Welcome to our research blog on the effects of arthritis on your life. We are running a number of parallel projects of which this is just one. The purpose of this ResBlog is to help us frame the questions for a number of future projects by finding out a bit more about the kind of things that patients and carers of people with arthritis consider to be important.

Over the course of the next couple of months we will be launching research blogs into the group of conditions which are Arthritis. In particular we will be looking at Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid arthritis, Septic arthritis, Juvenile arthritis, Still's disease, Ankylosing spondylitis, Gout and pseudogout. Please get in touch with me if you would be keen on contributing to any of these studies as we are always keen on talking with patients about their conditions.

We are particularly interested in the impact of arthritis

• Firstly what kind of arthritis do you have? When was it diagnosed and at what age were you then?

• What is the history of arthritis in your family? Do you suffer from any other conditions?

• What treatments do you use?

• Has you diet had to change? What other lifestyle impacts have there been? Mobility issues for example?

• Have you ever had or been offered Arthroplasty? Could you tell us what was involved?

• What do you think of the information available about arthritis? How would you like to see support for the condition improved in your country?

However this is your blog so please bring up any things you consider to be important to you. If you wish to post any links to useful sites please feel free. Again if you wish to link to this blog from your site you are more than welcome.

Thanks very much in advance for your help. Please feel free to check back on the blog to see what others have said and perhaps contribute further thoughts.

To participate all you need to do is type a nickname of your choice and then put your comments into the box. Your comments are anonymous of course!

I look forward to reading your comments and, of course, thank you very much for your input.

Best wishes

Belinda

PS: Please feel free to share this blog with anyone who you think might find it of interest.

Belinda | 18/05/2007 14:25:00

Thanks for dropping in please start blogging in the empty box below

Lyn Gottschalk | 27/06/2007 10:10:00

Hello! I am Lyn, the co-owner/moderator of a arthritis/autoimmune disease support group on yahoo - RA-Factor. I just added your Blog to our links section at : http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/ra-factor/links Here one can find MANY links to arthritis sites, medication links, and just about anything to do with having the many types of arthritis. I myself have RA, which I was diagnosed with at age 27, and am now 52. Along the way I gathered other diagnoses to push me way over the 3 disease limit! ;D I also have OA, Fibromyalgia, CFS, TMJ, Sjogrens Syndrome, Raynauds Syndrome, Deg Disk Dis., herniated disk,migraines, peripheral neuropathy, RLS, ulcerative colitis,and have had bouts with pericarditis and costochondritis. I have a right TKR and THR, and a right fused wrist. Many replacements are on the table again also. I became RF positive after the first 8 years. I am also considered drug tolerant or drug resistant, in that I have been on every single dmard, and biological except Orencia which is going for prior auth right now. My RA continued unabated, and I have been permanently disabled since 1992 ( date I was approved for SSDI). I am also involved/co-edit the autoimmune and chronic disease newsletter on yahoo ( ai_cd). I live in Green Bay, WI., alone, divorced with 6 cats, a parakeet, a support dog, and have a wonderful home health aide which makes life possible and bearable for me. My only avenue of support , being disabled and homebound at present...IS online support groups/boards/blogs, so I am very happy to see this project! Sorry for being so long-winded, but this is actually my standard "intro" to new members on our group, so I thought it would make a decent summary of "me". Thanks for inviting our group here! I do have to tell you , that this small area is very tough to write an intro like this on...hope this is what you wanted, and that there aren't a bazillion typos!!

Mark F. 6/27/07 | 27/06/2007 16:31:00

Hi, I'm Mark and this is the short version. • Firstly what kind of arthritis do you have? Osteoarthritis When was it diagnosed and at what age were you then? 2004 I was 47 what is the history of arthritis in your family? Limited. I go not remember if either of my parents had any arthritis. Do you suffer from any other conditions? Chronic Pain with acute episodes, RLS, Hypertension (due to pain) Sinusitis, Left knee pops out of joint now, Arthritis in my r shoulder (Rebuilt in 1983), Mood disorder. I am unemployable due to my pain which is affected by the weather and from fighting the Veterans Administration and Social Security. • What treatments do you use? Medication, exercising, meditation and try to stay busy. • Has you diet had to change? I eat healthier now. Not as many Carbs and taking vitamins. What other lifestyle impacts have there been? Loss of employment, Loss of family members, loss of friends, social life is zero and I have become some what of a hermit because I can never plan on an activity because I have great pain w/weather changes (barometric pressure changes) Mobility issues for example? I now have 3 braces on my left knee, one brace on my right knee, an orthopedic shoe wedge, and a cane. • Have you ever had or been offered Arthroplasty? Drs say no more surgeries! Could you tell us what was involved? • What do you think of the information available about arthritis? Information about the condition is pretty straight forward but there is nothing out there that prepares you for the secondary effects of you condition, how to cope with people who do not believe that you are in pain and think you are faking it. How would you like to see support for the condition improved in your country? Focus on the complete individual and not just one aspect of the person. While how the disease progresses my be intriguing to the doctor, the devastative affect the medical condition has on the person who once was very active in their community but due to their condition the person had to move away from friends, family members no longer visit, loss of employment and loss of hobbies. All this needs to be addressed. I have had l knee problems from 1977. While in the USAF my l knee started hurting and the doctors diagnosed the condition as chrondromalacia. A steady and gradual slow down of activities until the knee ‘blew up.’ Now I have lost my home in Florida, Moved into my sisters home in Georgia, to seek medical care from the Veterans Administration in Alabama, having my BNL hate me, had to camp out through a winter, because I was homeless, trying to make new friends in-between episodes of sever pain and try to have some what a normal life

peterjones 27/06/2007 17:45:00

i suffer badley from gout in my ankles and am currentlylooking for a diet sheet that would help me eat the correct food so to ease my problems so i would be very intrested

TeresaW | 28/06/2007 13:28:00

I have (or had) Osteo Arthritis in my right hip, it was diagnosed nearly 2 years ago, although I have had pain in my hip for over 10 years, thinking it was muscular problem. I now know it was the common symptoms of OA. I was 46. I am the third generation to have had OA in the right hip, and it is believed it is due to mild childhood hip displasia, though it was unknown at the time. For most of the time I was treated with NSAIDS, Ibuprofen, which was quite effective, also cortisone directly into the joint, very painful but did help for a few weeks. Eventually ended up combining Ibuprofen and Paracetamol during the day and using Dihydrocodeine at night. Nights were always the worst. At first the symptoms could usually be walked off, but at the time of diagnosis this had long passed and walking any distance would make it worse, hence the need to finally visit my GP to find out what was going on. Walking became very much an issue, and pain management was not good in my job, so eventually had to give up work, to be able to manage it better. I had a THR in March of this year, a full ceramic joint without cement, which meant that, unlike those with cement, I could not walk on it for 6 weeks, while allowing the bone to grow around it. This was difficult, as I had not been told this before the operation, and because at the time I lived in a first floor flat, I could not go out for those 6 weeks due to the steep narrow stairs. (I am now in a ground floor flat and life is much better) The operation itself involved being numbed by epidural and sedated, and a deep incision in the thigh, about 14 iches long. I was awake immedieately after and was well cared for, while confined to bed for 3 days, being allowed to sit in a chair for a short while on the third day. I was then shown how to hop with a frame, and once my confidence had grown I was put on elbow crutches. I must say here, my right foot and knee swelled to enourmous proportions, and was becoming uncomfortable for a while but this is normal after a hip replacement. It only lasted the 6 weeks but I am told it sometimes goes on for months. I managed to come off painkillers on day 4 after the op, just taking Ibuprofen, though some continued with them much longer. I must say, though the operation is painful to begin with, it is nothing like the gnawing grinding pain of the arthritis, and you feel the benefit right away. I couldn't find much information online from UK sites, at least not in laymans language, except for the ARC site, but even then the information was basic. I gained more knowledge from US sites which seem to be more forthcoming in their information for arthritis sufferers. The information I received from the occupational therapist at the local hospital prior to the operation, was the most valuable, in that she showed us the exercises we needed to do before and after, helped us with adjusting our walking aids to the correct height, and advised what adjustments we would need to make at home, for instance raised toilet seats and bars, height of chairs and bed etc. Now it is just over three months since the THR and I am walking unaided around the house, and almost ready to walk unaided outside..though my brain is still telling me that I have the old worn out hip, and wants me to walk like it! I am slowly getting my life back and feeling more confident about the future. I have had the familiar pain in my left groin, but at the moment I am hoping that it is just my pelvis realigning itself, as it was normal on X-rays, and it is getting better. I still have full mobility in that joint, so I am not worried for now. I almost have full mobility in the new joint which has surprised me. There isn't much I can't do that I couldn't do before, though I have to be careful with turning. I can just about reach my toenails to cut them, not well, a bit ragged but I can get there! Practise makes perfect. So for anyone facing a THR, don't worry, you will be fine, and recovery is really easy compared to what you have to put up with now. I just think its a shame that a hip has to have deteriorated to a certain unbearable point where your quality of life has to suffer, before they consider replacing it.

ciamcindym | 28/06/2007 13:51:00

I was diagnosed with OA when I was 27. It affected my hands. Besides being a little achy it didn't slow me doooown at all. By the time I wan 40 it had "spread out ward. My shoulderss, wrists, elbos, neck. Then I was also diagnosed with moderate OA of the knees.. I was a worker in a nursing home and was ask to slow down or change jobs. I was started on an antiinflamitory. By 45 my back was badd. . I changed to a desk job, didn't like it then went to home health care. Thinking that would be easier. At 50 I was forced into retirement. I was approved for SSI disability on the first try in less than 3 monthsl Less than one month after my retirement I received home health care. I am now 57. I have had three back surgries. carpal tunnel on both wrists. I am on oxycontin for pain control, plus an nsaid. I have to use a cane. By x-ray, ther is no major joint (and most smaller ones) that aren't affect by OA. I have had peopple get up and move when sitting next to me, because of bone noises, the grinding and popping. They have o ffered knee surgery, but in my mind it is to close to my last beack surgery.



