Disaster

[Frida]

I have been following this programme for about 18 months now, I've had problems with my achilles tendons in both ankles for about 6 years, I had ultrasound treatment and physio about 5 years ago, this seemed to help but I was having trouble again before I started the running. I started the running as my favourite exercise of swimming was causing severe sinus problems.

I've been running with my husband, we said we'd stick together whatever. We had completed the second run of week 9 and he had a twinge in his knee. This was followed by me finally getting to see a physio again for my achilles problem and she allowed me to run, but only for 5 minute intervals. All through this I've found that I get no pain when I'm running, it's walking that hurts. After a few haphazard sessions with the physio (NHS) I went back to my GP as my appointments were so far apart it was a waste of time.

I was referred to a sports injury consultant in September and I'm waiting again for a more intense course of physio, presumably more specialist, again, I was told to run for no longer than 5 minutes.

Needless to say we got bored of this and have worked, very slowly, up to 20 minutes, my tendons are no better or worse, and I'm still waiting for my treatment......

Then, about a month ago I got a really nasty stomach bug, I was really ill for about a week, had to send in a sample (utterly disgusting) but it turned out that I had picked up campylobacter. By the time I got an appointment to discuss this I had developed really painful feet and was struggling to walk.

I've been diagnosed with reactive arthritis caused by the campylobacter. I've been told that it could just go or I may suffer flare-ups for the rest of my life, these could be "mild" or need specialist treatment. I've had this now with no improvement for 3 weeks. As you can imagine I'm really depressed about this.

Has anyone else had any experience of this? I've just had some blood test to check my inflammatory and rheumatoid factors, but according to the NHS website these test won't show anything if it is reactive arthritis. The GP I saw, who sent me for the tests, was very young and I didn't feel that she knew much about the problem, but I can't do anything further until I've got the test results.

We are going to my cousin in Derbyshire for Christmas - no nice long walks for me - I'm very disappointed.

Sorry, it's a long waffle, but it helps to get it off my chest, or is that feet?

Any help or advice would be very welcome.

Jane

[Fattytumtum Graduate]

Feeling your pain. No real advice, I have arthritis in my big toes but I'm assuming it's different to your kind. I've had one toe operated on a few years ago which as helped tremendously with the pain, but since I've started running the other big toe hurts on occasion now, so just plucking up the courage to go to GP to get referral for that op. I take glacousamine tablets and cod liver oil tablets but it's not been medically proved that it helps