Woman with ‘excruciating’ joint pain who felt ‘worthless’ and unable to enjoy child’s early moments finds ‘miracle cure’

A mother with “excruciating” joint pain that meant she could not even lift a water bottle, leaving her feeling “worthless” and unable to “enjoy those special early moments” of her daughter’s life, has said a miracle cream has made her feel “hopeful again”.

Sophie Rebecca, a 34-year-old administration worker, who lives in Newcastle with her partner, Luke, 37, a carpet cleaner, began experiencing joint pain at age 19 after a sports injury and even surgery to move a tendon in her shoulder did not help.

After giving birth to her daughter Aria, now three, in February 2022, the pain escalated, spreading to her pelvis, back and joints, leaving her struggling with everyday tasks and “heartbroken” when she found it hard to pick up her child.

She tried everything from Pilates to ibuprofen gels with no relief, until she discovered a cream in September 2025 which made her “feel hopeful again”.

Sophie told PA Real Life: “It was completely depleting, it almost made me feel a little bit worthless.

“I felt so frustrated because I couldn’t fully enjoy those special early moments.

“But I’m finally at a point where I feel hopeful again.

“I’m showing my daughter that it’s OK for mummy to look after herself too.”

Sophie first began experiencing shoulder pain after injuring herself during a combat cardio class at the age of 19.

She initially took paracetamol and ibuprofen, before eventually seeing a physiotherapist and receiving cortisone injections.

She said these treatments “did not help” her condition so she underwent surgery on her shoulder in 2016 to move a tendon.

However, the operation did not make “much of a difference”, which was further complicated by her joint hypermobility syndrome.

After giving birth to her daughter in February 2022, Sophie’s pain intensified significantly.

She said: “I had a lot of pressure on my wrists during labour, as I was repeatedly asked to move from side to side and up the bed after my epidural, which was tough given my numb lower body and being 38 weeks pregnant.”

Sophie added that Aria experienced a shoulder dystocia during birth, meaning her head passed through the birth canal, but her shoulders became trapped behind the pubic symphysis.

She explained: “Luckily, after taking her to physio, a private chiropractor and multiple hospital visits for the first eight weeks, she fully recovered the use of her arm.”

Sophie’s medical team told her the pain could be caused by a “mixture of hormones” and the birth itself.

She experienced pain in her pelvis, lower back and “all (her) joints”, and struggled with everyday tasks.

“When my partner went back to work, there was a time when I just basically burst out into tears because I tried to put the pram in the car and I had pains going through my hands,” Sophie recalled.

“I felt like my fingers and arms were going to literally break off.

“I expected sleepless nights and tiredness after having a baby but I wasn’t prepared for the level of pain – my wrists were so inflamed that some days it physically hurt to hold my own daughter.

“Adjusting to life as a new mum was overwhelming, and the pain made everything harder.”

Sophie tried a range of methods to manage her pain, including Pilates,  ibuprofen gels, ice packs, hot water bottles, and hot baths with Epsom salts, but found that nothing helped “take the edge off”.

She added: “Anything above shoulder height, I couldn’t touch – I couldn’t clean things like the kitchen cupboards. Luckily my partner is very hands on.

“I’ve got a one-litre water bottle that I have with me at all times, but there were times I couldn’t even pick that up.

“There are days I have to say to my daughter I can’t pick her up because the pain is too much and that breaks my heart as a mum.”

In September 2025, Sophie came across Skin Shop’s Celafen cream on social media.

According to the company’s website, the cream is a fast-acting, drug-free solution enriched with clinically proven celadrin, which they say provides quick, long-lasting relief from arthritis, fibromyalgia, stiff joints and muscle pain, while improving flexibility and mobility.

Thinking she had “nothing to lose”, Sophie decided to purchase the cream, and said it has “changed her life”.

Sophie, who has not been paid to review the product, said: “I found after around 15 minutes it eased everything up.

“It’s definitely made things a lot easier – I’ll put it on after I’ve been in the bath, and then it means I can dry my hair and use my hairdryer with no issues.”

Sophie now regularly applies the cream to her shoulder, lower back and calves to help manage flare-ups, alongside a growing fitness routine that includes body pump, zumba and swimming.

“For the first time in a long time, I feel like I’m getting parts of my life back,” Sophie explained.

“I can swim again, I’m trying new classes, and I’m starting to put myself first after years of just coping.

“I want to be strong and active for my little girl and Celafen has become part of how I manage my pain so I can keep moving forward.”

To others suffering with joint pain, Sophie said: “It’s something that I will continue to use because it works for me, and there’s no reason why it can’t work for others as well!”

For more information, visit: www.skinshop.co.uk/actimas/celafen.