Vaughn | 28/06/2007 14:18:00

I was diagnosed with RA at the age of 36. At the time I couldn't walk and I was in so much pain that I needed relief bad. I wish that initial diagnosis had been correct, but alas, it was a misdiagnosis and I did not have RA, I had Wegener's Granulomatosis. I have a blog on Myspace talking about my experiences in detail under myspace.com/vaughnsizemore. If you're interested, please read it and leave your comments. Where I come down with arthritis is I have several similar symptoms, they're just from another source.

Teresa | 28/06/2007 16:14:00

Hi, I dont think they really ever told me what kind of arthritis that I have. I had polio when I was a year old. I remeber when I was real small they would have to carry me to bed because my legs hurt so bad I could hardly walk and they said it was arthritis due the polio. I'm 47, with post polio syndrome, I am having to deal with cronic pain in all my joints. I had cracked my right clavical in high school by the time I was 22 they had to remove it because it moved around and the bone disintigrated. I cracked my right clavical in 2000 and after a rescection an inch and a half of it has disintigrated and they now have to remove my left clavical. I have to have injections in the spine for the arthritis in my neck, and the pulling on my shoulders dont help matters much. I have been in pain all my life, I moved to the deasert to Las Vegas, due to the weather here I haven't had to have too many meds but I am now disabled because of the cronic pain and I know it is only going to get worse. At least I dont have to have the injections out here in the deasert. I dont know what eles I can do.

gonexango | 28/06/2007 16:38:00

I have degenerative arthritis in my neck and lower spine since my early 40's. I am now 53. It runs on my mother's side of the family.Along with 3 back injuries and a knee injury while working as a RN I was in a great deal of pain.I also have fibromylasia. I am now pain free, thank God! Mangosteen, the patented formula, is the only one I trust. Gives me better pain relief than Vioxx, Celebrex and many others. Onl;y a few onces a day keeps me well controled. May go to website; bwhary.gomangosteen.net for more info.

B.C. | 28/06/2007 19:27:00

Hello. I am 71, female, and have osteoarthritis for about ten years, it has sort of crept up on me! Mostly affected in my back, and knees, but my fingers are slowly being affected and getting painful. My mother and also my grandmother suffered from arthritis, my mother having a hip replacement at the age of 70. I have months when I am painfree and mobile and I forget about it. Then, las has just happened for about a week or so, I wake up in the night in pain, and also stiffen up. I make sure that I keep active as much as I can, and walk the dog every day. But I notice my walks get shorter when I am in pain. I have also had one episode of pseudogout in my knee. My doctor will give me any pills I want, but I would rather be in control myself, so I only take painkillers as and when needed. I realise, especially on reading about other people on here, that my arthritis is not, as yet, chronic. I would dearly love it to remain so, but what I do not understand is the radical change I suffer, going from normal to painful. It always take me by surprise.

Barbara Blackshear | 29/06/2007 12:39:00

Hi, even though I have suffered from sacrolitis for many years, main symptom being sacatic nerve pain since 1999, I was not actually diagnosed until August 2006. I have Reiter's Syndrome. Apparently my disease didn't fully show itself until July 2006 and my doctor at the time couldn't figure out what was wrong with me. I was in extreme misery! It wasn't until I started telling him about my shin on my left leg going numb did he decide to finally do an MRI. When he got the results he clicked to what was wrong with me even though I had a case of Uvietis a year before, which is a known symptom of this disease. I am still suffering from the disease almost a year later even though I have been on treatment. I have personally changed my diet to leaner meats such as ground turkey and chicken and I stay away from red meat. Since doing this I have noticed that my symptoms have improved, a little. I am currently 30 years old and even though I hurt I joke about how when you turn 30 is when your warranty goes out! LOL. I cannot do like I have done before. Before this ugly disease fully rared its head I was able to do anything that I wanted to. Climb latters, lay on the floor, sit on the floor, lift a 100 pounds and so on. I cannot do that any more. If I lift anything heavier than 10-15 pounds it aggervates my condition and I will suffer a flare up which means that I am reduced to being in bed. Most days I walk with a limp or waddle because my hips hurt so that I can barely lift my legs to walk. I am currently on Azulphidine 2500mg everyday(misspelled?), methotrexate 15mg once a week, Naproxen 500mg daily, hydrocodone 5/500mg even though it doesn't help much at times, folic acid 25mg.

John Dowbiggin | 29/06/2007 13:36:00

Hi, I have Arthritis in my right knee and hip. The knee showed itself about 11 years ago and I think stems from a heavy fall in took in a shower about 15 years ago and never had it tended. The hip as shown itself more recently - last 3-4 years and the fact that I am massively overweight has been a big factor. I have been taking Glucosamine (sometimes with Chondroitin) for a couple of years now and this has made a bid difference - most of the time I don't have any problems now and can manage to walk upstairs properly rather than one at time. Cold and wet weather seems to make a big difference (my doctor has arthrisits in both knees which kill him in this country but he is retring to Spain where he says he has a lot less problems). The only medication I take is Ibuprofen (tablets and gel applied topiclly) on the odd occasions I feel to much discomfort or have a lot of activity planned.

Fay D | 29/06/2007 13:51:00

I have rhummatoid, osteo, and osteoporosis in the spine. raynauds. I am wheelchair dependant, on morphine for the pain have shrunk 4 inches because my spine has compacted and the rest of the vertabrae are I quote of very poor density. The osteo arthritis runs in the family even my grandchildren have been dianosed with it. effect on my life have to be dependant on others and not being able to do the things I want to do.



Joyce Cox | 29/06/2007 14:03:00

I am 66 years old and have arthritis (osteo) for as long as I can remember. It it not so debilitating as some of the other people who have written in but affects my feet, hands, knees, elbows, neck and hips to varying degrees. On good days I don't notice it too much probably because I have learned to live with it but on bad days, apart from the pain, I feel quite tired and not in the mood to do anything very much. I had never mentioned my joint pains to my GP and was not aware that the diagnosis had been made until I was invited to test a drug which helps keep the blood pressure down while controlling the pain. The tablets I was testing had a very positive effect on me, keeping me painfree and feeling good.

john marshall | 29/06/2007 15:19:00

i have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my spine,not long after a car crash.i have had it now for 10 year,and it affects my daily life in a big way.I cannot get out of bed without a struggle and i find it hard to walk distances.I have had every painkiller conceivable,from cocodamol to right now gabapentin,and tramadol/The latter seem to keep th pain to a dull roar,which is a lot better than before.It is a daily struggle,but its something you have to get used to,if thats the right way to put it.

phyllis b | 29/06/2007 15:20:00

I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my left hip after three or four years of intermittent pain and discomfort in my groin, back and hip joint. The symtoms began to get worse, I found I started to have trouble walking, stiffness and pain. At first the hospital said it was my back causing refered pain, but an exray showed deterioation in my hip joint, and that my right hip was also not in a good state. I found that at my first visit to see a specialist at the hospital they were not keen to replace the hip joint as they felt I was too young at 50 for this surgery because of the limited life of the new joint and also revision was more complicated if the new joint wore out. By this stage my life was totally changed from being a very active and sporty person I found I was struggling to walk 20 yards. I went back to the hospital and had to be very firm in saying I did not want to wait till I was older to have the operation as I wanted to live my life now and not have this constant pain, lack of sleep and depression that comes with all of the above, by this time I found very little help from any medication. Luckily this time I saw a different specialist who was very supportive of my views. I had THR on my left hip in January and was amazed at the difference it made to my life in a few weeks. I made sure I did all the exercises they gave me and went walking every day Within two months I could almost forget I had a false hip. Unfortunately my right hip had got alot worse so in November04 I had a THR on the right side, this time an oxinium replacement rather than a ceramic one, the oxinium replacement they hope will last as long as me!! LETS HOPE THATS A LONG TIME! I would recommend to everyone to have that replacement either hip or knee and if the doctors try to put you off be very firm and insist you want the operation now while you are young enough to enjoy life. Three years on, life is so much better, no more pain - what a joy! I am playing alittle golf and tennis no squash I am afraid but so good to be able to be active again. I am hopeful I will continue to have a good quality of life for the next ten years or so and if I need further surgery in my seventies and it is not so successful I will not mind because in my fifties life was so so much better. All I can say is GO FOR IT!!

Anthony J. Martin | 29/06/2007 15:47:00

I have suffered with Arthritis for the past twenty odd years. I am now 74, but keep going. I have a chair life which I try not to use all the time. Although it is painful it is imperative that one does not allow ones self to seize up. Keep a cheerful disposition and you will overcome many trials.

Penny Mullis | 29/06/2007 16:48:00

I have had osteo arthritis for over 2 years now following osteomyilitis in my right foot when I nearly lost my leg. THe subsequent za; of extra strength antibiotics for 7 weeks, saw off the infection but left my ankles very stiff and they simply don't work very well! I find when I rest too much and also first thing in the morning I am very stiff and difficult to get limbs moving. I take 3to4 paracetamol a day and without these could not function as I run a guest house and am up and down stairs all day. However, I find keeping moving helps and I consider myself lucky to have both legs and only some bone missing in my foot. Exercise helps and swimming is better but I don't get much time!

