At a recent appointment it was mentioned that my joints are hypermobile in an offhand comment. Well, it was phrased as there's nothing we can do for your pain because your joints are hypermobile.
A while before that appointment I had already come to the conclusion that I probably hadhypermobility. The general test for it is a checklist of 9 items,
Placing flat hands on the floor with straight legs
Yup, even at my size, no problems doing this.
Left knee bending backward
Right knee bending backward
I've always been told off by physio for over extending my knees.
Left elbow bending backward
Right elbow bending backward
I wasn't aware I did this as I rarely have my arms out straight, but it was pointed out at a recent appointment.
Left thumb touching the forearm
Right thumb touching the forearm
Always have been able to, still as easy as it ever was.
Left little finger bending backward past 90 degrees
Right little finger bending backward past 90 degrees
They're the least flexible of my fingers, but they do bend easily beyond the 90 degree mark.
So, that's a maximum score of 9,of which I score 9. But of course, there's nothing wrong with me and all my problems are in my head. (please note the sarcasm there)
I'm really fed up of being told there is nothing wrong with me. Or that I'm too young to have chronic pain issues, or that the problems I have can't happen even though there are hundreds of people I've managed to find cases of with the same problems as me.
It seems that there needs to be much more awareness of this problem. Hypermobility can be, and is, debilitating. It needs to be carefully managed with painkillers and physio. Now I can't take ibuprofen any more, as it made me ill, so half of my pain management is gone. The only physio I've managed to see (referred for my back) has assumed that I just have the typical student bad back so doesn't care that the exercises she gave me make the problem worse not better. I've not even had an examination of my back. Just a line of doctors making assumptions.
I guess the silver lining here is that I'm moving house soon. I'm moving back to my parents as I need to get away from my NHS PCT, and the PCT back with them has a proven track record. So fingers crossed, I can register back down south and get referred to someone who can help.
Until then, I guess I get to spend my days in agony, living on painkillers and boredom. Woo.
