Hi all....Beginning to feel better an... - Hughes Syndrome A...

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Hi all....Beginning to feel better and mentally stonger....

popshaw21 profile image
17 Replies

These last 2 weeks have been hell,Thanks for all your good wishes and kind and helpful comments.

The chest infection which was a nasty one and difficult to treat, has thankfully cleared up.But as i had a terrible cough it has had an impact on my back and i have a prolasped disc now which is so painful and unbearable at the moment.

Thankfully i have lots of family and friends who have been very surportive and have rallyed round to help.

I'am mentally stronger and im using all my coping strategies to good effect,where it comes to pain i tell myself "I don't mind that it hurts"...Hopefully my Bad Back will improve but at least ive got a Good Front!!

I hope everyone is fighting hard and coping well.

popshaw21

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popshaw21 profile image
popshaw21
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17 Replies
MaryF profile image
MaryFAdministrator

Good on you, I had wondered how you were doing, please continue to get better, and I hope physio, or similar can help with your back? and thanks for your cheerful check in. Mary F x

InSpain profile image
InSpain

Well done - so glad you're on the road to recovery! Sending love and best wishes from here InSpain xxx

Suzypawz profile image
Suzypawz

Glad ur recovering.....thats one thing we Hughies have to be...strong :) keep getting better & improving x

jessielou profile image
jessielou

So good to hear half of you doing better Pop!

Love n gentle hugs Sheena. Xxxx :-) :-) :-)

Jillymo profile image
Jillymo

Thats what we like to hear that your putting on a good front. :-)

If the back pain gets to bad may be an epidural might help thats what they gave me.

I found the slightest wrong movement was agony, glad the chest infection is better.

Keep your chin up mate & i.m glad to hear you have family & friends for support.

Now you take it steady. Jillymo x.

popshaw21 profile image
popshaw21 in reply to Jillymo

Hi jillymo,Thankyou for your up beat message and i hope your spirit is up beat too.

I had major surgery on my spine(Laminectomy)in 1997 which they removed 2 damaged disc's and decompression of my spine which i wish i had'nt agreed to as the operation caused more problems,and has weaken the disc's above and below the spinal fusion.

Since then I have been in constant pain with sciatica and sometimes i only have to sneeze and my disc will slip,I have been offered another operation which i have decided not to go ahead with as im at a higher risk of infection.

I did go to The royal hospital for rheumatic deseases in bath as they have an excellent pain clinic, and they taught me how to cope with the pain.so when you go to your appointment at the same hospital i use to go for treatment not only for the hughes syndrome ask them about the pain clinic.

I hope your appointment go's well.

Take care

pops x

Jillymo profile image
Jillymo in reply to popshaw21

Hi Pops,

You really have had a rough time of it, I should think you did need pain management. I have a curvature of the lower spine & that used to give me horrendous pain but glad to say it has eased off.

Was it Bath that diagnosed the hughs ? I think my problems could be Lupus but I shall have to wait & see what they find.

They was going to send me to the pain clinc for my fibro myalgia but as i think I told you I couldn't get hospital transport to get me there at the time.

I have had one of those days where I dont feel fully awake so havn't done much today'

I think it's going to be a coffee & off to bed.....nothing on tv that is of interest to me.

Nyt nyt from Jillymo x

popshaw21 profile image
popshaw21 in reply to Jillymo

Hi jillmo,I know how your feeling i have had lots of those days of feeling washed out I hope you have a peaceful sleep and a better day tomorrow.

I was diagnosed with hughes syndrome when i had a stroke while i was being treated at the pain clinic in bath and they ammitted me to one of there wards,and it took them over a week of testing before they told me i had APS.

The nursing staff where brilliant and very caring,i can't thank them enough.

I met my wife cherie there, who had rhuematoid arthritis and we spent 2 happy weeks together,what was so good about being in bath hospital (The Min)was you could go out in the evening for a meal or just to walk around the city.

Great days

They also have a good understanding of lupus,so i hope they can help you

night

pops x

Jillymo profile image
Jillymo in reply to popshaw21

Hi Pops, Im still up ! Well you were in the right place to have a stroke but how strange the way things can happen.

Thats a lovely name 'Cherie' & what a lovely way to meet.

I have only walked around Bath once with my daughter but I: was unwell that day so cant say i remember much.

It may not be lupus but i have so many things going on with me and I do get the rash on the cheeks.

I think the lethargy & brain fog are worse than the pain, sometimes it is so bad you feel demented with it.

Off to my son's tomorrow for dinner, i didn't go last week due to being poorly.

He has the same illness as myself, that's when it hurts me most to have to watch him struggle.

