Husband has RA, I have basal thumb arthritis

Kate45
Kate45 Member Posts: 11
in Living with arthritis

Hi ,

I’m 45 and I have basal thumb arthritis in both hands I wear splints use gel and can only take paracetamol. The pain is getting a lot worse as I’m a carer for my husband who has RA all over most joints and has chronic osteomyelitis in one foot and cellulitis which keeps going septic in the other foot as well as non he’s wounds .he’s just had his 8 th feet operation in a space if 3 years .hes laid up in pain on the sofa is in a wheelchair and now it’s both feet a mess things are so hard for me and on my hands .he’s also got Charcot foot both feet in pain all over from RA on top of feet problems,

Comments

  • noddingtonpete
    noddingtonpete Moderator Posts: 1,239

    Hello @Kate45 and welcome to the community. We are a friendly and supportive group and I hope that you will find that as well.

    I understand that your husband has RA affecting most of his joints and that you have basal thumb arthritis. Our website has a lot of information on it that might be of help to you. I too have thumb arthritis and have found that the Capsaicin cream provides some pain relief, though you need to make sure you do not get it near your eyes of mouth. It is only available on prescription. The following is of our website

    https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/complementary-and-alternative-treatments/types-of-complementary-treatments/capsaicin/

    The website also contains a lot of info about arthritis, treatments and Hints and Tips, some examples are,

    https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/rheumatoid-arthritis/
    https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/managing-symptoms/emotional-wellbeing/

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

    With very best wishes

    Peter (moderator)

    Need more help? - call our Helpline on0800 5200 520Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm

  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,764

    Crikey! Do you get any help? I assume you're in touch with your local Adult Social Care? Do you have family or friends who would help?

    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • Ellen
    Ellen Moderator Posts: 1,841

    I am very much in agreement with @stickywicket you should get in touch with Social Services if you haven't already.

    I also wonder whether this might be of interest to you?

    https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/living-with-arthritis/carers/

    Do keep posting I hope the Online Community will be a support to you.

    Best wishes

    Ellen.

  • Kate45
    Kate45 Member Posts: 11

    Hi ,

    no we don’t get any help and others tend to disappear even if you’ve been a support to them previously.

    I can call family members for a chat but not really any practical help .

    I have another council assessment but they are just checking the bathroom to see what they can offer as the board is no longer useful due to both his feet now being bad .

  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,764

    Kate, from what you've said, this sounds horrible. I'm wondering how you manage to get your husband from chair to bed to loo etc. Do you have a hoist? How much can he do for himself? I imagine he's almost permanently on antibiotics for the cellulitis and charcots foot and osteomyelitis. If so, I can only assume he's not on any DMARDS for the RA.

    I think people can sometimes feel anxious about helping those in need in case they're overwhelmed. I wonder if you could ask people to do one small thing regularly . That might spread the load a little and give you a bit of respite.

    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • Kate45
    Kate45 Member Posts: 11

    Thanks for your reply , we use the wheelchair in the house he’s having to sleep on the sofa we have a downstairs toilet which helps , we do have a stairlift but he can’t manage it at the moment.

    yes he’s mostly been on antibiotics for over 3 years . He’s on low dose steroids has been for 11 years and hydroxy they had to stop the naproxen and dhydracodeine because he got kidney failure from cellulitis.

    I have tried to ask his siblings to help out now and then but they said no and I wouldn’t want to put on my parents too much and his mum has just had a heart attack.

    I help him into the wheelchair but sometimes he can push himself up and turn on the sofa to get in it .

    his immune system is so low they can’t give him other RA meds as they did it once a few years ago with new injections and it suppressed the immune system more and all the other problems started .

    I

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