Episode 36 – Can you keep your humour with IA?

Debbie: Hello and welcome to Inflammatory with Debbie

Katy: and Katy.

Debbie: Isn’t it cold Katy?

Katy: my gosh, the weather has totally dropped this morning. We were walking our son to school and I couldn’t believe it. because it’s been so warm. It’s like halved in degrees.

Debbie: Yeah. It really has, I’m noticing it today as well. I’m sitting in my garden room with my heated blanket on full. But over, like last week though, it was about 18 degrees. It was beautiful.

Katy: Yeah. We’ve basically gone from spring to winter within a week.

Debbie: in a day.

Katy: Yeah, a day. I went to watch England netball yesterday in London and I didn’t have a proper winter coat on. just taken a hat from the way home. I’d got just like a jacket on. not full on. Now I need to find my winter coat for when I go into the office tomorrow.

Debbie: Yes, and scarf and gloves and hats. Yes, everything that goes along with it.

Katy: Yeah. And my son, we hadn’t bought him new school trousers and I just assumed

Debbie: He’s not in shorts.

Katy: Yeah, he’s in shorts because I just assumed his trousers from last year still fit because they fitted in I checked.

Debbie: I was going to say children do grow. That’s the thing.

Katy: No, they do. Yeah, but he does, but he hasn’t really. Like so many of his clothes have lasted like three years because I always buy everything big. And with school trousers, you have the buttons, don’t you, that you can pull in.

Debbie: I have girls, I don’t have boys.

Katy: I’ve got belts. yeah. And then finally nothing fits and I’m like not prepared. My husband is in shorts though anyway, so he was in shorts on the way to school this morning. well, I’ll never forget my husband had like the flu. He was really ill, and I dropped him at the doctor’s because we, this was a good few years ago, it was snowing outside. He wore flip flops and shorts he’s not Australian. to the doctor’s appointment in the snow.

Debbie: I do know some blokes that wear shorts all year round and

Katy: They must have thought, no wonder you’re ill. And I know that’s a bit of a myth, but yeah.

Debbie: Wow, I could not do that at all. Anyway, we have had some really good feedback on the last few episodes. One about what causes our flares and then the one follows on from last week’s one, which was all about how do you look after yourself? And I know some people have really put the weather has does affect their inflammatory arthritis and the cold especially. And I think

Katy: Yeah.

Debbie: Katy, we both agreed with that because it is so cold.

Katy:  Yep. Yeah and you’re flaring aren’t you at the moment Debbie?

Debbie: I am flaring at the moment, yes. I felt really, really awful yesterday. My lower back has been killing me, even my elbows as well. But it does seem to be like a whole-body flare at the moment. And my eye, have to keep a really close eye my eye at the moment as well. It got quite red this morning. So, if anything happens with my eye, I have to go to my eye hospital, and they give me emergency medication for it. It just feels like someone has punched me in the face, on my right-hand side, but you know.

Katy: Gosh. Put into practice any of the things we’ve been talking about over the last couple of weeks.

Debbie: I have, I’m really trying better to pace myself and realize that I can’t do everything all in one go, all at the same time. And also, it doesn’t need to be done at the same time. So, I’m trying to…prioritize and pace what I can do. But the charity seems to be going really well. We’ve had the last couple of grants have been successful, which is fantastic news. It is, in a way, I cannot wait for next year. We are going to be so much bigger and so much better and it’s going to be fantastic. And we have so many new projects in the pipeline as well that…

Katy:  Woo! It’s so exciting!

Debbie: We’ve got some money going towards them as well. So, it’s really good news. And obviously the stress of, you know, trying to get the money from the grants and everything, but also a huge, huge thank you to anyone who has donated to us though, that really has helped us get us through 2025.

Katy: Yes. We’ve had small and larger donations this year. And I think without any of those, we wouldn’t be still doing this podcast, or we wouldn’t still be doing anything probably, because that’s really what’s got us through our first year. So, it’s amazing that everybody listening, everyone following on social media, we’ve had so much brilliant support.

Debbie: We have, and I think that’s really, in a way it’s been quite overwhelming, but I think it’s really validated in what we’re doing, that there is a need for what we’re doing. And we are definitely going to be getting more guests on next year because people really do want to hear from other people, which is great, again, but this is why we’re trying to give what people have been saying on social media back today, just to know that whatever you’re going through at the moment, there are other people going through it as well. And our community seems to be growing. So yes, I’m actually excited for next year. So that keeps me going to be fair at the moment.