Nyt nyt x

popshaw21 profile image
popshaw21 in reply to Jillymo

Goodmorning jillymo,its a lovely day here today ive been up since 5am which is the norm for me.

I find it very difficult to get back to sleep due to the pain so i have to get up,which usually means my energy levels are low throughout the day.

I'm going to try and go for a walk with the dog walker down to the beach and breath in some sea air today.

I hope you have a enjoyable and peaceful day with your son.

just take care.

Pops x

Jillymo profile image
Jillymo in reply to popshaw21

Hi Pops,

What a rotten day we have here in Swindon I hope it is better in your part of the country.

If not you will have many a miserable holiday maker strutting around. :-(

I might have hit a hurdle Pops with regard to my visits to Bath !

It seems if it is your first appointment the transport office arrange the transport but any follow up appointments the hospital or Gp has to arrange the transport.

Last time Bath refused to arrange it saying it was down to my Gp the Gp said 'it was down to bath to arrange my transport.

This was how I got caught last time I could not get back to see them have you any sugestions ?

How was your bank hol did you go bungi jumping' or scuba diving, parachuting maybe ? In our dreams..

Take Care Jillymo :-)

popshaw21 profile image
popshaw21 in reply to Jillymo

Hi jillymo,Do you recieve DLA?or income surport?maybe try and put an

advertisment in your local paper to see if anyone works in bath who would give you a lift to your appointment and offer to pay something towards the petrol,then you only have to pay for your return journey.

Otherwise i can't think of anything else only to keep on at your GP about the help you need.

I had a lousy day on monday,I was totally washed out and in alot of pain which meant i spent most of the day in bed.

I'm feeling a bit better today,yesterday the district nurse checked my INR which had dropped to 1:3 which may exsplain why i was feeling so washed out on monday and yesterday.My iNR range should be between 3-4

The doctor has put me on a higher dose of warfarin and to be tested again on friday.

well i will look into the transport issue and see what help there might be out there,if i lived closer to you then i would get you to your appointments.

I hope you have a peaceful week and if i can find a way to sort out your transport issue then i will let you know.

Take care

pops x

Jillymo profile image
Jillymo in reply to popshaw21

Hi Pops,

Sorry to hear you have had yet another bad spell.....we seem to spend more time being poorly than well these days.

I am trying to take it easy so that I can get to the Rheumy on Monday.....the follow up appointments are another worry.

I cant go to far on my own these days due to the cronic lethargy, balance & my walking problems.

My Gp is a pig when it comes to arranging transport.....I wonder if it comes out of the surgery funding.

I'm at a total stand still with everything at the mo due to my energy levels being so low.....I find it so frustrating.

I used to be such a good all rounder & could put my hand to most things.

I have noticed my gums have gone very pale I was wondering if i could be anaemic.

I shall mention it when I go to the hospital.

They are picking me up any time after 9am my appointments at 11.

I am up early but it takes me a long time to get ready these days.

Take care of yourself

Jillymo XX

popshaw21 profile image
popshaw21 in reply to Jillymo

Hi jillymo,I think the transport has to be paid by the DR funding which means the DR has the power and responsibilty on how much money they have in there fund. I would change my DR if i was you and just keep pestering them and

when you see the consultant in bath ask him to write to your DR about getting help with the transport.

I take iron tablets,+multivitamins they can help so maybe give them a try.

well i hope you are getting some good pain relief?I take co-proxamol which works for me.I asked my DR to put me down as a "named patient,it had been unavailable as alot of people where committing suicide

Your DR can prescribe co-proxamol if your listed as a "named patient"which your DR has to put you on the qualifying list and theres a small charge which the DR gets from there funding.

well i hope your appointment go's well and write down a list of all the questions you need to know and how the way your condition affects you daily.

best wishes and i hope you'll be feeling better soon.

pops x

GinaD profile image
GinaD

I hope this painful one step back is of short duration, and I rejoice with your 2steps forward.

Gina

I am glad your chest infection is better. I hope your back also will be better.

I have been thinking of you. Glad to hear you have friends and family to help you!

My best wishes to you from Kerstin

popshaw21 profile image
popshaw21 in reply to

Thankyou for your message Kerstin,the chest infection has cleared up completely now.

I'm still struggling with the back pain,and its very difficult to get off to sleep and im waking up around 5 am every morning and i have to get up as im in so much pain.

The main thing is im mentally stronger,and i use all the coping strategies Ive learned over the years to get me through the day.

The weather is lovely here today,and im hoping to go for a walk with poppy my little jack russell.

I hope you have a good week Take care.

Pops

x

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