Arthritis

[imoldernu]

Arth = joints ... itis = inflammation

Osteoarthritis
Fibromyalgia
Lyme Disease
Ankylosing Spondylitis
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Psoriatic Arthritis
Juvenile Arthritis
Gout

Planning for retirement should include a good understanding of arthritis, not just for direct medical reasons, but for the ancillary effects on lifestyle.

Where you live
What kind of housing
Travel
Access to medical
What kind of activities
Treatment

What's new here? Nothing! Except that most people don't have a really good knowledge about the disease... especially if they haven't been up close and personal with living with arthritis.

Instead of posting links to the millions of overview/advice websites, columns and postings, I thought it might be a good thing to hear from our own ER members and any first hand observations on dealing with the disease, either personal, spouse, or family.

For many, especially in the early stages, arthritis is more of a nuisance... like a mosquito bite, that comes and goes... but for others, arthritis can turn life upside down.

Living in retirement communities has given DW and me a wider view of the disease, and we both suffer (mildly suffer) from arthritis. That said, hearing about how others deal with this would be very welcome.

Wide open for any thoughts, advice, comments, experiences or suggestions.

[Walt34]

Like most others my age I have some but it's more in the nuisance category than anything serious. So far. DW's mother suffered terribly from rheumatoid arthritis to the point of four or five joint replacement surgeries. She could barely hold a coffee cup and couldn't pick up a carton of milk because of it.

Scary stuff.

DW's doctor told her that she would never suffer like her mother did because treatments are so much better than what was available then. I guess that's good news.

Other than plan on living in a single-floor house, which I've already done since I've had knee surgery once and it's going to happen again eventually, I can't think of anything else except don't delay treatment when it starts.

[F4mandolin]

One of my big toes is going (not too bad yet). I try to reach down and yank it all over the place at least once a day to keep it looser...it does seem to work, although it hurts to do it. They always say to fight it.

[Hillbilly]

Quote:

Originally Posted by imoldernu Arth = joints ... itis = inflammation Osteoarthritis Fibromyalgia Lyme Disease Ankylosing Spondylitis Rheumatoid Arthritis Psoriatic Arthritis Juvenile Arthritis Gout Planning for retirement should include a good understanding of arthritis, not just for direct medical reasons, but for the ancillary effects on lifestyle. Where you live What kind of housing Travel Access to medical What kind of activities Treatment What's new here? Nothing! Except that most people don't have a really good knowledge about the disease... especially if they haven't been up close and personal with living with arthritis. Instead of posting links to the millions of overview/advice websites, columns and postings, I thought it might be a good thing to hear from our own ER members and any first hand observations on dealing with the disease, either personal, spouse, or family. For many, especially in the early stages, arthritis is more of a nuisance... like a mosquito bite, that comes and goes... but for others, arthritis can turn life upside down. Living in retirement communities has given DW and me a wider view of the disease, and we both suffer (mildly suffer) from arthritis. That said, hearing about how others deal with this would be very welcome. Wide open for any thoughts, advice, comments, experiences or suggestions.

Mother has RA for over 40+ year. Forget the TV chit with meds...45 day+ stay at Vanderbilt...including a skull adjustment with metal rods that includes readjusting the brain stem from the skull so one can swallow food (i.e. so she doesn't die). It 's real.....for sure. This is her 30+ surgery...you don't want to know the rest the ads don't tell you? Really?

If you really want to know the real story, give me a PM. Don't mean to be so negative but only real. Otherwise, live is not so perfect.....love

[citrine]

I have a few clients with osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia. Massage, icing, rest, and gentle stretching works for them quite well. The key is to do preventative vigilance to avoid flare ups. A couple of them also have started meditating to help with the daily stress.

[MBAustin]

My mother (82) has severe osteoarthritis. She had one knee replaced about 15 years ago, but found the recovery so difficult she refused to have the 2nd done. But the recovery did include water exercise which greatly improved her overall physical condition and she kept it up for many years. Unfortunately, when they moved from FL to PA to be near my sister while my father was treated for cancer, there was/is no warm water exercise facility anywhere nearby (only the YMCA where the pool is too cold). After my father died, she decided to stay there, so she hasn't had water exercise in more than 7 years. As a result, her physical condition has greatly deteriorated and for nearly a year has refused to walk (fear of falling) and is in constant pain (shoulders, spine, and hands as well as knee). This is causing her to go downhill very quickly and we are very worried about her quality of life (lack thereof).

The moral of the story is to stay active to keep the effects at bay as long as possible.

[Major Tom]

4 years ago at the age of 45, the doctor told me that I had early onset arthritis (osteoarthritis) in both knees. It is almost certainly as a result of motorcycle accidents in the past.

The immediate annoyance was that I had to stop sprinting upstairs, something I had always loved doing. Over the last few years, it has affected my lifestyle a little in that I am not able to walk quite as vigorously or for as long as before. However, I am finally beginning an exercise regime that involves more hearty cycling and more exercises on the pull-up bar in my kitchen doorway to help compensate for the reduction in exercise from walking and running.

So far it hasn't significantly affected my activities, but it has impressed on me the need for strengthening my muscles and losing a bit more weight. I'm 5' 9" and 161 lbs so not really overweight, but I could stand to lose 10lbs and gain some muscle.

[David1961]

My mother has arthritis pretty bad, especially in her hands. She says playing the piano and just keeping active helps a lot.
I have also heard that eating gelatin is good for arthritis, but don't have any first-hand experience with this.

[Nemo2]

I have no cartilage in either knee.....had to quit running about 18 years ago, and two orthopedic surgeons have said that "Sooner or later I'll require replacements".......thus far, (with the occasional twinge), still going strong.

Fractured my left wrist 50 years ago......feels like it's in there also, and can no longer do pushups 'cause the elbows complain.

Still alive though...and at various airports we took the stairs with (fairly heavy) bags over our shoulders and left behind all the younger people using the escalators with their girly "luggage on wheels".