ahhh. Did you carry the kids around in your hip a lot? I have both DDD and DJD and arthritis and bone spurs and had bulging discs etc. There’s a lot more. But I remember years ago when I was having babies, my chiropractor told me not to carry them on my hip. And when I vacuumed or did other repetitious things to switch it up and use the other side of my body to kind of balance it out. I also babysat other peoples kids and my own two little siblings that came 11-12 years later and then I had six kids of my own then my siblings had kids and then my own kids had kids and I’ve never not had a kid on my hips doing housework and the like!! So that’s why I ask. I don’t anymore though because I can’t. I’m in too much pain now.

I have both and I just thought it was the same as osteoarthritis. Which I also have. How old are you? Just curious. I’m 61 now (I don’t feel like I am, but my body does) and I’ve had spine and neck problems since I can recall - at least as a teen. Probably before but not real bad. I had spinal meningitis at 3 and almost died but doctors said I could have long term problems. I really don’t know if that’s why I’ve suffered my whole life or not. But I was strong and fit for many years. Even in my 40s I was fit (I didn’t exercise but I was just active) and walked and danced etc. and I suffered from pain at least a few days a week and headaches often and neck pain often. At 49 I had a physical breakdown and have been in a debilitating state ever since. At first I could barely walk sometimes and couldn’t get out of bed etc. I pushed myself though and after about a year I was walking better and stuff but still the pain was debilitating. I had a hard time. Lost so much of my life and my youngest kids lives because of it. They were teens when I got struck with it. Anyway, I struggle daily and the pain is so bad and I still have so much to do daily and I don’t work but I’ve taken care of my mom in-law the last seven years (Alzheimer’s) and at one time we had my daughter and she had three cats, my step daughter and she had a small dog and we had four dogs (and one was a terror in every way) and my stepdaughter was a heroin addict, and my mom in-law lived with us and my husband has mental illness and has been very difficult to deal with. Now after all of that and his mom just passed away this week it’s only me and him and three dogs. I can’t do even half of what I was doing the last seven years. I can’t get my housework done and I can barely care for the dogs and my husband and there’s no time or energy or strength left to take care of myself. I’m so wiped out the last thing I want to do at night is get in the shower. My hair is long so it’s not easy to take care of if I wash it. Most of the time I tie it up and just take a body shower. But I don’t have strength for anything. I’m taking collagen now. It’s helped with my hair a lot. I lost like half of my hair over the last ten years. It just started being noticeable on my temples so I started using castor oil on my scalp as well. The collagen has a big job to do though so I’m still waiting for it to start helping my joints. My knees hurt a lot too. I can literally feel the degeneration of cartilage tissue in them with my fingers. I also have connective tissue disease so it’s contributed too. I’ve never looked up either DDD or DJD. Now I’m kind of interested to see what it’s described as specifically. I just assumed it was just arthritis.

that’s so great to have a positive spin on this situation of chronic pain and are very uncomfortable

@Teardrops yes it is good to be connected to people who are going thru it and can encourage each other. Maybe one week someone is down in the dumps and another someone can bring them back up into positivity and encourage them. Then another time it’ll be reversed. That’s why it’s important to have friendships to keep us accountable in one aspect and to keep us looking up in another aspect. Pain and illness tends to isolate us like an abusive boyfriend/husband. We can’t let it do that to us. Joy and peace and laughter are important. A merry heart doeth good like a medicine!