Hospital visit, heart, and muscle cramping. | Arthritis Information

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Hi all:

 
Lots of things happened since Easter, haven't been on boards.  Was taken to ER on Good Friday, pain in my chest in the morning, went away, and then came back at night in my chest then across between my shoulder blades.  Rushed me in the ambulance, doctors took a chest xray, and I have a tortuous aorta...meaning my aorta bent funny.  They thought it was disecting, or splitting, but thank heavens, it wasn't.  Said it was a side effect of RA.  Not sure if they mean RA or the meds.  Anyone else have this happen?  Anyway, sent what was the beginning of finally feeling better into a frickin tail spin...RA OUT OF CONTROL!!!!!
 
Swelling in arms, pain pain pain pain like I never knew existed.  Then three nights ago, woke up sobbing in pain, worse than ever in my knees and ankles.  Literally could not move.  Still worse than anything I could have imagined.  Took til 11 am the next day to walk 10 steps.  Yesterday feeling better though. 
 
So, meanwhile, I keep getting these crazy charlie horse type cramps in my feet and hands.  Hands are freaky.  My index finger will literally contort to a whole new shape out of nowhere.  They hurt from the cramping, or are uncomfortable, but not RA type pain like I mentioned from the other night.  They just keep getting cramped. 
 
I take the mtx, and I'm on 60 mg. pred daily and folic acid.  Still need to start the Humira.
 
Anyone else have these issues?
 
Lisa

No- and I hope they don't continue for you!

So sorry you are feeling so crappy- my goodness you are on a lot of prednisone to still feel that way!

What does your doctor say about all this?

Seeing him on Friday.  Hope nothing else is going on causing the cramping.Don't have any experience with those symptoms Lisa....but I wanted to wish you well.
 
Get well soon.
Nope, never experienced that.
 
Hope you get it figured out real soon.
 
Much Hugs!
Hmm, sorry I'm on 120 mg. pred daily...60 mg twice a day.  Due to the heart thing, they upped upped me to minimize any inflammation around the aorta.Damn, Lisa - that's awful. 
 
I'm gonna go research.  I'll be back later with what I find.
 
Hugs,
 
Pip
Can you add in some probiotics ASAP.  Look for some of the recent threads. 
 
Hugs,
 
Pip
120mg of pred?! Wow! Now my teeth would be falling out at that dosage. They start to get soft on 15mg of months at a time. I would hate to see what they would do at 120mg of pred!
 
Much much much hugs to you.
Lisa - did they give a definition?
 
Ever hear of incompetent aorta?  Give me something to work with here, please.
 
Pip
OOFA Lisa 120 mgs! 
 
Prayers going up that you get to the bottom of this and get well.
hi rd .. i have had things go on in the chest for a few years now..
i was on gold injections then had breathing probs. so gold was stopped
and plaquinil started.. one evening i had a cramp in my chest then my heart
pounded really hard. like a big punch in my chest.. i had a ecg and was
given a hand held heart monitor for 3 mths.. nothing was found wrong..
i now get chest tightness .. stabbing feeling .. and my wrists and hands
have a feeling of tightness and start tingling.. i have allso had electric shocks
run from my chest down my arms... 2 years ago i had a explosion in my head
then a electric shock through my body. really hurt.. ecgs have showed
nothing..
Boney

Tortuous aorta  

A twisted or distorted aorta that results in the narrowing or constricting of the aorta, which, in turn, may cause blockage of blood flow. This may further lead to hypertension (high blood pressure), aortic insufficiency, cystic medial necrosis, or premature atherosclerosis

Boney, many reasons for elevated BP.  Weight, medications, stress, age, and other medical factors.  Your doctor will probably rule out the other medical reasons.  Lindyok thanks lin i dont know anything about bp.. only it has been ok for 13yrs of ra
it went up after being on arava or after depomedrol injection..
hard to say what is doing what anymore..
Boney

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