Jan thomas | 29/06/2007 16:58:00

I'm not sure that what i have is arthritis, as it began the day i tripped and twisted my knee, which is not how arthritis usually starts in my experience. I have no family history since I was adopted and have nomedical records of my biological family. I have a severly disable knee which is very painful and will not take my weight; the other knee is just painful, as id my back, sometimes my hip and my right arm, but not particularly at the joints. since the NHS dhas done nothing fo rme other than refer me to a phsio who tried acupincture and a TENS machine, neither of which worked, then offer me a knee replacement, which my GP said was not very desirable since they don't last and I was young to have one. Now I just take whatever pain-killers I can get - the nes he prescribed were withdrawn as dangerous just after I got them! I find I can move better if I take steroids 9 peprednisolone) which they will give me for my asthma but not for the knee, so I just lie about what I use them for - with 10 taken 4,3,2,1 over 4 days plus painkillers I get a few days mobility- do this opnce a month - found the program on the Johns hopkins website and have more faith in US doctors than the NHS lot.

john smith 29/06/2007 | 29/06/2007 18:11:00

I suffer from arthritis in my shoulder and base of the spine.The shoulder was diagnosed in 2004 and received an operation to relieve the problem but unfortunately things are back the way they were and i'm ongoing physcio for this problem. The arthtitis in the base of my spine was diagnosed 14/04/2007 and there is nothing that can be done for this problem.I've been told that if I don't lose weight I could end upin a wheelchair but I also have a heart condition which makes it hard to exercise so you can see the problems I'm having.I have just recieved an appointed for the pain clinic(aug 2007)) which may help with my walking difficulties and can start excercising



robdor | 29/06/2007 18:48:00

I am 63 years of age & married. I was diagnosed with osteo arthritis about 5 years ago. This is in my spine & hip it manifest itself following a viral infection, which for many months was not diagnosed. It has left me with pain, tiredness & sometimes exhaustion. I have recently participated in a 6 week self management course. Expert Patient Programme (EPP). run by my local PCT. This is a good course & well worth attending. I have now trained as a tutor & am about to deliver the first session of the six week course starting next week.

kathy alexander | 29/06/2007 19:28:00

I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritus after having my second child when I was 33years old. I wouldnt take any medication as I was feeding her. Then I became pregnant with my 3rd child and the arthritus went away. It came back 5 years later worse then ever. I had to give up my job. I joined the arthritus association and followed their programme. I gradually got better. Now I am working pt. and only take glucosamine. I joined a gym to keep me active and am now quite alright. I wouldnt take the doctors meds. too many side effects. I do avoid certain foods and fizzy drinks.

Gillian Miller | 29/06/2007 20:04:00

There is no history of RA in my family yet I developed it 15 years ago (it took a week to go through my entire body from 2 finger joints) & my late brother developed gout! I had a young child aged 5 and a toddler aged 15 months and have never received any help from anyone to look after them. I saw the most useless rheumy you could ever meet, he put me on methotrexate then told me I could have children whilst taking it!!! My next rheumy put me on hydrochloroquine which made me very ill. She also told me for nearly 2 years that I was in too much pain before diagnosing fybromyalgia & Reynolds Disease. The most important thing is to have a good diet, low acid and to find supplements that help support the NHS medication. It may be worth excluding various items from your diet to see if it helps eg grains, milk products or red meat. Many people have food intolerances which will cause or aggravate the condition. My sister-in-law has a rotating diet because she found that it improved her RA dramatically as she has lots of intolerances. Keep moving (not necessarily 1 mile brisk walks) but try to rotate all your joints a couple of times a day. If not, you stiffen up which makes you worse. Pace yourself especially when you feel good and don't try to overdo it. As for support, don't make me laugh. I've had to fight for everything the whole time and now my husband has MS and found getting treatment are actually worse for neurological conditions, few neurologists and a vaguer disease which will leave you in a wheelchair so why bother to help? I discovered a few years ago that an underactive thyroid probably caused these illnesses. (My mum has a condition where her thyroxine has to be in her body in excess to absorb it. My doctors continually told me that my blood was the top end of normal until I doscovered that they were testing T4, not T3. I now take thyroxine, probably not enough but I cannot persuade them to send me back to the consultant!)

Maureen | 29/06/2007 20:45:00

I have osteoarthritis, had thr & tkr, I also have Charcot Marie Tooth disease a neuro muscular dis with club feet so I am used to surgery which has beem very sucsessful, I have taken dichlofenac an anti inflamitary 30 years, also co codamol for pain occasionaly. Despite all this I lived life to the full, worked 35 years in nursing & midwifery , married & brought up a family.

Peter E D Coates | 29/06/2007 20:55:00

In my late fifties, about 20 years ago, I noticed that after a game of squash, I felt discomfort in my ankles. My GP referred me to an orthopaedic specialist, who advised my to give up squash, as the cartileges in my ankles had thinned, causing the discomfort I exoerienced after exertion. I was told this was osteo-arthritis. As I grew older, it became rather uncomfortable to walk any distance, but I have always been able to walk as far as necessary in order to live a normal life. I have never felt the need to take any pain relief measures. I have since had 2 DVTs in my right leg, and as a result the discomfort of walking has lessened in my right foot. More recently, as a result of steroid treatment for a kidney problem, I have developed mild type 2 diabetes, and this has slightly numbed both my feet. A couple of years ago, I consulted another orthopod who specialised in treating feet, and he would not countenand any kind of operation, but I was provided with surgiacl boots, which are a help. I still drive, and care for a wife who has developing Alzheiner's dementia, so it is fortuunate that I am still able to walk around the supermarket, and move about the flat. I no longer have to do any gardening or lawn mowing, so my life style has been adjusted to my mobility problems, which I now scarely notice.

Doeidea | 29/06/2007 22:04:00

Arthritis - hmm - I seemed to have developed it a few years after having two ribs removed during renal surgery. I was born with cystinurea and have had some 13 or 14 operations to remove the cursed stones. The ribs were removed to facilitate entrance to the kidneys. Which might have helped the surgeon but it seemed as though the arthritis just zeroed in on the thoracic area and that is the way we met. In addition to Arthritis and Cystinurea I have blockages in the heart, high blood pressure, high cholesterol. A new event has appeared in the form of numbness down my left side whenever I get cold, stressed or just whenever. The neurologists I have seen seem united in this being of migrainous origin. I take numerous medications, but for pain relief I take dihydrocodeine and add a couple of paracetamol just to make the darn things work. I am restricted in what pain relief I can take as a result of my other health problems. However, I do take citalopram to help with the depression. The heart problem is in the form of two blockages which gives rise to lots of angina. The angioplasty failed miserably because the location of the blockages and the diameter of my arteries really didn't want to co-operate. I go to the gym twice a week and give a feeble attempt at keeping mobile. I feel I must keep moving about or I will just seize up. Diet can be a problem as I have a diet for renal disease (very low protein, easy on the calcium) which makes it difficult to follow any other diets. However, I am a firm believer in fish oils and take suppliments. In the past I have attended a pain clinic, they tried injections in my spine which resulted in various areas going completely numb. Then one day the injection actually stopped the pain. My cup ranneth over - momentarily. The doc informed me that they could make me pain-free permanently but the risk involved was that I could end up paralysed. Never having been much of a gambler - I passed up on that opportunity. The next offer of pain relief came in the shape of a TENS machine - nice feeling not much pain relief. I spent 12 months housebound, because I couldn't walk far with the numbness in my left side and chronic back pain not to mention the angina which seems to plague me. I looked more like quasi modo when I tried to walk. I was awarded disability living allowance earlier this year - I am 59 now. My own fears prevented me from applying sooner as I was turned down 10 years ago and found the experience then humiliating. Thankfully, this time I had help with the forms and I am now able to get about in a mobility vehicle, which has given me a whole new outlook on life. I can cope with the depression if I can get out of the house. The hardest thing I find is trying to stay positive about things, and above all trying to stay mobile. The arthritis seems to be spreading to all my joints now, the pain some days is unbearable. Like most people it is worse in wet weather, that is when the whole cacophony of aches and pains all join forces in an attempt to make me give up. The hips, knees and shoulders aren't quite as bad as my spine but they still let me know they are aching.

Sue Price | 29/06/2007 22:16:00

HISTORY I have osteo arthritis in a number of joints (spine, both knees, hips and ankles). It started following a discectomy some 17 years ago which resulted in on going back pain and a neuropathy in my right sciatic nerve. I was diagnosed with osteoarthitis in my spine about 2 years after this. This of course reduced my mobility and I reduced my exercise, ate more because I was bored/ scared/ unhappy and my weight ballooned (to 24 stones at one point!) DRUGS I am a pharmacist so I am on my feet all day for 8 to 9 hours a day 6 days a week! My pain is moderate while I am busy through the day and can be well controlled with mild analgesics such as co-codamol 8/500 and codeine 15- 30mg. I do take the maximum dose of co-codamol (8 tablets) every day as it keeps the pain tolerable. (I can't take NSAID as they cause gastric ulceration, PPI don't help me with this and misoprostol causes me to bleed vaginally all of the time I take it!). Evenings / night times become excrutiating when I sit down, so I tend to hobble about - and take major doses of codeine! I have been through the pain clinics (for associated neuropathic pain) and suffered weird adverse effects to everything they suggested. Actually, I was OK on nerve blocks, but the benefits only lasted for 4 - 6 weeks post injection. The only options left are to escalate up the analgesic ladder to morphine/ strong opiate. I'm trying to hold back on that one so I can use it later in life. (I am 47). I do believe the evidence base for glucosamine and take 1500mg a day (good quality though - don't ever buy the cheap stuff!). I also take fish oils daily (EyeQ) but that is more for my mental function than anything else. EXERCISE I find that exercise helps - at least mentally!!! So I walk the 2.5 miles to and from work 3 times a week, walk for 20 minutes with the dog every morning (i.e. 7 x a week), swim for 20 minutes once a week, see a personal trainer for an hour a week and try to work out at home (cross trainer, exercise bike and weights) for 30 - 45 minutes a week. As a result of this exercise and sporadic sensible eating I now weigh 18.5 stones. Still way too much - but a significant drop from my heaviest! I do get a lot of joint pain during and after the exercise, but as I 'only' have OA I don't think I am making the damage worse. And I am extremely strong and flexible with good endurance. I have been to see physios who all recommend exercising within limits, sitting down and resting when it hurts, etc etc. If I listened to their advice I'd not be very active, so I choose to ignore it. My GP has also cautioned me to slow down - but can't provide me with any real evidence base for this, so I don't! My experiences with the GP aren't positive. He is a rheumatologist specialist and just wants to probe until he gets answers. So I avoid him like the plague. I do work closely with him on a professional level, but never get trapped into talking about me!!! LIFESTYLE My OA does impact my lifestyle. I find driving difficult. I don't like sitting down and I avoid housework and gardening! (I don't like housework or gardening so it is a good excuse). I prefer to spend my leisure time exercising / reading / studying. DIET I have not noticed that changing my diet affects my arthritis in any way whatsoever. It does have a significant impact on my exercise tolerance. When I eat sensibly my performance is much better than when I stuff myself with processed rubbish. So I try to live on unprocessed foods as much as possible. High fibre, low fat, 7-10 portions of fruit and veg a day, oily fish 2 to 3 times a week, plenty of (reduced fat) dairy produce etc. PROGNOSIS I have been advised by my GP that I will need knee and hip replacements at some stage. I am determined not to have them. I had orthopaedic surgery on my spine and although it saved my bladder and bowel function I do not want to repeat the experience at any costs!!! So for now I am refusing referrals to the orthopaedic surgeon. My GP also wants to fiddle about and look in more detail at my spine. But really what is the point? They can't actually DO anything. So again I am refusing to go for scans, X-rays, assessments, etc. I can't see that I will be able to work till normal retirement age. But can't afford not to. So we will have to wait and see what happens. Who knows I might die of something before then anyway!



