I went to the Doctors and got.....

I know these things come as a shock P but don’t get too despondent. There’s a lot you can do to manage your condition.
Hope this helps.
www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/exercise/benefits/osteoarthritis-exercise.php

Join the clan - it's a pain, in every way. I have avoided strong painkillers so far, but know it is only a matter of time.

Hope Jane's link will be helpful.

Another little joy of getting older - even though you are clearly a mere young thing!

Thank you ladies, what with this and my diagnosis of COPD a few months ago, I am distinctly dis chuffed!

How did this happen? In my head I'm still in my thirties (although the mirror tells a different tale, the b#st$rd)

Phoenix I was given a collar to wear in bed at night, to try and ease the pain and discomfort. It did help. The only problem was I would wake up too hot, as it was like wearing a scarf.
It actually looks like an old fashioned sanitary towel, so I don't leave it in plain sight, in case my family think I have gone doolaly and my behaviour has become slightly "inappropriate".

I’ve had arthritis for about 10 years now and mainly control flare-ups through diet. I’ve found which foods trigger a bad attack and avoid these as much as possible.

It’s a condition that needs careful handling.

I've had those nodes on my finger joints for years phoenix. They haven't caused me any problems yet (I'm 66). My DH has cervical spondylosis and goes to a physiotherapist for manipulation and has exercises to do which helps. He complains, but it is much better now.

pho, you are definitely not old enough for this - they must have it wrong. I hope you have future proofed your house!!!

Rotten luck, phoenix, but perhaps it won't progress as fast as you fear. I hope not

When I had a fractured leg and x-rays showed some osteoarthritis in a knee, the doctor told me that almost everyone over the age of 50 will have it.

I have had Heberdens Nodes for years and remember reading that you got them after a lifetime of hard work. Makes me feel better about it.

I've had osteoarthritis in my knees for years, at least from my early 50s, if not earlier. In the last year or so it's become a nuisance in my hands, one finger in particular which is now slightly bent and is painful to force into a straight position. My physio gave me exercises to do daily and also a splint for that finger to wear overnight. However, after a few weeks of faithfully wearing it in bed, I began to get referred pain at the base of the finger, which hadn't been apparent before. So I stopped using the splint, the referred pain disappeared, and the finger hasn't become any worse, which I was warned it would without the splint

phoenix

You have officially become a member of the knackered club .

I joined the club at the age of 34 and if the spondylosis, arthritis, osteoarthritis wasn't bad enough I too was diagnosed with COPD, Broncheactasis .

May the Force be with you!

POGS I thought it was quite a few weeks until Star Wars day?

You're better off than I thought you were Phoenix. I misread "cervical".

I am sorry that you are in pain. I stood up the other day and told myself (out loud, sadly), "that's not very good".

One of my exercises for my back is standing, without hands pushing me up, while tucking my bottom under. I suddenly realised I have reached the stage where I am scoring my ability to stand up from a chair! This is not what I signed up for but it seems it comes to us all.

phoenix, as has been said, join the clan of women of a certain age with achey knees, hips, necks, fingers and any other bit you can think of. I have RA, osteo a and some
osteoporosis. Tedious isn't it but I'm still here. If you find certain foods or drinks leave you feeling worse the following day it's worth avoiding those delicacies if you can. T'he view of consultant rheumatologists is that it's impossible to say which foods are triggers because we all react differently, as we do to medications. So, trial and error and try not to let it make you feel aged.

I was given a set of exercises to do for my hands. I also wear cotton gloves at night and put either ibuprofen or voltarol round the lumpy bits on my hands. and rest them on a hot water bottle throughout the night. I take turmeric in the form of golden paste in a drink most days. Not sure if it does anything but it makes me feel proactive. Also flax seed capsules and cod liver oil [one of each]. I have dupuytrans in my hands and ledderhose in my feet which, thankfully, doesn't seem to be progressing. I'm still convinced that being active throughout your life results in more arthritis type problems.

Thanks for the responses, much appreciated.

I don't think I'm allowed to feel old, even if I want to, which I don't! Officially work 3 days a week, although now that I have set things up so that I can access my work e-mail from home...............

Plus on the days I do actually go into the office, I take my boss's lovely lab, Layla, for a fairly long walk and a swim at lunchtime.

PS, I just do the walk bit, and throw sticks, I leave the swimming bit to Layla!

I had a hip replacement at 51 and have been told I have “a remarkable degree” of arthritis in my feet. I tell myself that although arthritis hurts it won’t kill me.
After donkeys’ years of arthritis research we are offered only anti inflammatories, which cause stomach ulcers, or butchery.

My knee knobs have grown to unsightly proportions. That might be artheritis.

Looking like Max Wall.

can you walk like him?

Yes, with my leggings on.

That's quite a talent! I'm impressed!