There you all are!

Northernhippy
Northernhippy Member Posts: 20
edited 28. Nov 2023, 14:06 in Living with arthritis

Hello everyone, I’m new here & glad to find you. I’m living alone with OA in four limbs, awaiting a date for my first trapeziectomy, not sure I’ve spelled that right. I’ve been shielded due to COPD & am slowly losing my mind. I don’t know what else to say at this point other than, it’s good to know I’m not alone.

Comments

  • Anna
    Anna Moderator Posts: 947

    Hi @Northernhippy and welcome to the online community,

    This year has been a difficult one for many people and when you are living alone with OA in four limbs and have to shield as you are, it can be even more challenging. You are certainly not alone though - this community is made up of people from all walks of life who are living with arthritis, and are able to share their experiences with others. I see you have already posted in response to two queries from members - thank you, I'm sure your comments were very welcome.

    Do let us know when you get a date for your trapeziectomy. Research has shown that the surgery has a high success rate and is excellent at removing the pain of arthritis, so it bodes well for you!

    Versus Arthritis has an information page on hand and wrist surgery that includes a section on what a trapeziectomy entails - you might find it useful:

    Do take a look round the rest of the site, and join in whenever you want to. You'll find everyone is friendly and supportive.

    Anna (Mod)

    Need more help? - call our Helpline on 0800 5200 520 Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm


  • Jewels
    Jewels Member Posts: 202

    Hello @Northernhippy you'll be pleased that you found us and will get lots of information and advice everyone is great on here 😊

  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,332

    Hello @Northernhippy

    Nice to meet you and welcome you from me too. you are NOT alone that's for sure.

    I do hope you find this forum as supportive as i have over the years.🙂

    Take care

  • Many thanks for the warm welcome.

  • Ladyship
    Ladyship Member Posts: 3

    Hi

    I have been living with osteoarthritis for nearly thirty years or more, did a lot of hard manual work, horticulture, and farming, and had a lot of injuries that never mended. i don't take any medicine or am awaiting any treatment or surgery. i was told a few years ago that i was too young(at 50 years of age) to have arthritis by a doctor and because i am not an old person with a walking stick people don't simply believe me. So my faith in doctors is very poor at the moment, anyway, i am the type of person who believes doing things for yourself is better than relying on others to do it for you. I am a vegetarian, eat little dairy products, try to eat little gluten, don't smoke, and only occasionally drink alcohol. I have attended physiotherapy sessions and find them really beneficial before them I was having difficulty walking, bending sitting, etc. i was going great keeping up the exercises given to me then last May I got bit by an insect(don't know what think a tick). Then right back to square one, suffered from over eighty symptoms and it has been a battle ever since, especially with the medical profession, still to this day no answers as most of the tests carried proved negative. i am however convinced it is Lymes disease, although i can't prove it. My last chance to have my faith restore in the doctors is an appointment with an infectious disease specialist, if not i will not waste my time anymore and try other ways to get answers

    Dolores

  • Tom
    Tom Member Posts: 522

    Welcome to the forum, @Ladyship. Yours is an interesting story. Living with OA for an long time, you have kept active, but experienced what many others have - an unwillingness by others to accept your condition.

    You believe that you have Lymes disease , here is a link to our information on this:

    I see that you have vegetarian diet with limited diary, gluten and alcohol. This is a link to our diet psges:

    Good luck with your tussle with the medical profession. Let us know how you get on as I am sure that your experience with have relevance to others.

    Tom