The End of My Gaming Days (Arthritis Sucks!)

[Antimind]

Hullo folks,

Been a while, I know! I never thought the day would come that I would stop playing video games. Unfortunately it's coming very very soon for me. I have arthritis bad, everywhere. My hands are the most affected though. The quacks are still debating if it's osteo or rheumatoid though leaning toward rheumatoid. It's really messed up because a month and a half ago I was fine. Things have degenerated so quickly that I've been spending a lot of time trying to find new ways to do things (as well as having door knobs changed and such). It's bad enough not being able to hold a game controller. It's hell when you get trapped in your washroom because you can't turn the damned door knob (you can laugh, it is amusing).

Anyone else have arthritis and have trouble playing games? Today is a good day for me. I can type. Most days I can't. Sometimes just holding a mouse is hell. Stylus? Nope. Can't do it at all. I realized how bad off I am a few days ago when I was watching some docs on Netflix (on 360). Went to press the A button on my controller and the pain was terrible. Feel like I'm going a bit insane. I badly want Story of Seasons (3DS) but I really don't know if I could play it. I know that FPS and such are completely out of the question.

[Shadow Kisuragi]

I have suspected RA in my neck, and constant tendonitis on my wrists (suspected mild CTS/repetitive stress). I know how bad things can get on days, but fortunately there are ways to work around some things. For Xbox 360, you can use Kinect to navigate for most front-end things like Netflix, but many games still do not take advantage of the voice commands.

Fine muscle control may be something you'll never get back, but there are accessibility devices that can help. Something that I recently found out that's helped quite a bit is that I have Vitamin D deficiency, which got so bad that my muscles were constantly spasming and my hands, neck and legs were in constant pain. Have you tried taking some to see if it helps take some of the edge off?

[nupoile]

Wow, sounds not fun. Hope you figure out something that helps you soon.

Though I think we are a little ways off from all this coming together, there are devices being made that might make computer/gaming use easier. I often wonder with things like eye-trackers, Oculus Rift, speech recognition, motion controllers all becoming mass marketed, if one day we will wake up and the world of input devices will suddenly change drastically. I know we don't think of something like xbox's kinect as something to make you move less but what if it were re-calibrated to respond to small facial movements? Or something like those eye-trackers they market to help professional gamers dissect their workflow, what if it was changed to make where you were looking be the controller?

There are of course specially made controllers which include some of this but I think there will be some product which kicks off a whole series of input devices which don't require touch and actually work well while still being cheap. Things that are built into phones and tablets. All the tech is there it just needs someone to put it together in a way that works together well and has the backing to become mass market.

I guess what I'm saying is, don't give up hope! It might be a year or two or 3 (though it wouldn't surprise me if is was sooner)

I wish you well in the meantime!

[Shadow Kisuragi]

They've turned Kinects into head-tracking devices that allow you to do things that Google Glasses, Oculus Rift, and other similar devices do - that's where Hololens originated from.

[Antimind]

I'll try the Vitamin D and have the doc look into that. Thanks!

I'm old school. I don't like Kinect and stuff like it. I honestly can't play many of the newer games anyway. I get motion sickness really bad. I play all my 3DS games (I don't have many) with the 3D turned off.

[Fokakis79]

hey,

sorry about your arthritis. I have osteoarthritis in my feet and ankles. This limits my ability to do things like walk for long periods of time. I got 1-2 hours tops on my feet tops, but I know after that time, I will be in lots of pain for the next two days because of it.  Sometimes there is no getting around it due to work. When I go to Conventions, I just have to realize if I go, I will be in pain for the next two days. There are things I cannot do at all, like sports. I like playing baseball, but that is something I can never do really. I have lots of friends that are active outdoors and in sports, and I just do not get to hang out with them when they do that stuff. It is getting worse and worse also.

I am going to the doc to consider surgery but it will be mostly to give me relief with the pain, rather than a cure for it.

I now take MMJ for my pain, and it does wonders for it.  It takes care of the pain and the swelling. I am not sure if MMJ is legal in your area, but if it is, you might want to consider it. I was never into taking smoking cannabis before I got prescribed MMJ, but I know it helps me.  I hate pain killers, because of what it does to my bowels, let's just say, I went on pain killers after surgery one time, and did not have a bowel movement for TWO WEEKS!!!! MMJ, does not have that side effect, so I would much rather take that than anything else.

You also might want to give supplements a try, such as Chondrotin/Glucosamine Tablets. I took them for a little bit, and they helped slow down the process of my Arthritis. They are not a cure though.  They helped with pain a little bit.  I would see a doc before taking that stuff, because I am not sure if it helps with people that have Rheumatoid Arthritis.

So I feel ya about not being able to do things you love, and able to do normal things in life.  It is pretty tough sometimes to deal with it. I think the pain is the worse, because it can make you bitter, at least it did for me. Now that I am able to manage my pain a little bit, I live a lot easier. I hope you find some hope in knowing you are not totally alone in this, even though we are dealing with different areas of our bodies.  Keep searching for help with this, and don't give up on finding relief for yourself.

[Shadow Kisuragi]

...that reminds me. My father-in-law had terrible back and knee pain, and was looking for something to help with it. He found a drink supplement that took away ALL of the pain, and I've only heard good things about it from others. I'll see if I can't find the name of it and post back about it. I don't know if it'll help you, but it seems to help a lot of people.

[OatBob]

I have a single-handed controller for PS1.  I think I've been hanging onto it and all those RPGs for the time when I can no longer play games that require skill and dexterity.

[slackur]

I'm very sorry to hear of your pain and difficulties, and you will be in our thoughts and prayers.  I do hope alternative methods present themselves so you can continue to enjoy the things you love.

