Im not one for pain ordinarily, so when I started getting some in my left leg, I just put it down to the fact that I had been allocated a company car that wasn’t automatic…you know…first world problems.
At Christmas this pain just grew and grew and I became stiffer and stiffer (my joints that is), culminating in a point where I had to drag myself to chav central (the Doctor’s surgery) the day after Boxing day to get some stronger pain-killers.
By now the pain and swelling had hit every joint in my body, my fingers were like cumberland sausages, I was walking like Quasimodo and the moans and groans I was subjecting everyone to, were as annoying as two fat slags at a pie bake-off.
Nevertheless, I thought, maybe I’m a bit run down. I spend a lot of time at work and It would be my luck to fall ill during the Christmas holidays (much like when there is a Snow day on your scheduled day off!). I had some blood tests and was sent on my merry (not merry) way with some anti-inflammatories and painkillers.
A week later when I got the blood test results and feeling no better (in fact a lot worse) I returned to the very lovely lady Doctor who referred me to see a Rheumatologist.
Knowing how the NHS runs in the UK, I decided to make use of my Private Healthcare and instead of waiting 2 months to see a specialist, I was seen the very next day in a lovely little hospital with no screaming kids and a ‘coffee menu’…if you don’t mind.
I was prodded and poked and sent for another round of blood tests, (I’ve now had more pricks than Kerplunk), and it turns out that I have arthritis, that is more than likely Rheumatoid.
Evidently Rheumatoid arthritis is an auto-immune disease where your white cells start attacking the fluid in your joints, mistaking them for foreign objects- a life-long disease that affects everyone differently. I always associated arthritis with old people…but seemingly it’s a genetic disease that can happen at anytime (including birth).
Due to the Doctor being unable to diagnose Rheumatoid Arthritis until I have had symptoms for 8 weeks (protocol), I need to return in a couple of weeks to discover the inevitable. In fact, I have already been referred to receive ‘Disease Modifying Therapy’, and he has indicated pretty strongly that this is what he believes it is.
So I am left at a point in my life where I am faced with a little uncertainty. This is not a feeling I am used to, there are lots of questions in my mind. What next? Will the pain go away? Will I be entitled to a divvy parking badge?
With the 8 weeks of steroids I have been prescribed, I have been told to try swimming and …yoga….(FML).
So I’m writing this post in contrast to my usual style and content. I would like to pay thanks to my husband and family, who have been really looking after me over the last few weeks. I am never ill, and albeit in chronic pain, the upside is..I have been able to lap up a bit of sympathy. I have been delivered muffins, I’ve been cooked for….been given a nutri-bullet (thanks mum and dad) and everyone has just been genuinely lovely to me whilst I relax and dose myself up.
Thats All.
I’m so sorry for the pain you are going through, I have heard it is very difficult. 😦
On the positive side, my husband and I both started doing hot yoga around this time last year and love it. I never thought I would like it being a runner, but I have never felt stronger!
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Hot yoga??
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Yes! Today’s class the temp. was 99 degrees with 75% humidity!!
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woah!!! will I have to undress? haha
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Some of the guys do it shirtless. My husband wears a tech tank. I bet it would be really good for your inflammation
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I’m gonna look it up! Thanks
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Sorry… but I can’t help still giggling at Mincer’s Hip! But truly I hope your pain lessens somehow. 😊
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Thank you Ritu xx
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That’s not good to read, Matt. I hope they can somehow make the pain more bearable for you. I have arthritis in my big toe and it causes a lot of pain. However, wearing sensible shoes does help. 😀
Glad to hear the family are looking after you.
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Thanks Hugh, it’s been pretty hellish, but I am doing my best to fight it off with rest and pill-popping. I think I will try sensible shoes… do 6 inch stilettos count as sensible? Thanks for message😁
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Well, there lays the problem for me. My days of cabaret are well and truly over. It was fun and we did raise a lot of money for good causes, though. 😀
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Guess Hugh’s Drag name…. I feel a post coming on!!!!
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I was in a group, but we had a great name for an act that consisted of five moustached men.
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Oh I wanna know now!! right… I’m on it
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I recommend seeing an Chinese Doctor — Acupuncture / Diet. I have arthritis, and my mom had Rheumatoid. She controlled it quite easily with a different diet. You have to do a cleanse diet — which means not cleansing but eliminating the most likely suspect foods from your diet. I was able to eat chicken fed with rice (the skins are white not yellow), lettuce, squash, broccoli, olive oils, rice (think a clean stir fry). He was adamant about avoiding sugar, wine, beer, tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant (all nightshades in fact), milks, wheat, most oils, pork, beef, and shellfish. In the end I was shocked at what inflamed mine — and my mom’s list was/is a bit different. I will never put a potato anything in my mouth again — so most gluten free products are out — as it is the worst and sends me screaming in pain for a couple of weeks. Ditto eggplant, like I care. Corn syrup (we should all lay off that forever anyhow). A secondary list I can have in moderation and be in a bit of pain but not debilitating is wheat, beer (makes sense), tomatoes, milk. I am fine with goat milk, thank the gods. Shellfish and pork are in moderation. All other fish is fine, all poultry is fine, but this is a kicker — non GMO makes the difference as well. There are also some Chinese doc recommendations to add to the diet. My mother’s crippling effect stopped immediately and she stands straight. I am on no meds.
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Wow thank you for reading and taking the time to respond to my post. I really appreciate this. I think you are right, I don’t have a particularly great diet and I eat convenience food on the go. I am definitely going to try and avoid certain foods to see if I can eliminate. I suppose that will be a fairly long-winded process but worth it in the long run.
Thanks again for this 😄
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I had to go to the doctors for the first time in ages yesterday. I couldn’t find the doctors surgery. I live in a small village and we’ve lived here 5 years! No, my appointment wasn’t for a severe case of dumbfuckery although maybe it should have been lol
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Turmeric – it’s great for all sorts of health conditions and inflammations. You might find these interesting –
https://authoritynutrition.com/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-turmeric/
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/golden-milk-turmeric-tea
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Thank you, I’ll give them a go 😄
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