Gill Atkinson | 30/06/2007 08:25:00

I have OA but have it under control with diet, I do not eat:- Tomatoes, Potatoes,Oranges,Plums,Peppers & Rhubarb. There is a book about 501 Natural Cures but i got my diet from a dietician friend who was testing it out, it was not easy at first but you soon get used to it and not all the items affect everybody. i ommited them all from my diet for 18 months and then tried them all 1 at a time to see if there was any reaction. Now I can have the odd Potatoe, the occasional pepper but the others give me an almost immediate reaction.I was taking Codydromal and Diclofenic which caused a Hiatus Hernia so I was pleased with the diet because I take nothing now, not since my hip replacement in 1996. I am healthy and eat a very healthy diet with occsional treat and enjoy life. There is hope out there if you have the determination and will power to give it a go, so good luck.

Susie Main | 30/06/2007 11:08:00

I have "wear & tear" arthritis, according to my doctor. It started a few years ago, when I was in my mid forties, and affects mostly my hands, ankles, knees and hips, particularly the right hip. My doctor told me that supplements such as Glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM, together with Omega 3-6-9 oils are the best things to take for it, and I do think they help. I'm nowhere near as badly affected as many of the other people responding to this survey, but it does have a fairly major impact on my life, as I used to do animal rescue work, and still have a large family of those animals who'll be with me for life .. 15 dogs, 33 cats, 6 sheep, 12 equines, 2 pigs and numerous birds of various types (mustn't forget the mouse, though I think even with worse mobility problems I might just cope with him!) Looking after them involves a lot of physical exertion, and I worry about how long I'm going to be able to cope with really heavy tasks like mucking out ... already my husband has to empty the barrows for me, which means I have to adjust my days not only to weather vagaries but to those times when he'll be home from work. Exercising the dogs has taken a new development in compensation for the pain & stiffness if I walk too far: instead now we tend to play with a throw & chase toy much more than before .. fun but I miss the variety of going out on walks. Riding is also very much restricted ... I wouldn't begin to think of riding any horse which wasn't bombproof, because I can no longer cope with the added pain if I come off and am badly jolted.

Joan | 30/06/2007 11:33:00

I have been fortunate up to a point as although have vague aches; and pains during my life I was never diagnosed as have arthritis. However in recent years I have had a number of falls some of which required treatment of fractures (both hips fractured and humerus recently fractured in four places) leaving me with residual arthritis, particularly in the right knee. No treatment has been offered so I have succumbed to pain killers. I am 81 years of age, eat well and try to keep active.

Michael Pattinson | 30/06/2007 18:42:00

I suffer from various forms of arthritus, osteo & rheumatoid & spondylitus, the problems gradually crept on me, I became vividly aware of the problems about 16 years ago when i was 50 years of age. I was referred to a nurse at Sandwell Hospital, whom explained i had arthritus of the spine, and gave me a leaflet describing various excises. I was prescribed various Ibuprofem,and a number of other tablets at times, I was told nothing could be done, when all i wanted to know what should i take and do to try and delay the condition worsening. I was advised at one time to cut all red meats out, eat more fruit and vegs, and to exercise more.It is rare now when i report the condition, though i did so 2 months ago, i was told to expect it at my age, and frankly in my area there seems to be little assistance for arthritus sufferer's of my age group, or surely my doctor would inform me differently? I would like to see more advertised help advise for arthritus suffer's, and advise sheets or booklets offering advise, etc. I'm lucky that I'm not yet crippled by arthritus, though the conditions are definately worsening, in my fingers, neck and shoulders, and knee's and feet. I walk daily with our dog, and use Thermal Care pain releiving heatwraps, and have started to take Glucosamine Sulphite after browsing heath shops sites.I gave up persuing assistance from my G/P long ago, except the once 2 months ago. I used to knock finger and thumb on the toilet cystern to straighten them when they locked, it worked, though the last year the pain is continuous.

Gary Thomas | 30/06/2007 22:17:00

I am 53 and have always been sporty ie Football, Rugby,Golf,Badminton and squash. I also spent some time at sea with the Royal Navy. With all of the injuries I have sustained I now am feeling the effects of Arthritis. I am an above knee amputee and have had a fair share of falls,my current one breaking my left wrist. My right knee really is sore along with both wrists. I certainly don't look forward to the damp and cold weather but I chose not to continually take pain killers

Alison | 01/07/2007 10:51:00

I have RA. It was diagnosed 5 years ago. I also have heart failure which was brought on by the anti TNF drug I was on. I was diagnosed with osteoporosis recently. My Mum has it too. Life changes-- humongous. I lost my job and now depend on my husband to look after me. Some days I can barely walk or the pain in my joints is so bad I don't know what to do with myself. Because of the heart failure I can't take any RA drugs so depend on Prednisolone and a farily strict Diet routine. I have found Rosehip tablets have eased the pain in my feet.

Ann | 01/07/2007 23:40:00

I was diagnosed about 20yrs. ago. I have spondilytis in my spine and neck, I also have arthritis in my hands. I used to take anti-inflammatories but cannot take them now so have to rely on pain killers. I take meptid tablets for the constant dull ache in my spine, this at time makes walking very difficult and then I tend to swing one of my legs when walking. Sometimes I cannot grip things with my fingers and the knuckles are swelling up. I take Cod Liver Oil Capsule and extra pain killers and have my life style to suit. My mother had arthritis which resulted in her having two replacements hips which she had for 15 yrs. and was marvellous after. I also have a sister with arthritis in her knees, also one of my sons has the same. I have had other illnesses besides the arthritis, I have just learnt to adapt to the pain in my joints and carry on living.



Wendy | 02/07/2007 00:33:00

I was finally diagnosed with OA about 7 Years ago. I am 49 now. The degeneration started on my neck, then to shoulders (right one repaired somewhat 4 years ago), now all down my spine, which refuses to bend for the lower 5 vertibrae, it is in my left foot and just over the last 2 days my left knee has started. I know that I have all the symptoms relating to Ankolising Spondilosis, even down to the dry eyes, but the test showed me 97% certain not to have this form of arthritis. My mother had arthritis in her spine, my father had it in his hips, both my daughters have knee problems. I can't take NSAIDS as they cause gastric bleeds and severe gastric pain, so I rely on bloody-mindedness and Tramadol when it gets to a point where I can't go on. I lost my job and am unable to work due to chronic depression and chronic pain. All that keeps me going and gives me joy is my wonderful family.

Jayne | 02/07/2007 14:44:00

I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my hands and wrists 3 years ago when I was 44.

My maternal grandmother had rheumatoid arthritis. I have degenerative disc disease of the spine and spondylitis.

In the past I have taken Vioxx until the scare and diclofenac which caused stomach problems which I now have lanzoprozole for. I take gabapentin, tramadol and tylex now for pain relief.

My lifestyle has changed in that I cannot walk very far, the crutches I have I cannot use because of the pressure on my hands and arms. I have an ergonomic mouse, keyboard, chair and desk to cope with or rather help with the pain and stiffness I have after using the computer for a while. I go to the gym when I feel up to it. I eat plenty of fresh fruit and veg, along with oily fish only occasionally. I like to knit, which I can't do for long.

I would like to see a more effective treatment for arthritis sufferers especially those of us young enough to still want to enjoy our lives, children in particular.


Hilary | 02/07/2007 14:54:00

I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis several years ago and told I was too young for hip replacements, given codydramol to help with the pain. I take glucosamine daily to help as well. Looking back it started in my hands when I was a teenager, my feet when I had my children in my late twenties, my hips started in my early thirties and got to the stage where I couldn't even turn over in bed for the pain.I have found that I am much better in warmer climates and so my husband and I are going to take our retirement in Cyprus where hopefully I will be able to delay the need for replacement hips for some time to come

tina adamson | 02/07/2007 15:03:00

I have osteo-arthritis, mainly in my knees, but also in my fingers, left foot and the base of my spine. There is a history of rheumatoid-arthritis in my family, but I am thankfully free of that. I've had aches in my knees for many years, as do my children, all in their 30s. By the age of 46 the pain was severe and I neede a left knee replacement. They would not do this until I was 50. I am now 59 and there is definitely something NOT RIGHT with the replacement knee joint. I saw the GP who sent me for an x-ray, which shows 'sever osteo-arthritis'. I have a hospital appointment in 7 weeks time.

John A | 02/07/2007 15:04:00

Have had problems with knees, a hip, as a result of a sporting youth for some years - Ive recenly had my hip operation and as yet have had no pain whoopee

Ruth | 02/07/2007 15:20:00

In 1985 I began to have trouble with certain movements and with pain in my right knee. I think that this all started in 1943 when I slipped the cartilage playing netball. I found it impossible to sleep on either side and the only way that I could get comfortable was to sleep on my back with a cushion under my knee,. this, of course, gave me backache too!!

