I have read and heard that RA can cause a general sense of malaise. I've only
had my diagnosis for about a week (no treatments yet), but I've been feeling
so sick for weeks now, like I have the flu and it just won't go away. Do
others have this? Do I have to be on prescription medications for the sick
feelings to subside? Do the meds even help with the malaise or just the
pain? So far, none of my symptoms have responded to either motrin, tylenol,
or aleive. so I'm thinking I need the RD to prescribe something stronger. I
really want to stop feeling so sick! Will the meds help this? What has been
your experience with RA and feeling sick? I hate the stiffness, aches, pains,
crippled-ness, etc., but this ill-feeling is the worst. I just want to lay down
and die. Thanks bunches!
Fade2black,
I'm sorry you aren't feeling well. I also felt really terrible before I started the Plaquenil. I also compared the feeling to the flu. Tired, achey, yucky! When I first started the Plaquenil, it helped with both the pain and the sick feeling.
I'm curious why your RD only gave you an anti-inflammatory if you have a diagnosis of RA? Seems to me that you should be on a DMARD.
Hi Fade. You know, I don't think I realized how exhausted I felt all the time till I started feeling better. Hang in there, the meds should help. Take care and get the rest you need when you can. Sometimes easier said than done though, huh?I don't think I've welcomed you to the board yet so..... Welcome! Welcome!! I'm sorry you've joined the RA crowd because RA sucks, but glad you've found us. There are people in this forum who have had the disease for years and are RA gurus.
I'm so sorry that you feel like crap! That all-over body ache, flu-like feeling without the snot is just horrible.
I hope you get to feeling better soon!
Hi F2B,
Glad to see you posting. I will do it I will say the "F" word FATIGUE I think when someone is diagnosed with this type of disease, they go through the same emotional process as someone who has suffered a loss. I think the steps (denial, anger, bargaining, acceptance ... ) are the same. I'm still in the denial phase - thinking I'll wake up one day and this will all have been a bad dream.
HI everyone, thanks for the responses! I have an appt. with a RD next
Tuesday, so I will blast him with questions then and see what meds he
thinks I should be on. Is Prednisone usually the first line of attack?
Kara, I have been feeling on and off nauseous as well as feeling sick. And
I often feel really dizzy and weak. The past two days, I've had periods
when I have felt "not as sick" as other periods, but certainly not great,
definitely ill. And then by evening/nighttime, I feel like I am dying,
soooooo sick and fiverish. How long have you had this? I guess I just want
to know that the sick feeling will get better in the forseeable future, that I
am not always going to feel like this. It really is not fair, the disease is
bad enough without it making you feel sick too!
Also wondering what everyone does as far as exercise goes. I have been
trying to do some very light/mild walking to try to keep me loosened up a
bit and to keep a bit of my strength up and some very light toning
exercises, certainly nothing like I was doing before this hit. Is it okay to
exercise lightly as long as I'm not hurting?
Welcome Fade2black!!!!!
I am sorry for your diagnosis though.... I agree with the others call your RD and see if can give you something else.
As for exercise, swimming is easy on those joints!!! Hope you keep posting!!!
Hugs
Hello and welcome. I hope your RD comes up with something to help soon!Hi fade2black,
I was diagnosed recently too, and that sick feeling you describe just this week started to diminish after going on Plaquenil. Before that, no amount of rest or Tylenol or Aleve seemed to help. I think inflammation in the body causes that feeling, and a temporary pain reliever just doesn't cut it. So definitely speak up! My RD has been great, but I'm astonished by some of the things I've read about how many doctors are either over or under-medicating.
Not at all feverish, and I think the nausea has something to do with the oxycodone. I'm sure once you've got your medications under control things will even out for you. I'm really new at this myself, so I'd defer to what others are telling you.F2B,
I think that alot of it you hit right on the head when you said I just want to lay down and die. I think that our mental attitude kinda takes over if we let it. I didn't start feeling better until i made myself get out of bed and git going including fatigue. So much pain but i felt so much better, go figure. I got used to people looking at me in the store and everybody opening doors for me and even me humming instead of yelping when a joint was moved wrong.
Anyway, my unprofessional diagnosis is that you have the dreaded "I just want to lay down and die disease", associated with rheumatoid arthritis and many other chronic diseases.
I prescribe that you make yourself git up and git going. You will still hurt but will find ways to do things in a way that the pain is kept to a minimum, how not to walk, how not to bend or twist, just git up and go. You may even lose some pain along with losing some fatigue. Doctor Kansal gave me this same prescription back at the beginning of my RA adventure and it is certainly some of the best medicine I ever received.
LEV