Hi everyone I hope your Thanksgiving day was good.
I notice today that I have nodules by my elbows. I notice a few times before that my elbow/arm hurt when I would put then up on the desk or a table.
I never really put any thought to it until today and my sister ask me what was wrong with my elbow. That is when I notice them. They are the size of walnuts.
I knew the top part of my arm where my elbow's joint bends closes to my body have been round and swelled for about a yr. I showed that to the doctor and he gave me some anti-inflam meds. We didn't know I had RA then.
I first I thought it was just from gaining weight
Should I be concerned about this? The ones by the elbows don't hurt unless I put pressure on them.
Thanksgiving wore be out today. Family helped out a lot.
One more thing. I have problems with my memory from my head injury, but it seems to be wrost since I started my meds. Can these med cause memory problems.
I don't have the nodules. Can't help you there.
RA and FM themselves can cause you to have more cognitive problems. Pain killers can make you foggy. So, it is possible that the medicines or the RA itself are causing you more problems. I would certainly address them with your doctor. Maybe you need a neurologist in the mix to help deal with it. You sure have a full plate of problems. But you have a great attitude.
I have had nodules on my hands and one in my left kidney. The hand surgeon ended up removing and rerouting the tendons on my hands due to all the damage damage. The one in my kidney I can't do anything about.I have the nodules in the same elbow area that you do. The left one is walnut size, the right not quite so large. My doctor said I could have them removed, but she couldn't promise they wouldn't come back...so I have opted, for the time being, to leave them as is. I also have them on the pads of my thumbs - not very large (thank goodness) but enough to be bothersome. No pain involved in any of them, but if I put pressure on them they remind me they are there.Geesh, my right arm had been hurting terribly and last night I found 'em....new nodules have formed....my RA must be back. THey are extremely painful, I am just hoping th emeds work this time, not sure if I am up to more surgery......I am too busy, mother has been ill and she will most likely have to have knee surgery in January/Feb adn now hopefully her bowel problem is minimal....I am so sick of illnes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am thankful my daughter is relatively well.
jode
I cannot believe it is back..............I cry and I cry.......it is just NOT FAIR!
jode
WEll here I go again, at least I know the routine. Called the RD and PCP, RD will most likely fax orders for blood work and I will possibly have to see him...I need a mini vacation anyway ( my RD is back in Indiana).
Then we will decide on meds, Enbrel worked last time but who knows if I can get funding and /or insurance to pay for it, cannot take pill form meds due to ulcers so maybe the injectable MTX...hmmmmm glad he's the Dr.! Bloodwork to see where the levels are and go from there. I am not sure if I will want to use pred or not, the damage from years ago has caught up with me ( almost 50 years old now ya know) so I may have to skip on that or use extreme caution, just a tad bit once in awhile for swelling.
THe nodules are doing the same as initially in my hands, they pop up, then go down again. IT is a painful series. HEy, I have been lucky, life has been ok. I guess the stress I have been under lately triggered it, or it was just the way RA works. It was fun while it lasted.
Jode
Sorry to hear you are having so much trouble, Jode. But as you said, you know the routine. You're an old hand at this and after you cry some tears, I know you'll handle it.
But it still sucks.
My brain is fried...when I first read this topics title I thought it said "Elbow Noodles"....aahhhhh food on the brain...Welll, I got to experience remission for a few months, that was nice, sort of a light at the end of the tunnel I thought but it was more of a rest area type thing. I enjoyed it and used my time well, even went dancing on a few occassions.
I knew when I was feeling as though I could have a nervous breakdown that something was going on, then the horrid pain, weight bouncing back and forth, stiffness like you would not believe in the morning lasting all day, fatigue like I was dying...as it goes...ect.
jode