Evening all...

Juttle

No, it’s not Dixon of dock green, if any of you remember that! My name’s Bob and I’ve had this curse for 15 years. I’ve only just noticed the telly advert and I’m surprised at the number of people already here.

Right, enough waffle, time to catch up on all these posts!


Bob

dreamdaisy

Hello, it's nice to meet you and I am sorry you have had to find us. I am in my 23rd year of the nonsense, with a creaky foot in both arthritis camps: I began when I was 37 and am now 60. It isn't fun but it is what it is, it ain't never going to get better, the meds don't do enough to make the quality of life better but they make it tolerable.

The forum has been around for years, I was pleased to find it because I was (and remain) the only person in our large group of friends to have arthritis. I hope you find the forum to be of interest, we all get it because we've all got it. DD

[Deleted User]

Hi Bob,

Welcome to the forum.

I'm sorry to hear that you've been suffering for so long. I hope you find some useful information and tips in the forums and can benefit from dialogue with other forum members.

There's a host of useful information on our website https://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/living-with-arthritis and you may also find our helpline useful - 0800 520 0520.

Good luck catching up with all those posts

Chris B (Moderator)

Juttle

Well, greetings all,

I wasn’t aware of this forum until yesterday when I caught the telly advert. I don’t know how I missed it as I’ve spent hours, probably days, looking for that allusive cure or aid to make life better. I wouldn’t mind betting that everyone else has done the same thing!

I’ve been through the card regarding meds, indometacine, DF118’s, all the NSAIDS, the end result of which was a blue’s and two’s run straight to ICU with a fried gastric tract. That resulted in the scene often seen in “casualty” with the family gathered speaking in hushed tones while the machinery was turned off and the donor team sharpened their scalpels! Being of an inconsiderate nature, I didn’t die, obviously, and two weeks later I was sent home having been told I’ll never walk again!

Anyway, I’m waffling again so I’ll shut up now and carry on boring all of you with lurid tales of pacemakers and stuff.

Such an exciting life, I don’t know how I cope!

dreamdaisy

If cures existed nobody would have arthritis: around ten million people in the UK do do because there isn't. Which kind do you have? I am assuming osteo as you have not mentioned seeing a rheumatologist. I prefer my osteo to the other one (psoriatic) as I know when it is going to be worse and when it might be better behaved (a laughable idea ) The cold and the damp aggravates it as does my overdoing things. I cannot stop the former from happening but I can be in charge of the latter, I've found the secret is to stop when I feel I can do more.

NSAIDs, if they are to be taken long-term, should always be prescribed with a stomach protector such as omeprazole to guard against gut damage, it sounds as though that did not happen with you which is not good. How are things on that front? DD

Juttle

Yes, it’s osteo, and no, no gut protector. All I can use now is cocodamol or oramorph, both of which are useless. My GP suggested trying a TENS machine completely forgetting that I had a pacemaker! After reminding him he suggested more exercise, although he didn’t have any suggestions of what form it should take. I had a few months in a wheelchair and though, “**** this,” and forced myself out of it and onto crutches!

I’m just not giving up on it. I’ve, according to my GP notes, died twice and have all sorts of other complications but I’m not going to let it beat me. I’m coming up 70 which gives me the right to be a grumpy old bugger!

dreamdaisy

I take 30/500 cocodamol, between four and six per day in the rougher times and two or three per day in the better ones. They merely dull the sharper edges, that is all any pain relief can do with pain such as ours, but it's enough to help me get on. I wonder why your then GP did not add a gut protector to your script? They've been around for a good few years so that omission is not good.

Keeping my pain relief to the minimum means I have room to maneouvre when things are very rough. Not giving the pain any attention also helps to lessen one's perception of it but learning to do that is not easy. It always seems worse in the dead of night simply because the world is quieter, I take pain relief if possible (I go at least six hours between doses) and if not read my Kindle or plan how I would spend a lottery win. I also consider waking my husband so he can share the fun but have so far managed to hold off. I'm far too kind.

I never expect a GP doc to remember anything about me, simply because I never see the same one twice. I am registered with a doc I have never seen, recognise that every GP in the practice has in excess of 3000 so why would they? I often wonder if caring GPs (who do exist) feel as frustrated as their patients as they try to work within the creaking limits of a very over-stretched system. Too many punters, too many time-wasters, not enough docs and not enough common sense on all fronts is not conducive to a proper service. I still wouldn't be without it though, I love the NHS, enormous warts and all. DD

stickywicket

Juttle wrote:

. I’m coming up 70 which gives me the right to be a grumpy old bugger!

Bob, I'm 73 so may I grump along too

Actually, I don't have much to grump about. I've had RA since I was 15 and still managed to have a good life though bungee jumping and sky diving weren't really on the cards

You really shouldn't have had the -presumably- gastric bleed. Stomach protectors should be prescribed with anti- inflammatories. But you are clearly determined to enjoy life so go for it. Have you asked to see a physio? If you've done so much for yourself you could probably do even more with some tailored exercises. Life is for living.

Juttle

You come along too and welcome, all grumpy old buggers together!

I’ve never had a problem with the NHS, it’s only because of them that I’m still alive, but trying to gain access to anything via the GP’s surgery is a nightmare! Not the fault of the GP, they’re doing the best job they can with very limited resources, vastly depleted numbers and the allotted 3 minutes per punter. I never ask for an appointment with mine, whoever he or she is, preferring to wait until I’m requested to come in. The last time was the usual pain relief chat and ended up with a request to try some stick on freezer patches. “Give them a month and then we’ll ring you to come in,” were the instructions. Two weeks later I got a call telling me that I’d not been forgotten about and then they forgot about me! 12 weeks later and I can’t get passed the Hydra that guards the GP’s, “there are no appointments available today, please try again tomorrow. A phone call? These are very busy people...” She didn’t finish with “... for the likes of you,” but the intonation was there. The patches were useless anyway! Is there a special training school for GP receptionists?

Right, morning rant over - and I’ve forgotten the original question anyway! I’ll try again later when my head’s straight (er)!

stickywicket

I think you're unlucky in your GP practice and it might be worth thinking of changing. The old 'dragon receptionists' who protect the docs at all cost are, I think usually, a thing of the past now.

Also, many practices have nurse practitioners and, in my experience they are (a)easier to get an appointment with (b) very knowledgeable and (c) capable of giving the patient more time.

I never take pain relief which I think isn't working. I don't see the point. Sometimes, of course, we can stop it and then find, actually, it was working albeit not as well as we'd like. I prefer exercises and distraction.

Juttle

Changing GP’s isn’t an option down here unfortunately, there’s only one and they’re in the process of merging with a much bigger practice miles away. The local surgery is up for sale. This means that I’ll need to travel to the larger surgery, a distance of 15 miles, but the option should be better.

My very limited options with pain relief usually find me not bothering with it. When it gets really bad, the oramorph gets a good kicking and I’m in no pain for hours - I’m also no use to man nor beast either! The mind over matter works reasonably well, I fish and find I can switch everything off and just enjoy being sat by water watching the world go by!

I’m going to shut up now as I’m probably getting boring!

stickywicket

Not at all. I've never quite 'got' fishing but my Dad liked it and my grandson is just getting into it. Whatever works re pain relief, especially the non-medical stuff, is great by my reckoning. Cricket does it for me so I'm having a good summer

15 miles is a bit scary but, if it means better and more facilities, it could be good and I hope it is.