Hello to all. I am female, 66 with a diagnosis of arthritis. According to the MRI it has good coverage; joints of fingers,back and mostly the right knee. I have a couple rounds of prednisone, 1 shot of cortisone in knee. Nothing for the upper back. I was taken off motrin because of stomach problems. None of these treatments were within the past year. Last summer was one of extreme malaise and a very tired feeling in my right knee on walking short distance; from bedroom to bathroom. After all kinds of tests, arthritis, high cholestral were the only problems I had. So they put me on antidepressants and lo and behold, the malaise ended. I got out of bed and got on with life, still a slight feeling of tiredness in the right knee, which ha gotten more pronounced within the last two months. When I told my nurse practioner, she said arthritis. Within the last three days it has become increasingly worse and today I can barely walk. I describe it not as pain but as an extreme tiredness that seems to be centered in my right knee but with just a few feet of walking moves to my hip area. I cant imagine tiredness being so debilitating and at its worst I almost would say pain. As long as I am sitting there is absolutely no problem. After very short walks it takes about 3 minutes for the trembling and tiredness to stop completely. Does this sound familiar to anyone?? If it were not the weekend I would be at the doctors office. Thanks and sorry for the long post. wandasue
Hi wandasue:
I think I know exactly how you feel. I was diagnosed with a condition called BOOP (Bronchial Obliterans Organizing Pneumonia) which arrived one day clear out of the blue with severe pain in my neck and upper back, as well as severe pain and swelling in my hands and arms. After three major surgeries (one on the lung to remove and biopsy an infiltrate, one on the elbow to transpose the ulner nerve and remove an arthritic tumor, and one year later a total knee replacement), I am now suffering horrible pain in my hands and arms (the muscles especially) due to RA. I joined the group today and posted something on the BOOP.
I totally understand the fatigue and the knee pain. Have you had the knee xrayed or MRI'd? I, too, was unable to walk much in 2004 and tried Cortizone shots and Synvis shots, but nothing worked. I spent most of the summer and early Fall in bed. I had a total knee replacement the end of October last year and my knee, although still painful walking upstairs, is so much improved. I, too, cannot take too many anti-inflammatories due to GIRD. Just had to stop taking even Aleve due to stomach problems.
My heart goes out to you because no one can possibly understand the pain of RA unless they have it. Do you have any help at home? If you would like to keep in touch with another sympathetic soul, please feel free to email me. I have found that my faith has got me through the last three years. Without it, I don't know how I would have managed.
God Bless.
Frankie
Hi Wandasue G'day and welcome :)
This forum has lots of news, information and support :)
I can't relate to the extreme tiredness. Except the days I am in excruciating pain, those days wear me down, fighting the pain and using all I have to just move. My Arthritis is OsteoArthritis not RA.
I wish you every success in finding a managable resolve. :)
CHEERS Carolyn/Cazz :)
Thanks Frankie and Carolyn I have scheduled an appointment on wednesday. The next time I think I will plan better. Weekend infirmities become life threatening rare diseases. It is amazing how many diseases match up to my symptoms. I have been told arthritis is a trickster. but my knee-leg thingy seems more muscle. I will let you know. wandasue
i wish you all the best. i can really relate to the hand pain. there are times during the night when i wonder if cutting off my hand at the wrist would be more painful than what i was experiencing at the time. i have had cortisone shots in the wrists before that have helped for a short time. thank goodness for my pain medicine. it at least numbs the pain long enough to get back to sleep. good luck to you G'day Wandasue :)
All the very best with your appointment Wednesday, do keep us posted :) Getting an answer will alleviate many questions for you I am sure.
Cheers Carolyn/Cazz :)
Hello all, I am also a newbie here, I have been a nuse for almost 30 years and now I find I am the one who needs care.I have spinal stenosis, secondary to osteoarthritis.I have severe spasms with sciatic like pain down one or the other leg mostly with walking.I have applied for SSDI , cant get through a shift anymore without a debilitating spasm.I worked on a dementia unit in a nursing home and there were times my patients were far more mobile than I was, made it pretty hard for me to go chasing after them! I have had bloodwork to rule out a autoimmune disorder, such as RA .Well ,I am glad to have found this forum , lots of good info and nice people.