Recently diagnosed

Hi everyone, I'm new here. I was only diagnosed last year with Osteoarthritis. I also have diabetes and suffer with mental health problems. Having now to deal with these three chronic illnesses is extremely difficult and quite overwhelming. Recently I have sunk into a very deep depression and have been going through my second major breakdown. I am 47 years of age and struggling to carry on with life. Thankfully I am getting some professional help but the road ahead looks pretty bleak. Looking for other people out there with similar problems for support.

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Hello 😊

My life sounds pretty similar, i was diagnosed with osteoarthritis just over 2 years ago and I am on a down ward spiral. It's. My left knee, left me bed bound and unable to weight bare. I don't have diabetes but recently due to being inactive because of my knee have been told I will have to take anticoagulant medication ( currently self injecting every evening) for the rest of my life... This was a massive shock. And due to getting blood clots multiple times in both lungs. I am under the care of the mental health team too... See I have SpLD's... Dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia and everyday is a struggle trying to cope. I can totally relate with what your saying, I had a breakdown not so long ago too and I am constantly trying to keep my head up and cope every day. It just seems everything that could go wrong is... And I do not have control over anything. The one thing that has improved my mood slightly was for me coming off all the pain medication... Gabapentin, tramadol, oramorph... This concoction was depressing me, so with help from my gp I was slowly taken off them all. Now I am leaning to cope with my pain levels and I am trying to function knowing what I can and can't do. We are of similar age too... I am 44. It's good that you are getting help, I am still fighting to get help although my gp is fully aware of me and my situation... See I am supposed to be my husbands carer! He has a spinal condition after a works accident 5 years ago. Yes our whole life has been turned upside down one way or another. We try to muddle through but things keep throwing us off track... Recently my daughter who is now 20 still lives with me has been diagnosed with a degenerative spinal condition too and been told within 5 years will be unable to walk and in a wheelchair. Trying to get help for her is proving challenging and is wearing me down... I am not sure how much fight I have left in me to battle through the NHS system yet again. Since I found this forum I can honestly say your never alone, there is always someone around to chat to and sometimes that really helps... For me it does as I have no one to talk to. After I almost died recently from blood clots I have the thinking that life is too short, I have to make the most of it and try... If nothing else, to just try to regain some of my life back... So that is what I am doing 😊😊

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Hi happy smiles, Thank you for taking the time to reply to my post. It's good to know there are others out there in the same boat as me. We get so caught up with our own problems sometimes that we don't always realise there are others in the same situation or even worse.

I am sorry to hear of all your health problems. You sound like you are coping with so much. And to be a carer for your husband too? I just cannot imagine how on earth you cope. You have such amazing strength! It's really sad too about your daughter at such a young age. As a family you are certainly going through it and have more than your fair share of problems. I hope that you have some good support around you.

Depression for me is so hard to deal with. I have suffered with depression since my teenage years after a very traumatic childhood. Life has never been easy and then I got diabetes nearly 10 years ago. I now have insulin injections three times a day. Then about 2 years ago I started with pain in my legs and hands. I went to see my GP about it and was referred to see a rheumatologist. Many blood tests, xrays, scans later I was diagnosed with Osteoarthritis in my hips and knees. I also have it in my neck, shoulders, elbow, wrists and fingers. It has steadily got worse over time and now I have great difficulty walking. Day to day is such a struggle. At the moment the pain is controlling me and making my life a living hell. I hope that maybe one day I will have control over the pain and have some control over my life.

Thank you once again for replying and I wish you well. Take care.

[JDQuinn75]

Hi wishmaster, I was diagnosed june of this year with osteo. Mine started 2 years ago in my hands. Not long after I was getting signs of osteo I was feeling it in my feet in mid year of 2014 . My gp finally put in a referral March of this year after I had told him my feet were really hurting me. Since March I now have it in my knees, elbows , shoulders and now starting in my hips as well. I'm still trying to find a medicine that will put my osteo in remission. Hope you get some relief soon. You're not alone I know how you feel. Osteo is very painful. Take care J. Quinn