New here

Alipen

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.

Baloo

@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

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

https://www.nuffieldhealth.com/about-us/our-impact/healthy-life/joint-pain-programme

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