively young age so my thinking is more plastic and I am more willing to make adjustments.

Doctors can help but only if we go to see them and give them a full picture of how we are feeling, how we are being affected and what we wish to happen. There is a range of pain relief methods available but, in my experience, the key is to take a little and often, keeping the dose to the minimum so there is room to manoeuvre for the rougher days (I no longer have good days, just less bad ones).

Please keep in touch and let us know how you are getting on. DD

dreamdaisy

Hello, it's been a little while since we heard from you, how are things? DD