Needles and Pins for Pins and Needles

I hope to flipping goodness he stuck that blooming needle in the right place, because I don't want to go through this blooming agony for nothing!

I have had one "shot" in the wrist and one "shot" in the knee, and it wasn't Vodka!

Typing with a couple of fingers, so I will make this short! Nice man at the Rheumatoid Floor of my local NHS Department store, thinks my hip problems are connected to my knee problem and my knee problem is connected to my foot problem - now here's the word of the Lord!!!

No inflammation - bloods normalish he says - my PV is below 1.72. I have Osteoarthritis in my knee(s), worse in the right than the left. That was my foot pedal knee when operating the egg conveyor belt. Because of the pain in that knee I am walking "funny" - it doesn't make me laugh.

So this is making my hips hurt. I have a bit of damage in the ball of my right foot, which is also affecting my walk...

Wrist is also Osteoarthritis from just too much work! Years of typing on old manual typewriters have taken it's toll n my poor old wrist and digits.

So needle it is then - sorry this is going hurt. Yep, he wasnt wrong... still hurting so I am off to cuddle up underneath my duvet and feel sorry for myself, and hopefull the steroid will take effect very very soon.

Normal positivityness will be resume as soon as possible.

Night x

[LavendarLady]

Hi Julie, so sorry you feel so rough - not pleasant having needles stuck in you all over the place. I also have osteo in the knees with the RA on top according to my Rheumy consultant. They did x ray them and confirmed the cushioning cartilege between the bones is all gone. They are better than they were which is thanks to MTX etc.

However it is RA everywhere else apart from one thumb joint which is osteo following an accident. But even that is better since MTX etc etc so something works.

Only thing bothering me at present is my wretched shoulder. Awake at 4 a.m. this morning with pain - tried to get back to sleep but eventually gave in and took myself off to the spare room with a book. Did eventually manage to doze off for about an hour but a very heavy sleep instead of a refreshing one. Still waiting to hear about physio but then again also still waiting to hear about counselling. The joy of NHS. I know they are busy but ......... If necessary will see the physio privately just to get an early appt. Waiting to hear from consultant's secretary to see if he has written to GP yet - he hadn't as at last week.

Berry is sitting with me whining. I think it is time for his dinner. Sorted out my accounts today and have written a blistering letter to the tax man who owes me a lot more than he thinks!

Hope you soon feel more your old self - love your cat piccie. Love LavendarLady xx

[Hidden in reply to LavendarLady]

Thank you Dottie.... the physio will definitely help (I hope) keep chasing.

That is my Cat in a Box! She always climbs to any box left lying about.

She is as we speak esconced in a Sainburys bag on my bed all snuggled up!

My wrist feels a lot better this morning,but not the old knee,but I feel sluggish from the steroid i suppose. Any ways onward and upward.

Take car Julie xx

[Hidden]

Oh Julie I do hope the injections work for you, sorry your feeling so rough at the moment hope it doesn't last to long.

Rest as much as you can, 48hrs recommended for joint injections!

Take care and hope you feel better soon.

mand xx

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Man. I am taking full advantage of the "you must rest bit" and to cap it all, my new memory foam mattress arrived and it was the first night on it. T'were lovely... so much easier on the hips and back.

Julie xx

[Hidden]

take care !

Im going to call you julie 2 blogs.. hope injection helps.. nice cat pic , oh and nice flower pic too!. rest up that might include no typing on computer xx?

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hi Ali

My wrist feels better already this morning. But I am resting as much as possible. Yes I really dont know how I ended up with two blogs! I am so greedy!

Take care Julie xx

[Mel_]

...hope to see our Julie back to her normal self soon. Lots of rest needed, hope you feel a bit better soon. x

[Hidden in reply to Mel_]

Thanks Mel. Like I say I think the steroid is making me feel groggy and and bit headachy, but the wrist feels better so resting up my knee as much as possible.

