Rheumatoid Arthritis :: Whole Body Hurts After My First Shot?
i got my first shot for ra in knee today now now 11 hours later my whole body aches so bad except for my knee area is this normal? Was fine all day until tonight now can't sleep pain is unbearable.
View 1 RepliesRheumatoid Arthritis :: Cortisol And Steroid Shot
Due to a bad flare I was prescribed a steroid shot. I need to take some cortisol tests as the anti-tnf which I took might have messed it up. Can I take the shot before the blood/24h-urine test? Or do I need to wait until after the tests as these shots may influence the results? Bad pain, so I don't want to postpone the shot. Bad cortisol, so don't want to alternate the results... The rheumy didn't know. The endocrinologist is out of office... Any info you may have will be most helpful / didn't find anything about this on the net. Except of prednisone impact which is a diff form of steroid.
View 2 RepliesArthritis :: Humira Or Enbrel - Side Effects - Heart Failure?
Pills for RA are not working for me so rheumatologist is suggesting self-injected Humira or Enbrel. I read the side effects and they are scary. Especially it can cause heart failure even if you don't have a bad heart. I'd like to hear from any of you who are on these drugs and your experience with them.
View 2 RepliesSore Throat :: Swollen Tonsils, Lump In Throat, Clear Mucus, Sore, Headache
My tonsils have been swollen for over a month, until last week they were painless, but now I have flu symptoms. Its quite scary, it affects my swallowing and I have a very very dry mouth, even when I drink loads of water all day. Hasn't affected my breathing as of yet, but feels like a lump in my throat is blocking it off.
This has been going for three days now.
Doctor said I need a blood test for glandular fever, which is next week.
I mentioned that I think I can feel my epiglottis swollen, and she laughed and said that is all the way down by my adam's apple and would have a job feeling that... even though i've seen many cases online where it's visible above the tongue and often can be felt.
Arthritis :: Mild Arthritis - Skin Feels Sore
After MRI my diagnosis was "Lots of mileage left, another 10 years, at least!" (I am 75)! Good to hear but still have to be careful going DOWN stairs! Not too bad going up! Some pain now and again. BUT I sometimes get a strange feeling on upper left thigh, (the worst knee), as if it is wet but when I touch the skin it is totally dry! Happens after I have been standing for a couple of hours.Also, sometimes the skin feels sore, but there is no evidence to show. Has anyone had similar feelings?.
View 1 RepliesRheumatoid Arthritis :: Methotrexate For RA?
And what would you say your side effects are? And how good is the drug at easing your condition?
For me, and I have been taking it for around 2 years now. My condition has improved greatly. But, my elbows and wrists are still not fully flexible, I was tempted to ask my GP for some 'one off' steroid injections to ease the swelling in some of my joints. But other than that awesome.
I do get tired though quite easily, particularly the morning after the methotrexate intake. Folic acid probably eases the side effects though, which I take the following day.
Rheumatoid Arthritis And Gabapentin
I've read some of you responses concerning RA & Gabapentin usage. I have been taking Gabapentin since 2000 for various pains throughout my entire body. I have recently been diagnosed with RA, but doctors will not put me on the required meds because I have COPD & Polycythemia which I am continuing to aggravate because of my smoking addiction. For the past month, I have had excruciating pain in my hip that radiates to my lower back and throughout my right buttocks. The pain is so bad, I have had to begin using a cane. I have no insurance. I have increased my dosage of gabapentin (which has been OK'd throughout the years by my DR's) to try and reach a comfort level of reduced pain. I counter the drowsiness by drinking more coffee to get through my workday. I obtain "pain-free" periods with the increased Gabapentin usage, but I also seem overly energetic or "excitable" during those pain free periods. (reminds me how I used to "feel" before the pain began so long ago . .about 15 yrs already). I'm a 55yo man, have many other health issues as well, including deep depression & PTSD. Because of insurance, I'm only purchasing the Gabapentin and have also started using Turmeric to TRY to help with all the other issues. The Turmeric seems to help, so far. Is there any problem you can see with the increased usage of Gabapentin to become "pain-free" and the mood change during those pain free periods? I cannot afford numerous DR visits w/o Insurance and have to earn a paycheck.
