Traffic lights - what colour is yours today?

movingslowly

Glad to read you're not getting hammered by the red @Trish9556

I always forget to ask the consultant for context re: pain levels. His 7 might be my 4 🤷🏼‍♀️ I like your visual comparison ideas.

Hope you're doing okay. Are you nervous for the 7th?

Trish9556

Hi @movingslowly

Yes I'm with you on the consultants context on pain levels. My pain threshold has always been quite high. I discovered that when having my boys. Never needed to ask for painkillers until it was too late so traffic lights much easier. I think there should be some way of photographing pain in the same way people use a thermal camera. Then drs would know.

I'm not nervous so far for next week, at the moment I will be relieved to get to theatre. It's been a very long road with lots of medical professionals who quite simply didn't understand and just offered painkillers for the rest of my life. That's not what I needed to he told and I didn't agree. It may not work, I might need to go back to have different vertebrae done but as I told my surgeon, if I dont have it done I will never know but now my Arthritis is taking over this seems the easiest option to get rid of one set of pain.

Currently back on the floor. Had a two mile walk yesterday in flattish ground. I so want to be able to walk distances unaided again.

I hope you have a good day

Trish xx

movingslowly

@Trish9556

I use the labour thing too 😄 End of the second stage (where your soul almost surrenders) I gauge that as 'painful'... but probably a 12 (not 10) I believe your traffic lights to be easier.

Hope you're not on the floor for too long. Is a two mile walk usual for you? Or is it a goal (aided/unaided)?

Trish9556

Hi @movingslowly

Before my hip went and complained too loudly I could walk fir England just stopping to take my puffer as needed with no reaction. Now it's just two miles and I get so cross with myself. I started using a stick when my asthma was bad for when I needed to lean on something while I took a short break

Was only on the floor for 3 or 4 hours. I like it there, I cant fall down lol

Love n hugs

Trish xx

Platt

Hello, just to say I'm not berating the NHS, but hurrah , im on Amber - because the only option for relief is painkillers. Great. Im just glad i dont have an additive personality. But as a positive, i can just about get to work and back. So all good. 👍. X x

Trish9556

Hi @Platt

Amber is good. Well done for getting to work! I'm glad I'm now retired. I wouldn't have been able to do the 2 1/2 flights of steep stairs from my office to the toilets and kitchen. The NHS does get there but for me it's been a very long time to get to my surgery next week and I know that's not the finishing line. I think I've tried most painkillers that aren't anti inflammatory. now playing with tramadol regularly through the day to see if my body can cope with it.

Hope tomorrow is kind to us all

Trish xx

Platt

Hello Trish, i have found it a long and exhausting process from bad knees ( numerous cortisone) to carpel tunnel - given a splint ( work on a computer all day so gave up with that) to my latest battle with my hips - i have found this to be the most debilitating and painful issue so far. (we have lifts in work which i am eternally grateful!). Xx

Platt

Sorry. Didn't mean to sound so self obsessed there! I hope u are coping ok - i would love to say hello and chat if u want?

Trish9556

Hi @Platt

We seem to have followed the same route and I often think of the nursery song heads, shoulders, knees and toes when describing my arthritis journey and add in wrists and thumb. No sooner than one thing gets fixed something else goes.

Had a knee injury in 2004 which led to problems, now ok

Neck started around 2005 and to be fixed hopefully next week. Well it will never be completely fixed it should just remove some of the pain

Trapeziectomy in 2020, now have issues with wrist pain. Physio at the surgery adamant it's not arthritis and linked to my surgery. I know she's wrong but playing the waiting game to see what happens next week.

Sub acromial depressions in both shoulders in 2011 and 2016

Ankles diagnosed this year by same physio who just looked at them, no manipulation no x-rays etc and said well nothing can be done just painkillers exercises and jabs!

I refused to see her again when my hip went at the end if last year and instead going to the muscular skeletal team at the end of march. I use this place for help and support instead.

I was a PA for most of my working life so using old fashioned typewriters before computer were even thought of for general work so that's where the damage was fine for me. Luckily I had a wonderful boss who was was very supportive for the last 16 years.

My catchphrase is arthritis stinks!

Have you been down the physio and surgery route?

Love n hugs

Trish xx

Trish9556

Just found out my surgery next week has been cancelled due to the nurses strike - absolutely gutted to say the least

Trish xx

Woofy

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/703593#Comment_703593

Yes I look at houses in Shropshire for sale lol😊

Woofy

I’ve been in Amber most of this week. There has been a bit of dampness in the air, I am sure that is what makes my pain worse.

been swearing a lot this week, not sure it helps though lol.

Trish9556

Keep telling my husband that cold and damp makes me worse . I can tell if is cold or damp before I get out if bed lol

Trish xx

Lilymary

I've been flickering amber all week (can't work up the strength for full on amber - think my batteries must be flat!).

