I kinda wondered if there was anything that took away the pain...it is so intense I figured prob not lol....even went to the ER one night hoping for a shot of morphine or something but they just gave me advil and sent me on my way. I do have anti-inflammatories (I think they are called Voltaren) but I only take them when I flare.
(ps : sometimes when it really got bad I always had oxycodone I could turn to. Being that I am from Oz is Aleve & Advil available OTC ??? -- if so you need something stronger than that -- I know others who only find any kind of relief from taking Panadiene Forte (you can google your equivalent))
Maz-aust2009-10-20 17:05:26Panadine Forte is acetaminophen + codeine (tylenol-3). Advil (ibuprofen) and Aleve (naproxen) are both excellent anti-inflammatories. Don't let their OTC status fool you into thinking they're "weaker" than the NSAIDs which require prescriptions. Different NSAIDs work for different people; for instance, naproxen's always been my first choice, and celebrex doesn't do anything for me. All of them can be hard on the GI tract (and lots of other parts) and if you're taking any NSAID for longer than a few days straight you really need to check with your doctor.
Thanks for the info Jas,,,
If you were here to get Panadine Forte you would need a script is all I was saying ... most OTC's don't touch the pain levels of PRA. As for the GI tract my answer to that is always take probiotics !!
Yes always check with your doctor --- however in this case her appt is Jan 2010... that's a fair way off.
[QUOTE=Maz-aust]
Thanks for the info Jas,,,
Understand,
Perhaps her own GP won't give her anything because he/she hasn't seen PRA at it's worst??
[QUOTE=Maz-aust]Understand,
If I'm taking voltaren is it OK to also take an occasional ibuprofen
(or vice-versa)? Usually the recommendation is not to mix NSAIDs.
What about a topical pain cream? Many folks here (me included) have found Voltaren gel to be quite effective for "spot" treatment of pain.
What about adding a small dose of a tricyclic antidepressant? Neurontin? Lyrica? These medications can often help chronic pain patients, whether or not there is an underlying depressive disorder.
Are there any dietary changes you think I can make to help my pain and energy levels?
What exercises should I be doing? Can I get a referral to a physiotherapist, therapy pool, etc?
At what point should I call the office back if I'm still having trouble?
Given the medications I'm taking, what warning signs should I look out for? Which ones should I call your office about, and which ones should I just head to the ER for?
Thanks so much for all of your input. You guys give me so much to think about and ask at future appts. I don't actually have an appt with the rheumy yet. It's been 1 1/2 yrs since I seen my previous rheumy dr and I didn't like him, so I asked for a referral to a new one. She hasn't got back to me yet. I work in my fam drs office (doing billings) and I can see him anytime. He is the one who prescribed the voltaren, but told me to stop if I was taking advil. I didn't find the voltaren did anything...ever. So now I take advils. As we speak my hip is flaring, and I don't care if I can't walk I will get my butt into work tomorrow so he can "see" what I'm dealing with on a weekly basis (a few days before was my shoulder, and a few days before that my wrist). I went out for dinner with a dear friend tonight and made the mistake of wearing heals and now I'm paying for it...but they were cute lol. I know this has to be dealt with asap and I'm hoping that I get an appt soon. If I don't hear anything by the end of the week I might request sending my referral letter to yet another rheumy. I will keep you posted as to what's going on. Thanks for the suggestions and questions I should be asking, cause yeah if I'm not flaring at the appt I usually say I'm doing ok, getting by. But until I can't move I think I AM ok.
[QUOTE=Racergirl] I'm not flaring at the appt I usually say I'm doing ok, getting by. But until I can't move I think I AM ok.[/QUOTE]
I think many of us have been in the same boat. Keeping a chart or journal of your sypmtoms and issues is a great way to provide documentation of what's really going on. Here's one that I made for myself, and I've found to be quite helpful:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AnBLliR35V8mcGhMcnd5aGt4ZmJtNHMwQzNqLWswSWc&hl=enI often felt more-or-less OK when my rheumatologist appointment came up - it would be too convenient to schedule a flare-up to coincide with an appointment!!
In the beginning my own GP (Dr) said how are you & I would tell him I flared 2 wks ago or last week or whenever & that went on for months until one day I was flaring, the palm of my hand was inflammed & I had been up all night pacing the floor; I managed to get in to see him within the hour - the Dr was amazed, he had never seen me like that (in fact he had never seen anyone like that) -- now for the fun part, whilst I was at the surgery the pre-school phoned & said my grandson had fallen & needed to go to the Dr, I told Dr S & said I would be straight back (round trip 1/2 hr). When I got back to see him my flare had moved & now my hand perfectly fine, no redness, no swelling & not in the least bit sore but my thigh was excruciatingly painful. That was when he said - Maz when you said it was sore I didn't really think it was as bad as that! I know you have a high pain threshold & I did believe you, it's just that seeing it is so different from you telling me about it; so from here on in I can assure you I will always have a red cross on your file so if I am not here & you need morphine or whatever else the locum will give it to you without question.
I know how important it is for a Dr to see what's going on -- it is so different from telling them -- it is so hard to get that appt with the Dr whilst you are flaring when you have PRA.
Hope you get in to see a doctor quickly & start meds to get it under control straight away.
Good luck,
Maz
ps : your GF is right; be proactive, don't just lie down & be good, if you need to see a Dr you need to see a Dr!!
