I am just coming out of a flare on my hand and hip. I went to my dr today to check me I told him I have been having chest pains for the last week. He pressed on my chest were the chest plate is I guess there is joint attaching things there boy did it hurt the pain went right to my shoulders that would explain why my shoulders hurt all the time and there is a growth on sore on the bottom of my big toe. My dr is looking for a new rhuemy for me as my rhuemy is not listening to me he blows it of and says it is stress he barly looks at me anyways anybody had this chest thing I would appreciate input thankyou......TERESA
I have struggled with this for the past few years Teresa. It's very painful at times....and at first it was very scary. An increase in my medication usually helps it for a while; but as my medication wears off it's always the first symptom that I'm due for my meds.
I'm not sure what medication you are on; but I take MTX & Humira. We've increased it a number of times over the last few years due to this problem alone. Cold packs help too. I usually like heat for all my other pain; but the coolness of a cold pack (Not ice; I can't take that) really seems to help those pains in my chest.
Also I have that problem in the joints of my big toes too. Before I started treatment for RA the GP swore it was just a bunion and I'd eventually have to have it removed. When I saw the RD the first time she said "No, it's just another complication from RA. Once you get on the proper medication the swelling will go down and you'll have very little problems from it." She was so right. I have had close to no problems from it for over 11 years now. Just here recently with increased problems in my feet have I even noticed it.
Welcome to AI. I hope you'll stick around. There's a lot of really nice people here.
Lovie
Teresa~Did you notice I did reply here?Sorry lovie there is so much to see on all the subjects I have been cruising around and then I was trying to move my new member letter to this sight anyways sorry. I am on methotrxate and predisone and sometimes pain killers. I have a 6 yr old son and I am going to walk to pick him up today slowly I
try to get some exercise everyday as long as I am not flaring. When my chest pains started I did not tell anybody sometimes I feel like my husband looks at me like he made a bad purchuse my spelling is bad today sorry. I get really angry cause as you know we can not control this and the more upset we get the sicker we will get. So my crappy rhuemy does not help. He should listen to me and I really think when you get diagnosed they should give you a starter kit with the how to and what not to you have to learn most stuff on the street or the internet. Again I am sorry I took so long t6o reply I am just amazed by this sight I am on one in canada but nobody replies for a long time or not at all so forgive me I have to go for a while and pick up tony thanks ....TERESA
Teresa~When I first started having chest pains like these...and I guess we shouldn't refer to them as chest pains because it gives people the wrong impression...it's the breast bones; and often people feel it in their ribs too. Anyway; I was just on MTX too. On every occation we'd raise the dose slightly. That would take care of the problem for a while; eventually we added Humira once my dose got to 22.5mg with no relief. That worked pretty good for a while and then eventually we increase the Humira dose as well.
Maybe ask your doctor about doing that.
And I so understand about not wanting to mention a new....and what seems so unlikely problem to your loved ones. It's something we all struggle with as well.
I have costochondritis which is actually pain in my 2nd and 3rd rib where junction of the rib and cartilage is inflammed. It very painful indeed! Mine happened after I used a weight maching that I wasn't supposed to use. It has gotten better after about six weeks, but is still there. Especially turning the steering wheel or twisting to the right. When my rheumo pressed on it I thought I would fly of the table. He said he could inject it but wanted to wait to see if the pain would go away on its own. If it is not better in about a month, I am going for the injection.OUCH!! I've never had an injection in that area...much the thought of it scares me. I'm usually all for it when my RD even mentions it...but I think I'd put that one off for a bit myself too. Honestly though if it went on too long I'd do it in a second because the injections are a small price to pay for the relief you get.
I've had them in my shoulders. knees and hips....and then that one in the butt that helps all over? Do you know why they do this? I can't even begin to remember what he called it...bit it is helpful.
Leslie; what type of weight machine were you using when you hurt yourself?
Are you the original Less13?
I was told to only do cardio and to carfull if you are imflamed no weight by my rhuemy just the bike and swimming and walking it kills me to not do anything cause I was a big exerciser before this happened I thought about physio mabey they could tell you what to do....TERESAI think that is why I haven't healed completely. I stay off the weights for about four days and then go back and I flare up the costo again. I am giving it two weeks this time!
Sure is hard to find the line between getting proper exercise and over doing. Seems more like a moving target than a line.
Be Gentle with yourself when coming back from a flare!
Hi Lovie,
Yes, the old Less13. My hardrive crashed due to a virus and I had to reregister and it wouldn't take my old password and username.
The machine I was using was one where you lie on your back and place weights in the inside of your arms at the elbows and press them up at the same time in towards your chest. I guess it might be called a chest press..I don't know the names of the machines. The trainer told me that the machine was too large for me ( I am small ), but I decided to go for it anyway! I think I will listen next time!
I do think that it is helping staying off the uper body machines. The pain was much less today after a week of "rest".
I thought that was probable you.
Are you a member at rafriends.com? If not....most of us hang out there not. I do check in here just to make sure I haven't missed anything; but for the most part there's only a few reponses here a day.
Hope you'll join us over.
Lovie