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annieh
annieh Member Posts: 5
edited 10. Aug 2013, 17:19 in Say Hello Archive
hi everyone, I have recently been diagnosed with arthiritis of the spine and was hoping that some of you may be able to advice me on ways to cope with this condition from a first hand experience. I have other health problems and cannot use ibuprofen because of them. at the moment I am taking tramadol for the (pretty much constant) pain. I am finding that I have to limit myself to how much I do in the house each day where as before I could clean the whole house in one day bearing in mind that I also worked full-time. unfortunately I finished work last year because of my health and since then have found that my back pain has got worse and worse. any suggestions of the best way to deal with this condition will be gratefully received.
thanks annie. :(

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  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,707
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello Annie and welcome to the forum. My spine is pretty well OK which is amazing as the rest of me is rubbish apart from the joints that have been replaced :lol: However, there are quite a lot of people with spinal problems on here. I suggest you re-post on the Living With Arthritis forum as more will see it there.

    I've had RA for over 50 years and one of the first lessons I learned, once my sons came on the scene, was that housework is vastly overrated. Much of it doesn't really need doing. There's no point in making oneself exhausted, in great pain and (in my case) tetchy simply in order to iron stuff that one can get away with not ironing or keeping the house spick and span. If it comes to a choice between a clean, tidy house plus extra pills or an untidy house and fewer pills I know which one I'd go for every time.

    Pain relief is just that. It does relieve pain a bit but rarely removes it. It's a personal choice but I prefer the pain to the spaced out, comatose me that results from my trying to take enough meds to get rid of the pain.

    Physio might help you. It's important to keep supporting muscles strong as then they do their job well and so eliminate some of the pain. Check out Arthritis Care's booklet on Healthy Living. Also, you could ask to be referred to a Pain Clinic as they've helped a lot of people on here. Good luck!
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello annieh, it's nice to meet you but I am sorry you have had to find us. I am seventeen years in now with my arthritises but it's so far so good with my spine (for which I am grateful). I have learned over the years to tailor my activities according to the available resources which means I basically don't do much now - as Sticky says much of our daily round is greatly over-rated. :wink:

    I tackle chores a little at a time, ensuring I rest in between my bursts of gentle activity. I now cook and iron sitting down (I only iron my stuff if I'm going out somewhere). I've changed my cookware to lighter pots and pans, changed my iron to a cheapie (it cost under a fiver and is probably one of the best I've ever had!), I am considering giving up the duvet 'cos wrestling with the cover is not fun, fundamentally we have to adapt as best we can and in a way that suits us. Everyone has different family commitments, I am fortunate in that it's just me and 'im indoors but even that's a struggle at times (this is one of those times :( )

    Like Sticky I prefer to keep the dullers to the minimum, I like to have another level of pain relief open to me for when things become too rough but that strategy is not for everyone and it very much depends on what is hurting where. I have thirty-nine affected joints, they all twang away at varying levels of intensity but I am used to it now, I get by on four 30/500 cocodamols per day, which leaves me room to take extra if needed. I hope to see your name here and there around the boards and I wish you well. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • annieh
    annieh Member Posts: 5
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    hi again thanks sticky and dd for your support and advice. I have just started having sessions with my local physio and I am going to ask my gp about pain management teams in our area. I think at the moment I am finding things hard to cope with as I have just become a grandmother for the first time six weeks ago and feeling really down about the spondylosis in my spine because I want to be able to take my grandson out to the park when he's a bit bigger. my husband is really good in helping with the housework but it still bugs me that I have to rely on people to help. guess I will get used to it and work things out.

    take care all.
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,707
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I do hope the physio helps and well done for asking about pain management. As for your new grandson - I'd just suggest that there's more ways than one to enjoy him. I have great fun with both mine. The 6 yr old loves to ride on my knee in the wheelchair with 'his seatbelt' on ie with my arms tightly round him. So do I :D
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
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