It just gets better!!!!

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angilee
angilee Non-active member Posts: 102
edited 15. Oct 2010, 17:18 in Living with Arthritis archive
Hi again everyone,

I was here a while ago looking for support after impingement has caused arthritis in my hips.
I had an x ray on my knee which has been hurting for a few months now......turns out I have osteoarthritis in there as well now......oh the joys.....is there any end to all of this I could certainly do with some friends to help me through this........hips,fingers,and now the knee.........how on earth do you deal with all of this....and carry on with the day to day things. It is so tiring.
Sorry to rant and be so negative. Just need to talk to those who understand.

Angilee

Comments

  • tanith
    tanith Non-active member Posts: 175
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Sorry Angilee that you are feeling so down.. it does seem to follow when you O/A in one joint the other joints feel they want to join in too.. When I first started with finger and thumb pain I did wonder how on earth I could put up with this pain, but with anti-inflammatories and painkillers I now live with pain from hips, one of which has been replaced , knees , elbows , ankles and spine.. oh and wrists.. you do manage somehow to put the constant pain and stiffness to the back of your mind and carry on with life.
    I do my best to keep all the pain and stiffness to myself much of the time as I feel friends and family get sick of hearing me complain and will avoid my company..
    Have you seen your GP about the pain?
    Our worst times are always our best lessons.
  • speedalong
    speedalong Member Posts: 3,315
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hi Angilee,

    sorry you also have arthritis in your knees.

    How do we all cope ... well you need to prioritise things - decide what you have to do and what can wait/isn't really important (lots of us on here don't iron for example unless really necessary.) Try and save a bit of energy for the good things in life. Look up the spoon theory if you are unfamiliar with it - and work out the best use for your daily allocation of spoons.

    Are your meds working for you? If not get them reviewed. Do you use heat bags/ice?

    Are you a candidate for surgery?

    Are you having physio/hydro? Have you had an OT assessment - as they can provide equipment to help with daily living tasks that challenge.

    And do what you have done today - come on here and talk to those that DO understand.

    Speedy
    I have had OA since mid twenties. It affects my hips and knees. I had a THR on the left aged 30 and now have a resurface-replacement on the right - done May 2010.
  • angilee
    angilee Non-active member Posts: 102
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    tanith wrote:
    Sorry Angilee that you are feeling so down.. it does seem to follow when you O/A in one joint the other joints feel they want to join in too.. When I first started with finger and thumb pain I did wonder how on earth I could put up with this pain, but with anti-inflammatories and painkillers I now live with pain from hips, one of which has been replaced , knees , elbows , ankles and spine.. oh and wrists.. you do manage somehow to put the constant pain and stiffness to the back of your mind and carry on with life.
    I do my best to keep all the pain and stiffness to myself much of the time as I feel friends and family get sick of hearing me complain and will avoid my company..
    Have you seen your GP about the pain?

    Hi Tanith, Thank you so much for your reply,sounds like you are are worse off than me,I just dont know how you put up with all the pain day in day out.
    I have seen my Doctor of course and he has given me some naproxen,I am a little scared to take them to be honest I am a bit of a pill phobic.
    I know what you mean about people being sick of the moaning,I feel sorry for my partner because there is nothing he can do to help,but I feel he gets fed up of me going on about pain all the time.

    Once again thank you for your support
    Angilee
  • angilee
    angilee Non-active member Posts: 102
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    speedalong wrote:
    Hi Angilee,

    sorry you also have arthritis in your knees.

    How do we all cope ... well you need to prioritise things - decide what you have to do and what can wait/isn't really important (lots of us on here don't iron for example unless really necessary.) Try and save a bit of energy for the good things in life. Look up the spoon theory if you are unfamiliar with it - and work out the best use for your daily allocation of spoons.

    Are your meds working for you? If not get them reviewed. Do you use heat bags/ice?

    Are you a candidate for surgery?

    Are you having physio/hydro? Have you had an OT assessment - as they can provide equipment to help with daily living tasks that challenge.

    And do what you have done today - come on here and talk to those that DO understan
    Speedy
    Thank you Speedy,your support means so much,I am still working full time at the moment and finding it quite hard to keep going,let alone do everything else,not much chance of quitting work either,I cant afford to.

    Thank you again for your support
    Angilee
  • hileena111
    hileena111 Non-active member Posts: 7,099
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hi Angilee
    Sorry you are having such problems at the minute.
    You've come to the right place....no matter how understanding our partners and family are they still do not REALLY undetstand as well as someone how has it.
    Take the tablets.....I'm a bit like that so I understand...my GP changed my tablets the other day and I said "is that not too much?" he said...you ask me that every time I give you meds. Its not too much unless you take more than I tell you to LOL :lol:
    So do take them and if they dont make any difference go back to your GP and tell him and ask what else he can try....we all have ones that work and ones that dont ....for us...they may work for someone else on here.
    eg. Dihydrocodeine....I was put on that and a couple of days later I was like a zombie...no way could I have chanced driving so I came off those sharpish....but others on here take them and they work.
    You will need to pace yourself......can you not cut down your hours a little bit?
    Love
    Hileena
  • dorcas
    dorcas Member Posts: 3,516
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hi angilee and nice to meet you :D

    I agree with a lot of what speedy has suggested.... getting advice and information and taking control of the condition is a good way of coping with any of the arthers. ... and taking prescribed medication helps to lessen arther's impact and to keep pain manageable :wink:

    ... sometimes we do need to 'let it all out'.. the frustration, anger and upset of living with a long term condition; so coming on here and having a 'rant' is a good and safe way of expressing how you feel. :!:

    you will never feel alone when you are on the forums.. knowing that peeps here share an understanding of exactly what you are going through...and want to listen and to help
    so please keep posting!

    Iris xxx