Episode 39 – How did we survive IA in 2025?

Debbie: Hello and welcome to Inflammatory with Debbie.

Katy: And Katy

Debbie: How was your week, Katy? I’ve seen that you’re now a professional darts player.

Katy: I mean yeah, mean it’s quite very fun week actually. We had…

Debbie: Is it littler by name, littler by nature?

Katy: Good dart joke

Debbie: Thank you, I do try!

Katy: Yeah, so I had my work team day in Bristol and for the social bit, we went to a flight club darts, which I do love. So, I’ve been a few times before with Netball. So, work have witnessed my slightly competitive side.

Debbie: Ooh, dangerous.

Katy: So, for anyone who’s not been to flight club, it’s darts, but it’s not darts as you would see at Alley Pally. It’s more sort of silly games. as an example, there was like a donkey race and you’re a number. So, every time you hit your number on the darts board, your donkey moves the place. And if you hit other people’s numbers, their donkey moves back. We had a few different rounds. And then I made the final. There was about 60 of us and there was five of us in the final. And then the final is this game called killer. So similar to the other game, you have a number on the board, and you have to hit your number at least three times and then you can become a killer, and you can get other people out by hitting their number. It was so competitive, but also, I’m on a different team to what some of the other people in the final were on. So, they were all trying to get me out. It was horrible.

Debbie: It’s not like they’re ganging up on you.

Katy: They ganged up on me, but anyway, I was victorious. So, I had the final laugh.

Debbie: Well done, of course. I wouldn’t expect anything else, Katy.

Katy: It was very fun. Yeah. How have you been?

Debbie:  Yeah, usual at the moment. Every day a new joint, but life’s quite stressful at the moment moving and everything seems to be breaking at the moment. It’s just, that time of year where you’re just like really?

Katy: Something else has gone wrong.

Debbie: Yes, my joints they’re all flaring but not as bad as they probably be so it’s just trying to keep it all in check

Katy: Okay.

Debbie: Also, my daughter has a cold and I think I’m picking that up as well so it’s yes I’m slightly dreading that but I’m going to make sure I top up with Lem sip this weekend so yes trying to make sure that I can survive until at least Christmas Day but Katy you did your last 10k last week how was it?

Katy: I did. Yes, I did it on Sunday. I mean, it was a very cold day. but it was lovely and sunny. So, it was really, really nice. But I’d played netball the day before and I don’t know what’s going on, but my lower bit of the back into my glutes was really sore when I woke up. I didn’t feel that good. I didn’t push myself too hard, but I finished it was really nice, apart from I arm warmers and they chafed. So, I’ve got a really sore bit under my armpit where they sort of rubbed as I was running. You should always train in what you’re going to run in and then you can kind of work these things out before. But I thought 10k, it’s not that far, all that kind of stuff.

Debbie: No. You’re really not selling it to me though, Katy.

Katy: So I’ve got a really sore underarm, which is very annoying. But then what it did do, because my back was a bit sore, I have had quite a rest this week and not done too much. It’s quite a nice excuse to have a bit of a break from exercising have to see what I want to do next year. I always like a running challenge to keep, because what I find it helps with is even if I’m not training super hard, it makes me keep up that consistency if I’ve got something in the diary that I’m working towards.

Debbie: I used to run 5K every day and that was my challenge and trying to beat the time. but I do think it’s great though what you’ve done and thank you to everyone who sponsored you. I think that’s been amazing. but how have you found it throughout the year though? Have you found it getting easier or harder?

Katy: Well, because recently I’ve been playing more tennis, what I’ve really found hard is balancing my time because the more tennis I play, the less time I’ve got to go for a run or go to the gym. my strength training has really dropped off a cliff because I’ve been playing tennis.

Debbie: Yeah, there is that difference because I did actually see something, I must have been on social media I think and Andy Murray was talking as much as I don’t like Andy Murray, sorry Andy Murray fans, that when he went and coached Novak Djokovic he was told to then can you go run with him? He was like, but I haven’t run since I was like 21. It’s very different how your body can cope with a long distance compared to tennis which is that short spurt, isn’t it?

