Emotions | Arthritis Information

Does anyone else here have the ups & downs with RA? Today I feel good and happy as a lark. Tomorrow I may be down in the dumps & feeling a little sorry for myself. But then I look at my family and know that all the effort to try & keep a so called normal life style is totally worth it! I do know that the harder I try to have a good attitude the better I feel.I almost divorced my husband last week over chunky marinara sauce...I think it was 'roid rage!!!!LOL

But it is a roller coaster. I cook and bake to keep my own personal therapy going, but sometimes, I feel crappy and think I need an antidepressant, and then get over it and then it starts again...viscious cycle.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!!!! And keeping some semblance of normalcy for the kids is what it's all about.

Lately I have been feeling really down and irritable. I almost posted something about it and then I was like-

Ehh nobody wants to hear it.

It's really been bothering me and affecting my relationships at home and work.

I've been trying to blame it on something like prednisone taper but I don't know.

I'm glad I'm not the only one feeling this way.

Here's to a better mood!

I know this sounds crazy, but all the years I was on prednisone, I was such a ......itch! The mood swings, oh my gosh. And I could get furious in just about 2 secs. I've been off for over a year and my husband thinks he has a new wife. It is totally amazing - and I didn't notice it so much until I was off of it. Of course I take Zoloft too, but lately I have cut back on that too. I still have like 50 pounds I need to lose, but hey, I'll take fat over feeling horrible any day!!

You're not alone in feeling up and down - I think it goes with the territory. I don't think there is anything wrong with feeling a little out of sorts once in awhile about the new "normal" the trick is to recognize when those feelings start dragging you down too long and figure out a way to get back to thinking half-full vs half-empty.

Ah yes, roid rage...........Lisa, I almost divorced my DH over spilled coffee on the counter top. Is that crazy or what? I mean it was a huge fight over nothing. We never fight except when I was on Pred. and the harder I tried to be nice and calm the meaner I got. It was a vicious cycle. I've since tapered to 7.5 mg. and am like a new person but then being in clinical remission has made me much happier and less stressed.

Chronic pain really affects us as much emotionally as it does physically. I think it's normal to feel down when you're in constant pain. That's one of the reasons that I feel as positive as I do about pain management. It enables us to cope better with life. There are emotional cycles when you have RA. I've had them for years but I've learned to adjust my daily life to which way the cycle is headed. They've pretty much gone away with remission but at one time were a problem. I realize that they're normal and chose to learn to live with them without medications. It worked for me but might not for others.

Remember, you're not alone. I always remember that my life could be much worse, my health could be worse, and my support system could be non existent. So, all in all, I'm feeling very lucky to have remission, my life, and my support. Plus, spring is here! Lindy

Cathy-

That half full half empty thing is one of the things really getting to me..

During my onset I became completely disabled for about a month. When I got better I was so thankful for all the smallest things which we all should be...

Now I've been feeling frustrated at my limitations, mad about things I've had to give up and guilty at the same time for not appreciating all that I can do and how far I've come. Then I get mad again for feeling like I can't feel a little sorry for myself.

Does that make any sense?

my family hate me on predisone.....hell; I hate me on predisone. I honestly feel like I could tear someones head off their shoulders for the smallest offense. Very mean and hungry all the time. I can't take that stuff long.

I think life in general can get folks down but add the stress and worries of RA and we have to work twice as hard to keep our spirits up.

You aren't alone. Predisone or no predisone it's hard at times.

wanttobeRAfree - when you say the 1/2 full, 1/2 empty is getting to you, do you mean people saying that (and making it sound easy) or that you can't seem to flip back to 1/2 full as easily?

I was lucky and RA has never totally disabled me, still working, etc. , but maybe it's easier to find the positives when you go from disabled to feeling better and getting back your life. Now that you've been feeling better, is it harder to dig yourself back out since there isn't such a big extreme. Does that make sense?

our body is at constant war attacking itself , of course we feel bad. we live with this 24/7 with no break. actually we are alot more positive than we give ourselves credit for. most people have no idea how bad we hurt.Rarely do i have the downs these days, even though i am still trying to find the right meds, but in my first couple of years, i would have ups when i felt better and horrible downs when it flaired up and i couldn't walk or hold things.

