Hi

Jueloz

Hi just introducing myself and hoping for advice/support. I have lupus and arthritis - I have had both hips and one knee replaced and am having my other knee replaced this year.
I have had to leave work now which is depressing in itself. Nowadays I spend my time colouring in and watching daytime tele. The nearest support group to me is a 26 mile round trip which would be impossible. My doctors keep dishing out the drugs with no suggestions of support etc etc.
I am only 49 and have had this for 10 years gradually getting worse.
Sorry to be so depressing but that’s about as interesting as my life currently gets at the moment, thanks for reading.

[Deleted User]

Hi jueloz Welcome to the forum sorry you are going through such a lot at the moment,it must be quite frustrating as you are so young.Everyone on this forum have some form of Arthritis so we know how you feel. The forum is full of lovely understanding and encouraging people who will understand what you are going through.
So just choose a forum and get started Living with Arthritis and Chit Chat being the most popular.
All the best Christine

dreamdaisy

Hello, you sound to be in very low spirits and, given the time of year, I am not surprised. It is so much harder to cope with everything with the darker, colder days, yes it's nice to cosy up but not day after flaming day, the 'comfort' soon wears off.

I began my first arthritis back in 1997, I began some meds in 2002 and it was accurately diagnosed as psoriatic arthritis in 2006 but that made no difference to anything. Osteoarthritis was diagnosed in 2011 and I plunged into depression - for some stupid reason I thought that one could only have one kind of arthritis: what an idiotic woman. :roll: Having been born with auto-immune nonsense the PsA was not a surprise but the OA was a shock. To this day I still take a small daily dose of an anti-depressant to help me cope with things and they do. I use the forum as a support group as I can access many more people without leaving home. To control the PsA I take injected methotrexate and humira (I do my own) and for the OA four 30/500 cocodamol per day is enough to dull the pain sufficiently during the better times, at the moment I have had to increase it to six.

I hope you find the forum to be of interest, we all get it because we've all got it. DD

stickywicket

Hi and welcome from me too, with apologies for rocking up late

I've got RA (plus OA). Knees and hips replaced. One knee revised. One THR falling apart

Forgive me if I'm being intrusive but I'm wondering why you are restricted to colouring books and daytime TV. I'd find the latter quite depressing enough without the arthritis Are there no local groups you can join? I don't mean arthritis groups. Frankly, I'd find that a bit depressing too :oops: But just art / craft / easy exercises / even games. (I play scrabble on Monday afternoons to a very low standard but a very high standard of laughter, tea and bikkies ) I'm also mildly nvolved in voluntary work which I can do on the computer. Does anything like that appeal?

Jueloz

Hi thanks for your message. I have looked at “social” groups but round here they are for older people etc. Knitting,women’s institute etc - not really my thing. I will keep looking though. Thanks for your suggestion.

stickywicket

Ah sorry. Yes, I well remember being a young arthritic Mum, wishing I had more counterparts about locally. I solved my problem by doing voluntary work. Just one half day a week but it kept me in touch with lots of lovely people and helped me to feel useful.