Arthritis

Hi, my name is mari101_2000. I'm here because I think online support is critical. I'm a 48-year-old mom of two. Brittany is 28 and is on the autism spectrum and has PTSD. My son, Tyler, is 24 and diagnosed with bipolar and ADHD. He is unmedicated by choice. He's been sentenced to three years for probation absconding. We don't have a relationship at the moment. I've been through a lot of trauma, I'm either MDD or Bipolar 2, and I don't know why they can't tell the two apart. I have CPTSD, depression, and anxiety. I also have a chronic illness.. I have very bad gastroparesis, and it's really affecting my life. I also have horrible arthritis, fibromyalgia, and back and hip pain. These are the things that I'm struggling with. Brittany had a baby that she'd worked very hard to bring forth. She had Everleigh, and she was a stunner. Five weeks later, she died of SIDS. So we are all grieving her. Also, we lost my mother to Alzheimer's about 6 months later.

Sorry, I just spilled my guts. Hope to make some connections!

#MightyTogether #Anxiety #AutismSpectrumDisorder #Depression #PTSD #Grief #Fibromyalgia #Migraine #Gastroparesis #Arthritis #COPD

Hi, my name is MamaFrog. I'm here because I was diagnosed with: Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, IT Band Syndrome, Insomnia, Narcolepsy, and depression between 15-17 years ago. In the last 10 years, I have been diagnosed with: Sjogren's Syndrome, Costrocondritis (inflammation of the fascia over/under/around the chest wall...this feels like a heart attack. In my case, this climbs around my whole chest wall, up into the whole neck, jaws, and into both ears.), chronic headaches, arthritis (in my whole back, neck, with lower bone spurs in my pelvic region). Not to exclude the bulging disc between my shoulder blades, and disgenerative disc disease. I know... I'm a total mess ( my husband tells me this frequently! 🤣🤣)!! I take WAY too many medications (including 30mg Morphine 3 times a day) just so that I can function (ie. move my body without much pain, think clearly, sleep, stay awake all day, etc ...😬😱😭). I have many books on most all of my chronic illnesses, and keep mostly up-to-date on medical testing/discoveries involving my "issues". Today is Easter Sunday (HE HAS RISEN!!), and it's been a tough day for pain/movement/ cognizance/memory and it's not even noon yet!! I hope you, that are reading my ramblings, are ALL in a great place today and everyday!!! Gentle Hugs! 🤗 ❤️

#MightyTogether #Anxiety #Depression #Fibromyalgia

Hi, my name is bier. I'm here because I've been recently diagnosed with bilateral shoulder osteoarthritis. I'm 46 yo male and very active. History of anxiety and depression and catastrophizing and spiraling how my life will be with potential chronic pain.

#MightyTogether #Anxiety #Depression #Arthritis

Hi, my name is Palomino69. I'm here because I developed severe swallowing issues, food trapped in gullet, severe dry eyes (Blepheritis) and mouth about 3-4 years ago.
I am housebound due to arthritis, degenerative spine condition and poor mibility. I was wheelchair bound until I had spinal surgery, because my legs kept giving way. Last year I moved my elderly Dad in. I developed pitted oedema briefly in June which went away but ever since then, I've had a weird fizzing feeling in my lower legs, like theres pop in my veins!!?? My Gp ordered bloods and an ECHO last year as he was concerned my heart was the cause. He also prescribed folic acid because my red blood cells are too big and not circulating my nlood properly!!?? He said he wanted an ECG done too along with follow up bloods 6 werks later to check if my red blood cells were better.. I was only supposed to be on the folic acid for 6 weeks. I never heard back from them and the nurses never came back to do follow up bloods or the ECG!. I only found out by chance on looking at my online records that I now have 50% loss of function in my left venticular!!!??, I have a defribrillator implant because I had a cardiac arrest aged 29! I have always had very low BP and have always craved salt since childhood. I sadly lost my amazing Dad 30.12.25, which continues to crush me mentally and emotionally, to the point I am currently suicidal! .For the last 3 months since I lost my Dad, I have been totally unable to swallow solids! Every time I tried 1 small bite, it lodged where a mans Adams apple would be and my throat spasmed violently and agonisingly for up to 2 hours. My mouth salivates excessively as though I need to be sick, but that 1 tiny mouthful, will neither go down or come back up! I have lost nearly 3 stone in weight and currently weigh 49kg. I bought some Ensure drinks last week and initially, when motivated to bother taking nutrtion, I could swallow them. But this week, even fluid is getting stuck!! I cannot even drink tea or water anymore. Which means I also cannot swallow my much needed pain medication anymore. I've also been going extremely lightheaded, dizzy severely off balance and I now get really bad pain down my neck and shoulders, whenever I am upright!? I also developed upper limb tremors, last week, which were initially just in my arms and quite mild. But this week my whole upper body including my head are tremoring constantlly??
But this evening a delivery driver knocked at my window. I stood and took 4-5 paces to the window and Oh my God!! My whole body started tremoring violently, my neck and shoulders became so painful, but then the worst! My heart started racing that violently.I could hear my pulse raging in my ear. Then suddenly silence, then my heart and pulse seemed to return to normal??? The tremors lasted about 20 mins. Could all of these symptoms be POTS?? Any advice would be appreciated.

Right now, I am lying in bed, not really wanting to get up and start the day. My ears are ringing and everything hurts. Can't I just lie here until I feel better?

No, I cannot, because, sadly, I will never feel better having #POTS #Fibromyalgia #Arthritis and #EDS hypermobile type. I also cannot just lie here because I have some control over my day.

I am a homeschool mom of many. I have control over how I handle my pain, but, no control over my pain. I have control over what I can accomplish. I have things I want to do because I enjoy them. I love cooking and going to garage sales. So, I will do those. My pain and multiple other symptoms will flare and I cannot control that. I will probably have to lie flat on my back in bed or in the recliner for hours to recuperate.

Some days it is just too much to deal with and I want to give up. No more tests, imaging, PT, pain, dehydration, various other symptoms. Just no more. During a flare, everything feels out of control and it's depressing. What can I control? Not much really. But, I can have some control over my environment, doing what I need to feel comfortable and not as depressed. I can listen to soothing music, put on my essential oil diffuser, lie in bed and rest, sit quietly and do a word search. I will not let my health control me today.