Just thought I'd say hello

Morag

Hi there. I just signed up so thought I'd say hello. I am a 60 year old woman and I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis 8 years ago. A few years later I was then diagnosed with osteoarthritis.

The icing on the cake is that I have now been diagnosed with osteoporosis........

I'm greedy, I want it all🤣

I sometimes struggle with all of this as I have constant pain and regular bouts of fatigue.

However, I am trying to eat a healthy diet, and also trying to motivate myself to exercise, in order to make my life better and hopefully less painful.

It would be interesting to see how other people cope, and what helps them. Never know, I might pick up some tips.....that would be nice👌

noddingtonpete

Hello @Morag and welcome to the community. We are a friendly and supportive group and I hope that you find that as well.

I understand that you have both rheumatoid and osteoarthritis and are looking for some Hints and Tips on how to manage. Our website is a good place to start and so is this community. The website contains a lot of useful information on arthritis and treatments and hints and tips. To help I've put a couple of links below.

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/your-experiences/hints-and-tips/

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/managing-symptoms/managing-your-pain/

Please do keep posting and let us know how you are getting on and I am sure others will connect with you to share their experience and support as well.

With very best wishes

Peter (moderator)

stickywicket

@Morag , you greedy so-and-so😉 Leave some diseases for the rest of us😁

Seriously, it's not at all uncommon to have both RA and OA. Osteoporosis? Well, I guess, with RA and OA, getting insufficient exercise and sunshine can be a factor, especially if we shouldn't spend long in the sun due to our medication. I've done the double too. I don't think I have osteoporosis but I have been prescribed Calceos for years to help prevent it.

How do I cope?

1. DMARDS. If your inflammatory levels are high yours might need tweaking.
2. Exercises. My days of horse riding and walking are long gone but the great thing is that, the worse the state of our bodies, the more things constitute exercise. Just routine housework can kn*ck*r me these days! But there's some good stuff on our 'Let's Move' forum.
3. Laughter. As much as possible every day.
4. Friendship. Even by phone or email. It's good to talk.
5. Get absorbed in something you love. For me that's cricket, baseball (watching U.S. grandson) and more limited amounts of football and rugby. Also poetry. I keep trying to fathom out Quantum Physics but, despite buying 'My First Book of Quantum Physics' it's still a fascinating mystery to me. Several people on here learn a new language (free online). Crochet and (for those who can get down that far) gardening seem popular on here.
6. Buy all the gadgets that enable you to do things that you otherwise can't. Or that hurt.

But, most of all, get the DMARDS right.

😀

Morag

Hey Stickywicket (love the name by the way)

Thanks for your reply. Your advice is very sound and welcome.

I've started doing some exercises more regularly, which I believe will help with the pain (or so I've been told). I'll check out the 'Let's move'.

My rheumatologist say my RA is well controlled, and that the pain primarily stems from the osteo.

I love doing puzzles and play scrabble and solitaire online....helps keep the old grey matter ticking.

Will definitely get my DMARDS checked.

Cheers😊

frogmorton

Hi Morag

Lovely to meet you like many of us here you are collecting diagnoses🙄 You are in good company.

Everything Stickwicket has said I agree with. I am one who loves gardening even if getting back up can be a challenge there are ways! I like jigsaws too and my audiobooks.

I have done all of the 'let's move with Leon' course and loved it. It feels empowering to be doing what you can for yourself (like your healthy eating) I am currently doing the stretches.

Exercise really really does help. Hard to imagine when we are already in pain.

Anyway i'll shut up now just to say do come on in and join in this is very good distraction for me. Chatting to ther people sharing experiences and support and definitely having a laugh.

Take care

Toni x

stickywicket

What your rheumatologist says makes perfect sense to me. Alas, I'm not sure how much the exercises will reduce pain - though they can - but I think their main advantage is to keep our range of movement and so slow down damage and further pain. Good lick.

noddingtonpete

@stickywicket you mentioned trying to understand quantum physics. Have a look at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr_Tompkins and then try and get the books. A good way to learn. Good luck

stickywicket

Thanks very much @noddingtonpete . I've read the link and might try a book. My problem - or one - is that I never did physics and have no interst in it. It's the idea of the quantum universe laws being so apparently different to the 'usual' ones and particles behaving differently when watched than when mot watched. The world is an amazing place.