Katy: That’s good. Yeah. A little bit of hope and positivity as naff as that sounds. does. I think, I think it does help when you’re, you know, when your body’s not in a good place.

Debbie: Yeah, yeah, that really takes my mindset elsewhere. And so it’s like, this is why, we’re doing it, for everyone else, really, because, it is hard living with IA and every day is different. But you know, but we’re getting through it, so what I did see though on social media, which I thought was an amazing comment is someone has a heated steering wheel for their car.

Katy: Yes,

Debbie: I so need one.

Katy: But when I, probed further, it actually came in built in the car. So, a little bit like you might get heated seats in cars. I don’t have heated seats.

Debbie: I don’t either.

Katy: My car’s not posh enough. But my friend who drives me to Netball, she’s got a Mini and it’s got a heated seats and I cannot wait. Now the weather’s colder when she, because she generally drives me. I can’t wait to get in and sit on her heated seats after playing an hour of netball in the freezing cold, because that’s what we’re up against now coming this Saturday. But because that must be amazing. But my problem is my hands might get too sweaty and then slip.

Debbie: I might have to, try one out. But because I do know in the summer though, when it’s the opposite, you’re, when you get in and it’s like 30 degrees and you touch the steering wheel, like, ah, that is the opposite.

Katy: Yeah, because I wonder if it also has the opposite setting to cool down. I’ve no idea. But then I did find you can buy steering wheel covers that have a bit like an electric blanket that can then also heat it up. So if your car isn’t built with one, you can still find something. Because I do know quite a few of my friends have got like fluffy steering wheels.

Debbie: Are they pink?

Katy: No!

Debbie: So what other comments did we get back?

Katy: So we’ve had loads about sort of weather being one of the biggest problems and like your body really struggles to warm up with the weather and kind of that brings on kind of stiffness and that sort of thing. And then when we were talking about how to look after yourself, we’ve had a lot of people coming back sleep being something that they really try to prioritize, so getting enough sleep. And when you just don’t have enough energy, just saying no to things and how important it is. So, set those boundaries and just say no, if it’s not going to work for you, like real friends, your family, people like that will you’d hope they would always understand that sometimes you might have said yes to doing something, but sometimes that changes. just making sure that you’re slowing down and taking extra care of yourself. But I think it’s really, I think all those things are really, really tough. And then we did the episode two weeks ago sort of flares and we asked people what triggers their flares. I do find this quite an interesting one because it’s the one I’ve never quite worked out, diet being a big trigger for flare ups. And I do think it does, but for me, I’ve never been able to work out exactly which foods trigger a flare. Have you?

Debbie: I haven’t been able to, no. I did go gluten-free years ago and I do try to reduce how much gluten I have, but because of my reactive hypoglycaemia, I have to have complex carbs. So complex carbs generally have gluten in. So, I balance that quite a bit and I do make gluten-free cakes and to be fair, you can’t actually tell the difference, and I actually prefer them. But then the thing is I’ve read somewhere that someone was saying, go carnivore all you eat is meat. And then someone else saying, meat, triggers me and makes me flare So I think it’s so individual.

Katy: You can get food testing, can’t you, to, I mean, I think it probably costs a fortune, but to try and work out, which might lead to flare ups, But then it’s also knowing which foods for you help you, not just about what triggers you, it’s about what foods…are really good for you personally, because we all know which foods are better for us. But I think that’s even individual that some people will have a better experience on different diets. loads of people have said that Mediterranean diet is something that they find generally helps them. I guess, and for me, I’ve always thought it’s just that having that balance. Having like 80 % healthy, 20 % of treats, just to balance it up so that you’re not, stopping yourself from having anything.

Debbie: Yeah, there is research out to say the Mediterranean diet is probably one of the better ones for inflammatory arthritis. I think, again, that can be quite individual whether there are some things in that diet that might trigger other people as well. So again, it’s very hard to say. I do try to be healthy. I think we’ve discussed this in the past, but then I think when you’re then fatigued you do need that something just to keep you awake. Whether that is caffeine, well, I don’t drink coffee, but tea or my go-to is Diet Coke in the afternoon. That’s the only thing that seems to get me through that. That three o’clock.

