How to I deal with the arthritis pain?
Posted , 5 users are following.
Hello.
My name is Christina, I'm 17 years old and I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 7th grade so about 12 years old. I don't currently take any medicine for it mainly because the only good arthritis Doctor near me keeps putting me through the loop and won't make an appointment. At first I could deal with this pain but now that I'm older and a senior it's gotten worse. I have a constant severe neck and shoulder pain. As well as my hips and back. I also have to go to a back doctor soon because I may have a minor case of scoliosis. I've stared doing yoga to see if that helps but it's too early to tell. And I think the neck and shoulder pain is triggering migraines. My migraines this past year have been so bad I've missed a lot of school. And the joint pain makes everything so much harder. Please if anyone has any tips on how to deal with the pain please tell me, it's getting unbearable.
1 like, 9 replies
laura09552 JulinaT
Posted
Hey Julina, I'm afraid if you have been formally diagnosed with RA, then it doesn't sound like your 'good doctor' is any good at all if they haven't put you on meds to control the condition, you need to go back or search for other help, seems crazy to me?!
Guest JulinaT
Posted
JulinaT Guest
Posted
What will happen if I don't take meds? No one really told me or my mom what the meds do or are
Guest JulinaT
Posted
the damage the RA does will be permanent. The meds stop your body from attacking itself so your bones don't end up deformed. The quicker you get on meds the better. Also your doctor should be prescibing you some pain medication to deal with this.
laura09552 JulinaT
Posted
Hi, I suggest you need to contact your RA society over there and type in to your browser 'early diagnosis and treatment for rheumatoid arthritis' there's lots of information available and you will get all the answers you need about the importance of meds, take care. Laura
Light JulinaT
Posted
I am so sorry you have to go through all this at such a young age.
I am shocked that your doctor is not treating you properly. I would have thought it is very important for you to go on medication as soon after diagnosis as possible.
How are your joints? Having it before having a fully grown body must have affected all kinds of bits of you. You should go to your GP and demand s/he make an apppintment with a rheumy asap. Take a family member with you and insist, and don't let any loops or hoops get in the way.
He should prescribe proper suitable painkillers. They are not ideal of course, but until proper treatment kicks in, that may be all that will work.
Your yoga is very good. If you can handle it, it's one of the best.
The good thing about yoga, too, is that you can add meditation to it very easily and meditation is the only non pharmceutical thing that can help with the pain I know of. Not just the pain, but with your entire emotional life and sense of well being. But it takes time and application, so don't give up.
The other worthwhile painkiller if it's available where you live is medical m*r*j**na. You sound as if you're in the US. Many states have now legalized it for cases just like yours.
I asterisked the letter in the word, because this was withdrawn by the moderators, (something really odd, about Patient UK). Let's see if this one works.
I wish you all the best.
JulinaT Light
Posted
Most my joints are doing fine ish at least I think so. It's mainly my back, neck and shoulders that give me the most issues. The yoga seems to be helping me especially with sleep which I've been having a difficult time with lately. Arthritis sucks
Especially since everyone else my age doesn't understand it, no one at my school knows that I have it which makes life a bit hard. People judge why it takes me awhile to get back up after bending my knees to pick something up. And I had I teacher in pe disregard my disease, saying I was 'too young' to have it. This past year has been a spiral downwards, I had eyes surgery to fix a cross eye, now I have to get ear surgery because part of my eardrum is collapsed and I possibly have scoliosis and all my arthritis pain seems to have doubled. My mom has been looking into finding a new more helpful Doctor to deal with this.
Light JulinaT
Posted
Having people around who don't understand can only compound your misery. I really feel for you.
Your PE teacher, at the very least, should know his stuff. Try educating him by explaining that when he said you are "too young", he's thinking of osteo-arthritis, a condition of the elderly.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a completely different kettle of fish and can attack anyone at any age. Tell him it is an auto-immune disease (you probabky have others?) and nothing to do with the normal wearing away of the joints, as OA is. As a PE instructor he really should know about such conditions, so you can feel proud to be able to better inform him.
As to your friends at school and so on... yes, it is unfortunate that most people won't have a clue what it is and even if you tell tem, they won't fully understand.
It would be up to you to explain to them that you have a condition of the joints that is sometims very painful and limits your movements and so on.
As long as you explain in a relaxed situation without feeling sorry for yourself, they will listen. And they will accept whatever limitations you put on yourself, though you will have to remind them again and again, each time as if it is the first.
An exercise in great patience! But it will help you with your meditation, if you take that up.
natasa24657 JulinaT
Posted
Hi Juliana
I am sorry to hear you have this horrible desease at such a young age. It doesn't help with all your problems. I got to see a rheumy when I took myself to hospital when I had such a pain in my right arm only. Pure agony. They kept me in as my blood test was abnormal. Then they discharged me and I got to see a rheumy a lot quicker as they had to investigate my pains. I wish you luck