Hello

bignor
bignor Member Posts: 3
edited 15. Oct 2012, 17:24 in Say Hello Archive
I am new to the forum and am hoping to get useful information and advice from fellow sufferers of OA, as the only advice i ever get from my GP is to keep taking tramadol. I am 56 and until the age of 50 i was a very fit and active individual but OA has deteriorated badly and i have had to give up work and all my sporting activities. I have it in my shoulders,neck,elbows,hips,knees and more recently hands and feet. Will be grateful to receive any good tips or advice on how best to deal with this painful condition. Cheers!

Comments

  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Bignor

    lovely to meet you and be the first to welcome you to our forums :D
    l am sure you will get all the help and support you could want on here - l always have ;-)
    Please do have a look around and join in anywhere you like - everyone will be pleased to meet you
    love
    Toni xxx
  • carole123
    carole123 Member Posts: 11
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello Bignor,
    I'm new on the forum too. Good to meet you. Isn't it great to be able to talk to others who know what it's like? I also like the fact that people here are interested, but not upset, (as some family and friends can be) that we're in pain. And folks seem very welcoming, which is lovely.

    I'm a little older than you but similar re OA. I was very outdoorsy & active too, but have adapted over the last few years to what I can manage. Do you find Tramadol helpful? I've never had it. What else have you tried?

    I've found the most helpful thing of all has been exercise - I started with gentle gym & now do 2 x swimming & 2 x gym a week. Oddly, although I don't ever want to go - the armchair is SO comfortable! - I usually enjoy it and it never makes the OA pain worse. And I'm sure it has kept me mobile and has certainly removed those horrible deep twangy pains which can happen even in bed or sitting still. The pool is wonderful - the only place where movement is painless.

    Of course the damn illness doesn't go away and is slowly getting worse. Ho hum. We press on.
    Have a good day!
  • Loulou11
    Loulou11 Member Posts: 86
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Bognor and Carole glad your on board. I haven't been here long myself but love it and find all the tips and gossip addictive. It great to speak to like minded people without burdening your nearest and dearest. I'm a 42 year old With RA diagnosed age 2 and have finally found people that understand where I'm coming from. Enjoy the site, I am xxx
  • barbara12
    barbara12 Member Posts: 21,280
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Bignor
    And a warm welcome from me,I am quite a bit older at 62, but like you was very fit..it is a question we all ask,and its an hard one to answer has we are all different when it come to pain relief.
    I have had injections in my hips and back, and recently in my hand, the hip ones work a little, but the hand ones are fantastic...I also used a wheat cushion that you warm in the microwave for my shoulder and neck.
    I do hope you stay with us, the one good thing is you can talk to people that understand some of what you are going through x
    Love
    Barbara
  • kentishlady
    kentishlady Member Posts: 809
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Bignor. Welcome from to the forum from me too. I have OA with my back badly affected which in turn affects my mobility.How do you get on with the Tramadol? I tried it a long while ago but got awful reactions to it (like so many other painkillers my GP has tried me with) or as most people on the forum call them - pain dullers - they certainly don't kill my pain that's for sure. Tried Gabapentin recently but had to give that up as it totall crashed me out and was just like a zombie. Am now on Butrans pain patches which don't seem to do an awful lot either. My GP did increase the dosage the other week but have had to go back to the lower one as the higher dosage didn't suit me - yet again. Also take paracetamol (useless for severe/chronic pain) and also have 2 pain relieving gels to use on my back. Like (I think it was Barbara), I also find that the most relief I get is from a warmed wheatbag. Seems many people find that helpful. Hope you enjoy the forums and find them as much support as I do. Beryl
  • bignor
    bignor Member Posts: 3
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    A big thank you to all who have welcomed me to the forum! I look forward to getting any helpful advice from you and in turn, helping others if at all possible. Thanks again.



    Bignor
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Cheers :D
    hope we see you on some of the other forums now too :wink:
    love
    Toni xx
  • ShulaArcher
    ShulaArcher Member Posts: 174
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello

    I'm also quite new here but already feel "part of the family". I'm about your age, also with OA with a feeling that I'm crumbling away. I've also had to give up work. I saw a job advertised today which I would have applied for eighteen months ago, before my symptoms took a major turn for the worse. Felt a little sad that I'm not able to apply because physically I can't do the job. I'm putting a lot of energy into living each day positively and, as part of that, I write a daily blog http://www.kathrynwritesthis.blogspot.co.uk
    I don't always feel positive (I'd be a saint if I did!) but I find it's getting to be a bit of a habit (a good one) to get the best out of each day.

    All the best, Shula