Katy: Yeah, but I mean, the thing, like a tennis match can last, I guess, sort of two to three hours. So, you’ve still got to have that endurance, but it’s a different style of endurance because it’s more short bursts. And it’s the same with netball, a netball game that I play lasts an hour, but you’re not constantly running at a certain pace. It’s those short, short bursts, but a baseline of endurance really helps. So, running then feeds in because you can’t do short bursts for a long time if you haven’t got the initial endurance. So, you do need that baseline kind of fitness to then be able to last. But then you also need the strength to prevent injuries. So strength training for me is more about injury prevention and having everything sort of supported correctly. I’ve had quite a lot more niggles this year because I haven’t been doing quite so much strength work in the gym. it’s always everything is trying to find that balance and it’s so hard to do.

Debbie: I still try and do what I can, but with the moment with my back and my hips and my elbows, when it’s kind of most upper and lower body, there’s then not much I can actually do. I do go for a walk, obviously, to take my dog out, and that’s just what I can do, but I think it’s just trying to do whatever you can, try and fit into your day and into your lifestyle.

Katy: Yes.

Debbie: as well and don’t feel too bad that I’m not going down the gym even though I still have my gym membership.

Katy: But it is exactly that because also day to day it can be so different and actually having a slight kind of, don’t know how to explain my back pain. I think it’s more to do with, I think my hamstrings are quite tight. It’s everything’s sort of pulling. it’s different, but it’s always a good reminder of how you do need to build in rest or you need to build in, because it’s not just having strength training, endurance that kind of thing. It’s also, you’ve got to make sure you’re fitting in the sort of flexibility and the stretching and the recovery. This list of things you’ve got to do, it just expands and expands.

Debbie: It does. But actually, what you mentioned there though, strength training, that has actually been one of our best episodes this year with Matt. So, thank you so much Matt for, you’re listening. It was a great, that was a really good episode. And I think it proved because he was a PT and a physio as well, he brought in so many different perspectives I think from what he said there is just do what you can, you know.

Katy: Yeah, because what I really enjoyed about his episode is he wasn’t too descriptive about the amount of everything you should be doing. Because I think that can be an issue for people because they’ll see whatever it is on the NHS guidelines, the 150 minutes a week. I’m not sure if I’ve got that right. But some people, that’ll be too much and be something that they can’t achieve. So it’s more about those incremental changes, which moves on quite nicely. One of my favourite episodes was our “1 %” episode.

Debbie: I did enjoy that, that was a good one. and just doing that small improvement every day or every week, it really does improve you, improve your wellbeing, And what others were your favourite then?

Katy: Yeah. I was thinking about this this week and as I’ve already said, 1 % was definitely a favourite. I loved “Soundsystem” because of the analogy around the turning up and turning down of the volume around how your joints feel. So, if you get a chance to go and have a listen to that one. But then one of our newer episodes where we’ve now moved onto YouTube is the one where we talk about “is sitting bad for your health?”. And actually, guess a lot of these are quite linked to things that I find interesting, sort of trying to be a little bit better, trying to understand how to navigate talking about the disease, but then also trying to be active as much as possible as well.

Debbie: They were probably all on the top of my list as well. But absolutely my favourite one because I think it took me so much out of my comfort zone that there were things I’d never said was the deep dive on mental health and “you are not alone”. Because I think we had so much feedback on that saying actually how honest and vulnerable you both are and it’s like actually we really were and it resonates with so many.

Katy: Yeah, and I’m really not normally.

Debbie: No, me neither, but that resonated with so many people that whatever you’re feeling, it’s okay to feel like that. And I think we just validated people to say, you can, everyone has those, thoughts that you don’t ever want to have, but it’s how you get yourself out of it and how much strength it goes into to doing that, because it’s so easy to say, you know, just snap out of it and it’d be fine. It’s not, you’ve really, but when you do,

Katy: Yeah.

Debbie: You have to take that time out to say, my gosh, I’ve got through that. I don’t know how I did, but give yourself that pat on the back to say, actually, you can do it because physical health really does impact our mental health. And it’s just trying to get that across to people as well. So that was my top one. was episode five. So that was properly back in the beginning of the year. So yeah.

Katy: Wow. We went in quite heavy quite quickly didn’t we?

Debbie: We did actually, yes, because we had the “sex and relationships” one as well that’s came around at Valentine’s Day, that was February time,

Katy: That was my most uncomfortable episode.

Debbie: But yes. It was mine as well, to be fair.

Katy: I found that more uncomfortable than the “You’re Not Alone” episode for sure.

