Hi everyone. So I'm having a weird flare that started Christmas Eve morning. I woke up unable to move my pinky toe and the toe next to it on my left foot. I crack that foot all the time and thought maybe I broke a bone. Since it was Christmas, I didn't feel like going to the ER. Besides, if it wasn't broken, it would have cost 150 bucks (my er copay) for them to tell me it's not broken it's a flare lol. So I did the old elevation, ice for first 24 hours, then heat, and using crutches. Tuesday morning I wake up and get into the doc. By this time, I can move no toes and my foot is swollen like twice it's size. He did xrays. Nothing broken but you can see the inflammation and my bones in that foot have shifted to the right. Gross. LOL. You can see the damage done from the RA in the bones of my feet and toes. It has gotten much worse since last xray. He said call RD and RD said no pred wait it out. Pred makes me sick so I would have to go off mtx and humira if that happened and then I would get caught up in the vicious flare circle. I really need a laptop lol. Someone convince hubby of this please. I can't drive because of course it is my clutch foot that is affected. Once again, no independence. Bleargh. So I am not online too much since sitting gets uncomfortable even with my foot propped up under my desk. Bleh.
The blog today is about the stages of grief and how they apply to people with a chronic illness. It is a 2 part series with the second part dealing with tips and ideas to help move thru each stage and move on. I hope this helps people out. We are not alone in the emotions that we feel regarding our chronic illness and it is perfectly normal to go thru these stages. Come and read the blog at http://rasushi.blogspot.com Look for a yummy recipe and a kids craft coming to the blog this weekend!
Oh Grammaskittles. Having a flare that takes away your driving sounds pretty awful. And you have to wait it out, that's all? I hope you sometimes have flares that are short-lived!
It must have been depressing to have those xrays show such progression in the damage.
Do I remember right that you're on a new drug? Are you in one of those stages of waiting several months to see if it's going to work for you?
You're in my thoughts. Poor foot!
RKGal
Ack,, I'm sorry about the weird flare, I hope it is short lived. I can't believe all they said was to wait it out!!! No new drugs for me. Just the usual mtx and humira. That I have been on for months already. It might be that you remember that I switched from oral mtx to injectable mtx not too long ago.I am desperately hoping this is short lived. Thanks Michele for your well wishes! Yep just have to wait this out. I feel like humming the Jeopardy song sometimes lol.
Hi Grammaskittles,
I get bad flares in my feet too, not sure what else you've tried (so forgive me if I'm preaching to the converted) but my Doc says that in my case it's the damage in my joints (bit where your toes join your feet) that causes the pain rather than the active arthur (which is suppressed by infliximab/remicade plus MTX) which may mean it's different to your case. So when it got bad a few weeks ago (constant burning pain, no movement, wincing if i had to walk, same trouble as you with driving) I just called the Rheumatology clinic and booked myself in for a cortisone injection - have you ever had any? No side effects like systemic steroids and they keep the pain at bay for ages. I have 2 toe/foot joints injected but next time need to have the rest done too as well as the small joints in some of my toes. But hopefully I can put that off for another year... I'm sure you do all of this but other stuff I find helps in terms of keeping pain at bay is always wear trainers (I've got some smart black ones for work, look for ones with really thick squashy soles). I have worn high heels once this year for about 2 hours, for formal occasions wear them short term then take flats in bag to change into - I am toooo vain!
I hope you get through this one, forgive me if I've just waffled on loads about stuff you already do...
Foot up, hot chocolate (or glass of vino if you're allowed), choccies, best treatment ever!
KT
My RD isn't doing anything. No cortisone injections. Just show for my regular appointment in Feb. If I am still like this in the middle of January am I going to call him back and say this is ridiculous you have to do something I have no freedom.
I agree...foot up, hot chocolate (I don't drink so no vino lol), and chocolate is the best treatment for this lol!