New Member - 🙋‍♀️

Ayjay
Ayjay Member Posts: 7
edited 28. Nov 2023, 14:05 in Living with arthritis

Hello! Thank you for accepting me. I promise to TRY to control my inner mischief and warped humour! Having spent some time reading through a range of posts, I find it so (sadly) reassuring to discover how many people are affected by the levels of pain and fatigue caused by Arthritis. I have felt such a malingering fraud for being tired and hurting most of the time. To know that this is part of having an Arthritis related diagnosis will help me to take time to rest when I need to, without feeling guilty. I wish everyone more good days than bad, and hope the sunshine returns soon, as this damp weather makes so many of us uncomfortable. Ayjay

Comments

  • Lilymary
    Lilymary Member Posts: 1,740

    Hi Ayjay, welcome to the club. I’m new to this condition too, only recently diagnosed and still getting my head round my rapidly reducing mobility and energy. Like you say, it’s good to hear other people’s experiences.

    Warped humour and a sense of mischief is all part of our armoury in coping with this sort of stuff, so let rip!

  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,332

    Welcome to the community from me too @Ayjay

    Humour is great and really helpful so please be as silly as you like 😊

  • Pammi4
    Pammi4 Member Posts: 6
    Honestly Ayjay I feel the same over the last few years been diagnosed with osteoarthritis in back neck and now knees I’ve got used to the pain in my back to be honest and neck behaves most of the time but being on my feet all day at work is quiet a problem with my knees I wear a brace on my right knee provided by hospital helps with stability but not the pain so most days after work I am in absolutely agony and can’t do anything else I’m really worried what will happen when and if I can’t put up with it anymore what would I do for a living it’s all so worrying xxx
  • Mike1
    Mike1 Member Posts: 1,992

    Firstly have you explained to your employer how your OA affects you at work? They should be making reasonable adjustments to help you out such as providing a stool or otherwise trying to adapt your job to ease the affect on you.

    Secondly having to give up work will come as a tremendous shock to the system and will require adjustment both financially and mentally. Check to see if any pension scheme you may be in provides for early retirement on health grounds; mine did which helps a lot even though what I get is less than a third of what I earned. Try to make plans and changes prior to making the final decision to stop working so as to gradually ease into it. It was my GP who finally said that I could not carry on working which made my decision easier.

  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,332

    @Pammi4 how right is Mike start thinking about the future now while you are still coping! Financially and practically. Are there things you would enjoy doing if and when you have more time on your hands.

    The people who seem to cope best on here are those who find something new to do when Arthritis makes something else difficult or even impossible.

    It maybe be that surgery is an option for you have you looked into that?

  • MoWW
    MoWW Member Posts: 74

    Hi,

    if you are struggling to work due to your arthritis you may be able to apply to Access to Work scheme, https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work

    This Government funded scheme can offer you an independent assessment to establish what equipment or support would help you stay in work.

    An Access to Work grant can pay for:

    • special equipment, adaptations or support worker services to help you do things like answer the phone or go to meetings
    • travel support, help getting to and from work

    Our website offers some more information, hope this is of help.

    Mo