Debbie: Yeah, there are things that, you know, I probably would never have told anyone, let alone it then being broadcast on a podcast. But, it’s there to help people. So, hopefully it has. But obviously, I think one of our most popular ones, you know, going right back to the beginning, actually, we recorded it around this time last year because we did record two prior to our launch.

Katy: Yeah.

Debbie: Just to give ourselves some headspace in there actually when we launched it was obviously “Our journey begins” if people don’t know us if you’ve only just picked up the podcast please go back and listen to that one and you’ll understand a lot more about us and why we’re actually doing this and how long it took us to get our symptoms recognized and to get that diagnosis as well so. Yeah, so that was a good one.

Katy: It was and how nervous were you on that first day of recording?

Debbie: I was so nervous. Weirdly sitting in front of a microphone even though now it’s funny, I bat two eyelids about it. But yeah, sitting down in it, we were in a studio, and it was all very professional, and it was, hopefully will hear there’s a slight difference in tone now. We are more relaxed.

Katy: Definitely. Yeah, I feel much more comfortable now. And I think that is one of the things that actually talking about it, this has shown me that talking about the day to day really does help because you feel much more comfortable the more conversations that you have.

Debbie: It does. I think the thank you to everyone again who sent in feedback. It has been amazing. And so many people have said, thank you. Your stories resonate with us. They’re listening all the time. know, as soon as it comes out on a Friday, they’re listening. And it’s great because you get to hear from people that get it, and that’s what we are here to do and to create that community. And we really are creating that online digital community, which is fantastic.

But I must admit, our other favourite ones and our most popular ones are where we have guests on. And we must talk about James’s episode our latest one that’s come out. What were your thoughts, Katy

Katy Yeah. His authenticity, it was just so much actually resonated with me that he didn’t really tell his friends to begin with. It wasn’t until lockdown that it really started talking about his situation more and the struggles with getting diagnosed both in this country and overseas. But I just can’t imagine what it’d be like. know he speaks Mandarin but being in a foreign environment with doctors where you don’t completely understand what they’re talking to you about. think that must be so difficult.

Debbie: Yeah, because I think we picked it up in the episode as well that even, when we go into our hospitals and they just talk so much medical language, that is like another language. You don’t know. And I think that’s where the power dynamic changes. And it’s what are you saying to me? I want to be empowered to understand, to then ask questions. But when you just talk so much medical jargon at me, I have no idea what you’re talking about. So, I have no questions because I don’t know what you said.

Katy: Yeah, I don’t understand. And, the fact he was misdiagnosed with lots of different things. And then when he actually got the rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis, he didn’t really believe it. He didn’t believe that he’d got something that was lifelong. It was something that he’d not really heard of. It just shows the amount of work that is still to be done. If he was only diagnosed with about, I think he said 10 years ago, there’s so much work still to be done to get the narrative out there about the fact that arthritis is not an old person’s disease. And when the majority of people talk about arthritis, it’s still osteoarthritis, which is still, something that really affects people’s lives, but it’s just that broader understanding of the different types and the fact that these types are autoimmune.

Debbie: Yeah, and I think with James doing his prick and a pick hashtag is brilliant. It’s highlighting that and it’s a great way that he’s raising awareness that we do have to take injections. We do have to take medication that does suppress our immune system. What he’s doing is amazing and he was so funny, there will be some bloopers over the Christmas period by the way, so please look out for them because if you need a laugh over Christmas, just put that on. And yeah, just have a laugh. Yeah, yeah,

Katy: If your family are driving you mental, you can go into a quiet room, put your headphones on.

Debbie: We did have that episode as well, like, “can you keep your humour?” And he really does. And, he’s been through some really tough times. but all our guests have, when we talking about with Rachel and Adam as well, and Sarah that we had on, it is, it is hard and how they’ve managed to keep, even though I hate the word, positivity it’s trying to keep that mindset that actually, yes, I have got this horrid chronic illness, but you know what, it’s not going to defeat me. It’s not going to be me, I’m just going to cope with it and process and learn how to live my life with it. Because again, I think everyone knows I hate the term self-manage because you don’t it’s learning and every day you learn new things all the time and what helps and what doesn’t. But also just thinking back of Adam and Rachel’s episode was that Adam got diagnosed so quickly. But then Rachel didn’t.

Katy: Yeah.

Debbie: and it’s that inequality in gender as well. There’s a lot of work to do, I think.

