This has come up before but now it's confirmed. My walking problems, including foot drop, is caused by, or added to, by severe lower limb nerve damage (neuropathy.) This is fairly common with RA, diabetes, trauma, toxins ans so on. Neuropathy causes its own pain and here is the question - I can't tell which is causing the foot pain, the RA or the neuropathy? Has anyone had this combination who can offer some advice? I should add that apart from the feet the only other pain left since taking RA drugs is confined to one hand which is almost certainly CTS and gradually improving.
Any advice or tips would be appreciated. Ta, Des.
Hi Des,
Yes, I also have neuropathy along with RA. My neuropathy was diagnosed about 2 or 3 years ago, and RA just formally diagnosed this past Feb. However, the docs had been trying to determine just what it was for a long time.
My RA is still not under control, as there are so many of the RA drugs I cannot take because I have a protein that can bring about lymphoma, and the biologics have the possibility of lymphoma as a side effect.
But as far as the neuropathy is concerned, I can absolutely tell some of the symptoms from RA. For instance, my balance is pretty bad, due to the neuropathy. I think I'm going one way and my feet will not follow, so from time to time I fall without warning. I use a rolling walker in the house most of the time,and my scooter if I go out for very long.
Also, sometimes it feels like there is cold water on my leg when there isn't. My feet are almost always numb; sometimes it feels like I have socks on when I don't. Or little shocks here and there on my legs, or it feels like something is crawling on me.
You can have all kinds of strange feelings and disabilities from neuropathy, it depends upon which nerves are damaged and why. My neurologist thinks mine is caused from arthritis. I have AO and RA.
Best of luck to you. I'm so glad to hear your RA meds are working for you! Maybe your doctor will give you one of the drugs for nerve pain to help with your feet. The one I take is Topomax, but so far it really hasn't helped me much.
Gentle hugs & Blessings,
Nini
I have much nerve pain in my feet. My feet feel numb alot and my fingers go numb. Sometimes the bottoms of my feet get white blotches on them. They hurt bad. I have to put my feet in warm water for them to go away. I have alot of tingling in my legs and arms. Was diagnoised with RA almost a year ago. I am on antibiotic therapy. Doctor also put me on Nuerontin for the nerve pain but it didn't help.
Thank you Nini for your reply, also LynnAnn. Yes, I can relate to both of you as you have helped me sort out which pain is which. It seems to be more the neuropathy than RA after all, and that's good as the more you know the better you can focus on getting better. Have been taking ordinary pain killers but will ask my doc about the special ones mentioned.
Here's a funny one - I was getting additional pain in both big toes and thought - OMG, gout. Turned out that as my feet were so tender I'd put off caring for them and had overgrown toenails. Snip, snip, fix, fix. One more source of pain gone. Will possibly be trying B12 for the neuropathy, if any good results will post back.
OMG - I'm not sure what I have.. but I have been getting numbness and a little tingling in my left ankle, lower leg, toes... What could it be? Neuropathy?? My RA Dr. said I should see a Neurologist. What do you take for this? I'm on Plaqunil for my RA and OA. Have had it for about 6 years now.... Is this something else that goes with RA?? Ouch... It's annoying.... my foot feels like it goes to sleep.. not all the time, mostly at the end of the day and when I'm doing water aerobics. At first, it was just off and on for the last 6 months, now it's been every day since last Friday.... O h boy.. .I'm bummed... Any suggestions welcomed!! -MimernoteMimernote, it could well be neuropathy, all your symptoms point in that direction. However, see a neurologist who can do some tests to confirm. And, yes, nerve damage can go with RA as well as diabetes, toxins etc. The main problem is finding the cause and exactly where the damage is located. Treatment is iffy but there are some things that can be done. Your drs will tell you. Why not do a Google search for Peripheral Neuropathy? There's lots of infomation, a bit confusing but at least you'll know what you're up against, if that's what you have. RA certainly is a bummer, not only for its own pain but the other problems it causes. Hope this helps and lotsa luck. Des.I have a similar problem that was diagnosed as Ridiculopathy. I understand that this is a step better than neuropathy and indicates that there was a nerve pinched off sometime in the past (or still has pressure) but did not "deaden" the nerve yet. This was confirmed to be caused by my RA due to enlargement/degeneration of the joints in the lumbar part of the spine. This has put pressure on the sciatic nerve which I percieve as numbness through the hip, down the side of the leg and half of my right foot. This throws my balance off terribly. I have had Gabapentin (aka Neurontin) for the nerve but I couldn't tolerate the side effects. Right now I am going through a pretty intensive physical therapy session for my spine that appears to be helping. Another 3 or 4 weeks to go on my current PT. The neurosurgeon wanted to put me on Lyrica since I couldn't tolerate the Gabapentin but I am waiting for the PT to finish to see how the nerve is doing. Don't have what you have, Bullwinkle, except for the balance problem. Use a walking stick which is O.K. Hope the PT works. RA strikes again, causing many additional problems.