Last night I had a horrible time trying to sleep. I have had this problem for years now (since I was about 9 or 10), and thought maybe it is arthritis related, or maybe not. I just wanted to know if any of you expierience this. I get this feeling in my knees, ankels, and wrists. It feels like I need to stretch... I know it sounds weird, but if I stretch I get instant relief, but as soon as I stop I get that pain/feeling again. When it happens in my wrist, I used get my father to hold my arm and pull while I pull the other way. So much so, my wrist would crack, and I would get instant relief!
Then, as soon as we stop, the pain starts again. Isn't that strange??? lately, I noticed it happens right before I flare... which is happening this morning. My joints that had that strange feeling last night, are very swollen and painful today - the feeling is the opposite of last night. They hurt so much - I don't want my knees or wrists touched at all today! lol
Maybe I am loosing my mind? It is such a weird feeling and as I try to explain it here, I realize how strange it must sound. As soon as I stretch the joint that is giving me trouble, they crack real loud and the pressure or feeling of needing to stretch goes away.
For my legs (knees and ankles), I would lay down on the couch, and my father would sit on my shins, between my knees and ankles... instant relief! He would always think he was hurting me, but really the pressure it took off my joints was such a relief! As soon as he would get up, I would have that nagging pain and feeling again. I have told a doctor once about the relief I get when someone sits on my legs (
I just had a really bad night last night with that, and was wondering if anyone goes through this kind of thing??? It can't be "growing pains" since I am 32! As strange as it sounds, and shy I am to tell anyone that this is happening because it sounds so strange, I had to know if anyone else ever went though this type of pressure/pain?? Maybe it is muscle related?? Tendons?
Oh My God! I just read your post and can't believe how well you described that feeling. I'm 33, not yet diagnosed, but it is looking and feeling like RA.
Anyway, I don't really have trouble sleeping, but I do ache as a lie in bed. My three young daughters are early risers and usually come in my room between 5:30 and 6:00am. I usually just turn on cartoons and let them stay in bed with me for an hour before having to get everyone ready for school. The best part is... I love when they sit on my legs, my feet, etc. It is such a relief from the ache! If one of them squirms around, then I'll even ask the others. "OK--who wants to sit on mommy's legs?" They think it is hilarious.
I mentioned that to my hubby a few weeks ago, and he had never heard of that. (He is an MD, and I bug him to death with all my symptoms. Not complaining, really, just trying to make sense of what is going on until we get a real diagnosis.)
Anyway, looking at these message boards even before being diagnosed has just been worth it. I'm not nuts, and neither are you!
Take care!
Dar, I know what you mean, I have a similar situation in my lower back and my ankles. Unless I lie on my side and push my hips forward to stretch my lower back every night before I go to sleep, I can't fall asleep. I had a horrible time sleeping last night as I completely over did it yesterday tearing out the carpet in my living room!! Even the vicodin didn't put me out like it normally does. I know stretching the joints does help, because it relieves the pressure on them. My 70 lb. dog sleeps on the bed, and when he lays across my legs it actually feels so good!! LOL He's not like a kid though and I can't seem to "ask" him to do it all the time!! He just doesn't get it!! hehehehe I have restless leg syndrome and what you describe sounds awfully similar. And even though it is called restless leg syndrome, it can affect any limb. It struck me when you described the sensation as "strange" and that you get temporary relief from moving the limb. I had RLS long before I was diagnosed with RA so I don't associate this problem with a flare, I have it all the time. It is a difficult problem to treat for some. I take Sinemet which is an antiparkinson drug and it gave me great relief for a few years, now it works so-so but definitely better than nothing at all. That is completely intolerable. Other treatment options are opiates or low dose benzodiazepines like klonopin. I can't take these so my options are limited. There are some things which will make RLS worse (or do for me anyway). Antidepressants REALLY make it worse, but things as seemingly benign as Benadryl might do it too. Hope that helps.Wow! I thought I was going completely crazy. Even after I posted, I kept thinking "What are you doing? People are going to think you are nuts!". I even thought about coming in and deleting it.
My parents used to laugh and say that in the very old days, when they would stretch people as torture.... I would probably enjoy it! Of course they are joking. Mostly, this sensation comes when I am sitting or have my knees bent for a length of time. I get the same feeling when I go to the movies. Within 15 minutes of sitting down. I usually just sit at the end of the row in the theatre, so I can squirm and stretch my legs ( I usually have to flex my ankle a lot and keep doing it all the time I am at the movie.)... otherwise it would drive me insaine. Airplanes are the same. It literally hurts so much that I need to stretch. Not all the time, but most of the time. I notice too when I am on my feet all day... like at Walt Disney. (my folks have a place in Florida and I have been going there every winter for most of my life.) When I get back from the parks, the pain could drive me crazy!
Thank you so much for your responses! I don't feel so strange now. I mentioned it once to my GP a long time ago, but I haven't mentioned it to any other doctor since...because I really don't know how to put the feeling of having to "stretch" or have the pressure relieved in words that would really describe and get across how bad it can get. It is like at one moment you are in pain, and when my dad used to sit on my legs... it was instant. No pain. Nothing. Then he would get up, and it would be back. Of course, it could be the circulation he is cutting off that makes the pain go away too... but, it was all worth the few moments of being completely pain free. I just don't know how to explain that to someone without them thinking I am some carzy person or something! lol It sounds so harsh, but really it was such a relief!
Oh Dar, this really sounds like RLS. For many it only happens at night just before they fall asleep, but for some, just sitting down quietly any time of day will be enough. And your inability to describe the sensation is classic! I have had this for 10+ years and I still don't know how to describe it to someone else.Dar...I have the exact same thing occur..and it is a horrible feeling. I get it in my arms...and you are right...when I stretch them out it makes them feel better...until I stop stretching, then the feeling is right back. I haven't been diagnosed with RLS...but I am assuming this is what it is. I've just never explained it to the doctor.
Dar i believe its from the RA mine does the same thing and after reading these post i believe it more. Doctors don't know what it feels like and if they don't know what it is they put a new name to it and load you down with more meds. Its got to do with the joints when we lay down and your post sounded so much like me. I thought it was just me and never said anything to the doctor (those looks they give you when they don't understand what your saying). RLS is in the legs only it makes you want to move your legs they are restless but i think what she meant is you need to stretch the area out, with a strange sensation. Well i am glad you posted this cause now i don't feel like iam crazy.
MikeM
I don't know if Dar has RLS or not, just that many of the things she was describing sounded alot like it and I thought it was worth mentioning as a possibility. It is common in Fibro and associated with RA.