Old age does not come alone...

[John Fenna]

OK - most folk know I turned 58 at the Moot - but be warned folks, Old Age does not come alone!
My medico has often said the "You cannot now do what you want to do because you did what you wanted to do in the past."
This roughly translates to "You have worn out your body playing silly games in your youth."

I have just returned from hospital seeing the bone wallopers about my duff shoulder and have been given the low down on possible future courses of action...
If the next steroid injection gives only short term relief I really need surgery to increase the clearance in the joint for the tendon to pass through.
If I get a better period of relief from pain from the next injection then I may get by with pain killers/injections/lifestyle changes for several years.
Surgery would mean 8 weeks off work, not earning or driving or playing games of any physical demand and then lots of physio and muscle rebuilding.
If all goes well I may get to canoe again - but not hard stuff. I also had the "Surgery has it's risks" talk...not nice...
Not having surgery means lots of pill taking (which I do not like) and giving up things like canoeing, cycling and bow drill fire lighting, heavy chopping and sawing, forging etc
None of the options is very attractive....

So - my advice to all you young folk is to lead really boring lives so you do not pick up any injuries or wear out joints... that way you enjoy later life!

At the moment I am feeling a bit sorry for myself - even activities such as machine sewing are less than comfortable as they will not give me an injection (oh the relief when those steroids kick in!) until Sept - and needed a moan...
Does anyone have any solid info on the effectiveness of alternative/Chinese medicine for "degenerate" joints (some say it is not only my joints that are degenerate but that is another matter) as my knees and pelvis/spine joints are going the same way....

Old Age does not come alone - it brings Pain with it!

Sorry about the moan but any info on the alternatives to steroids and surgery would be welcome!

 

[Harvestman]

As someone recovering from surgery at the moment, well, I won't say I feel your pain, but I certainly feel mine, and you have my fullest sympathy.

The not being able to do things that you enjoy really sucks. My wife swears by supplements for joints as a way of reducing arthritic pain, and personally I would recommend speaking to a chiropractor, especially a McTimoney chiropractor if you can find one near you. I have had personal experience of the benefits of chiropractic, and McTimoney don't do the 'cracking' of joints that puts people off and sometimes gets a bad press. A sports injury clinic may also be a good place to consult.

 

[Harvestman]

By the way, I never understand the "I don't like taking tablets" argument. You can be in pain all day, or do something that you dislike for one minute each day. Your choice. I'll take the tablets every time.

 

[Mike313]

Sorry to hear of your painful condition. I don't know if this will help, but here goes. I used to suffer terrible pain in my foot due to arthritis. Painful enough for to make getting out of bed difficult and going to work impossible. Someone recommended I try taking Glucosamine Sulphate tablets, I checked with my GP and he said 'Give them a try'. That was in 2009. I'm not saying I don't get any pain, but it is far less frequently and FAR less painful. Never missed a day since due to arthritic pain. I buy them on-line from a company called Healthspan.co.uk. They are based in Guernsey. Might be worth a try.

 

[Wayland]

It's better to burn out than to fade away John...

 

[Harvestman]

Sorry to hear of your painful condition. I don't know if this will help, but here goes. I used to suffer terrible pain in my foot due to arthritis. Painful enough for to make getting out of bed difficult and going to work impossible. Someone recommended I try taking Glucosamine Sulphate tablets, I checked with my GP and he said 'Give them a try'. That was in 2009. I'm not saying I don't get any pain, but it is far less frequently and FAR less painful. Never missed a day since due to arthritic pain. I buy them on-line from a company called Healthspan.co.uk. They are based in Guernsey. Might be worth a try.

Healthspan are the company my wife uses too.

 

[Goatboy]

You have my sympathies Mr. Fenna. Like you I thought I was pretty invulnerable when younger and did all sorts of active and stupid stuff. Now later I've learned I'm not immortal and that pushing myself like I did didn't do me too much good; still it was blinking good fun while it lasted.
On the surgery front I've had a couple of bits replaced as you know. The new hip was a revelation to be honest. To no longer be in constant wearing pain freed me up. You'll know how draining and distracting pain that cant be shut off is and the surgical pain was pretty fleeting and much cleaner. It also means that I can do things that I love doing again.
On the other replacement luckily I was able to get a pacemaker. One of the other possible outcomes was that I would've been offered a transplant which I don't feel I could've accepted. So saying the pacemaker again turned things 'round for me and gave me a quality of life that had been missing for a long time.
Some alternative therapies do work, some don't. Even placebos have been shown to be effective in some studies. I tried a lot of things over the years, some worked but I had to go fown the modern route for th two most serious of my afflictions or I'd be a chairbound person and I don't think I'd want to continue that way. This way my mates little son thinks I'm part terminator and for me it means I can get out and have fun. Manage your pain, you din't have to compromise yourself. It can be done with a mix of mind and pharmacutical, whether natural or modern. But the main thun us it allows the best medicine if getting out and that keeps the most important parts of your body healthy - your mind and soul.
Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.

 

[John Fenna]

Thanks for the replies..
I am already addicted to Glucosamine, see a Sports Injury Specialist and have long experience of Chiropractic (for my back)
The chiro says he cannot help with the shoulder, the Sports Injury guy has worked wonders for my knees but the shoulder is resisting all efforts...
The pelvis/spine thing means sitting down for long periods is painful, the knee thing means standing up or kneeling down for long periods is painful and, as the shoulder thing is on the side I roll onto when asleep, lying down is painful. Walking is OK for up to 5 miles or so but then I need a rest or my knees kill in the morning.