Katy: No, and I think all of these conversations highlight the amount of work that still needs to be done, but shows why there is the need for the inflammatory arthritis charity. So, important.

Debbie: That’s what we are here for. We are very different to all the other charities out there. And we focus on the autoimmune inflammatory arthritis types, because again, it’s all those commonalities that no one really ever talks about. And this is what we do talk about. So we will be getting a lot more guests on next year because I must admit, I’m learning so much from people as well.

Katy: Yeah. Because you pick up something new from everybody that you talk to and that’s why building a community is so important.

Debbie: It really is nothing what everyone said as well, we need that support. We need from people who get it, you know. I know.

Katy: Lived experience is so key.

Debbie: It really is and again this is what we bring they’ve been our favourite episodes but please let us know what your favourite episode has been as well and why do you like that one as well.  It’d be really good to know but also Katy I don’t know if you’ve seen on social media and everything there’s been this Spotify wrapped because I don’t know if you have Spotify or not and I see I do

Katy: Yes, I don’t have Spotify, but I’ve seen all everybody’s stories on Instagram showing their draft. Yeah. great.

Debbie: Yeah, it gives you your listener age, which was quite amusing with my house. Because my daughter, my youngest daughter, her listening age is 68. Because she likes 70s and 80s music. But my husband, is not well, he’s not 68, but his listening age, I think was in his 20s. And I was like, because he likes, yeah, he likes drum and bass. it’s like, yeah, well, you’re on your own there,

Katy: Brilliant. Wow. He’s down with the kids. Okay.

Debbie: But what it came up with, because we do host our podcast through Spotify, you don’t have to join Spotify, can listen against our website as well. But it came up with our top five countries. So, Katy, what do you think was number five?

Katy: US.

Debbie: No, that’s number four. Close, yes.

Katy: Australia.

Debbie: That’s second.

Katy: Wow really? Would not expect that. France. don’t know Canada.

Debbie: No. I think that was about seventh. No.

Katy: Okay, go on, tell me. I’ve run out.

Debbie: Okay, fifth Norway. Yeah, fourth USA, third Republic of Ireland. And then yes, then Australia and yeah, majority UK. But it’s good to know that we are really reaching our global audience.

Katy: Wow, interesting.

Debbie: But also on Spotify, If you listen to podcasts, you can be in the top 1%. So, I didn’t realize this and I’m not quite sure how to do it, but we would definitely do it for next year. For the podcasts that do have their top 1 % listeners, they do this extra thank you, thing. So, I’m going to do it now. So, for people in our top 1 % of listeners, which is quite a lot,

I want to say thank you. Thank you so much for listening to us, supporting us and being that community and sharing and giving your feedback. It’s meant so much to us because I think we said in that first episode, we don’t know how it’s going to go. We didn’t know. And how well it’s gone has really, it’s just been really overwhelming. And it really proves that we are needed and there is that lived experience voice needs to be heard. So just, thank you so much for your support. It’s been amazing.

Katy: No, thank you. I completely concur that, like, I can’t believe that people actually listen to us on a weekly basis.

Debbie: But why not? You know, we’re good and we bring a bit of humour as well, which I think we have to. And some other good news, Katy, we’ve got new trustees coming on board. And they have lived experience as well. So, we will be getting them on the podcast next year as well. And it’s just, we’re increasing our reach more than ever. So, it’s been absolutely brilliant. But yeah, but before we sign off, we do have one more episode. We’ve got an amazing guest coming on. But also, and I think it’s quite prominent now, is our alcohol episode was very, very popular.

Katy: Yes, and actually this time of year, it’s a really good one to have a little bit of a listen to.

Debbie: It is, but I was actually watching the news this morning and they’re saying Christmas parties, like companies Christmas parties, I think what you’ve been saying, Katy, is now changing. The younger people don’t want to go out and drink. so actually, what we want to know what what’s happening to your Christmas party? Is it actually going out for a meal and a drink? Are you doing something different like playing darts and things like that? Just trying to

Katy: our Netball Christmas party, we’re going to a place, where they have lots of different games. So, it’s a little bit different to just going out and having dinner and then having a few drinks and going on somewhere to dance. We’re just going to this sort of games place and then we’re just going to like a market and getting some kind of food and then we’ll just go home. So, it’s quite nice. It’s something a little bit different.

