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Alipen
Alipen Member Posts: 3
edited 5. Nov 2024, 09:28 in Living with arthritis

Hi,

I have osteoarthritis in my hips, hands and big toe. At night it has been uncomfortable lying on my sides so I started taking painkillers just before going to bed, which helps a bit, and someone suggested I buy a mattress topper. So I bought an orthopedic memory foam, mattress topper. I think it`s helpful. My bed is more comfortable now anyway. 😊

Been worrying about the future with arthritis but find it helps me to talk about it a bit. It is very difficult to get started with talking about it though. I have been using versus arthritis quite a bit but this is almost my first post. I think my arthritis is still considered in the mild stage but the pains I do get and the stiffness makes me worry about the future. I have started to write a pain/arthritis diary which helps me to put down my fears in writing. I am alright really. I`m doing a course with the Open University which has given me something to think about and has given me some purpose.

Comments

  • Baloo
    Baloo Member Posts: 527
    edited 2. Nov 2024, 15:12

    @Alipen

    Arhritis does seem to vary over a long period of time so you need to have a rough idea of what it's doing.

    Mine was a pain here, and a pain there, and sometimes a pain everywhere, but with careful nursing after a couple of years I was able to stop painkillers. I seem to be in luck that way, but even so, I believe the correct thing to do next for myself is to monitor it for another year and see what it does.

  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 30,026

    Morning @Alipen

    It is a worry when you know that you have a disease which is likely to progress I agree. It's the unpredictability of it all that can make us anxious.

    I hate it when we are told our Arthritis is 'mild' but we are in a lot of pain it's so frustrating. There are people with have severe OA who are in very little pain some with mild who are really struggling. A X-ray does not reflect what a person feels.

    Doing the OU course is a great idea - I do things to distract myself too, reading jigsaws sometimes TV it does help.

    Have you done any courses yet some here have done the Nuffield course

    with really quite good results.

    Anyway my advice (unsolicited I know!)is keep talking, keep moving and eat healthily with a bit of distraction thrown in.

    Take care

    Toni x