What are you all up to

Rufs

You are not encouraging me!!!! I think the NHS only does regular knee replacements when for many a partial one would be enough. Your current  time scale fits in with the colleague I mentioned and she felt she could not wait another two years.

Several years ago I had an arthroscopy on my right knee and had to go through physio with that and it can be uncomfortable, goodness knows what its like with a replacement. It strikes me that if I end up with stiff knees I am only marginally better off than I am now. I have used the gels but don't find them particularly effective. Naproxen is more effective, but probably not so good in the long term?

David

Yes they did discourage partials on the grounds that they might only last 5 years whereas a full replacement has a life expectancy of 10 yearsfbut .

I spent a lot of money on private physio even today i still go perhaps twice every quarter at £65 per pop, but i have treatment on my hands also after having had a trapeziectomy on both my thumb joints, even tried acupuncture before the replacements which is ok but the benefits only last for 5 days tops, dont be put off, for every one of me there are millions out there that would not be walking today, and my consultant showed me a video of a patient who had refused replacement, you seen folk with extremely bandy legs, that can happen if you opt to tough it out.

Man up

"Several years ago I had an arthroscopy"

my EG daughter went thru this and it was a disaster, yes we were/are a very sporty family so suffer from lots of limb ailments, my GP would not recommend it when i enquired

Hi David.  I've had both my knees done (and both shoulders).  The first one (left knee) was a little more sucessful than the right one.  The worst thing is that it is really difficult to knee down once you have had them done.  I can manage to kneel, but usually on a padded surface where you can put pressure just below the knee.  I take a kneeler with me (with supporting handles, to help me up) when out in the caravan.  I do have some mild neuropathy in hands and feet following my second knee replacement, but no-one is saying this is the result of or related to the knee surgery...  Fortunately, it doesn't effect me too much.

David

A damp day in North East Wales today, but both as bad as others have had by the sounds of it. Wasn't worth doing a lot but did manage a couple of dry walks mixed in with 3 wet ones. Our last night here before we moved short distance to the north. Just hope the ground is not too soft as we are on a grass pitch at the next site.

Sorry read of your travel woes,brue,  Hope the rest of your journey is a lot less fraught.

So far we both have avoided any major surgery for replacement parts, fingers cross that continues to be the case, but do feel for those that have had and are having problems with the NHS.

The sun has got his hat on hip hip hip hip hooray,  done a modest 15k on my bike before breakfast, lets hope that summer is back now you may catch it rough on the East coast today RR i thought i saw on the weather that the low we had yesterday was moving your way, but then again weather men never seem to get it totally right we had rain for most of yesterday when they predicted it would clear by lunch time, never set foot outside the door 

Sunshine and showers here, but yesterday was mainly sunny.  We were down at DD's for lunch and doing some bits and pieces before they went off to Edinburgh this morning.   I hope the cycling events road closures will not have delayed them too  much this end, then they have the Festival and Fringe traffic to contend with over there.  Somehow I think SIL did not realise that this was not really a good weekend to be out and about when he booked!

However, the school  holidays will soon be over in Scotland, Callum has his first day at school on the 16th, and SIL is back at the chalkface on the 14th, so this was really the only weekend they had left to go anywhere.  It"s only a 2 night hotel stay, so they are going to be busy with visits planned to the Zoo, the Castle, and a couple of NTS properties.

DD was not that keen on the trip, commenting that the 2 nights plus meals etc was costing more than a week away in the caravan.  She much prefers the more laid back holiday in the caravan, and finds hotel stays a hassle with the 2 children.

I fitted in 2 trips to Ayrshire with logs for our son, so at least we can now just about get into the front garden to deal with the sea of weeds, all we need now is the motivation, I am not really big on gardening!

Fine sunny day here so plenty of washing done and dried. 

Also plenty of gardening done, although looking at it you wonder how 2 brown bins are nearly full.

Had an exceptionally long phone call with brother in France.

Big clear out of books but it barely touches the amount needed to be shifted.

Sorry to hear of Goldie's OH keeping their local A&E busy. Is his bee/wasp problem a recent one Goldie? I've heard of people developing a reaction to stings later in life. I've been stung a few times but only have the usual shivers afterwards.

And I'd forgotten how lovely and peaceful Port Logan was 

Tammygirl said:- DK, in Tayside they will not prescribe anti inflammatories to anyone over 65 years of age. I was on Diclofenic for many years then got changed to Naproxen as they fazed out Diclofenic. Had Naproxen for a few years, didn't find it as good as Diclofenic but it did take the edge off. Now I no longer take anything, just do some simple exercises if feeling tight. I can't take Ibuprofen at all as it upsets my stomach. The gel if you can get 10% helps but the 5% is ineffective.

TG

Before I had my hip operation I was on Diclofenac which was very effective but as you say they won't give it to older people now. I don't take Naproxen everyday, only if pain and stiffness gets too much and then I will take it for a day or two. I also have to take Lansoprazole which protects the tummy. Exercise and movement are usually the best at overcoming the pain but it does depend on how bad it is. Also an ice pack is also very effective, if a bit short lived!

David

The hotel stay by the family is not going too well.   They ordered a cot for Nathan, but it turned out to be only a small cot, not what he is used to as at home he has a larger cot bed, and does rummage around quite a bit in the night, even ending up turned 180 degrees,

They have put him in the alternative folding bed, supposedly  coralled by the side of the supplied cot, but he has rolled out and ended up under the bed!

OH did ask before they departed if they had packed the bed guard they use in our caravan, but they thought having ordered a cot, things would be Ok.

OH was sceptical,  but they did not listen.   Talking about having to buy a bed  guard, which is silly.   Have suggested they just put Nathan's  mattress on the floor, not far to fall!

No much wonder DD would prefer to be in the caravan!!

Question.....why can older people not be prescribed Diclofenic or Naproxen?

I do not have either prescribed, bur am now starting to have pains in my hand joints.  Hips and knees are OK, but back gets sore easily.

OH has Omeprazol prescribed, but nothing else, but does regularly take paracetamol for very bad pain in her (replaced) shoulder ( back in 2015)  and more recently in her hand joints.   She was prescribed cocodamol, but  cannot take it as it makes her constipated.

Great morning again, looks like grass needs cutting again.

personally i think a lot of what is perscribed or we buy as a fix or relief from muscular pain, is only as good as you think it is. I have tried a lot of so called Homeopathic medicine over the years at great cost, i am currently using a nerve dermal patch that is supposed to be good for sciaticure etc, works fine when you first start to use them or you think they do, but then as time goes on the novelty wears off and you think why did i just waste my money, i also have one of those foot massage massage machines as advertised by Ian Botham, what a load of twaddle, it is parked behind my desk never used it for months, the only thing i have taken regularly for years, and i think it works, is Aspall raw organic apple cyder vinegar, 3 cap fulls with same amount of water before breakfast, it is an acquired taste, but never have tummy problems.