Katy: Yeah, so I hate fizzy pop and it’s not anything to do with the health reasons. I just don’t like it. I don’t like how it like fizzes in my tummy. just, yeah.

Debbie: Okay, again everyone’s it’s so individual ⁓

Katy: But I like fizzy water, so that doesn’t make any sense.

Debbie: I do not like fizzy water, because years are-

Katy: So I like gentle fizz, so like fizzed elderflower, I quite like, but like Coke, lemonade, can’t stand. But that’s nothing to do with inflammatory arthritis, that’s just a personal preference,

Debbie: Right. That’s just you. okay. No, because to me, fizzy water years and years ago, my nan said, I was flaring, I was in so much pain, I was around at hers because I have some aspirin and it’s a dissolvable one. And so every that’s what fizzy water tastes like to me, dissolved aspirin And it’s just

Katy: god. No, not nice.

Debbie: I can’t taste fizzy water. but then I think everything in moderation. because we’ve discussed binge drinking isn’t a good thing and that can cause us to flare a little bit as well. but then that is that balance of just trying to live your best life as well. It is always tough. I know some people have said, diet. So, we are going to do some quick-fire questions later on, but one quick question, Katy is does diet advice help or just annoy you?

Katy: Personally, it really, really, irritates me because I think it is so personal. And just because something’s worked for you does not mean it will work for somebody else. Also, if you’re not a qualified nutritionist, then you don’t really, in my opinion, do you know what you’re talking about?

Debbie: Same here. Yes.I completely agree. It just annoys the hell out of me. it’s just like, that…

Katy: And it’s generally from a good place. People are saying it from a place of kindness, but it needs to be educated kindness, and you can’t be educated unless you’re that person in some ways.

Debbie: Yes, I think I would be a millionaire for the pound coins that anyone has given me to say turmeric or become a vegan. I think what also annoys me with those comments is people then think that they cures it. And we know that there is no cure. But if there was a cure and if that was the answer, we would

Katy: Yes. Yeah. We would all be doing it.

Debbie: We would and the NHS would not be giving us our medications. There wouldn’t be people called rheumatologists or immunologists just do that in your diet and it’d be fine. It’s like, no. I think, as you say, they probably are from the best intentions, but actually, no, please do not say that.

Katy: Yeah, if you’re a friend or a family member or even someone with inflammatory arthritis yourself, just because it’s worked for you doesn’t mean it will work for everybody else with the same group of diseases.

Debbie: Yeah, I think even on this podcast, you and I, have very, different journeys. And what triggers you is very different to what triggers me. We obviously, they have some commonalities, but even just us two, we are very different.

Katy: Yeah, 100%.

Debbie: But thank you to everyone who’s had the feedback come in. And yes, I think then coming back to what people do to look after themselves is take it slowly and try to put yourself first, I think. As hard as that is in life.

Katy: And I think that’s one of the issues, isn’t it? if you’re a parent or if you’ve run a business or if you’re looking after older relatives or, you’re a full-time carer for somebody else, it’s really, really tricky to then put yourself first.

Debbie: It’s easy to say, but very hard to do. And I think even if you just do that, do it for one day, today’s gonna be my day, and I’m gonna put myself first. I think even that helps.

Katy: And what do you do to put yourself first?

Debbie: Good question. I do say no to things. I did actually after the episode when my ankle was flaring a couple of weeks ago. Do you seem to be going for quite a few flares at the moment?

Katy: You do.

Debbie: I did just go and sit on the sofa with my laptop. I do put my go to TV programs on So it’s trying to relax, but also distract, I think. Because my body needs to rest, but my mind needs to be doing something. So, I do try to distract my mind on something else. I do take my laptop, and I do some charity work and other things. But then I do find the fatigue and the brain fog to take over, I just go, right, what’s the point of me doing anymore? Because nothing is happening. Nothing productive is going on. So let me just put my laptop to one side or my phone and just have bit of, even if it’s half hour, just me, time, and the telly, and that’s it.

Katy: Yeah, because I think also sometimes the most productive thing you can do is do nothing because then that will help you do things later.

