Lappie returns

No it's not a misspelling for Lassie. It is lappie the lap top. It had to go away for ..erm repair, because some clumsy twit splashed it with apple juice! Made the keys sticky. Any way. Its back and it is so nice to be able to sit anywhere to blog rather than up in the corner of the office with the old steam driven desk top.

As I have mentioned elsewhere, I have spent a few days wondering whether or not I have RA. I know it sounds daft, but it seems this disease evolves. Just when you think you are in a pattern of pain/stiffness/aches/tiredness something changes and you are left wondering....

Now I don't whether it is the drier weather or the sun but I definitely don't feel quite so tired and washed out. But this pain my back is getting me down.

I saw the doctor about it a couple of weeks ago and she very kindly prescribed one 400mg ibuprofen tablet per day! It has helped a little bit well lets face it little is the word. What helps the most is not going out to work.... that's another story. I thought the S*** might hit the fan because I will have to just say I can't do it. But now, same old story.... I compromise instead. I carry on and overdo it instead. Feeling guilt, sorry, or whatever it is, I decide I must help my partner because he has just started lambing the last batch of ewes and he is up to his neck in work. So I spend two days nursing sore knuckles and wrists and of course, my back is worse. Absolutely killing. By the time I got in last night, around 7p.m. I was ready for the knackers yard. My partner didn't get in until 10 p.m. was out again at 1 a.m.and then back and up again this morning at 6 a.m. Life must go on....

My muscles ache now... probably because I have been using them whilst for the last few weeks I have been trying not to overdo it! Or is it something else.

Perhaps if I stop thinking I have something wrong with me, take the tablets and keep going, it will all go away. I don't think so somehow..... if only.

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I really dont know how you are coping with your job! I only work in admin and struggle to manage 4 hours a day! You must be like superwoman with RA!

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Hi Julie

Thanks but I am no way super anything lol... I have just read your profile and I think I am ashamed at myself for moaning for I have not half the symptoms/diagnoses you have. I am surprised you manage 4 hours. Mind you I don't even know what sort of RA I have? All I have been told is my CRP is positive and I am RA positive??? I shall get to see the consultant again in May. I have only seen him once for 10 mins in October 2010 and my RA nurse once! To say that I have been lost and bewildered since my diagnosis is an understatement. My GP knows bugger all about it, bless her, but she is kind and listens to me and everything I have learnt about it I have found out myself from the internet and the NRAS website.

I am tucked up in the warm this afternoon though doing some "paper work" but obviously craftily sneaking on here and stuff. But I do have to go back out in a little while to shut me little chicks in and finish picking up eggs. Thanks for the comment, appreciate it. Take care x

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Hi Julie,

Great name by the way!..... Thanks I only know what kind of RA I have because after the way I was treated in first few appointments etc, my GP told me the best way to get through this was to learn as much as I could and demand information, after every appointment with my Rheumatologist, Physio etc they all write a report and send it too my GP, so I told them I wanted a copy done to me when sending (there is no charge if you ask for this) so if there is anything they write on there that I dont understand I go see my GP or look it up on the internet. I record all my blood results in a little log book so I can see improvements/flares etc.

The results I look at in my bloods are ESR this is I understand the infllamation rate in joints and CRP I belive is the inflamation rate around your organs etc, dont quote me on that lol I might have it muddled.

My GP also knows bugger all about it but is interested in learning a little, my biggest problem seems to be my age and pain if I go and ask for stronger pain meds I get questioned Like I am a druggie!!

I screamed at one stand in GP a few months ago I went into surgery after weeks off very little sleep and lots of pain and asked for some pain relief or something to help me sleep. This was followed by a lecture of you need to learn to live with this and pain meds may not always be the answer, this guy was looking at me as if I was a druggie and I swear he was younger than me, I started to cry and he couldnt cope and said whats wrong! I screamed and flipped I am not normally nasty but Id had enough so I said " What is wrong Ive had no sleep for weeks, I am in so much pain I cant walk and want to cry all day and you sit there and tell me I cant have anything for it and ask me whats wrong" I then asked him did he sleep at night he said yes why I said because I couldnt sleep knowing that people were coming to me for help and I was treating them like sh@t. I then left his office, phoned the surgery the next morning to speak to my own doctor I explained my appointment and he prescribed me muscle relaxers and oramorph straight away.

Lol sorry I do waffle a bit! Take care hun xx

[Gina_K]

Hi RA-Fibro, My heart goes out to you, it is all so stressful, one thing I was prescribed by my consultant really helped me both with pain and sleep, it is called Cymbalta, takes about a week to kick in but well worth a shot! I think it is very important to demand the right care.

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HI Julie and Gina

This is all so useful. It is so easy to just get caught up in the conveyor belt of GP appointments. My GP is often getting up and opening the door before I have finished! Then I learn that apparently they have 5 minutes now with each patient and if it is found during that 5 minutes they need to have more time, you have to go back and book another appointment! The worlds gone bonkers! Brilliant idea about keep notes, so easy yet never even occured to me! Oh and ask questions... well so simple yet so hard to do sometimes because I am often just trying to take in what has been said and before you know it you are out the door! So I am going to buy myself an RA journal. I might even buy a filofax! Now that will be posh... many many thanks for your comments and information. Look after yourself. x