Arthritis Forum
Home.

News.

Personal Stories. Links. Message Board.  
Arthritis Forum  
Add your comments to this topic Start a new topic
Date: 17.09.2009
From: monica

Subject: Hi Jill or anyone with OA in neck

What symptoms do you get when you have a flare up in your neck? I had a terrible night , my neck was going into spasms, also my head felt as if it had rocks in it when i tried to lie down and sleep. Could not get pillows right, although i know it is not them but my head, it feels as if my head goes numbish as if the blood is not there, itried the tens machine last night for the first time, only 20mins, i do not know if that started things off, i am to tired and fed up to care, sorry for feeling sorry for myself this morning, but i know you and the others are good listeners. Thanks
reply | back to forum

Date: 17.09.2009
From: jill

Subject: Re: Hi Jill or anyone with OA in neck

Hi Monica(((((hugs for u))))) ok my neck is painful too, ive only got 4 discs in my neck, we shld have 7!!my neck is as u describe, totally know wot u mean..... i take diazapam for the spasams, helps, not tried the tens machine, infact i wld be too scared too.....i get that numb feeling too, i constantly move my head to get comfy...... I must tell u about the V pillow that i use, its a godsend, go buy one, i use that to support my neck(no gaps anywhere) and it also supports my upper spine(have artha in that too) the V pillow is the best way to support the neck fullly, for get all those nasty orthpeadic pillows, they dont work for me, the V is the best...£8.00 is all.....try that......meanwhile, go back to rhummy and get MRI on that neck ok..... hope this helps, take care

Love Jill x
reply | back to forum

Date: 17.09.2009
From: val h :-)

Subject: Re: Hi Jill or anyone with OA in neck

hi monica big hugs my neck was playing me up night before last could not get comfy do get some numbness only recently neck started think so not put it together just thought it one of those things lol. hope things better for u now (((big hug)))
reply | back to forum

Date: 17.09.2009
From: Monica

Subject: Re: Hi Jill or anyone with OA in neck

Hi Jill
Just got up, had a bit of a sleep, but took that many tabs, feel a bit sick. I knew you would understand, i will get the v pillow, i know this is going to sound silly, but how do you use it, do you put it over the other pillows, i have two very soft ones, but they are good for me, except when i have a flare up. The disks in my neck which are no good are4,5,6,7, in the lower back L4/5 S1 T12 or 1 canno remember. I must be honest i am a bit dubious now about using the tens, i am getting pins and needles down from the elbow into the two fingers on my right hand, the doc said it is the ulna nerve from the neck, i am getting depressed over all this, i wish she would just send me back to the rhuemy, but she wants me to try this for two weeks on the neck and back. Sorry to go on, but i know you and val understand, thats why i like writing to you both. Thanks for your advice. Love you for it. I feel like i am going to cry, how silly is that.
Thanks Val for the hug, i could do with it right now.
reply | back to forum

Date: 17.09.2009
From: sharon

Subject: Re: Hi Jill or anyone with OA in neck

hi monica i have had the numbness you talk about in my fingers now for about 3 months i was told the same as you that it a nerve that is trapped because of swelling that was by my physio i have had acupuncture for it and that done no good i also got one of those v pillows and find it helps when going to bed i usually pull it down so the v fits under my neck i still got numbness in fingers but noone seems to be doing anything about it.let me know if they try anything new on you to ease the swelling the tens machine hasnt helped alot either i just keep taking the pain killers lol
reply | back to forum

