Indomethacin

I have recently been revisited by a long-time companion: arthritis.

I first met the big A in the seventies and after being referred to a rheumatologist started on the trail of deciding which medication was going to help. I started out with asprin, then brufen, voltaren and every known non-steroidal medication, radio-therapy and steroid injections. After about three years of extreme pain he moved me on to the heavy stuff and a course of gold injections did the job.

Now it has returned and lodged in my left knee. Gold is out of the question as is methotrexate because of the possibility of liver damage and so I have gone back to Indocid (Indomethacin). Indocid really works well, but has nasty side effects with me. If I take it as directed...two, three times a day after meals, I get whacked out and feel like I am having a very bad hangover. So, I take it only after the evening meal and it sort of works and I come good around 9.30am.

It's not a biggy: several friends have far more debilitating health problems.

Our son Martin has just returned from a job interview where he was successful and starts tomorrow. This job comes with the use of a vehicle and so we can sell his current bomb and save us money in licence and fuel. We hope that he can make this job work.