Hi. Long story I am afraid. I am 51 but have felt more like 100 for years now. I feel very stiff sometimes especially in the morning. My finger joints feel painful sometimes and both hips are very tender when I press them. Sometimes I can't lie on my side because they feel sore. I have had what I thought was tennis elbow for many years now but suddenly both elbow joints (at the base) are tender to touch. My left knee is painful too. Unfortunately I had a bunion op over a year ago and, consequently, this does not appear to have healed properly, and I get pain in my foot and have to wear trainers most of the time (not a good look with skirts!). All of a sudden my neck has started to ache and clicks when I move my head in a certain direction. At the top of my neck when I press my head, it feels sore. All in all I am a total wreck and I am fed up with it. My doctor thinks I am a hypochondriac and just suggests physio. Because there is no swelling or feeling hot he dismisses it.

So - I can't walk far because of my foot (bunion op), I can't ride a bike because of my elbows and neck and I can't play tennis because of the elbow - I can only swim and I don't like that much!

I also get twitching muscles (had those for years) in my arms and legs.

Is there anyone else like me? When I compare myself with friends my age, they all seem fine and I just seem to have something permanently wrong with me. The trouble is nothing ever seems to go .......... I just get something else as well. Most of these things I have had for years - I just get so fed up!

Hello just thought I'd comment, Last year i spent most of my time laying around, because i had bad joint pain-both knee's both elbows, and my shoulders. I'm 27 and have a serious illness, i think i can only dream of living to be 51. So maybe you should look on the bright side and be happy your healther than alot of people. Good luck to you!!!

Hi,
It is tough when your body stops working properly, I have had JRA most of my life and i still get really frustrated with it.

I would suggest keeping i diary so when you go to the doctor you can let them know exactly what you have been going through. They will hopefully listen to you more.

Listen to what your body is telling you, if if hurts to do something, don't do it or adjust how ou are doing it. Ask for help, it is not a weakness if you physically can't do something .

Do pain killers work? Try out other things too,heat and cool packs, long baths.

There is also alternative medicines which haven't worked for me but some others swear by them.

Don't give up, try to focus on what you can still do, not what you can't.

Good luck
Thistle

tinarina I really do know what you are on about as each morning I wake with hands that are as sore as. Knees that wont move properly and bunions on both feet. Still no too bad as I can walk about with them but they do get sore with different types os shoes. My hands and knees are at their worst in the mornings and nights. I also have had 3 back operations which haven't work completely as I'm still in pain. And tablets are my way to get about each and every day. I have just come out of hospital after getting calcification removed from my left shoulder. And Low and behold I got a staf infection while there. So what was supposed to be a 2 day stay ended up being a 2 week stay. So to like you I was told thast there was nothing wrong. Tell you're doctor to get of his fat backside and do the job that he was trained for. Or better still find a doctor that will listen to you. So all the best. The Tattman