My Medical Cup Runneth Over.

dreamdaisy

Joints creaking. Tick.

Dry socket and surrounding areas aching. Tick.

Smear test on Thursday. Tick.

And then of course there's the question of do I or do I not take the meds for the PsA? (Take note, Hamlet, that is a dilemma.) DD

Airwave!

My kingdom for a tablet eh!

stickywicket

I have found, on occasions, that I can be sensible re the DMARDS for so long. After that I'm prepared to 'take them and be damned'. There comes a point when it's worth the risk to get the painkiller consumption back to normal. (It takes excellent juggling skills to be an autoimmuner )

dreamdaisy

Thank you, everyone, for your replies. I have rung the helpline about the meds, a call that lasted 2 minutes and 27 seconds, 25 seconds of which was me leaving my name, hospital number, query and phone number. The rest was helpful info about when they won't be dealing with queries and advice along the lines of 'If you feel thirsty drink a glass of water.' :roll: Gordon Bennett. DD

GraceB

DD, isn't it frustrating when you seem to spend a large chunk of your life sitting there with your phone in your hand listening to a machine rabbiting on?

You've been through the mill rather lately haven't you? Hope your mouth feels better soon.

Take care,
GraceB

dreamdaisy

Thank you, everyone. The hospital rang and it is as I thought, no meds for at least another week, possibly another two so I shall keep myself as mobile as possible by walking, doing my stretching exercises and then next week I will go to the gym. I walked unassisted for a reasonable length of time a couple of days ago, in fact I did nearly a mile so that was pretty good going. I wasn't expecting payback and I haven't had any so that's good. DD

daffy2

So glad the walking is still an option DD. It's bad enough being an arthritis voodoo doll again without having a topping of cabin fever.

dreamdaisy

Thank you, Daffy, I am ensuring it remains an option. There is a noticeable difference between walking with an aid to walking without which one doesn't appreciate until you stop the former. I wasn't aware of how many muscles are involved with unaided walking when I could do it without thinking, oh boy, them's were the days!

The exercise has finally caught up with me: after my heroic efforts to celebrate International Women's Day in a suitably feminine fashion I went shopping which was much more fun (and far less uncomfortable): although I was using rollator by the time I returned to the car things weren't going well. Never mind, onwards, sideways and occasionally backwards is the rule of thumb, yes? DD

daffy2

Never mind, onwards, sideways and occasionally backwards is the rule of thumb, yes? DD

Absolutely. In any case if things are rubbish anyway I would rather have a good reason(such as having enjoyed myself) for them being a bit more rubbish and having the good vibes from the enjoyment to help see me through.

dreamdaisy

If the payback is justified by the activity that caused it I can cope, the payback when having done nothing, however, is a completely unnecessary slap round the chops. That's the time that I am known to mutter the odd moan or two but if it's self-induced then it serves me right.

I managed another unaided walk yesterday, 0.9 of a mile: AND IT WAS RAINING. Shove that in your pipe, arthritis, and smoke it. DD

dreamdaisy

An update to bore you all rigid.

Unaided walking is now temporarily halted thanks to the lack of meds. My unaided arthritic gait is back and in fine style (just call me Lurch) so it's back to the aids to take the strain off the joints which remain unaffected (I want them to stay that way). I have decided to leave the meds another week as the socket is healing and, as I am due to see him next Monday, I want that as closed as possible as a defence against his further fiddling. Oy veh. :roll: DD

GraceB

DD, I just wanted to say you've got guts! Such sheer determination to batter the OA into submission whenever possible to do so. You go girl!

It's a shame the aids are back temporarily, but at least you know it's a temporary "fix". I'll keep my fingers crossed that the tooth socket heals as it should.

Take care,
GraceB

frogmorton

Oh gosh! :shock:

and a great time was had by all :roll:

I know how much you dislike the dentist so ((())) for Monday.

I hope you heal quickly and can get back on the medications ASAP.

t69044

Love

Toni xx

Maturecheese

DD I was going to speak to the GP (well get them to call me) about pain meds now that I'm on a low dose of steroids for this last week as like you the other alternative is an answer phone where they will get back to you within 2-3 working days woopee!. Just to let you know you're not alone in having to put up with a daft service. In the end I decided to just take more codeine and a couple of paracetamol a day. (I try to avoid taking paracetamol to not stress my liver due to my drinking history) I'll be bloody glad when these Dmards actually work.

dreamdaisy

The answerphone is my rheumatology unit, I remember the days when it was answered because it was part of the duty rota: thanks to increased referrals and the fact that rheumatology patients never leave the service is so stretched now but at least they did return my call. I will resume the meth and humira next week, regardless.

It's best to make an appointment to see your GP, Maturecheese, because they are much more in the know about the differing kinds of pain relief. It's good you are concerned about how your liver may be coping but the blood tests will pick up any troubles. I hope the meth soon has a positive impact on your pain levels, it never has on mine for the good reason that it was too little, too late. I've been overdoing the codeine - even lactulose isn't helping the blocked drains, serves me right for being a wimp. DD

daffy2

serves me right for being a wimp. DD

Now now DD, enough with the self-flagellation already(hah, if only I hear you say!), we know and you know that wimp and DD do not belong together.

dreamdaisy

Thank you, Daffy, I had a rougher night than usual hence the gloom. The weather here is gloomy too, an Eeyore day to complement my Eeyore mood: I am, however, being taken out for lunch so one is a lucky girl and that will help things to improve. DD

daffy2

Gloomy here today DD as well, payback for the lovely spring day yesterday I suppose, although as Wednesday is my volunteer gardening day better to have the nice weather then.

dreamdaisy

Do you fancy doing some volunteer gardening up here, Daffy? The beverage of your choice will regularly be provided, along with a selection of bikkies.

Lunch was lovely, we went to the White Horse at Easton, a very pretty little village with a very splendid pub. I then went shopping in Woodbridge Oddly enough I was thoroughly cheered by the time I returned. Now to get through Friday . . . . DD

frogmorton

dreamdaisy wrote:

Lunch was lovely, we went to the White Horse at Easton, a very pretty little village with a very splendid pub. I then went shopping in Woodbridge Oddly enough I was thoroughly cheered by the time I returned. Now to get through Friday . . . . DD

Can't think why that might be

daffy2

Do you fancy doing some volunteer gardening up here, Daffy?

The irony is that many a week I spend less time on my own gardening than I do on the volunteering, and sometimes it shows!
However the volunteer sort provides company, and the feedback from visitors(when I'm wearing my paid staff hat) is rewarding, and so the effort has a much bigger (positive) payback than my own strip. Now that the site is open for the season again I can also get back into the pleasant routine of having a hot lunch in the cafe after the morning's efforts - although the price hike was a bit of a shock, £1-03 increase on my customary jacket spud, the result I think of not having put prices up on the homecooked food for at least 3 years, during which time overheads have increased somewhat...
Glad the day went well, something to carry you through Friday.

dreamdaisy

Other people's housework or, as Joan Bakewell put it, 'outdoor housework' (aka gardening) is always more satisfying compared to one's own.

Friday is going well, a good tidy up was required to due to guests visiting and it has finally been done. There are some cupboard doors, however, that I now dare not open . . . .

I have reduced my coco strength to 12/500 and switched to the effervescent kind. DD