How does arthritis impact your life?

user555

Hi, I have a relative who has arthritis and it impacts their everyday life. I thought this was a good opportunity for me to get to know more about how it affects others so I can assure them they are not alone.

Poppyjane

Hello @user555 welcome to the online community

We are glad you found us. We are here for anyone who is affected by arthritis and also for their family and friends. We offer a safe place to chat about how arthritis impacts daily life and members often chip in with their tips on how they manage. We exchange information from the Versus Arthritis comprehensive library of symptoms, medication , aids and appliances. Alongside that we provide support on good days and bad days which we all deal with in our own individuals ways but the load is lifted when you can share it with others especially if a bit of humour creeps in !

So I hope you will browse round the community and join in with the many discussions and activities.

We look forward to hearing from you again soon.

Best wishes

Poppyjane

Redlady07

How does it impact you daily life? Where to start? It si imcredilbly frustrating not to be able to do thing you once did and now cannot. Or you can try and know you will fall and not be able to get up. Like gardening, walking, standing for more than 5 minutes. Travelling alone - because you can't manage a suitcase.

You may need care as in help bathing, dressing, cooking or even more tasks. Now some of these thing you can get help with through family, friends, But others, which no-ones gonna mention like SEX become difficult becasue your body no longer does what you want it to.!

So yeah, arthritis impacts every part of your life and the best you can do first is communicate, listen. 2nd - it okay to be not okay! Its okay to moan and scream and howl at times!

Terryb852

i am in so much pain and rheumatology tell they can't help

I have reactive arthritis and it's every where I am on meds to control it

i month into a flair up my back pain makes me feel sick everyday

dr tell me to take morphine to control the pain which I do

at the moment I don't see the point going on like this is this my life now

I want out

I have nothing to look forward to

as all there is more pain

dr will not or can not help any more

I have tryed the diets the keep active nothing helps

Trish9556

@Terryb852

I wish I could give you a huge hug because you need one. Might it help much but might make you a feel a bit better for a little while knowing someone cares.

Do you have someone you can talk to? Have you spoken to the helpline team on here? Please talk to someone.

Love n hugs

Trish xx

Trish9556

@Terryb852

I have found this phone number for the helpline team

Helpline on 0800 5200 520 Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm

In the meantime you could try posting on here

Chat to our Helpline Team — Versus Arthritis

I think that is monitored over the weekends and may be able to help you.

Please reach out to someone

Love n hugs

Trish xx

noddingtonpete

Hello @Terryb852 and welcome to the Community. The first thing to say is that you are now among friends you may not know yet but who are very supportive and willing to share their experiences.

I understand that you have reactive arthritis and finding it tough going at the moment. Others will no doubt be able to share their stories and hopefully you will be able to gain strength from this. Have a look at the following - it might help.

https://www.versusarthritis.org/news/2023/may/mental-health-and-arthritis-how-joel-copes-emotionally-with-pain-and-fatigue/

and

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/reactive-arthritis/

Please keep posting and let us know how you are getting on and remember that you are among people who have been through, or are going through, something similar and I hope that you can draw strength from them.

With very best wishes

Peter (moderator)

Woofy

When the pain is at its worst, you just want to get away from it. You wake up everyday not thinking will I be in pain today, but how bad will the pain be. You know things need doing, but everything hurts so much you become overwhelmed by the sheer effort it takes. And yes I reckon a lot of us on here, have thought that at least once that they don’t want to be here, because the pain makes them just feel utter despair.

Baloo

Depends @user555. Some folks seem to be in a bad way with the pain, some folks live with it.

I was struck down by arthritis three years ago and its been pretty much the same ever since. I went round the corner shops today at 1mph with my stick for balance, stopped at the local with half a pint to give my legs a rest sitting down on the bench, came back. I enjoyed the sun. A simple trip takes longer, but in some ways suits the slower pace of life I would rather be living.

Redlady07

How does it impact you daily life? Where to start? It si imcredilbly frustrating not to be able to do thing you once did and now cannot. Or you can try and know you will fall and not be able to get up. Like gardening, walking, standing for more than 5 minutes. Travelling alone - because you can't manage a suitcase.

You may need care as in help bathing, dressing, cooking or even more tasks. Now some of these thing you can get help with through family, friends, But others, which no-ones gonna mention like SEX become difficult becasue your body no longer does what you want it to.!

So yeah, arthritis impacts every part of your life and the best you can do first is communicate, listen. 2nd - it okay to be not okay! Its okay to moan and scream and howl at times!

Baloo

@Redlady07 yes. Try a small wheely suitcase. It comes complete with its own stick you can lean on, and if its not too big probably you can still lift it, but if not, I guess its still possible to drag it up things at an angle if you have to.

Mine is a wheely rucksack I can take to work.

Redlady07

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/712223#Comment_712223

At first I didn't see the relevance of the suitcase, but had to re-read what I had written. Err been there, done that, but now I use a wheelchair. No wheely suitcase with THAT, I can tell you! My larger point was chronic illness affects every part of your life and you have to re-think how or even IF you can do some things