Maz-aust2009-10-21 16:14:05bump so hazel can update us ...
lol.....ty Maz......don't really have much to update....hip is still flaring, limped around work all day :( ------- asked about the referral (referral girl called for me) and said I wouldn't get an appt for at least a month, maybe a month and a half. They will contact me two weeks before the appt to let me know when So went to see my fam dr again, there is some perks to working in a drs office lol......so he see's me limping around all day, sent me for labs to see what's going on with inflammation and put me on a low dose of prednisone for one week to see if that subsides the flares (5mg/day) --- have always been anti steriod medication...seen the side effects first hand working where I do and it scares me, but I'm sick of being in pain so hoping (like the other poster) that the low dose will help with little side effects. Going to prepare a document likes Jas's (thanks Jas!) to take with me, on the + side at least I have a good month or so to track my symptoms. So maybe some relief in store but too early to tell. Hope everyone had a good day :)PS......Maz that is wild how fast your flares move...I haven't experienced the migration that fast...glad your dr was able to witness that!!!It's good isn't it Hazel ... when I flare it can move from hand to thigh to shoulder & back to the other hand all within a couple of hours, it's almost as if it doesn't know where to attack. That's why it is so hard for someone like me - by the time I have rung the Dr & got a time to see him it could have been & gone ... It was just shear luck that day !!
A friend of mine with RA has recently gone to see my Dr for an opinion because she didn't like the doctor she had been seeing, anyway she has been taking prednisone & Dr D dropped it down to 5mg & told her she could be on that dose forever if she needed it ... Now this is 2nd hand I am only telling you what my GF told me that night.
My attitude is you do whatever you need to do & take whatever you need to take to get the situation under control, then you can choose to look at your options.
There are obvious advantages to working for a GP .... good for you!
Hi, I'm new as well. I am 56. I have not been diagnosed with RA yet, but they are testing for it. I suffer debilitating bouts of costochondritis and shoulder arthritis. I take cortisone shots, but now they are testing so they may put me on RA meds. They also have me on Mobic.
I have found that exercise helps too. I walk. If I am in a flare I can't exercise. I do find that I am losing strength in my upper body and becoming short of breath. So, I make myself do a little upper body exercises (arm circles, light weights with low reps) and the walking. It helps. If I am not in a flare and have been exercising I can do more. My flares typically last several weeks and usually occur in the fall of the year throughout the winter months. And, I live in Florida. I can't imagine if I lived anywhere cold.
I know how you feel losing the ability to do the things you once took for granted sucks. I have tried to use my flares to do things I never had time for. I love to read and I put the heating pad on and plow through all the books I have always wanted to have time to read.
Hang in there.
Sandi
Hi Sandi,
Welcome to the forum.
It is interesting what little things we need to do to keep us from focussing on our troubles, what a great idea to read the books we don't have time for when we are well !! I will remember that.
Hi!
What you're going through sounds very similar to what I went through a few years back. I found going to the swimming pool really helped for exercise and using the steamroom and jacuzzi really helped loosen up the joints if you do it on a fairly regular basis, and ice packs definitely help especially with problems like the nodule you were describing (fluid filled lump), I had one on the back of my right hand for the better part of a year, all it ended up taking was regular ice packs to bring it down, haven't had it since. Most of this won't offer immediate relief but if you are able to keep it up, in the long term it really helps. (back then I was prescribed steroids, and, while they did give immediate relief, I'm a much bigger fan of natural remedies where possible, the relief is much easier to sustain without the horrible side-effects)
Great advice guys!
I hope you feel better soon Racergirl!
Bumped to get an update ::
Did you get a Dr's appt???
No drs appt....I won't hear anything for about a month. I updated that fam dr gave me prednisone...I thought it was 5mg, but I take 6 of them so it's actually 30mg/day. This is just a trial thing (for one week) -- he says if I take it for only a week there is no weaning, so not sure if I want to continue after a week.....but can I say...I started them last night, still had hip pain and also wrist pain started. Took the meds at supper and by the time I went to bed, hip pain was gone but still had wrist pain. Woke up this am, took another 30mg and by lunch time wrist pain was also gone. I pretty much had a pain free day!!! SO EXCITED!!! Came home did laundry, swept floors, washed some windows and still feeling good. I really wish this med didn't have side effects.
To the last poster about jaccuzzi tubs....I have a jetted tub in my basement that I am constantly in when I flare, it feels good while I'm there thats forsure. I would like a full size hot tub and my plan is to purchase one after my car is paid off...two more years and I'll be in bliss....love them, but I'm convincing hubby that its theraputic haha!
A mth, good grief that is a long time to wait, wish I understood your health care system..
The main thing is that you are pain free; it must be great after all this time. Good luck for the week, I am sure you will make a decision re pred by then.
Don't forget though, we aren't supposed to do the laundry, sweep the floors, wash the windows & grease & oil the car -- we are supposed to take it easy & play the game of invalid where we get lots of sympathy...lol
Seriously, thanks for the update, glad you are feeling better,
Maz
ps - have a great weekend!
Maz-aust2009-10-22 19:59:47lol Thanks Maz, I'll try and remember that, but when I can't do anything I feel guilty for not being able to keep my own house clean. Hubby does lots but its just "not the same" lol. I could have done lots more but just a bit at a time.Don't I know it ---
But just take your time, it will be there tomorrow !
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