View 1 RepliesRheumatoid Arthritis :: Prednisolone - Feeling So Hot
i have been taking 5mg per day of prednisolone not a high dose but i have been feeling so hot and not to good since taking it also i seem to ache all over i have been tempted now to stop taking them but on such a low dose do i have to be weaned off them i started taking them last september and i i still need to take painkillers for my joints thanks for reading.
View 3 RepliesRheumatoid Arthritis :: Hit A Brick Wall
I've hit a brick wall and had enough. Tired of it all. Just want to sleep but need to look after kids and work. So so tired. Seen consultant today. He was kind but so matter of fact.
View 13 RepliesRheumatoid Arthritis :: Enbrel Experiences Anyone ?
I'm hoping to start a clinical trial for Enbrel beginning in May (they need me on MTX for 3 months before I can start the trial) and am wondering if anyone that has used it or is on it currently can tell me how they're doing on it?
I woke up this morning with that heavy duty exhausted, malaise feeling that I felt for so many months before being diagnosed last summer. I had to work a mandatory training 40 hours last week, played catch up over the weekend and worked another 8 hours yesterday. I woke up to that heaviness in the chest; not a sick like heavy as in bronchitis or chest cold, but literally like someone was draining my insides out. I am emotional today and that's what happens when I get these episodes.
Rheumatoid Arthritis :: Any Improvement With Antidepressants?
I've reluctantly started Zoloft (SSRI antidepressant), being encouraged to do so by my GP due to the depression of diagnosis and the possibility I also have fibromyalgia.
(Pain isn't just limited to joints and fatigue is crippling) ie: I've slept 18 hours of the last 24 and still so very tired.
I'm having awful start up side effects which I understand will pass and understand there will be no benefit until 4-8 weeks, if at all.
I've tried Lexapro a while back with no real success.
Has anyone had any improvement at any level with ADs? I really hate mucking around with my brain chemistry.
Sore Throat :: Sore Throat, Overall Ill Feeling No Diagnosis
sore throat,fatigue, pain, no diagnosis Posted 10 minutes ago I'm sorry for the long post but I really need some help. I am 25 years old,female from Bulgaria. Everything started after 2 shots of progesterone done by my gyno. I had high prolactin levels and somewhat low progesterone and my period stopped so that is why she gave me shots. After the second shot I woke up with very bad pain and burning sensations in my sinuses,my whole body was in pain.And there it all begins.For 2 weeks I wasn't getting better, I had a fever (not very high),sinus pain and sore throat. Finally I visited a ENT doctor,she said that there was nothing wrong with me,everything-ears,nose throat looked fine but I asked for a sinus x-ray-it was also fine. Then my gyno advised me to culture my throat and nose. The results were staphylococcus aureus in nose and Moraxella catarrhalis in throat. I was prescribed cefpodoxime (due to antibiogram) took it for several days and I wasn't feeling any better,then my dr switched me to Cefuroxime,it did help at the beginning,I was feeling better but by the time I was taking my last pill all the symptoms returned. My sinuses didn't hurt anymore but my throat was on fire,muscle and joint pain,feverish feeling but no actual fever this time. So I was put on unasyn (Sultamicillin) on IV drip.I was getting no relief and was just feeling very sick from that med,so we stopped it. The I went to another ENT doctor and he told me there was nothing wrong with me, my throat looked fine and I had a little wound in my nose with blood. I had no runny nose. So I did a culture of my throat again and it happened to be Candida Glabrata ( may be because of all those antibiotics) I also had e.coli in my urine.I took one dose of Fosfomycin for my e.coli and it cleared up and I was put on IV drip again with fluconazole for my candida.I also had candida in my vaginal results. I started to get better on fluconazole but again it lasted 3 days and in the end of the treatment I was ill again. My ears started to hurt very badly,all other symptoms continued.I waited 2 weeks after the last antibiotic and did a nose and throat culture again in two different labs and there was no infection found, I also did a vaginal and urine tests again and the urine was fine, had some enterococcus faecalis but in small amounts from my vag microbiology. My gyno said that it is better to not treat it for now because of all the meds I took for those 2 months. Yes,it's been two months and I am only getting worse, my whole body is in pain,I am very fatigued,have the flu feeling sore throat, ear pain,lymph and joint pain,I feel very very ill. And the tests say nothing. On my blood test the only thing that was abnormal was my AST (antistreptolysin-titer) levels were high 310 (from 200 being the norm).Went to a 3rd ENT,he also said everything looked fine, my ears and throat are not inflamed and he said that it wasn't my ears that hurt but my face joints. So I am here,desperate for ome help, not getting better,not knowing what to do now.I started having very bad panic attacks because I think I am dying and no one can find what is that illness. Can it be some autoimmune response to the progesterone shots? I don't know anymore. It's a struggle to get out of bed really.
