o/a v r/a questions

"hi all,as ur all proberbly aware i was dianosed with o/a hands & knees,spondylosis,cervical & lumber spine in aug 08.my bloods came back normal so did my cervical xrays(now 1 inch shorter)having physio,no help what so ever.i have now lost a third of left arm function,physio say its inflammation,also says i have o/a in my elbows o/a has creep in left hip.+joint hypermobility in elbows & shoulder.told her havent slept properly with pain killers & sleeping tabs since nov.also on morphine patches.taking all p/killers to max,ibru included,& max on sleeping tabs.still in chronic pain.im sleeping on i hot water bottle.iv never slept flat on my back in my life until now.iv got rhymy app. in april 09.kept diary.question is infammation.my bloods came back normal,have had sinnisitis,foot infections,high bp,constant sniffles,feeeling unwell.should i be insisitng on mri,or bring forward rhymy app. for answers.r/a or o/a any answers to help me forward. thanx debs (wishing for pain free sleep) "


Hello Debs

The above is what you wrote on the Living with arthrits Forum and I think that is what you are refering to.

It sounds as though you are having a particularly nasty flare up whatever you've got. As you already know we can't make diagnosis as we are not doctors. You also mention hypermobility well this can often make things feel worse when you have a flare up.

It also sounds as though everything is feeling much worse becasue of the lack of sleep.

A drug free techniquie often used to help people sleep is to get up if you don't drop off after an hour. Start doing something you absolutely hate doing. This will help to train your brain/body that if it keeps you awake you will payback with something it doesn't like. Do not do comfort yourself with nice things like hot drinks, tv, etc. This way you may actually get a horrible chore (doesn't have to be anything major just something dreary) done and hopefully get so tired/bored you will drop off to sleep nicely. - I hope this works for you, it's worth a try at least.

In the mean time as your peers have said it may be worth trying to bring appointments forward or at least see you GP about a referal to a pain clinic.

I hope this helps but if youwould like to talk to us just pick up the phone.
Take care Debs, remember we just a phonecall away.

best wishes

Simona