The dislike of painkillers/any B*************** pills is that I also suffer from a form of IBS and most pills (and soy protein for some reason) set it off - which is a royal pain in the ...yeah, well - you get the picture...
If I was a horse they would shoot me!

 

[Toddy]

Sorry to hear this John, and masses of sympathy.
Right now I'm suffering the misery of sciatica in my hip and it's not bloody funny
Most of my family live until their nineties, I'm not even near retirement age yet. (as an aside I can recommend a fat airic on the floor to sleep on; I couldn't face the discomfort of blowing up the down mat when my hands are still healing, but the self inflating worked very well indeed)

The pill taking I agree with. I take them only when really needed. Too many or too long and they screw up too many other systems. Witness the number of pills folks end up needing to 'protect' the digestive system, to thin the blood, to expel excess water, etc., etc.,

You're otherwise healthy, yes ? then go for the surgery, get the blasted joint fixed and heal well. Get back a quality of life that you won't get on the pills.

There's a very simple but very good book called, "Exercise beats Arthritis". We know it doesn't really, but the book teaches you how to keep every joint mobile, to ease the inflammation and pain, to keep the potential for healing actively engaged with daily life. Worth a read.

I've had rheumatoid arthritis for over twenty five years now. I still heal, just a lot slower than I used to when I was in my twenties. That's just life; sod's law, like the eyesight and hearing too.

On the advice to take care of the body when young; yep, I agree but that's no excuse not to use it
At the end of the day would you rather be a beautiful corpse or have a lifetime of memories ?

Best wishes for a speedy resolve of the shoulder issue

atb,
Mary

 

[XRV John]

Sympathise with you John

I'm 51 next month and now seem to be in permanent discomfort (can't call it real pain yet) from my right hip and knee. Sometimes it hurts others it's uncomfortable. Doesn't seem to impair my bushcrafting as much as it does my motorcycling, home engineering/maintenance and DIY. So been thinking of some regular pain relief and may follow up some of the ideas on here so thanks folks.

As to the "don't do anything when young approach" we might be heading for a different scenario when the generation of fast food eating couch potatoes get to our age and find new problems with their bodies!

t'other John

 

[subzeer0]

what did he do for your knees...very very interested

and hints or clues appreciated

 

[sunndog]

Stop moping about mate
58 is no age and some folk are worse off without getting to do all the stuff you did to wear the old joints out

Think about what you can still do and all the memories a life battered body has earned

 

[John Fenna]

I gave up motorbikes about 20 years ago - thanks to the knees (bad dislocation of Fib when I was 20 ... un-diagnosed for several years then the resulting back problems sorted by Chiro) they wanted to do surgery on my "good" knee (worn out and arthritic due to over-compensation...) the Sports Injury specialist stopped it "locking" by manipulation and exercises to re-align the joint by re-educating muscles. My "bad" knee is arthritic but does not lock up...
Breaking my neck in my teens (undiagnosed until I was in my 20s... man I was hard in those days!) has not helped my general spinal health, while partially dislococating my shoulder during my canoe 5 star assessment (and carrying on) and not getting it seen to as it dropped back into place that night was a bad move...
Get your injuries sorted ASAP is the message here...

Thanks to Biker I have found what may be the only answer to my troubles...

"Man-up" pills in an attractive shade (or two) of ...pink!

 

[rik_uk3]

You have my sympathy John. I take Indomethacin and Tramadol when I need to, I don't 'do' pain, no need for it in this day and age.

 

[sandbender]

It's better to burn out than to fade away John...

And his light has burned so very very brightly.

Sorry to here of your trouble John, I can understand the reluctance to take pills, I feel much the same way.

To the young uns out there, have fun, but carry less, much less. Your back will thank you in later years.

 

[Twodogs]

I feel your pain John

Clocking up the mileage sucks .

Cliff

 

[Joonsy]

Old Age does not come alone - it brings Pain with it!

Having had close friends and relatives die at a young age I feel fortunate to have grown old enough to know what age feels like as they were denied that.

 

[Trencakey]

...........

 

[xylaria]

Was a county standard runner at 16 and then one day running for a bus at the ripe old age of 18 the hip joint went bang. Well cut a long story short by 30 I was walking with sticks arguing with bone doctors. My hip joints were square pegs in round holes with bits of bone falling off and wandering about the joint, and the ligament to the side of leg twanged against the femer.

Ok and we had a cat, the cat had kidney disease and ate raw meat. This meant I had alot of bones to boil up and make stoke. Three months of eating a diet where I ate proper chicken/ turkey stock I could walk without sticks and I now live nearly painfree.

I found out boiled bones especially chicken where the treatment of choice for arthritis up until the 1930s. Even if it doesn't work it won't kill you or leave you out of pocket.

Or.john go for a walk to Maenclochog and tap stones. Most will go tink it is the odd one that go tiiiinnnnnnnnnggggggggggg! That get rid of pain.

 

[crosslandkelly]

Having reached 58 last February, I must say that I'm rather looking forward to middle age.