Hi everyone, I have a question about RA of the hip, uveitis and anxiety with steriods.
Generally speaking my joint disease is comparatively mild with the focus more on chronic uveitis. I had much more aggressive joint disease when I was a child and can't help comparing joint swelling and pain to what I knew from age 8 to 19 and I used a chair or a cane from 8 to 16. I am now 46. Mostly as an adult, I have had problems with my hands and feet and the only stubborn problem has been the left foot and even that I can live with that except when my foot doesn't fit in the bloody shoe. The last two weeks though I have had swelling and pain in my shoulder and hip. The former I experienced as a child and feel sure that it is the RA. The latter is excruciating, standing or bending causes such sharp pain that the muscles around it twitch and spasm and burn like crazy making me wonder if this is really RA. I talked to my rheumy yesterday and he started me on predisone 40 mg for 4 days, then dropping to 30 for 4 days then 20mg and holding. I am not crazy about the steriods but I know they will reduce the pain.
When I asked my rheumatologist if he was sure it was the RA in the hip he said yes. I couldn't help but wonder if it was bursitis or something else. My question is for all of you with RA in the hip - what does it feel like? Are the muscles surrounding your involved? Also, does anyone else get all antsy and jittery and anxious on the higher dosage of steriods? Finally, it has taken 18 months to get my uveitis (iritis) under control. It has been quiet for 4 months now and I was dreaming of going back into remission. Everyone is surprised that this flare isn't involving my eyes and is just focusing on the joints. Are there others out their with severe uveitis/iritis? Has it been your experience that its either one (the joints) or the eyes?
Thanks everyone!!!!
Dx JRA, age 8, MTX 15mg weekly, Plaquinel 400 mg/day, Levothroxine 125 mcg/day, folate 1mg/day, restasis, HCTZ/Triam 25mg/day and now predisone
Welcome Molly!!!
My hip pain is alot like yours. Pred makes me right down irritable too!!!! Jittery even!!! I am sorry your disease brought you here but I'm glad your here!!!
Hugs