DO YOU HAVE ARTHRITIS?????

[Wilma]

If you do and even if you don't: 

What kind of arthritis do you have? 

What do you do to relieve it? 

Does what you do work? 

These past couple of months has been hard for me, what with the weather and the increased physical activity.  And I haven't found anything, outside of pain pills, that gives much relief.

HELP!!!

[frawin]

If you decide to try something else, you probably should check with your doctor to make sure that it won't interact in a negatiave way with your other meds.  Even over the counter meds, can interact negatively with prescriptios.
mlw

[Judy Harder]

Wilma,

I have Fibromalgia and rhemotoid arthritis and poly-arthritis and restless legs syndrome and the ordinary arthritis that every  one seems to have over a certain age. (For me it was when I hit 50 all HECK broke loose)

I have my good days and bad days.

I find that spring and fall are the worse times of the year for me.............AND, I get the news of weather change BEFORE, the weather men/women tell us.
I can predict rain or snow well.

The barometer goes down and up on same day and does that for several days in a row and I am NOT A HAPPY CAMPER.

Now for what I have done that helps.  There are days when NOTHING seems to work........that is the day I stay quiet and usually on the couch with a heating pad or a warm rice bag or just a throw over my legs.

Then at night I make sure to keep my legs warm.
In summer time it isn't that bad.......I have learned to live with it.

It took some trial and error of which pill works. It helped for me to lose all the extra weight that I carried and I am almost possitive that the radiation and chemo I had for the cancer therapy helped too.

So, go back to your doctor until you get satisfaction. One of the hardest things is to listen to your body......It will tell you when you do too much and Please exercise as much as you can...........My daily walking is helping me get through the spring thaw.

I also learned that you need at least 2 weeks of medicine before you get on top of the pain.
I take 1000 mils of naproxen a day and a muscle relaxant and will double up on that if I have been more physical than usual.

I have meds for when I have a fibro-flare, but lately seem to be able to coast on the meds I am taking.
Hang in there, gripe to your doctor if it isn't working and make him listen to you.
Then, just tough it out and keep trying to find what works for you. when summer gets here it will ease up.

I find it kind of "Funny" when I hurt and grump about it to others then I feel better.......of course, they feel  bad too, but if you don't share pain then why bother. .........A good outlook helps.........depression meds if you need them.

I found when I hurt then my depression got bad........nothing made me feel better.

I do know what you are going through.
God bless and keep you

[srkruzich]

I don't know really if the pains in my hands and shoulders are arthritis.  Just know that they ache a lot sometimes from milking and working on things like my truck.

I do know i hurt all the time now after this surgery last october.  My chest back  and left arm muscles just hurt.   
I lift something and darned if it doesn't send sharp pains all over. 

[Chelle]

If you are not getting anywhere with your regular physician, then I suggest that you seek a rheumatologist.  He/She will probably give you a test that tests for arthritis and what type.  Then he/she will perscribe an nsaids or antiiflamitory drugs like celebrex.  I have a name of an excellent rheumatologist in Wichita, but it will take a couple of months to get into her but she is excellent.  Main thing with hurting joints is to keep limber and exercise so your joints keep from getting stiff.

[srkruzich]

I'll tell ya i was in sheer pain yesterday coming back from oklahoma.  10 hours round trip and i was miserable by time i hit coffeyville on the return trip.

[Judy Harder]

When I travel, I have found I can only ride about an hour and a half or two and then
if I don't stop and take a break, then I won't be able to function at all.

I once drove straight home from Topeka and didn't stop until I got to Howard to fill up and pick
up my dog from babysitter and when I got out of the car, I could hardly get out and walk when I did.

The guy at P&J'S saw me and said "He almost thought he would have to come help me."
It is necessary to pace yourself......and listen to your  body.

It does tell you when you do too much.

Oh, if you know you are going to be putting some strain on yourself......than take an extra dose of the arthritis medicine you have or add some Tylenol.

It can be done....but, pain is part of the Arthritis expierence.
Take it easy and rest even when you don't think you need to.

[srkruzich]

When I travel, I have found I can only ride about an hour and a half or two and then
if I don't stop and take a break, then I won't be able to function at all.

I once drove straight home from Topeka and didn't stop until I got to Howard to fill up and pick
up my dog from babysitter and when I got out of the car, I could hardly get out and walk when I did.

The guy at P&J'S saw me and said "He almost thought he would have to come help me."
It is necessary to pace yourself......and listen to your  body.

It does tell you when you do too much.

Oh, if you know you are going to be putting some strain on yourself......than take an extra dose of the arthritis medicine you have or add some Tylenol.

It can be done....but, pain is part of the Arthritis expierence.
Take it easy and rest even when you don't think you need to.

I am so sick of pain.  I have suffered since 1996 with heart attacks, and in 2001, had bypass surgery but never got better.  I suffered from 2001 til last october with level 5 angina pain all those years.  couldn't walk 50 feet without having that pain sear across my chest and up my neck.
Now its gone mostly, but onw i am having other problems with legs, arms and shoulders.  I lost a bunch of weight this last year, and it has helped some with the back pain. 
Even when i was suffering from all that angina, i still worked as much as i could doing what was necessary.  Last summer i was out cutting my wood and cleared 1/4 acre of land with just a chainsaw and my back.  Little did i know while doing it, i was not far from dying.  My artery grafts done in 2001 were 100%, 99% and 75% blocked. 

[Judy Harder]

I have faced the fact that I live with pain and there are days when I want to wave the white flag.........
I rest when I have to ( I had to let everything I ever wanted to do go out the window),and just
go on and bear it.

I am NOT putting down your pain. It is NOT the same as mine, IT IS YOURS.
You deal with it the way you can.

If you need to scream and yell and express the pain that way, go for it.
If you sit down and stop you will never get up again, and you will find that life goes on by anyway
without you.
That isn't fun!

I don't know you.......but feel that since you are an animal/farmer/outdoorsman, that you are physical........and that is a good thing.  You might have to ease back when the pain is the worse and as long as your heart and doctor says you can work, than work.....but, read the signs and decide for yourself what must go or stay.

Lean on your faith (what ever you believe in)
I am sorry you have to have all this pain.
I lost 84 pounds while going through and recovering from cancer and it made a big difference with the fibromyalgia and joint pain.
Your weigh loss is a good thing.........Keep your chin up and go sit in the sun when necessary.

God keep you
Judy