Debbie: Yeah. And I am learning there are so many things, especially in the charity that we can be doing and it would be amazing to do. But it’s being, I suppose I’m better with the charity side than I probably am in my kind of personal life is because I can prioritise and go, right, we’ve got limited resources. What can we do? Where is the best place to put those resources? And I suppose it’s thinking about that in your personal life is. And I know there is this thing of spoon theory, which I think we’ll have to have a whole episode on. Is put in those resources or those spoon measurements and actually what can you do today or for this week? If you know that I’m probably going to be flaring for a while I think at the moment. So, it’s actually what should I be doing? What is the best place for me to put my energy at the moment? I have my daughter’s birthday coming up at the end of the week. So, it’s just trying to make sure I have resources and energy for that day. And I think that’s just how I’m learning with it all. But what do you do?

Katy: I mean, it’s been a while where I’ve had a really bad flare up. I feel awful saying that when you’re going through one right now.

Debbie: It just shows bit different, you know, everyone’s journey is different.

Katy: Yeah. but it is just taking that time just to do nothing and just cancel your diary if you can. and like, if I’m working and I’m flaring, I try not to do anything that’s typing heavy. I’m happy to sit on like meetings and calls if my brain can cope with that. If I’m more a passenger in the meeting than actually leading it. And yeah, it’s just taking that time out and just being a bit selfish.

Debbie: I agree that works for you. We’ve never done this before. So, let’s do some quick fire questions. You haven’t got long to answer. So, the first one is, this isn’t really a quick fire one, but anyway, do you know when the anniversary of your diagnosis is?

Katy: I do, July 2011 and I think it’s the 8th of July.

Debbie: okay. Do you do anything on that day, like reflect on how far you’ve come or do you just try to forget?

Katy: Not anymore, no. I always know that’s roughly when it was. But no, don’t really do anything. Do you know?

Debbie: I can’t remember when I was about six or eight years old. I know when my scleritis fled first time, that was October. it then took until my birthday, which is March to start long-term treatments. So that’s when I, yeah, I don’t even celebrate my birthday. One word to describe brain fog?

Katy: Discombobulating.

Debbie: That is a good one. I was just going to say confusing.

Katy: Yeah,

Debbie: Rest day or distraction day?

Katy: Distraction day, I think, for me.

Debbie: Okay, I think I’ll go along with that. What hurts more, stairs or tiny buttons? They are so annoying. yeah, no.

Katy: Tiny buttons. Yeah. Because my hands are more affected. I used to hate them. Yeah.

Debbie: I think I would probably do tiny. I was actually trying to do a shirt up yesterday that I just washed and I couldn’t do it. So I was very, very frustrated. Hot shower or bath?

Katy: Bath, not bath.

Debbie: You do get your northern side out at some points, don’t you? Okay, I’m hot shower. But do you like a hot tub?

Katy: Really? Yes, love them. I’d love one in the garden if we had a bigger garden.

Debbie: Okay, do you find that helps?

Katy: Yeah, I think so.

Debbie: Because when you went on your spa weekends, did you go in hot tubs? Yeah, no, they are. They are amazing. If you are flaring, what outfit would you wear? Pyjamas or hoodie stroke onesie?

Katy: I’m hoodie and joggers because I hate pyjama days.

Debbie: Do you? I’m learning something about you every day. Why?

Katy: I just sort of think you’ve got to get dressed and then you’ve got to try and get on with your day. Even if you are practically in pyjamas, but that’s just a me thing.

Debbie: okay. Yeah, I don’t actually have pyjamas at the moment. I do need some new ones. Actually, yeah, Christmas is out there, family, if you’re listening. Yeah, I must admit, trackies and hoodies, but I do actually own a onesie. I bought a onesie years ago, but I found it the other day, and I was like, ooh, because it’s a Christmas one. I was thinking, hmm, might be useful.

Katy: I do have a Christmas one actually, but I use it as a pyjamas. Yeah.

Debbie: Okay, so there you go. What would you say is your most important symptom to manage pain or fatigue?

Katy: Fatigue because I think that always comes before everything else.

Debbie: It does for you, doesn’t it? You said that’s how you feel that you’re flaring. Yeah, for me, it’s the opposite. It’s the pain. I always get the pain first. And then the fatigue comes a lot worse because you’re then in pain, I will, try to take as many anti-inflammatories and painkillers. Not that they really do anything, Flare location of choice. Would it be bed or sofa?