Date: 18.09.2009
From: jill

Subject: Re: Hi Jill or anyone with OA in neck

Hi Monica, Sharon....remember this.... Your body is yours!! no one elses!!!so if the Tens machine is horrible for u and causing more probs...Please stop using it!! is it your GP that offered u the Tens? if yes, tell him/her that u want a referal, and say that the tens is making thngs far far worse....i get numb fingers and feet by the way sharon, still nowt has happened!!! right glas....GIRLPOWER is needed here.....stop using that horrrible tens, how on earth can that help a poorly neck, mb it helps stifff Muscles in the neck, but my understanding Monica is your neck is crap, like mine..... get a referal.....re painkillers, becos so many peeps write posts, I forget whos on wot....Zomorph is amazing painkiller...slow releaase, ask your GP or rhummy for a slow release morphine based type pain killer..... Like Val has said many times in her posts, IF u dont go bk and complain, the docs assume u have coped....peeps that cant cope will and DO go back(like our lufffly Val recently has)!! go back ask for something better, tramodol r goood also, or Transtec pain patches, again brill..... there is soooooo much out there, remember they try give u the less er painkiller becos they arnt sure how bad u r, keep going back and that is the only way they can tell....when they examine u say OUCH!!!!!! dont make it up like, but please let them know how bad it is..... Monica regards the V pillow, do as Sharon explained, snuggle your neck into the point of the V.... wo I also do is this.....I lay my head on one side of the V, and pull the other side of the Vpillow down so that as I lay on my side, the rest of the pillow is lying behind my thorasic spine!perfect, truly helps....also Monica, Diazapam helps relax the neck.... helps relaz the muscles..... so all in all....get a V pillow, go bk c Doc, say U cant use it, making u feeel sick etc with pins and needles...causes headaches....that tens machine is not a magical machine...I used that for my contractions.....lost all feeling in my legs....couldnt stand up... horrrrible!. Ask for the Best painkillers, we r entitled to them... let me know how u get on ok.... I have a pillow under my V pillow, I have a soft pillow, and V pillow on top, or there is no point in having one !! take care x
reply | back to forum

Date: 18.09.2009
From: monica

Subject: Re: Hi Jill or anyone with OA in neck

Hi Jill
Thanks for writing. I know you are right, i am going to go back to the gps and ask for a referral to the rheumy. I have taken that many diazepam i do not know what i am doing, then they say cut down, i am still having the spasms, pins and needles in fingers, also my toes on my right foot have been numb for over 2years, but nobody has taken any notice, now the same is happening on the left. When i do mention about my neck, the bad times i am having, gp states there is nothing they can do. I hav seen a neurosurgeon he states they will not touch my neck, the back they will put a spring into the disk to widen it, but i said no, if the spring goes i could end up in a wheel chair, the gp or physios have never heard of it, also this particular doc was very arogant, i thought my husband was going to hit him. I will ask for the tramadol. I am on Nortriplyne of a night plus the co-proxamol which they are slowly cutting down. My hubby is getting me the pillow today. so will try tonight, thanks for your help.
Also sharon thankyou as well. I am keeping of the tens machine at the moment. Take care everyone.

Monica
reply | back to forum

Date: 18.09.2009
From: jill

Subject: Re: Hi Jill or anyone with OA in neck

HI monica(((((hugs 4 u )))) Ok regards your back, and the spring, I can understand your fear, ive got bolts in my back, ive had DYNYSYS( its a kind of structures that supports my spine, like a scaffolding system...as my discs arnt there..so in other words the space between where the discs shld be are kept open due to the screws in my spine and the scaffolding system...

Do u know the name of the Op u were offered? im just wondering how risky the op would be? surely if they put in a spring arrangement, it cant go any where?? can it?? if im wrong, please correct me, im no expert at all, so many different ops for the spine, I now have to have Fusion as another disc has gone above L5/L4!.... I need to see someone about my neck, didnt know I cld see a Nurosurgeon for that tho...will ask next time I c my gp, becos three of my 7 discs r now gone.... I have two necl braces, one spongey, and one hard, metal thingymajig, but after wearing my neck brace, other muscles seize up........ I truly want to know more about my neck etc, and Y it cant be operated on, prob cos its too close to the major spinal fluid or brain or summat lol...... anyway thanks for that bit of info, will look into that....Please go back to Rhumy....U need better medication....ask to see an aorthopeadic surgeon as well....and ask about any other type of op u can have..... they dont have to fill the space where the disc once was...they can keeep it apart by using Dynesys(gooogle it) hard to expalin.....so glad u got that V pillow.....remember u may have to fiddle with it to get your neck in the correct place for u! we r all different, I put my head on the side of the pillow and have the rest supporting my upper spine...works well for me....then I do change positions, its fab...... take care and speak soon

Love Jill

Love to Val and Lynneypooos too.... gotta go for now xxx
reply | back to forum

 

Add your comments to this topic
Subject:
Please type your comment here:

Your name:
email:

4+1=
(This sum is to help prevent automatic spamming through this page - thank-you)


top

Site design: T - Creative Home | News | Personal Stories | Links | Message Board