View 3 RepliesRheumatoid Arthritis :: Stopping DMARDS And Pregnancy
I take humira and MTX for a mixed Connective tissue disorder. I'm getting on in life (maternally speaking, late 30s) and while I have one child I'd really like another to keep him company. I haven't discussed this with the doctors as it's only really an idea floating around my head at the moment. I know previously pregnancy gave me a temporary remission and for a good few months post pregnancy too but I was undiagnosed at that point and wasn't on these medications.
I'm aware I have to stop the medications for a minimum of six months before trying and this is the bit I'm unsure of. Has anyone else stopped their medications to get pregnant? How did you feel in the months before you were pregnant? Did you have to take steroids? What did you do for pain relief? Any anecdotal information would be helpful. I don't want to commit to something I will never be able to do so I need to find out as much as possible before speaking with my doctors about it as I can't see them being overly enthusiastic.
Rheumatoid Arthritis :: Pain In Elbow And Ribs
I wonder whether anyone else has experienced this sharp pain simultaneously in their elbow and rib. Mine is on the right side and the pain is literally at exactly the same time and in my rib it seems to be directly adjacent from my elbow with my arm down by my side. It started two nights ago. I have been in touch with ra nurses but had to just leave a message, yesterday, but nobody has come back to me yet. It really is an odd pain, but really sharp and stops me in my tracks. It will go on for several minutes, breaking off every few seconds, then will go off for a few hours and then start again. Also my upper abdomen seems really distended, I have no idea whether that is connected in any way.
View 1 RepliesRheumatoid Arthritis, Fibromyalgia And Sjogren's Syndrome
I was diagnosed with RA 5 years ago and have tried many of the drug therapies out there, Methotrexate; Leflunomide, Cimzia, Tocilizumab; Rituximab etc. I have recently been diagnosed by my GP with Fibromyalgia which is excruciatingly painful. Is there anyone out there who has similar conditions to me who could tell me if anything has worked for them. I have been put on Fluoxetine, Tramadol and Pregabalin to try and help with the pain. Any suggestions?
View 12 RepliesRheumatoid Arthritis :: MTX Waters The Corner Of My Eyes
Since starting on MTX I've noticed whenever my eyes water the corner of my eyes around the tear ducts burn (feels like acid) and will continue to do so until I flush with water.
View 1 RepliesRheumatoid Arthritis :: Enbrel - Side Effects?
After 8 months only on pain killers and a visit to yet another rheumy (who happens to be a head of the department and a boss of the last two that I saw... Sorry, semi vegan diet. Ha. Not funny... plus, he lost my medical records from the past visits...) I am switching to Enbrel as soon as it's approved. What side effects should I monitor except for the obvious ones? Does anyone apply ice before the injection as with Humira? (does it help?...)
View 22 RepliesRheumatoid Arthritis :: Enbrel Rash Progress
I started Enbrel 4 weeks ago. For the first two weeks I had no rash at all. After the 3rd injection, I got a rash of size of say 2cm over 5cm with swelling that disappears after 24h. The rash itself disappeared after 6 days. After the 4th injection (this Saturday) the rash appeared and is now about 3.5cm over 6 cm and is lasting 2 days with swelling. Itches, hot and bothering. I wonder if it is going to get worse or if the size of the rash and this semi allergy reaches a critical point and that's it... Saw some scary pictures on the net. Wonder if it really gets to the face and back, etc.
View 4 RepliesRheumatoid Arthritis :: Enbrel For Beginners And Fatigue
I started the Enbrel injections yesterday and the only way to describe me today is a zombie - hardly keeping my eyes open. Sugar and coffee intake improved nothing. Taking ibuprofen yesterday eve (I thought that it might be a flu) made it worse. After a quick browsing, I found that some people experience such effects but I did not find if this is a temporary thing or is this a permanent side effect.
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