Hello

penpenn

I've been looking for a while. Decided to join the community and hoping for some suggestions to help my pain rather than sympathetic noises and well you look ok.

penpenn

Diagnosed with osteoarthritis a long time bac and eventually had to give up my career. Over time I have got worse. I was on strong painkillers but they started to affect my stomach and I read bad stuff about long-term use of opiates so stopped. I have had some physio which may be helpful. I find staying in one position difficult as I seize up and moving too much leaves me with pain . I don't like it or want it. I want to be fit and well. I can't imagine what I will be like in 10 or 20 years. Cross-making.

frogmorton

You have my sympathy @penpenn

It's a balance isnt it between not enough movement and doing too much.

I find unless it's a flare (from the inflammatory type of arthritis which I also have) regular gentle exercise is best. My back particularly screams if I go more than 2 days without a walk.

I rely on various things to help. My microwaveable wheatbags, pain relief when necessary, distraction a tens machine and the gentle exercises we can do from this site.

It's also possible for surgeries when things are 'bad enough' in future.

Take care and keep posting

Toni xx

YvonneH

Hi @penpenn

Welcome to the online community, it's great to have you here. I know exactly what you mean about sympathetic noises and you look well, I get nice rosy cheeks when I'm worse! I also get a lot of take this product and you will be fine!

So here, tell it how it is - good and bad and if we can help we will, if we can't we will be with you.

Painkillers etc are good and bad and we just have to try things out to see what works best for us. Do check out what's on offer though first, find out what your body can tolerate. Maybe a visit to a pain clinic could help in that regard.

Movement is key isn't it, I'm glad you have found some exercises that help, This is where to find a list of the programmes that Versus Arthritis have made or support on our community. If you find a good one for you, start a new discussion to see if any others want to join you.

You might like taking a peep at the Living with Arthritis area to see if there is anywhere you can offer some help or support to fellow members

Do keep posting

Yvonne

wazz42

Hi @penpenn

I first got diagnosed with OA very early but like you I was able to carry on for a good while at work and play. Like you I eventually had to give up my job and what felt like my life in my 40's because of that and other health issues. Like you I felt like I'd lost my way and my purpose in life.

It's important to your self esteem that you do something though and I was lucky to go on one of the first 'Living Well' type courses, 6 weeks at 1/2 day a week and that was an eye opener. Versus Arthritis do these courses now, here's their page in case you live in the right area https://www.versusarthritis.org/additional-services/living-well-with-arthritis-commissioned-services/

If you don't they do online https://www.versusarthritis.org/in-your-area/in-your-area-search-results/challenging-your-condition/

Anyway I found this community and felt I was working as I helped other people, eventually becoming a moderator.

A friend here said ' if you give up a thing you enjoy make sure you replace it with something' Advice that's great. I've been learning Welsh, adapting my garden and gardening techniques, finding ways to read big books comfortably so keeping up my love of reading and so much more.

Get posting and try it out

xx