Aches and Pains

gillog I have suffered from hip bursitis and my GP was very cryptic in telling me to both rest and exercise

It was definitely exacerbated by sitting in one position for a long time. It is a type of inflammation so I found that a mixture of ibuprofen tablets and rub, with gentle exercise (I used the back stretches from the NHS website) and resting more than usual with my feet up was the answer. I have had repeat occurrences as I think there has been permanent damage but nothing a painkiller and a hot bath can't rectify.

Poor you, gillog, I've had that and it's really painful. The physio I saw said steroid injections work for some people, but since I had advanced osteoarthritis in that hip I wasn't a suitable candidate for the injections. A hip replacement did the trick for me, hope you get some suitable treatment

I would really love to know of anyone else with bursitis of the hip.It is a silly annoying pain, mainly when lying on affected side(which also happens to be my normal side for sleeping).It keeps me awake and I just can't get comfortable. Its o.k. when walking but not so good getting up after sitting.
The doc. suggested it might be the 'bucket seats' in our new car, but when I mentioned to my D.H that he might have to choose between the car and me.........the car won!!!
Any help for getting rid of it (the bursitis, not my D.H.)would be gratefully received.

This thread is four years old. So you may not get a reply.

Please tell me about poly..fibromyalgia. not familiar. Pretty sure I am now suffering from fibromyalgia. Any information pertaining to onset is appreciated.

Yes Else You have described it exactly.

Oh, Else, argh!! It started at the base of my spine. Now knees as well. And yes, nodules on hands, achey feet and ankles. O me miserum!

Actually, not the miserable bit. I'm happy and content. Just wish I didn't have to take painkillers every day and hadn't had to give up Scottish dancing.

BUT IT COULD BE WORSE so hey ho.



And just to prove I'm not defeated, I'm going to climb a mountain tomorrow with a friend and three kids. I will need recovery time afterwards for a day or two but you have to test your limits. Bring on the codeine.

Oh no Baggy, can't do that. Who would keep us chatting on here, keep us smiling and find out lots of facts? Hate to say it but you could possibly have both sorts - do you have any nodules on your hands and feet? That could mean it is RA whereas puffy swelling of knees, etc., and general pain is more than likely Osteo. RA tends to affect feet, hands, ankles, whereas Osteo is usually at knee joints and hips. Needless to say as with any rules there are always exceptions.

charlotta, I'm glad your MIL's pain was relieved. When mine can't be, will somebody please shoot me with a killer dose of something kind and with my blessing.

Sorry Baggy. I know that feeling. That's why I always check on the net if the things have been tested. I'm going away for a week soon and today I'm filling one of those Pill boxes, with 4 sections for every day. I kept it when MIL died and never thought I would be such a person one day, but I am. At least on holiday I need to know where my pills are. I take then mostly for High Blood pressure .
RA is much worse than Osteoarthritis which is 'just' wear and tear. MIL had RA and spent the last years with Morphium patches from the Pain clinic She was over 90, stiff and unable to walk, but out of pain.

Interesting about the RA and coeliac connection. My GP actually sent a sample of my blood for 'coeliac serology' tests recently. Nothing showed up, but I guess that means he knows about the connection. i've never been told whether what I have is osteo or rheumatoid arthritis so I guess I don't fit into the usual categories (so what's new?). He's already said I have 'atypical asthma'. I think the shorthand is "awkward blighter".

Re sprinkling turmeric, I don't. I use it by the spoonful. . I take so many pills every day already that if I started taking pilled supplements as well it would probably drive me dotty.

Sorry to read your doctor was not helpful to say the least of it WWOTN. I am giving the turmeric and vinegar a try so here goes. It may sound silly but finding others in a similar position has already helped.

Your poor daughter em. RA is so painful, my sister has suffered from this since she was about the same age as your daughter having gone down with it following a thyroid operation. My discomfort pales into insignificance compared to her pain and yet she is amazingly cheerful and keeps going extremely well. Has anyone suggested your daughter attends a pain clinic? Over the counter remedies are probably best taken under the supervision of her specialist and I do hope she receives some help at her hospital appt. Are you going with her?

The connection between RA and coeliac sounds interesting, something I might pass on to my sister.

From what I have read Tumeric is better taken in capsules as it cannot survive the stomach juices and is better when absorbed from the bowel. You couldn't eat the amount you need just sprinkled over rice.
Cider vinegar and Tumeric have not yet been tested in Random Control Trials (RCT) by the Arthritis Research Campaign, but ginger, rose hip, Glucosamine and many others have. You can go on their website and download their booklet with all the info in it.

