Pat
Hi, I also have this disease, along with Fibromyalga, my left knee is gone so the doc. said, he showed me an xray and the bones are rubbing together, I can feel this when i walk...and I used to love to walk, was walking 3 miles a day...no more..i really miss that..I have 3 ruptured disc in my neck and 3 in my lower back, if they fix them they will just get worse..because of the dengenerate disease...I have osteoarthritis, stomach and colon problems, because of the medication i take...I take vioxx for the arthritis and prilocet for stomach, I just developed sudden hearing loss, one day I got up and couldnt understand anything anyone said, the ringing in the ears was awful, Ive been on antibiotics and prednisone and now they have me on Methotrexate for the hearing, the drug is usually used for rumatoid arth. I get a shot of cortisone every 3 months, where ever I hurt the worse that day....it helps for a week or so...I have so much pain the only relief i get is percocet...I know it is addictive.. but the pain is unbearable at times...I tried water arobicts, tanning beds, exercise, cant do any anymore, because of the knee...I have a tenns unit, which sends shock waves down your spine or where ever your put it.. it does help cause your mind is on the shock..ha..I decided it was not going to get me down.. i was sleeping and lounging all day..so decided to get some sort of job where i could see and talk to people,, it has helped alot..my mind not the pain...I work 2 days a week 5 hours a day at a carousel in a mall near by..lots of children come..they help pass the time and I enjoy this..but over 5 hours and iM in bed the next day all day..if i over do i pay for it .. so i set my limits...If anyone out there want to share your pain..ha send me email...and last but not least..God has brought me through a lot...praise his name...