Katy: Think you can probably guess sofa. Because it goes with my narrative. Just get out bed.

Debbie: Yeah. Would you need to get out of bed? But then would you ever go back to bed during the day?

Katy:  No, I can’t nap. Yeah, I just see the bed as just…

Debbie: It’s not just napping, it’s just resting. Okay, I’m probably sofa, but if I am whole body flaring, it’ll be bed just so I can rest.

Katy: Yeah, so I don’t hold body flair, so that is a difference.

Debbie: You don’t do. Yeah, because also my, even though we did change our sofa because of my back, but if I need to just lie down for my back and my hips, that’s when, because I do find, I don’t know about you, but do you find though, that if you have, say if your wrists are flaring, do you find the pain just goes down into other joints, like your elbows or anything like that?

Katy: Guess it does go up the arm, but I don’t really feel it in other joints.

Debbie: Okay. because if I even if my wrists are flaring, the pain goes into my elbows and my elbows then hurt more. so, with my back and my hips, yeah, the pain just resonates around the area and it’s awful. And then the pain then goes down to my knees. And then my knees down to my, yeah, the joys of IA But if IA was weather, would it be stormy with no warning or unpredictable fog?

Katy (20:51)

I’d say general stormy with no warning, but then I was thinking about this I think mine’s probably more unpredictable fog because it never gets, at the moment, it doesn’t get into a full storm. Anyway, not quick answers, but my gut would go stormy without warning.

Debbie: Okay, I think that was my first instinct was stormy, warning. But then if I’m going through more of a flare probably like I am now, I do think it’s that unpredictable fog because at moment I can’t see a clearing if that makes sense. But it will happen, I know it will. So, I’m not trying to…

Katy: Yeah, and you know a storm will pass.

Debbie: Exactly, Right, two more to go. Flare comfort, tone, is it humour or quiet retreat?

Katy: I would go humour

Debbie: I would as well. I must admit I grew up watching Only Fools and Horses. That was my go-to when I was flaring and I just put that on. And one final question. would you rather go on strictly or I’m a celebrity?

Katy: Strictly. 100 %

Debbie: I’m a celeb is out now, wo you watch it?

Katy: I do. But I just don’t really know who any of the celebrities are. I know Ruby Wax. but the rest like YouTubers got no idea who they are.

Debbie: but anyway, this has been really good fun. Thank

Katy: Yeah, I like this way of doing it.

Debbie: Yeah, quick fire, why not? Because also I think we do have to mention that Christmas is coming up. is that time of year where people do feel that little bit more pressured in life and actually that stress can cause our IA to flare or just feel a bit, it’s getting all too much. So we’ve hopefully given you a little bit of humour because that’s what, obviously that’s a show that’s what we both like as well.

Katy: Yep. Yeah.

Debbie: But please do sign up to our newsletter and this will be where you will find out the information about the new projects and everything that’s coming out next year. And we will be getting promotional material as well. So please do keep an eye out because then you can then email us and we can send you some leaflets and posters as well to put up wherever you would like. our website, inflammatoryarthritis.org. Please do follow and rate the podcast from wherever you get your podcast from. Again, this really does help with our analytics. We are also on social media. Please do follow and comment. We are on Blue Sky, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. And until next week, Katy, It’s goodbye.

Katy: Goodbye.

This week, Debbie and Katy dive into how a sudden UK cold snap is affecting their inflammatory arthritis and how the community is feeling it too. Debbie shares her current whole-body flare, why pacing is key, and the importance of looking after yourself when symptoms spike.

They also chat about:

• How cold weather triggers stiffness and flares
• Your feedback on sleep, boundaries, and slowing down
• Diet confusion: flare triggers, food testing, and why diet advice can be… irritating
• Exciting charity updates and new grants for 2025
• Energy management, spoon theory, and putting yourself first
• Heated steering wheels, hot tubs, and Diet Coke vs fizzy water
• Why everyone’s IA journey is so individual

Plus: a fun quick-fire Q&A covering brain fog, flare-day outfits, stairs vs tiny buttons, pain vs fatigue, sofa vs bed, and whether they’d choose Strictly Come Dancing or I’m a Celebrity.

As Christmas approaches, the hosts talk openly about festive pressure, stress-related flares, and finding humour and community support during tough seasons.

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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/