It is something that takes a while to learn to live with. I have the knowledge that i might get better and hope i will, but realize i may be like this forever. So i do my best to find things to help me walk like my canes and walker, or my different wrist braces so i can hold things and just move on with my life.

I would love to have high hopes for me, but meds are not appearing to help me. So i live happy the way that i am and find ways of being happy even on my worst RA days.

I take paxil now, but only after the RA wasn't such a big deal to me anymore. It is actually for a different reason that i take it, social anxiety disorder. But i hear it can help with depression and other stress problems. There are many drugs for this type of treatment on the market.

Paxil is super wonderful for me. I have always had social anxiety disorder, half the time i wouldn't answer the phones or door, couldn't shop stores at Christmas time etc. But now for the first time, i just feel normal. Maybe this type of drug can help you if it doesn't seem to be going away on it's own.

I wish you well.

Life is a roller coaster ride. I think being sick makes it more likely you think you are at a low point and someone cut the power. You might miss the fact that the switch was never turned off. CathyMN

What I mean is my glass is half full- I know it is. I too made a come back so great that I am back to working both my jobs. However at first it was a real high that I was functioning so well after being helpless. But now I feel like I am doing what I used to do but I'm damn tired and I'm forgetful, everything is harder for me. As I get on a lower and lower dose of prednisone my joints are starting to ache, my hands are clumsier, I have stiffness. I'm trying to push it all down and saying but YOU CAN DO IT! I am feeling guilty because at the end of the day I am seeing my glass as half full.

I feel the same way. there is a lot going on besides my health stuff and so im not sure if i would put it on that but im sure it contribbutes! there are days when i feel awfull but im still happy and optimistic and of course the days when i feel awfull physically and emotionally. otherdays its just emotional....who knows. im on effexor-for fibromyalgia but ive noticed an improvement on how long I stay down...... I'm glad I'm not the only one on an emotional roller coaster. My ankles have been flaring up for 2 weeks and seem to just be getting worse. I get so angry and hostile in the morning that I think my dogs are afraid of me (the bright side is they're both very well behaved lately). I'm OK for a while, but the drive to work is very tough lately. I have the worst road rage and usually cry at least once a day. Other days, when the pain meds work, I get very happy and almost bouncy. My mom has taken to calling me everyday to check on how I am doing, I think she's scared I'm going to hurt someone. I have an appointment with the rheumy on May 1st, I think I may have to ask him for mood stabilizers.
I never was an emotional person before ra. I hardly ever cried or was down. When I was first dx almost 3 years ago, I was depressed big time and would start crying and couldn't stop. I was put on cymbalta and I take xanax sometimes when I feel I need it. I was a control freak before ra and that's the hardest part for me is not to be in control with my health, my home and a lot of other things. Now I have mellowed out and realized sometimes I can't do the things I used to. I used to have a very good business and made good money with cleaning houses. Now I'm lucky to get the dishes done. Actually right now the counter and sink are full of dishes but I found I have to let it go for now until I am feel good enough to do them. Took alot of getting used to but I have. I am reaaalllly emotional during my period and cranky. It also makes me flare all over. I also have bad weather flares too. So my moods are up and down with that. My wonderful hubby and kids are excellent at helping me out and understanding. Hubby was going to do dishes when he got home from work and I told him not to worry about them and I hope tomorrow is a better day and I'll get them done sooner or later. Probably later! LOL_popupControl();I think everyone with a chronic disease has their ups and downs. I am an extremely positive person and can see the good in everything, I even saw the positive side in all the things that RA has "borrowed" from me in the last 2 years (I say "borrowed" because I fully intend to get it all back!), but lately I find it hard to be positive when I know that I'm getting worse every day. It is hard to say "I can beat this" when you can't walk and can't sleep and you are completely disabled to the point where you can't LIVE your life. But I do it anyway, because it keeps me sane. I try not to feel too bad, it just comes with the territory. And when I do feel bad, I let myself feel my feelings. People in society want to see people with tough diseases keep their chin up, but they don't understand what it is like to live with this. We are all entitled to feel bad now and again.
I've been there and done that.
Up and down like a dogs dinga.
I have felt like crying for no apparent reason then two hours later, I'm feeling good.
Went through a stage where I just wanted out.

It's a roller coaster alright.

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