Hello

Nen150880
Nen150880 Member Posts: 5
edited 28. Nov 2023, 14:06 in Living with arthritis

Hi, just wanted to introduce myself and also ask if anyone has any advice to help with back pain and lack of sleep? I have had Psoriatic arthritis for 20 years now so I'm used to pain. My back started a few years ago, I've had an MRI but nothing came back from that. Now it's worse, the pain spreads to my hips and the pain is keeping me up at night. I am exhausted all the time. I take methotrexate but my physio said that doesn't help with back pain. I filled the dishwasher the other week and that was me put out for the day, extra painkillers and hot water bottles. It's really getting me down. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks x

Comments

  • Ellen
    Ellen Moderator Posts: 1,591

    Hi @Nen150880 it's nice to meet you and welcome you to the Versus Arthritis online Community.

    You are clearly and 'Old hand' as far as your Psoriatic Arthritis is concerned, but a new pain from your back is causing you real problems day to day. . An MRI didn't throw any light on the cause and clearly clearly the pain hasn't gone away.

    I see you are already seeing a physiotherapist which is one of the things I would have suggested so I presume you have been given exercises to try to help.

    Not getting enough sleep is really tough and leaves us less well able to cope with the day times.

    I am going to attach a link about sleep: Sleep | Improving your sleep when you have arthritis (versusarthritis.org) I think there are some useful suggestion in the article to look at while you wait for some of our members to come along with their advice/experience.

    I will leave our members to say hello now and look forward to seeing your posts in future.

    best wishes

    Ellen

  • Hi @Nen150880

    I also has psoriatic arthritis ! My X-ray on back came back clear as well ! Rhumatology consultant got me a physio appointment but because it took so long I googled different exercises to help and hip flexor worked wonders for me !! By the time I spoke with physio back pain had gone I also use a boots belt tens machine I found heat made it worse xx

  • Nen150880
    Nen150880 Member Posts: 5

    Thank you, I will have a google and look into those. I always use a water bottle but definitely will try a tens machine and the exercise. 😃

  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,336

    Hello @Nen150880

    I use a warm wheatbag the type you heat up in the microwave it moulds much better to your back. Tens I have worn out two machines over the years!

    I have tried so many things over the years for my back including the usual painkillers as well as diazepam (a course of this) which really helped and helped with sleep as a knock on effect. Same with amitriptyline (at night) which I was prescribed for my inflammatory arthritis. I think the theory is it relaxes the muscles (might be wrong).

    Lack of sleep really is exhausting I agree.