How has your life been affected by arthritis?
Watch this postMany of our Silversurfers suffer from various forms of arthritis. This impacts day to day lives in many ways in addition to the pain it brings. How do you cope with arthritis? How do you get relief from pain? Have you discovered any gadgets which help you adapt and manage every day tasks which have now become a challenge? Feel free to share your thoughts, suggestions and feelings here ....
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Since then I have had a further 7 surgeries on my feet, 2 knee replacements, and a trochanteric bursectomy. This last has left me with a limp and continued pain.
PAIN, PAIN, PAIN. STIFFNESS, LOSS OF MOBILITY, LOSS OF USEFUL FUNCTIONS IN HANDS, WRISTS, ELBOWS, SHOULDERS, etc. These are what having arthritis means to me.
In addition to RA I have also OA.
The rheumatologists have tried every treatment available - and I have also tried alternative remedies. Still the disease continues.
I am now receiving biological therapy, which does keep the pain at bay most of the time, but has its own side effects, one of them being the suppression of the immune system.
As others have said, arthritis sufferers don't always look as though they have a problem - in many respects it is a hidden disease. I long for the day when it might be conquered - too late for me perhaps, but a cure would rescue others from a lifetime of misery.
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If you've read my posts before then you'll know I've had RA since a child - diagnosed at the age of 4 - and now OA also.
This latest op on June 2nd is the 8th or 9th on my feet, and at my age, it will certainly be the last!
What really gets me this time is that for the first time I've had to go privately for the surgery, because of the long NHS waiting lists! 2 more years on top of the months I've already waited.
This is costing £6000 after a lifetime of paying health insurance etc. And, yes, I know that I've had good service from the NHS in the past, but I'm afraid the service is now in dire straits.
Anyway, gripe over. All best wishes to my fellow sufferers - I hope each and every one of you gets a good sleep tonight and wakens without too much stiffness in the morning,
It's the same with schools and GPs they just can't cope with the strain of the huge population explosion from outside our borders and we are now having another huge influx taking place !
Oh,dear we must not talk about it must we ,let's keep quiet and not tell the tax payer.
Plus Blair built Polly hospitals all over the county through private enterprise (plus schools) and the share holders want their profits on their investments in those hospitals and schools !This means we will never finish paying for these hospitals and schools as we are only ever touching the interest on those payments.
The man has saddled us and future generations with huge debt which is something we never hear spoken about!
We all have one of his hospitals around us and we have no hope of ever managing to pay for them and becoming the owners of our investments.
It is all sickening but that's labours way ,spend what we haven't got!
That money could have gone on patient care ,but we have to pay for the hospitals before we get top class treatment .
All GP could advise me was painkillers and physio.
I heard of acupuncture being an option so decided to try this as trying to cook (which I love) was becoming dangerous .......
So went for intensive acupuncture every week for 3months (privately) and cannot believe how much better I feel.
It won't be a cure but so improved it i hardly need the painkillers at all AND get a full night's sleep. I now go twice a month for the acupuncture and thank goodness I tried it.
I would recommend anyone to TRY it.......it may work for you.
There are so many worse illnesses one could have, so I am just thankful to be as well as I am.
To me losing my sight would be just the worst thing! I get so much pleasure from looking at lovely scenery, lovely paintings, reading books, seeing a baby's smile - so many, many things!
And being able to look and see certainly helps in forgetting any ailments.
Research is showing also that having a positive attitude helps with pain - and indeed, helps in most situations. So I try to always have my glass half-full / not half-empty! There IS a difference!
Good luck, neil
Anyway all good now, amazing that straight after the op. all pain gone, amazing......Just a big thanks to my surgeon......hopefully I have gained my life back. Anyone not sure whether to have this done, I say go for it, you will not regret it.
regards windyweather x
I don't let it get me down as there are thousands of people a lot worse off than me. And I am so lucky too have a fantastic husband & family.