This may come across weird, but hear me out;
I had a friend in middle school who's sister loved the NES Contra, but when she got Chicken Pox, playing with her hands became so painful it just wasn't an option.  So, she relearned to play using an NES Advantage joystick and her feet!  After getting better, she kept practicing like that and got to where she could finish the game.

I dunno if that's a strange suggestion (or even applicable, depending on the nature and location of your arthritis) but I was thinking about all of the excellent RPGs on the virtual console, and how the Wii U gamepad was a large enough controller that it may be something that would work with other ways to press the buttons. 

Just running some thoughts through my head.  I've quite a few gamer friends who have disabilities, from a paraplegic buddy who fixes Dance Dance mats and arcade machines, to a lady with severe CP that still plays Mario.  (Come to think of it, she still has our original copies of Devil Dice and Midway Arcade Volume 1...)

Anyway, I'll ask around for more suggestions.  This kind of thing is important to me.

[MaterialHandlerMike]

I feel your pain. I have early-onset Osteo-arthrtis, pain that worsens depending on the weather. I had to give up playing Bass for the most part, because it became too painful to play. So far, I can play most games, but certain arcade machines cause me to tap out sooner than I would like sometimes.

[Antimind]

Fokakis79 - MMJ IS legal here, but not an option for me. I never liked the stuff. Though it's legal I have strong opinions against it. I would only give it a shot as an absolute last resort and I'm nowhere near that. BTW I don't want to start a debate about it. I've heard just about everything for and against.

Shadow Kisuragi - You're in the states right? Keep something in mind. A lot of the supplements and medications that are legal in the states are not available here. Even some everyday food/drink stuff that's ok down there isn't available here (because it does more harm than good). I'm willing to give it a shot if it's available here though.

OatBob & slackur - Thanks for the ideas but my situation is a rough one. Both hands, both ankles/feet, both knees, both shoulders, and my neck and back to a certain extent. Oddly enough, I learned to use an Xbox (original) controller with my feet years ago. Right after the new Halo 2 maps came out. I wanted to explore outside of Sanctuary and was SURE I could get out of it. This was before ways out of the maps were known by all. I needed to rocket/sword cancel while moving my second player back AFTER I was flying through the air with my player 1. Yup, managed that with my feet. I also managed to get both players all around the top of the map with both hands and feet. It was an interesting experience, really. Kinda embarrassing though when my buddy walked in and saw me doing it. He made me wash my controller before he would use it because my feet touched it...lol

EngineerMike - Oh man that SUCKS! I had to give up on a few instruments earlier in life for health reasons (shortness of breath). I know how bad that can blow if you're really in the music.

Ok so had that doc app yesterday, here's where I'm at. They upped the steroids cause they DO seem to be helping. They put me on a low dose at first because I'd never taken them, and they weren't sure if I would suffer from side effects. I can make a fist with my left hand though it still pains me a bit (not so bad though, workable). Right wrist is swollen and hurts like a mofo. It's mostly my thumb and middle finger on my right hand causing me pain. Tendons and ligaments in middle finger were inflamed to the point where it LOOKED broken a few weeks ago (they x-rayed it in the ER). I still can't bend it much. Kinda fun when I make a fist to show a doctor since I have to keep that finger straight. Left knee is swollen to slightly larger than a softball size. It doesn't hurt but it feels deuced awkward. I gotta keep it stiff when I limp about cause it likes to give out on me. Right ankle flat out fucking hurts. It's a bit swollen but not too much. The pain is the problem there. I'm typing through the pain atm. Mostly because I am Bored. To. Death. Typing to you folks is the most social interaction I've had in a while. I did manage to mess around a bit with some lamer titles on DS using the stylus in my left hand. I am ambidextrous which is certainly a huge bonus in my situation.

Anyway since this shit happened to me I'd like to find ways around it. I figured before posting that I'm not the only one in this situation, and with many gamers getting older it's bound to grow. Over the years I've read articles and heard some amazing stories of gamers with all sorts of disabilities. My situation isn't nearly as rough as the things they've overcome. Yes, my hands are weak. Not weak enough not to press the buttons and whatnot. The pain is the issue for me atm. I know though that the day will come when my hands will get weaker. I'm not blind to the facts. I'm still trying to deal with the everyday things that I can no longer do without a special workaround. That I'm coping with well. It's the fucking boredom that's killing me.

[Fokakis79]

No worries, man. Would never push anything on anyone they don't feel right about or are against. It sounds like you are doing what you need to, to take care of yourself. Glad to hear you can play some games a little bit.

I hope you stay connected on here, man. We are here to support each other on here. Thanks for talking about this, because it helps me talk about it also.

[Izret101]

I distinctly remember "going to McDonald's" with you in Halo 2.

The good ole days...

Hopefully something can get done so you at least get basic range of motion back. There are an endless number of meds out there. But like you said side side effects tend to be worse than what you are already dealing with.

Luckily you can take another pill to combat those side effect and another one for the side effects from that pill ad infinitum.

[Duke.Togo]

Have you ever considered PC gaming with a device that lets you do mouse control with your eyes? http://www.tobii.com/en/a.../products/hardware/pceye/

[Cobra]

That really sucks to hear Antimind. I can only imagine what it's like to start loosing the ability to do what you love. With my two biggest passions in life being playing game and creating them... I really feel ya... I'd hate to eventually lose the ability to do either. I think not being able to create games ever again would be what would hurt me most since creating games is what I live for.

Anyway enough about me, I really hope some of the suggestions already mention help out, and ultimately I hope that some new experimental treatment may come about since a lot of us will end up in the exact same situation.

Wishing you the very best of luck and strength in a crappy situation.