I took Selium and Omega 3 fish oil, generally salmon oil, for many years. I tried acupuncture, which helped my back but my knee not at all. I walked with a stick for only part of the time and could not get into nor out of a bath, I have only showered for years. About 1999 I finally had the joint Xrayed and went onto a hospital waiting list. Some four and a half years ago I had a knee replacment. I should say that every since 1985 I have swum twice a week and the effect on my thigh muscles was such that physically I recovered very quickly from the operation and was driving in six weeks. All in all it took me 12 months to get back to my old self.

Now my left knee is troubling me and with all the publicity about MRSA and other hospital infections I have not asked for an Xray and I am hoping that it will last me out. I will not take anti-inflammatories as they aare only palliative not curative and I would end up with a stomach ulcer as well.

I also have trouble with my right ankle and five years ago had two frozen shoulders at the same time. It is a great pity that any treatments seem to have side effects, so I stick to alternative medicine as far as possible, and good old paracetamol.

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Jackie | 02/07/2007 15:36:00

I developed OA over the last 20 years, since I was 45. It is not in the family. Meanwhile I was found to have high blood pressure, and compromised kidney function. The doctors busy themselves saving my life from these life threatening problems, and sort of decide to play down the affects of OA. My feet are the worst affected and my mobility is getting worse. Some toes are rigid and my balance has been affected. The pain is constant, sometimes like a low level toothache and sometimes almost unbearable. But it is always 'on' in the background. My knees occasionally let me down and going downhill is difficult and painful. Shoulders, elbows. wrists and hands are periodically painful and I have spondylitis in my back.

I was always very active but because I no longer go for walks I have gained a huge amount of weight, which compounds the problem with my joints. I cannot do housework and cannot always stand (up) to cook a meal. I can no longer garden. I eat very healthily and I have tried all the suggestions about cutting out tomatoes etc, taking cider vinegar and they didn't work for me. Now I take Glucosamine & Chondroitin, Omega 3 & 6,Vit C, Selenium, Collagen, Chromium and CoQ10. I have resisted taking pain-killers because of the side effects, but lately I have started taking Co-codamol at night, and it seems to have made a difference otherwise it takes me an hour to 'come round' every morning. Reading other entries makes me realise how badly some people are suffering. I seem to be split in two... part of me is becoming more and more disabled and yet somehow despite this I would say I am surprisingly fit. When I am having a flare-up I am unaware that this is what it is, as it goes on for a long time and just becomes life. It brings with it a depression as well. Then suddenly it eases up and after a couple of days I realise I am feeling less pain than usual and am no longer having to crawl upstairs. And my mood has completely altered and I am holding my head up properly. There appears to be no rhyme or reason to it, the weather seems to be immaterial. I just wish it was possible to obtain holistic medical treatment on the NHS. I am very tired of being mended in bits, like a piece of patchwork.

Michael Stanbury | 02/07/2007 16:58:00

Hi my name is Mike and I suffer From Rheumatoid Arthritis that was diagnosed 15 years ago which should of been sooner, but i was not given a blood test only Votorol tablets,then a nurse at Doctors suggested i had one after that i was put in hospital for few weeks on a drip which helped and i was given solphersulferene tablets and leflutamide, this was all fine for about eleven year till i got pancreititus.(I do not drink)so i think this was caused by the tablets, also i had to have my Gaul bladder removed. Then I found that i have got Bakers Cysts at the back of both knees which is common with people RA, they can only drain these except for sever casses.Because of my stomach they have put me on a drug called Enbrel which I inject twice a week and i swear it has made me a lot better. I hope that this has given people will the same or similar problems to me, an in-site. I would also like more support from the government for people who cannot work because of this illness(you are fit one minute and ill the next)to get extra help. MY Mother had RA as well from early 50s so is it hereditary!.

Nameless face | 02/07/2007 18:37:00

I was infomed last year that I do not have arthritis. I was told that I have an illness called Fibromyalgia and that I had been misdiagoned. All my medications had to be changed and I can look forward to growing syeadly worse ass there is no treatment and no know cure at this stage. Heck no one even knows what causes it! but it affects everysingle part of my body except my bones.

Marilyn Cooke | 02/07/2007 19:24:00

I had a hysterectomy in 1991 when I was 33yrs old.A few weeks later I was having problems with most of my joints and was in a lot of pain,it took quite a while before I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis.I seen quite a few different doctors but no one thought it was linked to my hysterectomy.I knew it had to be as I didn`t have joint problems before,eventually I was prescribed HRT,within a week of taking this I was moving around again and was feeling so much better.I still had problems with some of my joints mainly my hands and feet,also my knees(I had cartlidge removed from my right knee in my early twenties).Over the years it has got gradually worse and have been on medication and have had a few steroid injections in my right elbow which have worked short term but doesn`t last for long.I had one of the sesamoid bones in my right foot removed earlier this year as I couldn`t walk 50yds without getting serious pain.I now have more problems with my foot following that operation.I take meloxicam,co-codamol,premarin on a daily basis now and have a lot of problems with cold and damp weather,I dont really feel co-codamol works that well in treating the pain and my doctor is not much help so just take what I am given.My mother has osteoarthritis but it didn`t affect her until she went through the menapause so she was in her fifties when it started bothering her.I am not overweight so my weight doesn`t affect any of my joints and I dont have any special diet.This is the first time I have been involved in any kind of survey to do with arthritis and have found reading other peoples experiences interesting.

Elizabeth Griffith | 02/07/2007 22:39:00

I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis about five years ago. It has had a profound effect on me in that I am not as mobile as I would like to be. although I am by no means bedridden. I do get out and can walk unaided, but it is sometimes painful and very tiring. I have two young sons(17 and 14) and would like to do more with them, like running around with them playing football when we are on holiday and I do try, but it is often to no avail if I am in a lot of pain. Even when I am not in pain, I end up with pain the next day if I overdo it. This saddens me and I often do not try to do things because I dread the pain. I bought a contraption called a 'PainGone@ pen, which when clicked on the point of pain emits tiny electric impulses, sending a message to the brain, which in turn sends out endorphins to the point of pain and this works very well. The blurb with the pain pen claims that if used often enough, it gets rid of the pain completely after about three weeks, and I must admit it has worked wonders on my knees. I have very little pain there now. I use it on my neck where I have spondylosis and it is very good there too. I would reccomend it to anyone who does not like taking pills, as it is all natural and lessens the risk of stomach ulcers often associated with pills like Ibuprofen. I hope in the future it will do as promised and get rid of all my pain.

brian | 02/07/2007 23:00:00

I have not been diagnosed as arthritic.

It is my opinion as the a number of joints are disfigured that I do have. The joint normally swells and I encounter some discomfort. It is mostly when someone like a child grabs my hands I feel it most. I am experiencing a problem with my knees and the bottom of my foot this was treated with an inflamitry drug . but have not gone back to doctor as it only eased the pain I am 6 9 .

I take one JOINTEASE a day and this seems to help .Isuffer more when Ifirst get up or after sitting a while.

My mother who recently died at 88 suffered with more severe pains towards the later years.

My Aunt who is 74 recently had knee operation for a new cap. both my mother and aunt have other problems

Phil | 02/07/2007 23:36:00

Hi This is Phil

I am now 46 I was diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis when I was 18 it has had a big impact on my life and employment has been very difficult. Many people do not understand the condition which causes stiffness and severe pain especially in the morning getting better later in the day. Often this is seen as lazyness. Many Drs do not understand the condition fully and the pain it can bring. Getting benefits to help with the consequences of the illness is difficult and requires perseverance to get medical evidence from Drs who know about how the illness affects you. This i think is because of the rareity of the illness. I have had various treatments mostly drug therapy I have tried voltarol Keflex and salazopyrin. The Salazopyrin worked for a while but had to be stopped due to side effects the drug can cause liver and blood problems. The AS has been severe and I have had to use a wheelchair to help get around. I have been using froben recently and this has been quite successfull I am a singer and I have been to performing arts classes where I was encouraged to stretch and try some movement. Movement seems to be the key to this illness. Although I am still quite ill morning time I can now get about better although still stiff can be slow and there is a noticeable distortion of my spine and posture. I also have some complications affecting the stomach and bowel apparently this goes with the AS and I have to take regular rest. When i have severe pain I use Tramadol which works but can make feel a bit doped if used too often.

I am a little overweight due to long periods of disability and being less active and this is taking some work to overcome. I realise being the correct weight for height will help with pains.

I am not as mobile as others my age find stairs difficult and tiring.

Also cannot fit comfortably in many cars due to pain stiffness in spine and also bending is an issue so getting in and out is difficult so have to look for a higher or bigger car. We got a better car with cruise control and I find that this helps with pains in my leg and I can drive better now.

I cannot pick items myself at the supermarket due to bending issues so need a helper when I shop.

I am isolated at times as cannot take part in many activities guys do.

I find the bath difficult as I cannot lift myself up and out I now have a bath lift but this is a larger NHS model which means there is only room to sit in bath so cannot lie back and relax. So mostly use shower with seat and rails.

Due to medications and stomach problems and the fact that I seem also to be intolerant to Lactose we are constantly working at healthy diet I eat stir frys rice etc a lot. I do find that fish oils and fish products are good and help in a feeling of well being.

I used to live in very poor damp conditions due to the difficulties of getting work and adequate income to afford decent housing. The illness was much worse then and led a cycle of illness depression and worsening circumstances. Thankfully a few years ago a professional person kindly rented us a very decent house at reduced price so we could afford it and things are looking up now.

I have tried various herbal stuff such as glucosomine etc but usually do not persevere with these due to costs as they are not on NHS.

I dont know what Arthroplasty is.

I think that there should be a lot more support for young people with Arthritis as it is seen as an old persons illness. AS should be more recognised as the serious illness it is and young people should be given the help they need without so much of an uphill fight.

