Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Other Health Discussion => Topic started by: honeybun on July 17, 2014, 06:16:33 PM
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The future.
I know I should take things day to day but I can't help but worry.
I have arthritis in both knees and now my ankle has started to hurt. I have bony spurs on my fingers and one is very misshapen.
I worry for the future. I am a month away from 54 and don't feel old in my head. My body is really letting me down and I don't know what's ahead.
Anyone else worried.
Honeyb
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Yes, I can empathise. Health anxiety seems to be part of growing older. My head feels fine but the last few years I have really noticed how unfit I am getting. I am taking longer to do things in the house and garden, I can't lift heavy things any more and standing on a chair to reach the top cupboard is getting more difficult. I'm 61 and some days feel 90! Despite eating healthily and not drinking............... I worry about the time I can't manage the (big) garden, I am certainly past the point of doing my own decorating. It just seems to be the last few years that has seen my fitness deteriorate. Age?, lack of estrogen? who knows?
Bramble
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I'm suddenly scared this evening. Saw a photo of me as a baby and wondered what will happen to all the family 'stuff' that needs to be passed on, had a real surge of feeing 'scared' about the prospect of sorting it all :-\ but dont have the energy to put the details on the backs of photos etc.; probably because the dining room is a real mess >:( which adds to the stress of it all .........
Honeybun: How do you cope with the arthritic pain? Regular medication or on an 'as necessary' basis? When were your knees/ankles last X-rayed? Are the fingers painful?
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I had an Xray on one knee years ago and was told it was the start of osteoarthritis. Both knees are now affected. Both swollen all the time. I have had acupuncture,ultra sound and physio. I rub on anti inflammatory cream but that's it for pain relief.
Getting up if I kneel down is challenging.
I just wonder what's ahead of me with this and its not a happy thought.
Honeyb
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CLKD I started compiling memory boxes for our two. Nothing dated, just collections of photos, their first pair of shoes. First piece of sewing which each did at primary. Daughter made me a "pig" son made me a cuddly koala as he knew how much I'd wanted one as a child, another thing I had been denied. It's a bit rough round the edges, but means a lot.
Know what you mean HB. I put away a precious crystal bowl today, in readiness for next weeks invasion. Got it in it's box OK, but then had to climb on chair to store it. One day this will not be possible without me ending up in A&E.
The thought of how I'm going to be in 10 years time scares me. I miss the energy of my youth.
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I don't mind getting older as the alternative does not appeal but I don't want to be crippled with arthritis. That scares me a lot.
Heck I'm a cheery sole today. It's just when I was gardening today I got down and could not get back up. It kind of scared me ::)
Honeyb
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Have you tried swimming or cycling? That's what physio told hubby to do. He's been swimming, but knee has been too sore for cycling.
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HB I had a talk to my doctor about osteoarthritis and she said that it can flare up from time to time and then die down and it does not necessarily get worse with age. Weather can cause it to get worse and humidity is one of them, we retain more water and it irritates the joints, also atmospheric pressure changes effect the them too.
There are supplements you can take, glucosamine, Boswellia Serrata http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12622457 and Boron etc. many people have their favourite supplements and swear by them.
At the moment mine has died down, I don't know for how long though, I have a slightly bumpy little finger on my right hand, it went through the phase of aching and clicking and then died down, osteoarthritis effects everyone differently, but can be managed hopefully.
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How we are physically is how we are. There may be things we can do, treatments we can try, lifestyle adjustments we can implement, but more important is what goes on in our heads. I have had low energy all my life, becoming more severe as I grew older. Last year, it was extreme. Things are better now. Today I had to make choices. My son and his wife fly back to the USA today. I shall go to the airport to see them off. My son will drive us there and I will drive the Hour and a half journey home myself. It will cost me and that will finish me off for the day, maybe tomorrow. But I can and want to do it. A year ago I couldn't. I am grateful I can. The rest doesn't matter. If I hadn't gone through last year, I would be feeling this isn't fair. Maybe it isn't. It just is. Do what you can, the rest can wait.
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Thank you both.
SL....it is definitely worse in the warm weather and my knees are more inclined to swell but I never really made the connection. I will look at the supplements that you suggested.
Ju Ju. You sound so determined and positive.
I think I need a bit more of that because I am inclined to dwell on things and not in a positive way.
Things have been getting on top of me lately as health issues are just unrelenting. I just want to feel well for more than a day. That sounds so shallow really when a lot of people are a lot worse off than me.
Good luck with your drive today. Although you will be tired your sense of achievement will be huge.
Honeyb
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Not shallow at all! We want to feel well so that we can support others, so that we can enjoy the smaller things that pass by when we are struggling.
Silverlady reminds me of my paternal Grandad: he could always forecast rain because his joints would ache 2/3 days prior to a storm. So us kids, looking at a blue sky and :sunny:, didn't take much notice until he was proven correct!
OA is often due to the bones rubbing together because the 'fluid' has dried up so needs to be managed. Finding an anti-inflammatory medication that eases acute symptoms is the way to go. Also, if one is planning on extra exercise i.e. lawn mowing, take that medication 2 hours prior the exercise and top up if necessary after. Some people find glucosimine helpful and how many of us remember cod liver oil :sick02: :pills: ………. it's what suits each person in order to remain as mobile as possible for as long as possible.
