I've come to realize how much my current job really affects my PsA and pain in general. The carrying and gripping of tools is just too much when it's constant and all day. I'm really afraid it's going to continue to cause pain and flareups and ultimately make my PsA worse. I'm expect to hear on a new position soon and have another interview next week. It just can't happen soon enough for me.
I'm so afraid of ending up with irreversible damage. My hands were so sore this week that I could barely pick up a pen and write. That's really scary. I took some pain killers but my hands need a few days or more to rest, otherwise I'll be dealing with it all over again next week.
I told my mother a few years ago what I had (PsA) but knew she didn't really understand the pain. Then about a month ago I mentioned it in passing, she finally seemed to acknowledge PsA and that she understood the issues. She reacted like it was the first time she'd heard about it. I guess she wasn't listening the first 10 times I told her.
If my mom has osteoarthritis and I have PsA then I guess it's possible I could end up with both. That's just great isn't it :(
I'm hoping to get a new job offer soon. I'm sure once a get another job I'll feel better. Thanks for listening.
Dini, when your disease starts interfering with your work (as it obviously is), I think you need to get a second opinion. You’re lucky not to have permanent damage yet. And the emphasis here is on YET. The best outcomes for this disease are achieved with early and aggressive treatment.
If you haven’t already invested in it, I highly recommend this book:
It’s available in both hard copy and e-book format.
When I see “OA”, I get the willies. I had both knees replaced because of “OA”. Then my feet started giving me grief, and I ended up with erosions. That’s when I got the PsA diagnosis, which my rheumie said was mild. Then my hips went bad. “Really bad OA,” they said, “you can have both PsA and OA, you know”. I had my hip replaced the same month that I went for a second opinion. The second opinion was that my disease was severe, not mild as Rheumy #1 had said. The shocker was that my knees, my feet and my hips were all, in their opinion, PsA damage. Now, far too late, I’m being treated aggressively and I am doing, and feeling, extremely well (for the first time in about 15 years). But my feet are deformed, both knees and one hip is gone. My surgeon’s on standby to replace the other hip.
Please don’t accept the word of just one rheumatologist. Too much is at stake – your livelihood and your body. I hate to sound bossy, but … OK, I’m bossy. LOL
I wish you luck....I too need a change....been doing warehouse work for over 20 years and those stand up trucks and lifting have beat me to death....my problem is what do I do now? It is all I have ever done and not sure what to do ....hope you feel better !
Thanks Marcia, I'm still working on some pain I've had the last few days. It's odd, or new to me anyway. One day my left shoulder is giving me trouble, the next day it's fine, but then two days later my other shoulder is giving me trouble. Same goes for my hands, it seems to be this on and off issue.
I thought about the new job thing for a long time too. I think you have to stick close to what you know but maybe branch out a little so that you can be an asset to another job and sell yourself but at the same time not necessarily end up with the same physical work. I'm trying to get moved to essentially the same job in another department. I'll be learning a lot of new things but I'm able to bring my experience with me to help also.
Keep on the look out, you never know what might come up. I hope something new comes up soon for you too ! Good luck :)