Thanks for this opportunity

Phil

Robert Bain | 03/07/2007 01:39:00

Hi, my names Robert and I'm sero-positive Rheumatoid Arthritis. It was diagnosed in January 2000 and I was aged 35 at the time. In the beginning I suffered from very sore hands, wrists, feet, ankles and shoulders then it affected my elbows and neck whilst trying to do my job as a fisherman.The funny thing was it mostly affected my right side of my body. I eventually came ashore to see the doctor who prescribed various pills over a three month period all of which had no effect, I then saw a locum doctor who sent me to the Rheumatology department for investigation and the rest now is history. I have also had steroid injections into my elbows, ankles,knees and shoulders which in the beginning gave me some form of relief for a few months but in the end I'd only get a few days relief.I also have had both knees aspirated of fluid and injected but now they don't trouble me at all (the only two joints that don't bother me)In the last couple of years its affected my right hip as well.The biggest regret is that the doctors made the decision for me to give up my job which I loved but with hindsight it was the right decision as I have a very aggresive form of RA. To my knowledge nobody else in my family has ever had RA, I'm just the unlucky one. Yes I suffer from other medical conditions which are IGA Nephropathy (kidney disease) attributed to RA and I also suffer from Vertigo (not a fear of heights) but due to the blood vessels in my neck being pinched due to the arthritis and this causes me to be light headed and dizzy. I have been on various different therapies from sulphasalazine to methotrexate, I've also tried all the anti-tnf's i.e. humira, enbrel and infliximab all to no avail and currently my medications are: - Rituximab infusions(research drug for RA), Dihydrocodeine (painkiller, 8 times a day at 3 hourly intervals, even through the night) & paracetamol(painkiller maximum 8 per day ),nabumetone(anti-inflammatory),leflunomide(RA drug), senna tabs & Docusate(stimulant laxative),Stemetil(dizziness) and Orlistat(weight control).I also have my bloods checked every 14 days along with my blood pressure.The last 3 years has seen me regularily stay in hospital (almost every 3 months I'm admitted) with some stays lasting 5 weeks at a time.Currently I'm voluntarily on a low fat diet to try and keep my weight under control as my mobility is very poor and exercise is almost non existent due to pain.Currently I use a crutch to go very short distances i.e. from car into house 10 yards or so and vice versa due to the excruciating pain, I also use a wheelchair when the need arises and I have to use a pulpit frame to mobilise around the house, however I only get access to the living room, toilet and bedroom all other rooms are out of bounds as my pulpit frame can't enter them as its too big. I also have a carer who helps me with my washing and dressing as my wife has to work to keep the house and family afloat.My wife does it on the days the carer dosen't come in.I've had to give up driving which was very hard and have become abit housebound now. Arthroplasty, well so far I have had my right elbow replaced with a stainless steel joint which has been a great success, however I did suffer some nerve damage (pins & needles and numbness down my arm to my fingers)during the operation but its a minor thing to live with and the joint is pain free.I stayed in hospital for 2 weeks to undergo intense physiotherapy and rehab.I'm now not allowed to put any weight at all on the replaced joint which makes things pretty difficult with regards to my mobility.I'm currently awaiting surgery to replace my left elbow and also to have a triple arthrodesis of my right ankle.There is a wealth of information available on the internet, some very good and some not so good and at the rheumatology clinic (50 miles from my town)newsgroups and forums are also great ways of gaining information, however there isn't any help groups available in my area to provide fellow sufferers with support and advice. I think that there has to be more support for younger people as its practically non-existent. I used to think that arthritis was an old persons disease but now know that it can happen to anyone and at any age.I also don't like the stigma that gets attached to disabled people, especially when your in a wheelchair. More support should also be made to the carers, family carers etc who have to help look after us, something which the UK government fails to provide.The biggest help that this country could provide is to ban postcode prescribing which sees people in certain areas banned from getting the drugs that could help them, I'm just thankful that my rheumatologist prescribes what he sees fit in order to help me regardless of the cost.

Vickie | 03/07/2007 03:26:00

I was 44 when I was diagnosedin 2003 with osteoarthritis in my knees. I worked close to my house at the time and could wsalk there with just my white cane. At the berginninning of arthritis, I wondered whether I was just lazy and didn't want to walk. I had a job answering the phone at the front desk of a residental philility for the blind and multihandicapped. This went on for a while. Then when it was time to see my primary doctor, i went and saw a nurse practitioner. That's when I fond I had OA. She said glucosamine/chointon when I asked what could be done so that I would keep some of my mobility. I take that relidgeously and when needed ibuprofin. I also use a heated beanbag. Thoe things help me, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't like to see a cure.

J O Agbalaya | 03/07/2007 04:56:00

Thank God I have not been diagonised as having OA or any arthritis. However I do take Seven Seas joint care rojoint formula to relieve the minor pains i ocassionally suffer in my knees. I hope this will help to check any development of arthritis.

Rachel M | 03/07/2007 08:37:00

I was 19 when I was diagnosed initially with Psoriatic Arthritis but later Rheumatoid Arthritis. I am now 30. There is no history of Arthritis in the family but it must have come from somewhere. I had previously suffered (and occasionaly still do) with mild Psoriasis hence the initial diagnosis. I have been on a variety of drugs over the years including sulphsalazine and lefludomide. I am currently on Embrel injections alongside Methotrexate. I take naprosyn as a pain killer. Initially the arthritis started in my feet and hands. I have had 4 joints replaced in my fingers and a Synovectomy to remove imflammed tissue from my hand. I am now being referred in order to have surgery on my feet due to them becoming more disfigured and causing further problems.

My knees generally cause problems and I have had to have them syringed a number of times to remove fluid. They will require surgery in years to come but fortunately not yet. Other joints effected include my elbows and my arms no longer straigten.

It has affected my life in terms of having children as when I came off my drugs to try and start a family my arthritis went into overdrive. This coupled with a fertility problem ment we have to give up trying fairly quickly to avoid further joint damage.

When my arthritis is particularly bad it affects other aspects of my health. The most recent period resulted in my hair thinning as a result.

My Husband and I have recently moved into a bungalow to avoid having stairs. However, at the moment with the current combination of drugs I seem to be having a good patch. My mobility is the best it has been for a long time and my hair is currently thick and long. I have made changes such as a higher car (easier to get in and out of) and it is also an automatic ( much easier).

Arthritis hasn't affected all of my life and I hold a good full time good and have a good social life. I have to remember not to overdo it when I feel so well or I suffer later. I have good friends and a great husband who all make a big difference through understanding and assistance. We also manage to laugh about it on occassions - the fact I am turning into the bionic woman with my joint replacements!

Unfortunately I still find that information for younger people with arthritis is lacking. It is still geared for older people. Also, in the area I live - Christchurch, there is a huge demand for rheumatology services due to the number of older people and therefore the resources are thin.

Also I think it can be an invisible disease. Nobody can tell just by looking at me that I have arthritis (unless they notice the scars on my fingers). I have a disabled badge and get the dirtiest looks off of people when they see me getting out the car. When my mobility's bad and I have a stick or am limping then they can see why I am using it. But often my walking isn't too bad (although can't walk too far) and also I need the wide space to open my door fully to make it easier to get out. I have been challenged on many occasions as to whether the badge is mine. I actually avoided getting a badge for some time due to being afraid of such reactions and am disappointed that my fears have proved true.

Anne W | 03/07/2007 11:53:00

I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritus when I was in my early thirties. I had problems as early as my 20's.

I also have tendonitus. I have been informed that these are both inflamatory conditions.

I have had long periods without problems and fortunately the only real problem is my neck and I suffer with vertigo which I have not been able to solve.

I have not been able to take medication due to a stomach problem.

The good news is that when I was diagnosed I bought a book about diet and excluded beef from my diet. This had a huge effect and my consultant was astonished at the results.

I now do not eat any dairy or meat and follow a wholefood diet and the results for me have been miraculous. I also take glucosomine and chondrin.

I recommended this to a lady I met recently and she had tried the same diet and has e-mailed me to say thank you for the improvement she had had.

I do not say it will help everyone because I do not know that but it has changed my life. Hope it may be of some help to others.

Angelika | 03/07/2007 13:07:00

I have been diagnosed some 3 years ago with RA and have also had my gall bladder removed about 2 years ago, after a severe inflamation, which meant that I had to go into Hospital very quickly, due to the very strong pain that I experienced.

When I was first diagnosed, I spoke with my sister, who is a homeopath and she told me to instantly change my diet. I followed her advise, read loads of dietary books and have been eating fresh fruit, tomatoes and avocados, as well as loads of berries and fresh nuts ever since. I drink only fruit juice (fresh) and no alcohol, no fizzies and very little coffee or tea, due to the caffein that they contain. I never eat anything with white flour in it, only whole grain bread and no dairy foods, except the occasional low fat yoghurt without sugar. I take no sugar, just a good sweetner (the type without Aspartame) and take cod liver oil, glucosomine, omega oils, vitamin C, D and E plus a multivitamin and red clover tablets from the health food stores. I also take the Methotrexate (3 per week) and on Folic Acid as prescribed by my specialist.

I also try and swim at least once a week (about 1 mile at a time) and run about doing my usual work in the office and at home. I am divorced with two grown sons still living with me (not doing much to help) and a cat and two rats (tame). I don't think about my RA and mostly I don't feel much at all... my joints in my fingers and my shoulder do hurt occasionally, but since changing my diet, I don't have any more inflamation of the wrists or in my feet or knees. I am practically as good as before and am now 59 years old. I really advise you all to check your diet!! It is what you eat that creates a lot of the problems...and..most of my food is organic.

I will keep you posted as to how I will progress with this...

Eileen Kynes | 03/07/2007 13:42:00

On reading other people's stories, I feel very lucky. I have been diagnosed with OA in both my wrists and thumbs but despite the constant pain, it does not disrupt my life too much. I am unable to take anti inflammatoies and rely on strong painkillers. I have been offered a wrist fusion but am very reluctant.

