Arthritis: Feeling really miserable

I've physiotherapy for busistis with good result.

Don't apologise for pounds! It's those damn kilos I can't cope with.

Thanks for the info.

OK, for what it’s worth…. I am a 73 year-old grossly overweight woman. I have carried almost 300 pounds the majority of my adult life. I’m at 265 at the moment. When I was in my 50s, I hurt my knee and went to the doctor. He x-rayed it and told me that I had the arthritic knees of a 65-year-old. All he wanted to do was give me pain meds. I’m not big on covering up the pain because you don’t know when you’re really hurting yourself if you do. Anyway, my mother told me that because I was always trying to lose weight, I was not getting enough oil and not lubricating my joints. I started taking salmon oil capsules. The pain went away within a few days and I have been pain free ever since. None of my joints hurt. Not my hands, not my knees, not my hips. I don’t know if it will work for anyone else. I just know it worked for me. I purchase the purist and best brand of salmon oil I can find and take 3000 to 4000 mg a day. Granted, my face gets oily quickly, but that is a small price to pay for the gift of being pain free.
Sorry about the pounds, but I do not understand stones. Yes, that’s right. I’m a bloody American. I adore this website and always enjoy getting different perspectives on life‘s problems.

There are some patches that are advertised on Facebook that I’ve been warned against. But I must check those out. If it’s on the Versus Arthritis site it must be ok. My osteopath appointment has turned my life round. I think my knee problem was sending me into a depression and I’d lost any positivity. Having mutant feet I’ve tended to live in Crocs but I think that aren’t good for my posture. So I’m now wearing trainers in the house ( they’re a nuisance to take on and off when I go outside though). And have restarted the exercises that I felt weren’t helping but making things worse. It’s made me realise how we sometimes need good professional help to give us back some sort of control over our condition ( problem is that, in the past the so called professional help has been useless; I only found my osteopath by accident but, even though I recommend him to everyone else kept putting off seeing him myself). I’m going to try taking arnica as suggested by him, but can only do so as I’m not on any other medication. I hadn’t realised it was anti inflammatory. I bought some years ago for my DIL after she’d had a caesarean on the recommendation of the hospital.

Has anyone heard of, or tried, nano microneedle patches. I have seen them on the versus arthritis website.

I'm 67 and arthritus in my back has gone worse and now suffering with bursitis in the hip. My sleep has not been good because the pain wakes me when I turn over.....BUT I'm now wearing a Lidocaine patch on my back to bed which helps immensely.
I have these due to my mum sadly passing away , they were hers (she had 2 fractured vertebrae).
I'm not sure how available they are through your GP because they may be expensive, but you could always ask.
Mum found them very helpful,
and I'm now getting a better nights sleep, when they run out I will be asking my GP if I can have more.

I too retired early, due to pain I had a hip replacement op in October 2023, unfortunately it’s not been completely successful, as the prosthesis isn’t stable. I like the OP, that I’d feel better, but whilst my pain is manageable I still struggle to exercise or walk any distance. I had a couple of sessions with a physio, he gave me a couple of exercises to build up my glutes whilst these have helped reduce my back pain, I’m still wary walking as my leg sometimes gives way. I’m waiting to see my consultant regarding another op.

I agree about foods being a trigger. Anything with sugar causes me joint pain. I also avoid, dairy, processed foods and meat. I eat oily fish and lots of vegetables, usually organic.
I do take turmeric but am not totally sure it works. Recently I've discovered CBD oil after someone told me it had turned her life from agony to peace, it certainly gave me a good night's sleep.
I'm not much bothered by pain and am pretty active but I know some would find the above difficult. Worth a try though.
P. S. I'm not overweight.

My neighbour has been on it ever since she accidentally sliced her hand open with a knife. I was of the impression that it tended to zombiefy people but wondered if one got used to it if it was taken all the time ( as I found with zispin which knocked me out for a whole weekend when I first took it).

olderme

It is worth looking at what foods aggravate symptoms. There is a lot of information on YouTube.

Yes,some foods can be a trigger.

MayBee70

Isn’t Gabapentin more for neurological problems?

Gapapentin is a nerve blocker and is used for both RA and OA it is strong and sends me to sleep even on the lowest doze. I can’t drive when I take it so absolutely good for. Yet my friend has RA and takes 400mg a day and is totally painless with the constitution of an one at the age of 86.

I used Betty Hills Arthritis diet book and found it helped.

Yesterday a GP who has a particular interest in OA suggested I use voltarol gel applied to my painful OA joints in my hands. I haven’t tried it yet. He said the X-ray of my knees shows OA there too. Even though they’re not painful … yet!
My BMI is just into obese. Of course, he also suggested losing some weight 😬

It is worth looking at what foods aggravate symptoms. There is a lot of information on YouTube.

I’m trying to squat as much as I can, which isn’t very much. But the exercise where you just clench your buttocks ( what a horrible phrase!) really does strengthen your thigh muscles.Something else I resolve to do and then forget about.

Ziggy62

Squats? I wish 😆

I could squat down but getting back up again????

I find that doing the nighttime fasting diet helps if I’m not getting any exercise. I don’t stick to 16:8 but go for as long as I can. Sometimes I really fancy a snack but if I stop myself when I get the urge it passes. I drink a lot of hot water, which is good for my tum, too.

So true Allira
☹️

NotSpaghetti

Mine is worst when I'm heavy.
🙄

It's a Catch 22 situation!

Hello Ziggy.
So sorry to hear about your problems.
My husband had similar problems to you 6 months ago and was diagnosed without a blood test by his GP with polymyalgia rhematica. He is still taking prescribed medication and feels better and is more active than he has been for 20 years. Hope this is helpful.

I've got spondylosis/osteoarthritis, Sjogrens (an autoimmune condition like RA and lupus) fibromyalgia & Ehlers Danloss hyper mobility. I take turmeric with piperine, glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin. I'm on low dose pregabalin, medical marijuana and looking into LDN (low dose naltrexone). Exercise helps OA as do many other suggestions on here.

If you have all-over body pain and it’s not osteoarthritis, then it could be polymyalgia rheumatica ( PMR). There is no definitive blood test for it. It’s diagnosed by exclusion. Usually by taking steroid tablets. If the pain stops after a week on steroids then it’s PMR. Discuss with your GP

Isn’t Gabapentin more for neurological problems?

Have you tried Gabapentin My husband can have pain in his back, even after lumbar decompression surgery, Gabapentin lessens his pain. Sitting still, which is not his favourite at all, helps as well.

I don't think arthritis is taken seriously. It's just regarded as an inevitable result of ageing. When I see the difference in me compared to my partner who doesn't suffer from arthritis the difference it makes to our lives is huge.