"Pain Management."

My illnesses are as follows:

- SLE Lupus

- Secondary Antiphospholipid Syndrome.

- Fibromyalgia.

- Rheumatoid Arthritis.

- Arthritis.

- Osteoarthritis.

- Spinal Stenosis.

- Multi pulmonary Embolisms.

- Bakers Cyst.

- Hiatus Hernia.

The medication I take is as follows:

- Zomorph

- Methotrexate injections

- Etoricoxib

- Apixaban

- Folic Acid.

I need several operations including a new knee and a hip replacement but due to my blood syndrome, I am unable to have ANY operations. I am in constant unbearable pain being at a 10/10 and cry with the pain every single day. As I am in severe pain it stops me from doing so many things including being unable to travel for any period of time, standing up to make a drink, unable to walk unaided and being unable to have a shower/bath. Due to the severity of my hip and knee, I cannot even get into/lie in my electrical bed due to the pain, so therefore I have been sleeping in my chair for over 12 months, which is now causing me back pain. Due to the pain it is causing, my social life has become a massive struggle for over a year now.

Social services have been great and have done so much to help me manage but the only thing they cannot help me with is the constant pain I am in every hour of every day. I was referred to a doctor at the Leicester General Hospital in the Pain Management Department for my right knee and my left hip 3 months ago. I then went on to have a superomedial, inferomedial, denervation and genicular nerve block. The procedure has been amazing and I am now waiting for my right hip to be done in April 2019.

A few weeks ago I had fluid drawn off my left hip and had a steroid injection which has given me so much relief. I am now taking half my pain relief medications and life is so much better with having the steroid injection on my hip and knee. They may not last forever but for now, I have some relief from constant severe pain and as it is so distressing, I am unable to come to terms with never being able to have an operation.

I want to thank the doctor I saw and the pain management team for helping me.