Specialists kept asking me if I suffered from psoriasis. Apparently, it is linked to arthritis in only one part of your body. I always said "No" but now psoriasis is starting to emerging all over my body. It's not too bad at the moment but I dread the thought of it getting worse.

My mom has really bad arthritis I am unsure of what sort) and is confined to a wheelchair. Her feet and knees are badly deformed and swollen. She can't lift her arms and has no quality of life.

George Davidge | 03/07/2007 14:05:00

Hi My name is George I am 62 years young. Cockney,chirpy,saucy & extrovert. I am all of this whilst I have arthritus in every joint apart from lower spine. Imagine how unsufferable I'd be if I was fit. We my wife & I have lived with pain since about 1975 or so. I have just (8 wks ago) had a knee op & it has helped a bit. I moved from London to the countryside of Worcester to help get the muck of London out of my lungs, unknowing that worcester (they say) lays in a valley that encourages damp air which dont help the joints 1 bit. I have had to stop work as I could'nt walk. (9 months ago)I now have it in my neck which causes a weird form of vertigo. In the past we tried going without red meat for about a year. (did'nt appear to help). We tried a non dairy diet. (did'nt appear to help). We tried white vinegar drinks, we tried the french toast, we tried rice instead of potatoes now that helped a bit but was it boring!!. We have tried for about 30 years to find a dietary aid & nothing much has helped, we got lots of books & thought that maybe the next thing to try is "eating the blooming books" who knows?. Our suffering is caused apparently by wear & tear . Who said a little hard work wont hurt you. All the diets have cost a fortune, & dont help much. My dear old dad never lived half as well as we do & never had a twinge in his life, (The muck of London got his lungs tho. I take the Glucosomine & cod liver oil etc & that seems to maintain it at a reasonable level. You can see from my attitude I hope that we dont let it get us down too much. we find that laughter really is the best medicine. If your enjoying what you can, you will get by.

Jeff V | 03/07/2007 14:32:00

Hi, I was 32 when I was told I had "early changes" in my shoulders and hips, later told it is rheumatoid. At 35 I was diagnosed with osteo in both knees. Historically there is both forms on both sides of my family.

I also have Raynauds, Carpal Tunnel, myalgia, polyarthyalgia unkown origin (PUO),arthralgia, plantar fasciitis, ulna neuropathy and the doctors think I have a variant of (FMF) Familial Mediterraean Fever.

The effect on my life has been considerable. I was on the fast track to becoming a senior manger in a multi-national wholesale company but have been unable to work since Nov 2000. The nature of the work is heavy manual mixed with usual managerial responisbilities and I get fatigued too quickly to be useful to anyone. I find noise/vibration to be very uncomfortable and my body tends to "sing" to the tone of a car engine or a musical beat which is painful and iritating.

I tend to drive as little as possible, I find walking difficult, the first 50 steps or so are OK then each step becomes progressively more painful. Any physical activity wears me out incredibly quickly and takes me ages to recover from. I find sitting in one position for too long painful.

I have seen rheumatologists, gastroenterologists (ulcer caused by medication), dermatologists (rashes on legs), reflexologists, podiatrists, chiropodists, faith healers, reki healers, dieticians and physiotherpaists. None have really healped I take large doses of anti inflammatories plus pain killers plus sleeping tablets and a drug that reduce the recurrent fevers. On top of this I use neurofen gel and take cod liver oil.

The only thing that makes any difference is the weather, warm and dry is wonderful, cold and damp is hell.

Tony | 03/07/2007 16:46:00

I have osteoarthritis, mildly. I am 73 and it is much better now than it was years ago. I take glucosamine, chondroitin, collagen etc. It is very rare that I resort to pain killers. When I do I take 1 paracetymol and 1 ibuprofen together as that combination does not upset my stomach so much as ibuprofen alone. I also have a bio-lamp but have not used that for a year. I still take part in dog agility with 4 dogs and drive all over the British Isles to get to shows and training.

Queen A'mina | 03/07/2007 19:21:00

My experience with arthritis comes from the clients that enter my office with complaints of pain and stiffness. After a 3 part session of colon hydrotherpy, they most often report a relief of the tension in the joints. It is amazing water a little detox can do. For anyone with arthritis, I always suggest a whole body cleanse starting with a fast and a 3 part colonic irrigation session and a gradual change in diet.

Queen A'mina

Certified Colon Hydrotherapist

Janet | 03/07/2007 20:29:00

I have osteoarthritis in my spine, hips, right knee, left jaw and both feet. My spine is twisted and my right hip is painful when I turn on my right side in bed. The OA was first diagnosed about four or five years ago but no treatment was offered other than painkillers. I take Glucosamine Sulphate and calcium for my bones but no special diet. My back can trap nerves and cause pain in all parts of my body, legs, feet, neck, shoulders, but this is usually temporary and responds to paracetamol. Last year I had a prolapsed womb so had a hysterectomy. Now I have a prolapsed bowel and take laxatives daily, Movicol, to keep the bowel as light as possible. I think this causes quite a lot of pain in my lower spine. I am coping with menopause, hot flushes, insomnia, forgetfulness and mood swings. I have varicose veins too. Neither of my parents have OA but my mother has a twisted spine, as do two of her sisters. None of them receive any treatment for this condition. I would like to have some physiotherapy and advice on exercises etc. I do not work but look after my parents and elderly aunt. My Dad has cancer, bowel and liver but is coping well with treatment. Mum has a heart condition and low platelets (blood). My aunt has diabetes, gloucoma, gout, high blood pressure. I am able to take them to their hospital visits, do some housework and shopping trips. I am 58 years old and have two sons, 27 and 37 years of age, no grandchildren yet. I live with my husband and we've been married 38 years.

Tom Baxter | 04/07/2007 10:11:00

I have never taken part in a " blog " before, but with Arthritis so common now, anyone that is a sufferer should be voicing their fears and lifestyle hold ups that can come from the constant pain. I have arthitis in my spine, ( base and neck ) it seems that the pain is worse when i'm in bed as i can't find a suitable sleeping position. Even the smallest of tasks can be painfull and some days when I feel good, I will potter about the garden, but then the pains come back. I take prescribed medication and when I do nothing, they seem to keep the worst of the pain at bay,but it is so easy to upset that ballance by the slghtest activity.

Diane Lowe | 04/07/2007 10:51:00

I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my knees and ankles as well as spondylitis in my neck in 1999 when I was 39, although I had been complaining to my GP about my right knee since I was aged 18.(He told me to get a dog and do some walking and also to go everywhere my bike). I now know this has worn my knee joints even more. I also suffer from high blood pressure and dyspepsia which means my doctor does not prescribe any tablets that are likely to upset my stomach, I therefore only take co-codamol when I get a lot of pain. I also take Zantac for my stomach problems. My mother has alzheimers but she also has suffered from arthritis since the age of 12. She has had a hip replacement and her knee is deformed but because of her mental state my sister and I along with her GP have agreed not to have this operation performed on her. My father died 9 years ago from stomach cancer, he also suffered from dyspepsia. Two of my children both have pain in thier knee joints. I drive a motability car and without it I would be housebound as I cannot walk any distance without considerable pain. If I go shopping I use an electric wheelchair supplied now in a few stores, but I am limited to those stores only. I have to restrict myself because I still find it frustrating when I can't do the things I used to do eg decorating, going for long walks. I tried taking Glucosamine Sulphate as I have heard it can be helpful but it just made me sick so now I take Cod Liver Oil tablets and I have noticed a slight improvement. I also take Evening Primrose Oil which helps control my mood swings and hot flushes as I am starting the menopause. As I am only 47 I cannot even begin to think what the pain is going to be like in another 10 years. One thing that really annoys me is living on benefits but still having to pay for my prescriptions!

postmanpat | 04/07/2007 10:53:00

I have had arthritis for the past eight years. I am now 72 years of age and while my spirit is still as young as ever my joint especially the right hip and knee are not what they used to be. However I still do not do so badly. I used to get quite a bit of pain but since taking Glucosamine, Chrondrotin and msm and also Celedrin tablets I have seen a marked improvment in the flexibility of my knee particularly and get little or no pain now. I also use Glucosamine and Emu Oil Gel morning and night externally. If i do a lot of walking or gardening i do find a tuba- grip bandage round my knee very helpful


Jan | 04/07/2007 12:56:00

I have been diagnosed with 'arthritis' in joints my spine, elbows shoulders, knees and thumbs and gout in my right big toe. I have my painfree days thanks to the medication I have been prescribed but flare ups, when they happen, are excrciating and debilitating. People tend to be skeptic when you tell them of the pain you are suffering. It isn't like measles, chickenpox etc. There are no outward visible signs of the acute pain. It is only when deformity of the fingers and toes ttake place in the later stages of rheumatoid arthritis that one is believed by the general public. Even then they have little or no concept of the level of pain suffered. There is a history of both rheumatoid and osteoarthritis in my family.

Alicia56 | 04/07/2007 13:22:00

I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in 2003. Having had to take time off from work with a bad back. My father suffered with arthritis although had no treatment for it, his hands were just all knotty and he suffered with bad backs for many years. My doctor just said that noway would I be offered a hip replacement as I am too young. He gave me painkillers which were subsequently found to cause heart problems, and told me to exercise alot. I find that walking...even to the shops causes me lots of pain and I have been in tears at times when I get back home. Everyone seems to think that because i am overweight the4n I should grin and bear this pain and exercise more. If I stay home and just 'potter' about I feel a fraud as I am not in alot of pain, but if I do go out I make sure i take all my painkillers and paracetamol and ibruprofen. I hate taking tablets so try to manage without them, at least then when I do need them they seem to work better. I recently got a car and where people said this would be worse for me then I find it much better as I am getting more exercise as I can do things in short bursts. I recently had a visitor to my home and we did alot of walking as I then didnt have a car, and I took my painkilers for the week.... it took me a month to get back to the level of pain that i normally incur. I am therefore loathe to walk too far too often. I am at the moment looking for a job I can do from home because I am finding it extremely difficult to manage on Incapacity benefit. I did try for mobility but as I am a very independant person and prefer to struggle to do things myself I didnt get anywhere. I have also now got little lumps forming on my hands and fingers around the knuckles, and on my feet. My left elbow is rather painful and my left hip is also beginning to get painful at times. However I do not let this stop me doing things I really want to do, I will just suffer the pain afterwards. At the time I was diagnosed with the arthritis I was also diagnosed with diabetes, everything seemed to come at once.