I agree Baggy, I actually use tumeric in my curries and on cooked eggs. I guess not enough, I will start putting it on more food. I am always sceptical of tablets even from a health food shop.

Hi Faye, turmeric is good, yes. There are loads of health benefits. I wasn't questioning that, just why take tablets when you can sprinkle turmeric powder on stuff you're cooking? I put some with rice, with onion and cabbage fried together in a wok (with other veg too, such as peppers or tomatoes), in stews, and so on. I guess I just prefer to eat food than take a pill, where possible. But whatever suits, I suppose.

Some people have bodies that are out of balance and if some foods can help they are worth looking into. I have read that preliminary medical research is showing turmeric is currently being investigated for possible benefits in Alzheimer's disease, cancer, arthritis, and other clinical disorders. www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/20-health-benefits-of-turmeric.html
Certain foods affect me and I like natural remedies and have found these forums really interesting and helpful!

WWOTN - to do the smileys, type an open 'square bracket' then if you want to have a smile, type smile then type a closed square bracket. if you want a grin, do the same but type grin into the square brackets. Simple!

Back to the acid / alkali balance. Actually the body's main job of the day and night is to keep the right balance between acid and alkali. Any differnences to the pH measurement of the blood would be catastrophic and the body will always fight to restore the correct balance.
It makes you think it must be a waste of time cutting out citric foods or meat. The stomach is full of acid, strong enough to kill off most bacteria. A spoonful of cider vinegar would disappear in a couple of seconds. When considering alternative medicine your first question must be. Are there people out here who ae making money out of this?

WWOTN (I think) - just read your previous post. I think fatigue can make us ache as we get a bit older. I find its really difficult to strike the right balance between getting enough exercise and overdoing things and getting tired.

I think finding that balance is the key for me.

just back from the GP- no diagnosis, just ibuleve for the painful knee[ so as not to upset the tum] " lose weight and come back in a month" .Despite saying I wanted to buy shares in the painkilling company. no script; buy them yourself. Scotland here I come!
I lost 3 stone 4 years ago and although some has come back I am not fat! The complacency sometimes makes my blood boil and he is a very good doctor! hmm .As a "legal eagle" I would have been shot down by the Bar Council if I had treated my clients that way.
P.S, can't seem to get the hang of inserting smileys- the instructions don't work. Tips?

My father in law in England get his paracetamol on prescription along with his other items, ask your Dr elseG, must be costing you a fortune!

Else, I'm amazed and shocked that you have to buy paracetamol!! I have co-codamol (which is paracetamol and codeine; it comes in two strengths, the stronger one having more codeine) on prescription, plus an anti-inflammatory if I need it. Prescriptions are free in Scotland (civilised place ) but in England I had a prescription pre-payment arrangement which saved a lot (I have other things on prescription for rhinitis and asthma).
Anyway, please go to your GP and ask for your painkillers on prescription. I'm shocked that they haven't given you them on prescription already!

Have been very interested in some of these ideas/suggestions as I'm concerned about my 35 yr-old D who has rheumatoid arthritis. I'm sometimes not clear if posters are referring to this or, what seems more likely, to osteo arthritis. She takes daily large doses of heavy-duty painkillers - paracetamol doesn't touch it - and it became a huge problem recently when she developed kidney-stones too. They simply couldn't give her anything else to help and she spent days in agony! She has a hospital appt in August but any ideas on how to help meantime?

It is so frustrating to try to buy more than two products at any one time, I wanted to buy I packet Iburophen (wrong spelling), 1 paracetomol and 1 children calpol I was refused, but then told I could purchase 1 in a seperate transaction

Nice to hear from you Baggy, you always sound like a smiley sort of person. You are brilliant though keeping your pain away from people.

I have been taking (under doctors orders) paracetomol, for some years now. I have to buy them from the pharmacy and seem to get some 18 year old putting me through the questions:'have you taken them before? , are they for your own use? They are for short term use aren't they?'

I realise that paracetomol taken in excess can be dangerous but they are also a 'White drug' so please Boots at 61 surely I am old enough to make up my own mind

I have to 'Supermarket Hop' to get together enough tablets to take on holiday, it is ridiculous and I feel guilty as though someone is checking up on me.