Arthritis - how do you cope

I_know_my_ABC_and_my_CMYK

Thank you for your reply.

I don't suppose you know why the pain kicks in when i lay down at all do you? If I'm upright, standing up or sitting up its fine no pain but as soon as I lay down it starts.

It's the worst pain I have ever felt. I'm a bit miffed at my dentist for not picking up on this but there is a Smile Clinic which is taking new patients on so I'm going to see if I can move to there.

I really do appreciate your input and everyone who posted on the thread also

dori2o

I_know_my_ABC_and_my_CMYK wrote: »

I have managed to get an appointment with my doctor but unfortunately its not until next Monday morning, he is fully booked up until then, so I took the first appointment at 08.25am.

I could see a different doctor as they are many at the practise but this one knows my history and the disabilities I have.

sounds really funny but is actually ended up sleeping with my head on the dining room table the other night, I actually managed to get an hour's sleep lol my son found me there and his shock at seeing me woke me up lol desperate times :rotfl:

I am ashamed to admit it ad especially as my best friend is a police officer that had I known where r to go and buy cannabis I would have done so, he would actually arrest me though if he caught me with an amount high enough to do so

so, plodding along until Monday.

Don't be ashamed.

It is an effective and proved method of controlling pain, and if the NHS would properly research into Cannabinoids both natural and synthetic, as many other countries (including Canada, Mexico, US) have done, more people would have the opportunity to gain a mild form of relief from pain that they have never had before.

It also helps to improve relaxation and stress, helping me personally to get a better nights slepp that I could normally get.

jenniewb

I_know_my_ABC_and_my_CMYK wrote: »

Thank you for your reply.

I don't suppose you know why the pain kicks in when i lay down at all do you? If I'm upright, standing up or sitting up its fine no pain but as soon as I lay down it starts.

It's the worst pain I have ever felt. I'm a bit miffed at my dentist for not picking up on this but there is a Smile Clinic which is taking new patients on so I'm going to see if I can move to there.

I really do appreciate your input and everyone who posted on the thread also

I don't have a definitive answer for why it feels so bad when you lay down but it could be due to the change in hormone levels we get at night, its apparently been proven (I apologise for my laziness but its 4.30am and I haven't got a link to back that up!) that at night when some of our hormone levels change, one of them that changes is a hormone that means we feel more pain (I'm sure this isn't its only advantage!) and could be why?

Another reason could simply be due to gravity. Your lying down and gravity is pulling from different areas then your used to and it could just be that its hitting a certain nerve which would otherwise be avoided by standing or sleeping propped up.

If the pain is really bad I'd keep going back to your GP and see if you can just get some more information on what exactly it is that hurts and so may be able to work something out to prevent it getting worse or help reduce the pain you do feel meaning less medication.

brook2jack

If it is jaw clenching/ grinding there is a very simple reason why the pain is worse when you lie down.
People who clench/ grind at night often do so in peculiar positions ie they tend to favour one side and sometimes put their teeth into contact in a different war to when eating or talking. Grinders and clinchers also use alot more force than normal so the muscles and tendons are under terrific force. As they lie down and start to settle the jaws move into their "grinding" or "clenching" position and the pain from the traumatised muscles etc starts.
So as well as your gp see a dentist. They can look for signs of night bruxing (grinding/clenching) and sort out the next step , if necessary.

Racheldevon

Really good advice from brook2jack - can't really add anything to the advice, other than to say brook2jack's explanations around grinding etc, and very similiar to my own experiences. Certainly after a month or so of wearing my guard I noticed a significant improvement in the jaw pain and locking I had been getting. I've had a couple of minor flare ups but nothing like before. I'd definately recommend speaking to your dentist, and perhaps asking for a maxillofacial referral to your local hospital. For me personally, if I now keep on top of the whole thing by not stressing my jaw muscles (eating too much chewy crunchy food etc), and using the mouth guard every night alongside regular enough acupuncture I manage to function pretty normally!

I_know_my_ABC_and_my_CMYK

I thought I'd post a quick update

Saw my doctor on Monday morning and he prescribed an anti biotic - Oxytetracycline, I cant take penicillin, thinking it was a sinus infection. He did also say to check with my dentist and checked my jaw hinge/joint, which doesn't click at all, surprisingly.

Anyway since taking the antibiotics I have no pain at all and what ever it was seems to have cleared up.

Having said that I am waiting on an appointment with my dentist anyway to make sure.

Thank you for all the posts and all the help, it is really appreciated:T:T:beer:.