There is a link between arthritis pain and weather - it definitely gets me that way. Cold and damp is worst, sets off all my (home grown) leg joints, but even my new hip feels sluggish when it's really cold. It's a very odd feeling.

https://www.versusarthritis.org/news/2019/december/research-indicates-links-between-weather-and-arthritis-pain/

Trish9556

Hi @Lilymary

Mine always gets worse in cold damp weather and tag teams with my asthma. I think thick wooly tights for new hips would be the order of the day? My daughter in law has a huge metal plate in her head and really suffers in winter with the cold to the point if doubling up on hats so maybe worth a try?

I've decided tramadol at the ends if each day suits my hip best so far. Had a bad couple of days earlier in the week and like you lower part if amber.

Love n hugs

Trish xx

Ps my surgery has been rescheduled for the 20th...not too much if a delay xx

movingslowly

@Trish9556

pleased to read the surgery is back on 🙂

@Woofy have been swearing often. (Cold/damp exasperates discomfort) I've had an unbecoming mouth like a Glaswegian Docker until I used fruit&veg names instead, ie, ...this figging kumquat is grating right on my cabbage...getting right on my carrots !🤬

It's pretty useless as a form of expression but it amused me, briefly 🤪... if ya didn't laugh, you'd cry. (am also running out of swear words)

Been idling on amber for a couple of days. Doesn't seem to matter what I try,- exercise, massage, tens machine, warmth etc. Am considering getting bombed off my **ts on a drug cocktail if joints don't start 'freeing up' soon 🤨

Trish9556

Hi @movingslowly

I totally agree with veggi swearing...we should write a dictionary of veggi swearing using those vegetables that we absolutely hate! We could have a right giggle. Maybe start a letting off steam thread in maybe the cafe with the proviso that you don't swear swear but veggi swear?.

My hands have been french beans today and parsniping me off

Before my hands got bad I used to take my anger and frustration out by making bread. Now I tear the pumpkins out of therapy dough! The added benefit us that's good for me lol

I'm just getting bombed off in my 1 tramadol later, I've done a bit if walking today so will pay for it tomorrow probably.

Love n hugs and hope tomorrow is better

Trish xx

Woofy

Going to try the veggie swear words. My whole whole body has been sore today. It’s getting right on my onions.

I am def a red today.

Trish9556

Hi @Woofy

I've bto be really beeteen on the loweit gets r red today but agree

Trish9556

Hi @Woofy I didn't think I'd posted that. Definitely didn't finish it before sleep took me.. Don't know how to delete it either

I'm constantly sore at the moment, mainly top end of green yesterday but it does progress through the days. Like you amberish at the end of the day yesterday. Constantly tired too and don't know if that's the painkillers, my Arthritis my Asthma or something else.

Thoroughly potatoed off with it all. On the plus side seeing my asthma consultant Wednesday and hopefully they might have the answer..

Love n hugs

Trish xx

Baloo

Been aching for a few days, nothing specific. I think its a red, as its becoming just enough to get on my nerves. Resting isn't making it go away, so I took an Ibuprofen to see if it will calm down, otherwise I will be spending half the day in bed again for nothing. I prefer a natural solution, like resting, but I can tell it's no happening this time.

Trish9556

Hi @Baloo

Sending hugs your way. It is awful when you have a constant ache, it wears you down and I can't remember not aching at the moment. Going to have dinner with my granddaughters today who will distract me for a while.

I can't take ibuprofen so relying mainly on the ibroprofen cream, tramadol gabapentin and my tens machine. My main bone if contention is I can't sit stand or lie down without discomfort. I try not to go back to bed during the day but know what you mean. Maybe we should go to the pub and have a banned drink to distract us?

Had a nice long hot bath this morning which did help until the bubbles disappeared, it got cold and I got out lol.

Hope you feel better soon

Love n hugs

Trish xx

Trish9556

Hugs @Baloo

Constant aching is debilitating with no respite and really gets you down. My hip has been the same over the last couple if weeks. Sometimes not too bad and sometimes bright red so I know where you're coming from.

I can't take ibroprofen and rely on the cream, gabapentin, tramadol and my tens machine. I do try not to go back to bed during the day but have a couple of times.

Today I'm having dinner with two if my granddaughters so they will distract me.

I hope you get some respite soon

Love n hugs

Trish xx

Ps this is my second reply, don't know where my original one has gone to. It might decide to appear later lol.

Baloo

Thank you for your sympathies @Trish9556 I use the Ibuprofen cream when the lump on my wrist plays up. The Ibuprofen tablet did't do much this time, so I'm going to make sure I get my full dose of Paracetamol instead. About to try a chicken kebab.

movingslowly

Still amber