Take care Juliexx

[Hidden]

Hi Julie,

Sorry to hear things have been tough for you on the pain front - hope steroids kick in very soon. I don't think the OA suggestion/ diagnosis is anything new to you is it? I guess all these different things just link up to make one feel rubbish whatever name they are given.

I'm writing this in my new fingerless arthritis gloves - my hubby had an idea after seeing an oldie with some at work and got them for me (to shut me up from whimpering!). They are rather tight not sure if he ordered the right size (small) but as my thumb has gone on strike today and won't bend I'm hoping they might help! Have you tried these I wonder? If not will let you know how I get on with them. All props welcome!

After pain fest of last weekend I decided to get some stronger co-codimol and went to GP today. He said yes fine and separated codeine from paracetamol so I can take either or both according to need. Showed him insides of both knees which are painful and a bit swollen today and he seemed rather nonplussed by them as this isn't usually where knee joints flare. Said something about tendon or ligament joints - prodded 'em and I nearly sprang off the chair! Basically he said he thinks I have RA but slow and non aggressive in terms of erosion and could possibly still be a post viral or palindromic thing.

My ESR taken last week was down to 30 so keep wondering if I'm maybe on the mend at last but it's just that brain and pain transmitting services just haven't cottoned on to this yet?! I told him I feel like a miniature Tripoli - one minute I think the rebels are winning and it's all over and I can get on with my life - then a new burst of gunfire comes in from somewhere unexpected and I'm confused and alarmed all over again.

Still bottoms up and weird gloves on - new bottle of whisky at the ready and waiting for next onslaught and 15mgs of codeine for the moments when nothing else works. Take care Julie and keep blogging. Tilda xx

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hi Tilda, those fingerless gloves sound good, I have heard of them before. Let me know how you get on with them.

The more you tell me about your symptoms the more it sounds just like me over the last few years. One minute I have a slightly positive RF factor, then I haven't, then I have swelling joints, then I haven't. Hopefully, if it is palindromic or spasmodic or whatever bloody name they want to give it, you can beat the bugger! Keep positive, stress free (ish!!!) and look after yourself. Don't push, pace!

Loved the analogy of the Tripoli attack on your body - made me smile , but I know it's no laughing matter.

Watch the whiskey/painkiller mix!

Take care Julie xxx

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Gloves go on fine but they feel so tight that my hands seem to go numb when I've had them on any length of time. Maybe this is how they work - by crushing joints so much that they fuse into one numb mass and all pain becomes irrelevant?! To be honest i think I prefer splints so far but they don't cover finger joints as gloves do - I'll endure these for a bit longer and if I don't write on HU ever again you'll know it's because these fingerless mits strangled my fingers and knuckles and wrists forever!

Tilda x

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Plus finger joints so achy and fumbly tonight that it's really hard to get these gloves on and off!

[Tiasteph]

Hello

hope by now things have calmed down & the old jabs have worked.

My knee is great now, I was even able to go off on my camping trip

xx

[Hidden]

Hi Steph.

Yes things definitely have calmed down. You sound more upbeat now too and it was great you were able to get away camping - pain free?!!

take care

Julie xxx

[Jackiecnunez]

Hi Julie,

I'm sorry that you're going through so much discomfort. I used to go through similar symptoms (if not all). I've had SLE for the past 18 years and I've been off lupus medications for approx. 12 years. I see a Rheumatologist and I also see a Homeopath and a Chiropractor. After seeing the Homeopath 12 years ago, I noticed a lot of positive changes I was also getting chiropractic care as my spine was out of alignment which was causing a lot of the back and hip pains. My Rheumatologist gradually weaned my meds down until I was completely off of them. I still flare occassionally, especially when under a lot of stress, but nothing compared to what I used to go through - I still see the Homeopath and the Chiropractor on a regular basis and I see my Rheumatologist once per year. I hope that I gave you some positive information.