ELIZA JANE BROWN | 04/07/2007 14:39:00

i was diagnosed with osteo arthritis in my mid thirties ,it affects my back,hips,knees,neck,wrists and hands.the pain is really severe but i have yet to find a pain relief that actually does help,my father also suffered greatly with this and was almost a cripple before he sadly died. I WOULD BE GRATEFUL OF ANY SUGGESTIONS THAT WOULD HELP.

Val | 04/07/2007 15:48:00

Hi,

I have suffered with Osteo-Arthritis for almost 15 years now, and there are days when I can hardly walk through the pain.Unfortunately because I also suffer from Asthma, I am limited to what I can take for the pain.Paracetamol, regular, then on occasions I have had Co-Codomol, but I emphasise that at that time I am NOT taking Paracetamol, because you cannot mix the 2. However, with teh Co-Codomol, I sometimes get Constipation, so that's another pain t deal with. I just wish someone would invent a drug or homeopathic remedy to ease what has been the bain of my life for 15 years. ...............Val

val | 04/07/2007 16:21:00

have had considerable pain for many years(atleast 15yrs). my gp at the start diagnosedas "I suppose its osteo-arthritis". when i became ill in 1996 with a number of complaints i had a new doctor who referred me to a number of specialists who diagnosed--thyroid problem/asthma/knees that had crumbled and needed to be replaced/hypertension and a possible heart problem.i was put onto vast amounts of medication including steroids which made my weight rocket up in the hope of stopping the asthma (it did not work). because of the other problems i was told i could not have the joint replacements as i would probably not survive anaesthetic. i am in continous pain for which i receive medication(not very successful). i use a wheelchair when going out as i can only walk the distance to the car. i do sometimes get very depressed but most of the time i "grin and bear it"

cindylee | 04/07/2007 16:39:00

I now have severe OA in my low back, and spinal stenosis.

MRS M ILLIDGE | 04/07/2007 17:26:00

I was diagnosed with osteoporosis in 2006 and take alendronic acid. Do not know if it is of any benefit will have to wait until the next bone density scan I suppose.

I have taken glucosamine for years but dout if it does any good. I

I just hope the condition does not deteriorate too much as I get older but seeing my mother suffering now I don't hold out much hope. Got to keep busy now as may not be able to do much when I am older

 

Sue | 04/07/2007 20:28:00

I was first diagnosed with arthritis in my lower back after I had my first child in 1983. But luckily this hasn't got any worse .... yet. I do get occasional back pain but nothing too serious at the moment .. touch wood!! But after suffering with knee pain in 2000 I WAS diagnosed with osteoarthritis. At first it was okay but then about 2 years ago it began to get very painful and by early last year it was becoming more and more difficult to do certain jobs about the house. It was also affecting my walking and got extremely painful. Last October I had a total knee replacement. I'm 54 and am told i'll probably need another in about 10 years time. But at the moment the knee is pain-free, the only problem is getting down stairs, as it's still a bit stiff. But i'm sure i'm beginning to suffer arthritis in my hands and lower arms. I type all day and am noticing they are starting to get painful ... so i'm gonna have to keep an eye on them I think. As far as I know neither of my parents suffered with arthritis.

fushia | 04/07/2007 20:30:00

when i was 21years of age i was involved in a road accident.it very nearly cost me my life.i am happy to say i live on ,however during my stay in hospital ,due to the op ,replacement of right femour bone ,to mend my leg and traction,i was told that i would in later life get arthritas.well getting older came faster than i anticipated.after having my first child at the age of 26 i started to get back problems ,then after my second child age 31 my back went completly. the base of the spine being damaged ,fused and knitted together.a few years after this my right knee started to swell and i guess it has just got worse from then on. in 2002 i had a total knee replcement and leg extention ,right leg again.i now get very painfull hands and have cervical spondosyse..through lack of being able to get around as i would wish i am putting on wieght,something i really hate.i also have sevear hearing problems,astma and sensative skin.while the medication does help to a degree, self help is the greatest thing you can do for yourself.keep your intreasts going.try nightschool classes and get out of the house.in spite of my poor health i do a course for icing cakes,it is very rewarding and something that can be done sitting or standing.

christopher john chattaway | 04/07/2007 22:59:00

4/7/07 22.32

I have osteoarthritis in my whole body. I was first diagnosed when i was about 40y old, i am now 52.I have been told by my doctor that it probably stemmed from a slipped disc i had in my thirties.I first noticed something wrong when as an avid D.I.Yer and radio-controlled model maker, that i was losing my grip on tools when my fingers would just lock up. I had a blood test done for RA (i thought they tested for everything- apparently not.) which was negative- then another for osteo which came up positive. My back and knees were getting worse so i had a full body x-ray which showed i had it in all my joints. My mum and dad are both passed away and i never see the rest of my family so i cannot say if anyone else has had this problem. I find cold-or hot-weather can affect me quite considerably and early mornings are worse when my joints are very stiff. I do find gentle exercise can be helpful. I am grossly overweight-6 ft tall and 21st 8lb which i know does not help much, but i have tried for 4-5 years to reduce this by going to the gym three times a week- all to no avail. occasionally i get a trapped nerve which can affect me in several ways such as - always wanting the loo, feeling i want to be sick all the time,severe pain (worse than normal) in my back,shoulders or hip, or, as i have at the moment, very bad sciatica in my left leg. my continual medicine has always been ibuprofen and paracetamol with codeine, the latter has now been changed to the much stronger tramadol. my diet has only really changed for my weight problem and does not seem to have made any difference to my arthritis.I have plenty of devices that help me daily such as a walking stick,raised toilet with bars, also for shower, bottle and jar openers, most electrical kitchen gadgets and a steering wheel knob for my car. I avoid stairs at all times where possible, but if need be i go up one step at a time. I hope this has been some help. cheers.

MR.C.J.CHATTAWAY.

Ruth | 05/07/2007 01:56:00

I was diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondilytus 11 years ago although I have had symptoms for much longer than that. As a complication of the rigidity caused in my spine I had a slipped disc which gave me sciatica in both legs. Unfortunately this went undiagnosed for 6 years so although I had surgery both sciatic nerves were badly damaged and I still get pain in them. I was 32 when I was diagnosed and as my father has AS I obviously wondered if it was hereditary which of course it is. I have 5 children only one of which was born after the diagnosis. I often feel guilty about that as I may of passed pain on to my daughter. Two of my 4 sons have the white blood group HLAB27 which means they have a chance of getting AS - I will just have to wait and see.Although I can walk I am very limited on what I can do. I cant walk too far. I cant play games with my daughter that involve anything too strenuous. I have problems with housework.I take anti-deppresants as depression goes hand in hand with this type of arthritis. I also take lithium. Gabapentin to help with the nerve pain in my legs but it causes my feet to swell so i have to take diuretics. I also use a fentynl patch which is synthetic morphine so I am basically a legalised drug addict.

Susan | 05/07/2007 08:47:00

Hi, I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis at age 40 after suffering for many months and feeling like perhaps I was going crazy because the pain seemed to "travel" so was very difficult to explain.

I was fortunate to have very good medical treatment and doctors who, although they did not believe in my ideas, humored me and worked with me, while I continued to do exactly as they recommended, they tried to answer all my questions.

Sadly the medical community often does not believe that Rheumatoid Arthritis can be a result of dietary choses, or that our thoughts might have some effect on our health.

These are the areas that I questioned mostly and in my own experience these areas do make a major differrence.

While I followed the doctors regular type of treatment (medication) my health continued to deteriorate and my limitations became great.

With the definite threat to losing my fingers due to inflamation I dug right into nutritional healing and this turned my health around.

My disappointment is that doctors are not telling people that others do get great benefits from diet and lifestyle changes, I know many people outside of myself who have recovered (they are not cured, we still have RA, but we can live comfortably with the disease)

There is no RA in my family so I was somewhat shocked to get this diagnosis.

For anyone who would like to learn more about how I treat this disease, I share that information at http://www.LivingWithRheumatoidArthritis.com

Hilary Watkinson | 05/07/2007 10:02:00

I developed osteoarthritis in my right hip about 10 years ago when I was 50. I had a strong family history of OA with my mother and her family strongly affected. I had a right hip re-surfacing in 2003 (privately) and have not looked back since. Apart from some minor aches and pains which disappear on mobilising, I am fine and do not take any regular treatment. I tried Glucosamine and Chondroitin with no obvious effect and wear a magnetic bracelet also with no obvious effect.

Helen Wilson | 05/07/2007 10:43:00

I have RA. It was started in 2004 - I can even pinpoint the day! I was aged 48. Neither of my parents have arthrisitis, but my maternal grandmother did. At the moment I am on Enbrel, Methotrexate, folic acid and predisolone. I eat a healthy diet. Mobility is an issue - I can only walk a short distance without pain and am a bit 'wobbly.' I have had to change my lifestyle because of the arthritis - don't cook much because I can't lift pans, peel potatoes, open cans and jars etc. I buy clothes without fiddly buttons and use a laptop for writing. I had an operation on one of my feet to straighten two toes. I have a very gooe rheumatologist and the support I receive from the hospital is excellent

Helen Wilson | 05/07/2007 10:43:00

I have RA. It was started in 2004 - I can even pinpoint the day! I was aged 48. Neither of my parents have arthrisitis, but my maternal grandmother did. At the moment I am on Enbrel, Methotrexate, folic acid and predisolone. I eat a healthy diet. Mobility is an issue - I can only walk a short distance without pain and am a b