By Mara Pattison-Sowden
She said the hardest part about having it, is not just the pain and the fatigue, but the fact she is often told that she is too young to have arthritis.
“I knew there was something going on for a long time. I used to complain about how sore my joints were,” she said.
“When I got diagnosed, it was a relief that I could say something was wrong.”
The Hoppers Crossing resident said the uncertainty of how each day will turn out is a struggle.
“I have pain through all my joints. Some days getting out of bed is a challenge, others I’m okay to go to work,” she said.
Ms Medlock decided to go back to full-time study last year, completing the theory side of a nursing course at Victoria University.
She is looking forward to completing her clinical placement this year.
“I still have a bit to do, but I’m determined to finish it,” she said.
Seeing a physiotherapist and a chiropractor is a regular part of life for Ms Medlock, but she feels safe going to the local gym where she is “watched like a hawk”.
“They are very encouraging and supportive, which makes it easier to go. It is hard, but if you sit around (the pain) can get worse.”
Ms Medlock is a member of the Young Women’s Arthritis Support Group, which meets once a month and has an active internet forum.
“We talk all the time, about who’s got the best doctor, what treatments we are on, tips, and how arthritis is affected in pregnancy,” she said.
She also enjoys reading an internet blog from a young man in England who has rheumatoid arthritis, the “adventures of a superhero on his journey through chronic pain and debilitating inflammation”.
This week is Arthritis Awareness Week and Arthritis Victoria is reminding people to move it or lose it, as regular physical activity is one of the best treatments for arthritis.
Young women struggling with arthritis can find Melbourne’s support group at www.ywasg.com
