pain in the night-can’t sleep | Arthritis Information

Thank you all again for responding to my other post-all of your comments made me feel so much better. I am noticing this cycle to my days and nights. About 3 or 4 in the morning I wake up and can feel pain in my hands and elbows the most, but other places too. Sometimes the pain is along the side of my hands?? I have a very unrestful night and wake up tired and stiff. Taking a shower helps, then I take some Aleve after eating (so not on empty stomach) so then I muddle through the day, not feeling great, but better than I did when I first got up. The pain in my hands and knees is always with me. I'm trying not to literally count the days until my first rheumy appt. (Sept 27th), but just take one day at a time! I did call and get on the cancellation list. Then I go to bed and then it all starts over. Does any of this sound familiar to anyone?

I've always taken something to help me sleep. I know if I don't sleep well I have such a difficult time the next day. It's very important.

Try taking a tylenol PM at night an hour or so before you go to bed. It will relax you and help you rest. Take two if you don't have to worry about getting up too early and getting to work. I personally use to just take one and it really helped...two makes it hard to get up....but it feels so good on the weekends when I can do that and sleep hard and long!!

Don't give up!!

I second Lovie. I know I'll have a rotten day if I don't get sufficient sleep. Take care and I hope you can get an earlier appt. You might consider calling often so they don't forget you.

I too take something for sleep. Sometimes though that doesn't work either. I have had those restless nights or I wake up hurting so bad that I can not lay in that bed any longer. I have been on something for about 10years now. Doesn't hurt you to get a good nights rest that is something that people with Ra have trouble with.

I find that the days were I don't do anything to release some energy are the times when I don't sleep well. Even if I just get out of the house and do a few things outside helps me. I was so use to being able to do so much in a day and now that is a rare in my case. I love to work on the yard and my garden.

Hope you find something that will help you. Good luck!I'm used to taking something to help me sleep too....I'm on the humira study so I can only take my regular meds...I'm dying to take tylenol PM, or a demoral to get a good nights sleep. After this study is over, I'm taking something!

Bless your heart Murph!! You can't take anything to help you sleep?

I think I'd die!!

Nope, nothing
Good news is I just came from the gym and walked 2 miles on the treadmill...time to get in the hot er cold tub

Well good luck to you sweetie. Night; especially after a long day or if I've been on my feet much is always the worst time for me. Maybe I've become too dependant on sleep aids; but I so feel like it makes such a difference in my days. I have a horrible time getting comfortable to sleep; so something to relax me is almost a most everynight.

I guess it's not surprising though that they won't let you take anything.

I'll say a little pray for ya each night in the hopes that your resting comfortable. Good Luck!!

Thank you! I know with RA it's important we all get a good night's sleep. Fatigue on top of fatigue will only make our joints hurt worse. Sometimes I'm just too tired to sleep...that's annoying.

Murph, that is great you went to the gym.I haven't been in 2 weeks.I really miss it.Even if it makes me hurt later I still enjoy the stress relief,it gets my mind off of what is going on with me.I usually take my walk man and listen to music and jump on the eliptical and go anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour.Feels good to sweat and burn some calories.

I love your beagle.My beagle,Luna died about 4 months ago.Broke my heart.I never thought I would get over it.My daugther then went out and bought a puggle...part beagle and pug.Her name is alie.Kind of hard having a puppy around after having Luna.House training and crate training is no fun when you feel like crap.But I have to say it has helped me to heal over losing Luna.I catch myself calling her Luna.Even though Alie is half beagle and pug, she has about 80% beagle in her.The nose is always to the ground.Your beagle is so adorable.Nothing prettier than those almond shape beagle eyes.Luna had black around her face and back with some brown and white.I miss her so much.

Have any of you ever heard of Scientific American Magazine? When I was studying it would put me to sleep in minutes. Now I use ambien- but on the very bad nights I listen to books I download from the internet from Audible.com Works like scientific american

I WENT THRU THE SAME THING AS ALL OF YOU. RHEUMY TRIED ATRIPTYLINE (SP) AND LUNESTA. HATED IT; FELT LIKE A SLEEP WALKING ZOMBIE THE NEXT DAY. AMBIEN WORKS WELL, GIVEN 8 HRS TO SLEEP AND AWAKEN REFRESHED. I ALSO USE A TOPICAL GEL CALLED BIOFREEZE I PUT ON WHATEVER IS HURTING AT THE TIME AND HAVE USED A HEATING PAD FOR YEARS. IT HELPS ALOT.

FUNNY THING, I HAD TOTALLY EXHAUSTIVE FATIGUE AND MD PUT ME ON PROVIGIL. SINCE THEN, NO PROBLEMS SLEEPING THRU THE NIGHT AT ALL. I STILL USE TOPICAL GELS ON DIRECT ACHES AND PAINS BUT NO MORE WAKING UP EVERY HOUR ON THE HOUR. I THINK THE CHRONIC PAIN AND NO SLEEP CAUSED THE FIBRO, THE AMPLIFICATION OF BODY WIDE PAIN.

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Even walking 2 miles yesterday was too much. I shoulda stopped at one. I'm going to TRY and get there 3-4 times a week...gotta build myself back up from where I was before Christmas. My hips and back hurt today. It is good to go again....I just have to stick with it.

I'm so sorry to hear about your beagle. I never heard of a puggle hehe. We have 3 dogs, a beagle, golden retriever and a german sheperd we just adoped a couple weeks ago. The beagle is the sweetest thing. She sure stands her own ground if one of the bigger dogs does something she doesn't like. She hid a piece of bread in the couch the other day at dinner time, and got hungry around 11pm and dug it out of the couch LOL, she pushed my husband out of the way to get to her snack. It was too funny.

I would love to have a golden retriever.That is my favorite dog.There is an adoption program here where I live where you can adopt older goldens.One day I hope to get one.

I am hoping since I started taking predisone I may be able to get back in the gym.I miss it.I had to stop due to this awful pain in my back.I also had pain in wrists,ankles,fingers and hips.It spreads and moves around.

Happy Birthday Again!!!!

Sheila

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I am noticing this cycle to my days and nights. About 3 or 4 in the morning I wake up and can feel pain in my hands. I have a very unrestful night and wake up tired and stiff. [/QUOTE]

Aero--You've just described me! This has been going on for about a month, with my hand pain waking me up. Unlike the others, I've never had any trouble sleeping until now. Never took anything for sleep. It's making me nuts, waking up in pain. After awhile in the daytime I'm much better. I've tried a couple things that have seemed to help. Took 800mg ibuprofen (with snack) about an hour before bed. Helps a little. The other thing I noticed is weird. One night I fell asleep on the couch by mistake. Woke up five or six hours later, with no pain for once. Only thing I can figure is the couch is holding me in a position I don't get in a bed. Tried using the couch for bed several times after that, and it worked again. So maybe you can find another place or way to sleep?