Swelling can be a sign of internal inflammation which may require the fluid drawn off by syringe. If it's clear fluid removed then it isn't infected, straw coloured or with blood may mean physio or ABs. Having an appt with an Orthopaedic Surgeon may be the way to go for on-going advice.
Of course weight will increase how much pressure affects those knee and ankle joints. Extra weight can also cause swelling of the joints and do check that your foot-wear is 'suitable' ;) ……… not fashionable but supportive!
Finding a medication which works means that we know we have relieve to hand even if we don't require tablets on a daily basis!
I'm not as scared this morning ……...
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I'm back, tired and tearful, not feeling so positive. Every time I say goodbye, it hurts. It will take a few days to get my equilibrium back. They are so happy and that helps.
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:hug:
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Goodbyes always hurt. :hug:
I am aware of extra weight causing problems but I am 5"1. and weigh 8st 10 so I don't think that's the problem. I suspect that the damage was done many years ago when I worked in industrial kitchens and was expected to lift things that were far too heavy. Of course in those days you never considered what might lie ahead.
Anti inflammatory meds are not possible for me as I have stomach problems so the best I can do is the cream to rub on and look into supplements.
Sitting with my feet up now trying to get the swelling to go down.
Honeyb
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How about ice packs to ease the swelling Honeybun? One can buy small gel packs similar to hand warmers. If the knees are swelling maybe you require an appt. with an orthopaedic surgeon to check if aspiration of fluid will ease symptoms. Elevation can help reduce swelling but it does depend on what is causing the problem ;)
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You could try DeepFreeze gel too, to cool and bring down inflammation, you can get it in supermarkets and Boots.
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Got a book from the library this morning called "Reversing Osteoarthritis, Prevent treat and turnaround arthritis naturally" will have a read and
see if there is anything of interest to report.
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That would be really interesting SL.
Please let us know because I'm sure there must be more of our ladies that would benefit from some help and not just me.
Honeyb
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Hello Honeybun and sorry to see that you are feeling poorly. Another supplement you can consider is fish oil capsules, they are noted for their anti-inflammatory properties.
I sympathise with your worries about the future and the wish to feel well again. Despite being on HRT I am still flushing and feeling anxious and I hate the thought that things may never improve. I can't believe how much I've changed since my periods ended nearly four years ago. I know we try to be positive but some days it is a losing battle.
Sorry to moan, I just wanted you to know you are not alone in these fears, it probably comes with the meno territory!
Wishing you well and take care.
K.
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Osteo arthritis cannot be reversed ::) it's a natural condition i.e. 'wear and tear' because we evolved up-right. Taking care of our joints is important but how many kids think about doing so, unless they are affected? JOA is extremely painful and limiting. I danced from age 8 until 18, we walked everywhere or cycled but I have to confess, I didn't run much .........
We are hunter-gatherers therefore on the move but not built for long periods of running. We ran in short bursts if the sabre toothed tiger was around ;) ......... also we lived from dawn to dusk so our joints probably didn't get the 'work' that they have evolved to do ::) ..... being a 24 hour society we expect more from our bodies ...........
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Hi Honeybun
Sorry you are not feeling on top form today, here is a couple of links to articles that may be helpful / interest you.
One is about a supplement that helps cells retain fluid which is useful for joints and the other is something to help with inflammation.
http://www.victoriahealth.com/editorial/hyaluronic-acid-the-anti-ageing-nutrient
http://www.victoriahealth.com/editorial/turmeric-the-spice-with-health-benefits
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:thankyou:
Lots of helpful advice and lots to read. It's just a case of deciding what to try that will be of most use.
Honeyb
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At lot of doctors don't use the term "wear and Tear" about osteoarthritis now
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/arthritis-diet/#axzz37to8yNZR
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/25/why-runners-dont-get-knee-arthritis/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0
Professor Stephen Holgate talking to me on Skype earlier. And we have got a link to that research on our website - go to bbc.co.uk/radio4 and head for the Inside Health page.
We have had an e-mail from Dr Christine Haseler, a GP with a special interest in musculoskeletal and orthopaedic medicine, asking us to debunk the myths surrounding osteoarthritis.
At least eight million people in the UK live with painful, stiff joints due to OA. It can affect any joint, from the big toe and thumb to shoulder and hip, but painful knees are the most common reason people seek help from their doctor.
The latest guidance from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence - NICE - has called for a sea change in the way we approach the problem, urging everyone to stop thinking of osteoarthritis as a wear and tear condition and regard it instead as a natural repair process that, with help from doctor and patient, often leads to a pain free joint. But it is a message that seems to have fallen on deaf ears according to Christine Haseler.
quote from
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01mk5bw
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Wow, that's a bit more positive.
Just don't know where to start now. Need to re read the lot again.
Thanks SL.
Honeyb
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A couple of weeks ago my NHS Pysio told me about and recommended egg shell membrane supplement, I have ordered some from amazon and am waiting for it to arrive (it is pricy)
http://undergroundhealthreporter.com/fact-or-myth-is-natural-egg-shell-membrane-an-effective-therapy-for-joint-or-connective-tissue-disorders/#axzz37rqA5GcK
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:-\ 'our website' ………….. :-\
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Interesting reading
http://www.patient.co.uk/forums/discuss/problems-diagnosed-as-osteoarthritis-can-be-cured-in-some-cases--73408