All over osteoarthritis

Ian42

Hi all,I'm 52 and started about 5yrs ago with osteoarthritis in my knees,after it spreading to my hip,shoulders,feet and hands.i take tramadol,gabapentin,naproxen and amatriptiline which seemed to work for a while.
I have recently notice that after walking maybe 1/2 mile my legs seize up and i struggle to carry on due to the pain and stiffness.
I have quite a physical job and really starting to struggle as I'm on my knees a lot. All I get from doctors is change your job,friends and family don't seem to understand how much I struggle,I don't know where to go from here and hoping someone can give me any ideas.

[Deleted User]

Hi Ian,

Welcome to the forum, I hope that you can find relevant information and advice here to help with your situation. Our website is full of information that you may find useful, perhaps starting here https://www.versusarthritis.org/search?query=Osteoarthritis+(OA)

I'm sorry to hear that your condition is getting worse and starting to affect your ability to do your job. There will be other forum members who will no doubt have had similar experiences and can share their thoughts and advice with you. I would encourage you to interact as much as possible within them.

If at any point you feel it would be beneficial to talk to one of our help desk team then they can be contacted on 0800 520 0520 Monday - Friday 09:00 to 20:00.

Kind Regards
ChrisB (Moderator)

dreamdaisy

Hello, it's nice to meet you and I am sorry you have had to find us. I too have widespread OA, in my case as a result of my other arthritis which began when I was 37. The OA was diagnosed when I was 52 and I am now 60. It's not fun, is it?

Work-wise I was fortunate in that I was self-employed in a rather sedentary profession (well, it became increasingly sedentary as things worsened) and I have never shied away from using walking aids. There is no doubt that the disease has forced me to make unexpected and often unwelcome changes to my life but making those changes made things more manageable until the next decline and things have to be rethought once more.

Over my arthritic years I have learned that the meds achieve very little in terms of dealing with the pain, the stronger the pain relief the more we are removed from the pain, not vice versa. We can also develop a tolerance to them and then require more to achieve less. I have also learned that, although it is counter-intuitive to exercise when in pain, it is necessary to keep our muscles as strong and flexible as possible to better support the affected joints. Over the years I have had various short courses of physiotherapy and do the exercises daily to this day, I also work with a personal trainer doing resistance work.

There is no doubt that this extremely common disease is completely misunderstood by those who don't have it but that doesn't stop them giving us unwarranted and unsolicited advice about what we should be doing to sort ourselves out. The general populace has no idea that there are many forms of arthritis including OA, that it can begin at any age, that it is a variable condition, that tiredness is a key feature and that it never gets better. People are also happy to self-diagnose the aches and pains of ageing as arthritis: twerps. There is very little GPs can do for OA apart from prescribing pain relief, the rest is up to us. It is a case of following the arthritis ABC: adapt, believe, compromise. We have to adapt our physical behaviours, believe in our abilities and compromise our activities: I am resting over the next two days in preparation for Christmas Day.

This is easy for me to say as I am in my 23rd arthritic yar, female and retired. Your situation is very different but I do get it because I've got it. DD

frogmorton

That is very unhelpful of the Drs! 'change your job' indeed like it's that easy these days!!

I wonder whether anyone has discussed surgical options for your knees which sound to be the biggest issue atm if I am reading right?

Also my usual advice - avoid seeing Drs alone because it's harder to be 'fobbed off' if you have someone with you.

Toni x