Hi everyone

RetiredRGN
RetiredRGN Member Posts: 2
edited 28. Nov 2023, 14:04 in Living with arthritis
I wrote a post then promptly lost it into cyberspace!

So in short I’m a 65 year old retired Staff Nurse working mainly in Elderly Care over 40 tears of nursing I retired 9 years ago after a year of ill health Diagnosed with Polyarthritis then as both Osteo and Inflammatory Arthritis of my hip and hands and lower back The first 20 tears of my career didn’t help my Dr said because there were no Moving and Handling aids or instruction So the next 20 years of using aids didn’t help as the damage was already done I also in 1982 badly sprained my ankle on the path outside the hospital as going on bight duty in the dark fell down a hole that the Gas board had left after taking their roadwork signs away! I got well compensated at the time but the Dr at A and E told me because I had badly sprained it it would have been better breaking it as I would have problems in the future and he was so right! I was seeing a Rheumatologist till he retired and having ultrasound guided injections in my hip as was told at the time I was too young for replacement! Anyway they did help but my ankle has still caused me bother as it still swells up so hinders me at times along with my hip as it’s on same side and stairs going up are a nightmare and same coming down but not as bad I have to do one at a time So use lifts elevators etc My GP suggested I try low carb way of eating as it would help my internal inflammation especially my liver as the levels were indicating Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver disease So I coped quite well with that and noticed my joints didn’t ache as much and my ankle felt better but a holiday and then a bout of food poisoning when I had been home a few weeks has made me not as committed and boy I can feel the difference again When my bloods were out of sync the Celecoxib I was taken was stopped as it wasn’t really helping my foot/ankle and Dr didn’t want it to affect my kidneys My ankle was still swelling though despite the inflammation healing inside

I’ve joined here to be with like minded people for support after seeing the adverts

Thanks!

Comments

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 3,635
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi RetiredRGN and welcome to the Versus Arthritis forum. Sad to hear about your Osteo and Inflammatory Arthritis of hip, hands and lower back. All of us here have a range of conditions and experience with arthritis in its many forms. If you need any help at all, do ask :D

    Please join in on any threads you wish. I’m sure your own experience will provide many helpful contributions.

    All best wishes
    Brynmor
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello, it's lovely to meet you and what a useful career you had. No wonder it has taken its physical toll, that is a very high price to pay for your calling.

    I have psoriatic and osteoarthritis plus fibromyalgia. I was always a candidate for the auto-imune junk as I was born with eczema and developed asthma when I was seven. :lol: The PsA began when I was 37 and I am now 60. I am also retired, I was a private tutor for dyslexics of all ages and abilities. I am not having a good day so will say farewell for now: rest assured we all get it because we've all got it. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi and welcome from me too. Wow! Have you been unlucky! I remember my first TKRs back in 1981. (I got RA at 15.) Back then you were in hospital for 3 weeks so I got to know the staff really well and there were so many bad backs. On a more recent stay in ITU (I do make a habit of these things :wink: ) one night a nurse said "You're only a wee thing. I can pull you up by myself" I really tried to get her not to.

    I'm wondering why, with a diagnosis of inflammatory arthritis, you've been left without a rheumatologist. That doesn't seem right.

    I honestly haven't heard of a low carb diet helping any kind of arthritis though clearly it does for you. Or could it be the fatty liver disease that it helps? I know nothing about that. Any chance of an ankle fusion or somesuch? Mine fused themselves and the difference is huge.

    I hope you'll find us helpful on here and I'm sure you'll be very useful to others. I look forward to seeing you around :D
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright