General Chat

I've been suffering with pain in my left arm and shoulder on and off for several months now, and have been taking Anadin Ultra for the pain, but over the last few weeks it's got worse so I went to the Dr's today and told him what had been happening, he said that the symptons I had given him were for arthritis and tendonitis and were probably due to wear and tear, ( I said do you mean old age and he laughed and said yes). He is sending me for an Xray and has given me the options of 1) carrying on with the painkillers, 2) Physiothereapy 3) Injections into the shoulder.

What I'm wanting to ask is if there are any sufferers out there, what treatment are you receiving and does it work?

Love
Helen

Has he not prescribed ibuprofen or a similar NSAID (non steroidal anit inflammatory drug) Thats the normal treatment for arthritis first.

Physio may help to get the joint moving,but won't do much for the wear and tear...

Cortisone injections are ^%(*&(& painfull when they are given,but they do help for a few weeks, they give a little relief if they inject into the right spot. (easily found by prodding with a thumb to find the trigger point for the pain)

I had arthritis and had a hip replacement last year.

My sympathy to you, i have tendonitis in my arms and my right foot. I take ibruprofen (but i don't feel it has any real effect) I have had injections in both my arms and foot, the one in the arms worked, although painful at first, i did get relief for a few weeks. The injection in my foot didn't work, so i have to put up with the pain. I have arthritis in my knee, but my GP won't give me injections there as he says sometimes it causes more problems later. I'm on the list for knee replacement surgery.

Good luck in whatever medication you decide on.
Jean x

Hello Helen, Teresa, Jean and Tina - I too have Tendonitis in my left arm. I went to the doccy about it, but he was going to give me normal anti-inflams for it.
As I'm already taking long-term medication for other conditions, I asked him if it was OK for me to go without and he said as long as I can cope with the discomfort, OK.
I've got used to it, so at the moment am not taking anything.
I feel for those who suffer discomfort from it though.
x

I have arthritis in my spine ad take a paracetamol/codine tablet called zapain

Hi Teresa, Jean, Tina, Glenys and Malc,
As I said I've been taking Anadin Ultra which is 200mg ibuprofen and when it's too bad I take paracetamol 2 hours after ( I know this is safe to do as dentist told daughter it was safe to do this when she had bad toothache), but don't like taking too many tablets. I have recently been using ralgex spray as well but it's abit hard to use when I'm at work, I don't want to smell the place out LOL. I did buy a heat patch from Boots today before I went into work and put that on and it did help abit, but you can only use it for 8 hours out of 24. Dad has a Tens machine and I'm wondering if that will help.

Helen

My 7 year old daughter suffers with J.C.A and has been under the hospital since she was 3..Out of all the joints she has it in her left ankle is the worst...She has now had 2 steriod injections in her ankle and i must say that over the last 6 months this is the smallest i've seen her ankle

I have calcific tendonitis in both shoulders and it is very painful altho not so bad now, touch wood, as it was in my right shoulder earlier last year. I was crying with the pain and had to go to a and e in the end, he recommended some gentle exercises which helped a bit and just painkillers, like the diclofenac, an NSAID I have for my fm.
I have arthritis in both knees and the big toe on my right foot too lol
Lizx

I have had a frozen shoulder in the past and that is awful too. Could that be what your problem is, as they sometimes inject cortisone in but have to catch it at the right place and stage of the problem.

Hi Helen
my oh has arthritis in his spine he takes glucosamine tablets every day.
Darlene

The rheumatologist told me to take glucosamine daily and also ginger tablets which apparently make the glucosamine work better.
Lizx

Sorry Darl, forgot to say hi, am a bit tired now.

thats ok it must be getting late there - mid afternoon here
Darlene

It is ten to 5 in the morning lol I am a real night owl, actually I have chronic fatigue syndrome and fm, and a partner who snores for England, he will be off to work in a while and then I will be able to sleep!
Lizx

Yeah I know snorers,Ive have insomnia spend half night waiting to go to sleep and other half rolling OH over, you have a good sleep in when your OH go to work

Donna, I understand water can be injected into the shoulder to dissolve the calcium particles and wash them out so I expect that is what you had done, but a shame you had the other op and it didn't help.
We don't appreciate our limbs and joints till they play up then we wish we had taken better care of ourselves. I used to move furniture alone and all sorts, carry home heavy shopping and now I am paying the price.
Lizx

I have had Rheumatoid Arthritis for 40 years. I was given Steroids for the first few years but they gave me awful side effects and I took nothing but Paracetamol for several years. I have recently started taking Fish Oil capsules, 4 a day, and I think they are helping a bit, but mostly I just have to put up with the pain.
I am 79 now and I suppose I could be a lot worse than I am.
Good luck to all those fellow sufferers.
Sylvia.

I had the same problem a couple of months ago. The doc gave me several options: injections, but he said they could introduce germs to the site (do they use dirty needles?!); anti inflams; an op to make more room for the tendon in the shoulder; do nothing and hope it gets better by itself. I opted for the latter, I just exercise it gently when I think of it, otherwise use my shoulder and arm cautiously, but some nights the arm and hand are so sore I have trouble sleeping.
It is nice (??) to know that I am not alone with this problem.
Also have a sore foot. The outer edge where I injured it a couple of years ago, plus I developed a heelspur this year. I thought the special innersoles I had made had cured it but it sometimes comes back and the foot can be so sore. Old age, who would have it?
Huia.

i suffer from Arthritis in my neck legs and feet use to have phiso on my neck as when it locks they have to crack my neck have had xrays on it but theres nothing they can do,have to special shoes made for my feet as cant walk in normal ones,have been taking arthrotex for afew years now also had new new 18mths ago,but its very painful also take ihibin for cramps in my legs
Dutchxx

I have R/A to - and one thing I learnt quickly is that some drugs work for some and not for others. You need to keep trying them till you get something that works.

ibuprofen did diddlysquat for me, and after trying several things I eventually got something that worked - cant remember the name of them now but it was an NSAID plus sulphasalazine. That combination worked really well for a few years and then stopped - I guess my body got used to them.

Then I heard about Celebrex and demanded I go on those - and the effect was almost instant! I am now on Celebrex and Leflumomide.

I was speaking to a friend over the holidays and he has shoulder/arm pain that isnt arthritis but went on Celebrex and it has really helped him.

Wow thanks for all the replies, I'm off to Dad's shortly and am going to give the tens machine ago.Yesterday wasn't too bad not too much pain, but this morning have woken up and it's sore.

will catch you all later.
Helen

OMG, aren't we a bunch of invalids? lol

I too have some terrific pains... at the moment in my lower back on the left.

To all of you, whatever you take for the pain.... I know I keep on about it, but a small heat pad my son bought me years ago has been the saving of me... many times.
They sell them in ARGOS about £15/16, and worth TWICE THE PRICE.

Julie your little girl, has quite upset me. Poor little thing, she is just babe, and all that pain.
Bless her.... give her a hug from me... gentle now. I am a BIG therefore soft woman... tee hee.

Deanna X