54 and newly diagnosed with os hands and feet

Hi Thelma

I'm sorry you are having such problems. I'm answering but havent got those problems.

I have osteoarthritis in my hips, ankle, lower back and neck.

Recently I had my 2nd hip replacement and  weeks post op a bone fractured {at the top of my leg} nothing can be done about it so I'm on crutches for life.

I've also got kypho scoliosis......slight hump at the top of my back and a C shape curve in my spine

This isnt a moan its just to let you know that although I havent got your problem ....pain is pain is pain.

I'm in the UK..........dont recognise ibrofenal or neurontin???

What are they for? Antiinflammatories or pain killers or...... ??

I've heard of wax baths for hands......for people with arthritis in hands.

I dont really know because if you read my story you know its different

Who have you seen about it apart from a GP? Have you seen a consultant, a physiotherapist or a pain clinic?

Take care

Love

Eileen    UK

Hi Thelma

So sorry to read of your pain, I have oa in my fingers, they are all miss-shaped and I am 52 Dr has prescribed me with naproxen, I take one in the morning and one at night, before that I was on Celebrex which was brilliant but after a year it had affected my kidneys, so now on naproxen and also omeprazole capsules to line my stomach, not quite as good, but I can cope. We are here for you, in one way or another. When my hands get hot and swollen, I put them under the cold tap for a few minutes, that helps to relieve the tension in them. Unfortunately if my hands get too cold, I have more movement, but the pain is sometimes unbearable- just can't win.

regards and best wishes

Julie

 

Hello Thelma,  so sorry you have so much pain.  Not sure if anyone with OS can be pain free but in my expereince there are periods when it gets better (I am not going to describe my own sitaution as it is extensive).  I take pain meds at night as otherwise I could not sleep but usually during day I cope.   My coping strategies have been:  doing a serious meditaion course and using meditation on daily basis,  healthy diet,  exercise (in my case it is yoga twice a week,  Pilates once a week,  push bike from time to time) and generally active and healthy life (so very little alcohol and no smoking),  I also developed interests which keep my mind off pain,  in my case it is art but it can be anything that you like and enjoy.

OS is sadly for life so learning to live with it is the only way.

Wishing you as little pain as possible

Read about OS,  the more you know the more strategies you will find to cope

Hi Thelma. So very sorry to hear how much pain you're in.  I have OA in one ankle due to a major accident destroying the cartilage and in recent years have it in both thumb joints.  The hands are the most painful strangely.  I cant take NSAIDS either (ibuprofen, naproxen, etc) as they cause major stomach disorders even with stomach protection meds.  I really understand your distress. constant unremitting pain is soul destroying.  The inflammation flares up and I just want to chop off all my limbs!  I'm trying out some natural remedies presently, too early to say if they're going to be of long term help but I do seem to be in a little less pain, its still there but not quite so intense as before.  Ginger (the raw root type) is very good.  You can make it into a tea type drink by steeping grated ginger in hot water and adding lemon and honey to taste.  I also mince it up and mix it with body oil and rub onto the thumb joints.  Just started taking turmeric capsules which were recommended actually by my doctor.  The active ingredient is curcumin.  There's not a high concentration in the actual spice turmeric so you need to buy supplement capsules from a health food store which have a high dose of curcumin in them.  Apparently they are a wonderful anti inflammatory.  Only been taking it for about five days so too early to say.  There are no side effects with either of these items so even if they dont work I wont have done any harm.  I've also just enrolled for meditation classes as stress causes the inflammation to worsen (stress makes the adrenal gland overwork and produce too much cortisol which is known to enhance pain from inflammatory causes) so I thought meditation might help me to calm and clear my head of tension etc.  Worth a try I guess.  I so hope you find something that works for you and soon.  Being in such discomfort is hell isnt it.

I has OS in my hand. The pain was very bad in one finger. The consultant gave me some relief for a few months with an injection in the joint.

I have now just had my second finger joint replacement. The pain is gone which is great. I don't have a huge amount of moment but its better than a fusion procedure and the lack of pain is priceless.

It can be "cured", treated would be a more accurate decription. The formation of new bone is controlled by two hormone receptors in the bone cells. In females they are Estrogen receptor alpha and Estrogen receptor beta. In men they are Androgen receptor and Estrogen receptor.  As we get older the estrogen levels fall partly natural and partly genetic variation person to person. A deficiency in the estrogen level required to signal bone formation is a cause of osteoporosis. A low level dose

of 10-25 microgms/day is enough to keep the bone synthesis

going. HOWEVER in females Estrogen has  effects on other cells besides bone

cells. Ask yourself these questions 1 Did any of your parents/grandparents die of

premature heart disease(Exclude smokers)    2 Did anyone in the family die of

breast cancer. If the answer to these questions is No go to your doc and ask for HRT transdermal patches being best. The lowest commercially available patch is 50microgm/day but its easy to cut these inhalf to give 25microgm/day. You will NOT see an immediate improvement but after 6-8 weeks the bone will be repaired and the pain will disappear. Once your estrogen level intheblood is adequate its possible to miss a patch without a problem because ittakes a week or two for the level to drop where osteoarthritis can restart.

If only it were so simple to take Estrogen. I take 100 a day and my OE has got worse not better.