Just saying Hi

Mattc
Mattc Member Posts: 4
edited 28. Nov 2023, 14:04 in Living with arthritis
Hi all,
My name is Matt and I’m a 48 year old truck driver from the south of England. I was diagnosed with, official diagnosis, seropositive RA & Trocanteric Bursitis 3 years ago following a fairly complicated back operation( my 2nd one). I take numerous tablets plus methotrexate and Benapali via injection, I also
Use butec patches for the pain. I’ve never really spoken to any fellow sufferers but hope to see how other people cope compared to myself.
Thanks for taking the time to read.

Matt

Comments

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 3,635
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Matt,

    Welcome to the forum and thanks for taking the time to post and introduce yourself.
    Hopefully you'll find some people with similar experiences to yours on here, it's always good to share with people in the same boat, it can make things seem so much less isolating.
    There's a Versus Arthritis helpline as well in case talking to someone may be helpful. The number is 0800 5200 520 (Monday–Friday, 9am–8pm).

    Best wishes,

    Ann
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Matt and welcome on board.
    You seem to have had several problems so well done for managing to hold down such a tough job. I imagine getting in and out of your truck, coupled with long periods of sitting, is by no means ideal for you.

    I have RA too and, because there were no disease modifying drugs like methotrexate around when I was first diagnosed, I also have OA. You seem to have done things the other way round, first having the back surgery and then developing RA. I doubt the surgery would be a contributory factor for your RA. Most reputable sites don't think that trauma can cause RA though it can cause OA.

    Not that that matters. You have it and that's that. Along with the bursitis. The bursitis sounds to have been with you a long time. Is there any chance of it going? I know sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't.

    I, too, take methotrexate and hydroxychloroquine. I don't like taking strong pain relief so I keep to low dose cocodamol usually only at night. I do a lot of exercises to keep all my muscles strong (OK, strongISH :lol: ) and distract myself from pain however I can. Easy enough when you're not driving a truck :roll:

    Please join in anywhere you like on any forum. We don't bite and are always happy to try to answer questions.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • Mattc
    Mattc Member Posts: 4
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi,
    Thanks for the reply and the welcome, no the job of a truck driver is not ideal but unfortunately it’s what I do to pay my way and I don’t see any help out there, I have to say my company have been good in so much as they give me the shorter journeys so I’m not sat for hours on end. My medication list is pretty long and also includes hydroxy, I have been trying for a good while now to come off the patches and steroids but the pain is just too great to do so. I get the impression from my Rhuematoligist that the Bursitis is there to stay so my mobility is not great and it’s very painful to walk. I don’t know what is classed as “severe” arthritis but if there is one fraze I’m sick of hearing from the medical people i see it’s “ we don’t often see it that severe in people of your age” or “ your very young to have this”. As always I’m sure there are many who are worse off than me and all I am really hopping for is to be out of pain as it’s by no way life threatening but it is life destroying.
    Thank you for reading,
    Matt
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello, it's nice to meet you and I am sorry you have had to find us. I began my first arthritis (psoriatic as it turned out) in 1997 when I was 37 and immediately found myself promoted to Honorary Pensioner status as people cheerfully informed me their grannies had it too. Now I am 60 and if I had any children might be a granny by now but I don't so I haven't. OA was diagnosed in 2011 and fibromyalgia sometime after that.

    For the PsA I inject methotrexate and imraldi (a bio-similar for humira): things are not going well so I am being swapped back to humira. For the OA I keep my pain relief to the minimum so I have room to manoeuvre, I exercise in a suitable manner to keep my muscles as strong and flexible as possible and I rest which is easy to do as I have done the hard yards with working and am now retired. World-wide I was fortunate to be self-employed so could tailor things to suit my needs - and I did.

    Arthritis is very common, of the ten million or so arthritics in the UK the majority have OA. Arthritis has no respect for age, gender, class, our ambitions, our dreams, our wishes. I was born with a dodgy immune system so the arrival of the psoriatic arthritis was no great surprise but the OA diagnosis was as I hadn't realised one could have both. :lol: Even if one is born with a well-behaved immune system it can turn against you at anytime if it chooses, there is certainly a genetic link but it can come from nowhere. Blast, the fibro fog has descended again, my concentration has evaporated! I'll be back when I can remember what I wanted to say. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • SusiM
    SusiM Member Posts: 87
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Matt

    Ouch! Sounds like youve been through some painful operations. Is it difficult for you to keep up with truck driving? I had bursitis in my shoulders and it was quite painful. The meds l was taking helped but then l had to stop them for reasons of side effects. As for coping lve only recently been diagnosed with a form of inflammotory arthritis and didnt cope too well with finding out l have a chronic illness. Im more used to the idea now but lve been quite sick and finding that hard to deal with. I just want to get on with life and l have to accpet l cant do everything ld like to do right now. I keep telling myself that it could be worse. At least its not terminal, l have family and lm lucky overall. Im exercising my optimism.
  • Mattc
    Mattc Member Posts: 4
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi, like yourself I find it very difficult to accept that I can’t do what I used to and more to the point others seem to look at me and can’t understand why I don’t move too well or don’t look like I need that bit of extra time/ help. As for the Bursitis and driving although the modern trucks have very nice air sprung seats with many many adjustments, far more than any car it’s very painful so the longer / European journeys I used to really enjoy are out the window now.
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    That's the very slight downside of modern DMARDS - they stop the deformities so people think you look OK therefore you ARE OK. I remember the fear of getting off buses in my 20s. Everyone just piled into me from behind expecting me to be much quicker than I could manage.

    I used to get the "You're too young to have arthritis" too. I realised some years ago that that had stopped :lol: Unfortunately, it's no respecter of age.

    I used to know a guy who drove the European trucks. He loved his work.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright