I am new to the forum. Was diagnosed with RA in 2000.
I read some messages that said the Dr. had told you that your RA was affecting your nerve endings. My Dr. told me the same thing. What are/were your symptoms? The only symptom I have is the top of my arms and hands sting terribly making me scratch constantly. At times it nearly drives me crazy. My Dr. prescribed Colchacine in 2001 and it worked great. In December my lab results showed that my liver enzymes were elevated quite a bit so he took me off of it. My arms started stinging immediately so they told me to start taking it again. I saw him Friday and he is stopping my Orencia for a while and prescribed Lyrica and Hydroxyzine. They make me so drowsy that I cannot take them together. My arms are still stinging today so I don't think those meds are the answer. He told me I could also take the Colchacine so I started it again but I hate to because of it causing my liver enzymes to be elevated.
I had this problem before I was ever diagnosed with the RA and saw two medical doctors and four dermatologist for it and no one could come up with anything that would stop the stinging. I mentioned it to the Rheumatology Dr. and he diagnosed the above.
Thanks for any suggestions.welcome nina. Sorry I don't know the answers to your questions. Hope someone else here can. Best of luck to you.
I will bump this up. I do not have an answer maybe someone will see this and know.The hydroxyzine will make you tired it is an antihistamine. For me the Lyrica does not make me tired. Lryica is for nerve pain I believe. It is used for several different conditions. I really do not fall asleep well on the Lryica until I take my Flexeril. Is any of the medicine helping? I am guessing not. Bump for JanieHi Nina, and thanks Milly. You have a good memory! Nina, I have peripheral neuropathy which makes your nerve endings go awry. I have numbness and burning pain, the meds that help me are Endep mainly, Lyrica was ok but I could not afford to keep having it, and neurontin did nothing for me. The start of these problems for me was Arava, one of the side effects is peripheral neuropathy. Nerve testing shows no probs but the neurologist said come off of the Arava and it will improve, and it did.! Hope this is of some help, regards Janie.I also have peripheral neuropathy. I take Lyrica. 150mg in the evenings only because it does make me sleepy. It works very well for me but I have had to increase my dosage since beginning it. My symptoms were tingling and numbness in my lower legs, hands and feet. I also have some nerve damage from an old surgery and the lyrica is a life saver since this has become extremely painful with out it.