Introduction

[Guest guest]

Hi all.

My name is Theresa, and I'm 31 years old. I found this list just

about

the same time as I found out I have PA. I guess I'm still in shock

about it, but it's getting clearer. I have read through the last

months

posts, and found that many of you are in just the same seat as I am.

That's comforting. What is not, is that some posters histories are

sad,

and I fear I'm going that way, too. Before I found the list I just

thought I'd have to live with a certain amount of pain. Somehow that

is

the idea I have gotten from my Reumathologist. But I guess he ses it

in

a patient perspective. I see it in a life-perspective. Well.

I had a short bout with medical expertize regarding my symptoms.

After

2 years of increasing pain and stiffness, to the degree that getting

up

from the couch made me look silly, I went to my GP. My husband and

friends made me do it. A slowly increasing pain can be so decieving.

I

put it down to being " out of shape " or " unfit " and always said I

should

start an exercise program. I never did. It got to my being so

hindered

by a " heel spur " that I couldn't keep it a secret anymore.

My GP ran some tests, and said she'd found " an indicator " and

referred

me to a specialist reumathologist. He ran a few more tests, but was

obviously able to say even before that, that it was a textbook

example

of PA. I suffered a severe salmonella infection in -95. My scalp

erupted just after that and I lost my hair. My nails began to crumble

as well. I put it down to lack of minerals and vitamins, but no

supplements helped. It cooled off by itself, and I was tod I had " bad

quality skin, hair and nails. Just that.

A few years later I had to undergo physiotherapy for a painful lower

back. X-rays found sponlylitis, but I was told it was due to natural

wear and tear. A year after my back started improving I realised I

didn't have much strength in my hands and fingers. I also realised

that

cold weather and stable chores made my fingers ache. Then my feet,

expecially the toes. Then my neck. And my heel...

The first time I realised how much pain this illness brings was when

I

got some really strong medication, which kind I still don't know. In

a

matter of hours the pain was literally gone, and I felt as though I

was

on some kind of upper. As the effects wore off, I felt the drowsiness

and the mumbling pain set on again, and that was the worst. No wonder

I'm tired, grumpy, absentminded, stressed...

As I read through the posts I realise a lot of them are about drugs

and

stuff. Living in Sweden, I have no idea what drugs they are, and what

they might be called over here. So I'll stay out of thet discussion.

Still...

I would like to know what you'all do to combat tiredness. I could

sleep

12 hours per day, and still be tired. I'm never really awake. I can

handle the pain, but the tiredness is really affecting my life. I

also

feel that I'm getting more and more emotionally numb. It's like the

tiredness and the pain puts a lid on everything.

How do you all cope?

///Theresa

Moderator 2 cents worth: Theresa when the pain melts away a good portion of the

fatigue goes with it. I hope you fight the pain. For the " stable chores " if you

carry buckets with metal handles you can find a rubber insert thru a dog supply

catalog that is intended to protect hands from the dog pulling on a leash. The

same item is great for carrying buckets or anything else with a narrow pressure

point on the hand. Please write often. PatB