Debbie: That sounds amazing. Because years and years ago, after I was diagnosed with my reactive hypoglycemia, I couldn’t drink and I was very strict in what I ate because I had to lose a lot of weight. And it was coming up to Christmas. And I said to my team, would you mind if we didn’t go out drinking? And we went around the London Aquarium.

Katy: That’s so nice

Debbie: And that was, but that was so out there at the time. This was over 20 years ago. But it’s like, but those things are now coming into why don’t you do things like that? you know, spend instead of spending all the money on generally that food isn’t that great, kind of, it’s all sat there dried, but then end up talking to the people that you’re sitting next to anyway, so it’s not really that much of a, no.

Katy: You don’t really socialise that much. Yeah, because I’ve got our tennis club Christmas party and it’s just in the sports club and it is that traditional sit down for a three course meal, then a disco and a dance afterwards. So I’ve actually got lots of different parties. So yeah, quite good to compare.

Debbie: And actually the age ranges as well because I think this is what they were saying, know, younger people aren’t going out drinking, which I think is great. So, if you’re doing other things that are so much more social, you just get to know each other a little bit as well, whether you want to or not in your company is another thing. But, you know, generally that’s the thought behind it. Again, let us know what you’re doing for your company Christmas do. Yeah. And we’ll try and do something next year, Katy. It’s been a bit stressful this year.

Katy: Yes, yeah.

Debbie: But yeah, we’re definitely but then some people do it in January

Katy: They do, yeah, so one of my older companies that I worked for, used to do an awards night, but we had it in January. I think really to save cost, but it was fun. And it was because normally you have nothing to do in January and nobody wants to do anything. So, it was quite nice to have it then.

Debbie: Yeah, good idea. So yes, but again, just a huge thank you to everyone this year for supporting us. And please do next year. We’ve got so many amazing plans for the podcast. And again, please do like, rate and follow from wherever you get your podcasts from. We are on social media. We are on Blue Sky, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. please do follow, like and comment. It really does help with our analytics and creating a lot more reach We will definitely be having more promotional material next year. So, once we’ve got them, we will be shouting about it. And then if you want some, please get in touch and we can send them out to you.

Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, I know we do have one more episode, but just enjoy, well try to enjoy the festive time, and just give yourself that time to relax and not try to let the pressure of Christmas get to you. But until next week, it’s goodbye.

Katy: Goodbye.

Show notes

Keywords:  Darts, Fitness, Running, Mental Health, Community, Podcast, Christmas, Health Challenges, Strength Training, Autoimmune Disease

Debbie and Katy wrap up the year with a warm, funny, and reflective catch-up. Katy shares her unexpected victory at a work darts tournament and recaps her chilly final 10K of the year, complete with a painful lesson in running gear. Debbie talks about flare-ups, stress, and picking up her daughter’s cold while trying to keep everything in balance.

Together, they look back on their favourite episodes, the importance of strength training, mental health, and how hard it can be to juggle fitness with chronic illness. They also celebrate listener feedback, their growing global audience (hello Australia and Norway!), and the power of lived experience within the inflammatory arthritis community.

The hosts chat about changing Christmas party trends, from darts to aquariums, and share some exciting plans for the podcast in the new year, including new guests, new trustees, and more community-focused content.

Key Topics

• Katy’s Flight Club darts triumph
• Running injuries, rest, and balancing multiple sports
• Debbie’s flare-ups, stress, and festive-season colds
• Strength training vs endurance and why it’s hard to balance both
• Reflections on mental health, vulnerability, and community support
• Spotify Wrapped listener stats
• Christmas party trends and alcohol habits
• New podcast plans and growing the charity’s reach

Episodes Mentioned

• Strength Training (with Matt)
• 1%
• Sound System
• You Are Not Alone (mental health deep dive)
• Sex & Relationships
• Our Journey Begins
• Can You Keep Your Humour?
• Alcohol Episode
• Guest episodes with James, Rachel, Adam, and Sarah

Follow us on social media: Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube

Disclaimer: Debbie and Katy are not medical professionals. They share personal experiences of living with IA to build connection and community. The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. We talk about our personal health journeys and the podcast is not intended to provide professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We are not medical professionals and in no way claim to be medically trained. The podcast does not take responsibility for any losses, damages, or liabilities that may arise from the use of the podcast. The podcast does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of third-party content.

For more information, head to https://inflammatoryarthritis.org/