1. Has anyone noticed toe cramping being an increase tendancy with having RA. ??? All I have to do is start to bend my toes, both feet.. back & forth slightly and the toe cramps want to start. Wasn't sure if related or not.
2. Drs speak of a medically induced remission, does that mean - free from all symptoms all the time OR feel ok most of the time, yet flaring for no frickin reason ( sorry - am rather frustrated!).
3. Swollen Spots - not knees the size of footballs, but very tender "poofy" spots, around left knee, right ankle, both elbows, etc.
4. NEW ONE FOR ME: My right foot - on Friday all of the sudden hurt like a SOB to walk & bend it - as of yesterday and today I can walk regular but still there is pain to do so - so it's in the whole bridge/bend of the foot.
Just wondering if any or all are RA related - I am really having a hard time today, both emotionally and physically. I don't want to play anymore, this isn't fun and all I can think of what a long life it's going to be! Naprocyn & MTX for 9 mos. now.
Any thoughts would be appreciated! Thanks
sorry to say these weird flares are unpredictable. I'd be going along smoothly and towards summer I'd have a terrible relapse. (one summer I blamed lovely red ripe tomatoes, and green bell peppers, but my doc said 'probably not' I don't eat them anymore just in case) Ya never know. You just check yourself over everymorning and wonder 'what's next' ??(my left knee is swollen abnormally this morning and acting up, I think I've been getting in and out of the car using my left leg mostly, puts stress. Now i'm swinging both legs out and raising myself up....it never ends. Your meds sound good, so great luck with them. ....Sincerely hope you feel great tomorrow!! Hurts less for me Remicade/MTX & prednisone.
Hi, I have a lot of the symptoms that you described. The second joint of my toes, poofy cyst like areas next to my knees and ankles and lately about one to two days a week an entire foot just feels like it broke in half.
I was asking earlier if my poofy areas might be nodules or cysts. Do yours turn red?
I think some Dr's consider medical remission to be lab counts going down closer to normal. Many posts I have read say that their Dr claims medical remission (labs are close to normal) and swelling may be down some but their pain level has not changed. Also how would a Dr know medical remission with a sero-negative RA patient like me. Are you sero-positive or negative?
I just added Enbrel to the MTX and this morning was a thankfully moderate one. Maybe the Enbrel? I sure hope so.
I don't want to play any more either. Maybe your Dr might look at adding or changing your meds?
Take care.
No 1 the toe cramping ... does not happen to me. Muscle cramping can be caused by a lack of potasium - good reason to eat bananas and watermelon.
No 2 I don't think the docs have an official checklist for this especially if you are sero negative. I declared myself to be in RA remission for a 4 year period, taking only an RA sided dose of nsaid, I felt really good. I was no stiffer in the am than a normal person. When I had pain, it can from over use of a joint rather than out of the blue. I felt God had smiled at me personally. I was grateful for each good day.
3 and 4 are RA related. I sometimes feel as if I broke my wrist, thumb, or foot. Onset can be very sudden. Usually things gear up to become a big deal, but not always. I have more of this now than in the early days - my joints have a great deal of damage. I'm on the 'verge' of replacement surgery for knees and elbows.
My favorite family doc told me that RA should come with a script for depression. Chronic pain causes chemical changes in the brain that can actually be measured. My anti depressant has helped me cope with my 2nd round of RA. I started them in 98 - they have lessened my pain both physically and mentally. Consider asking your RD for a script. I doubt if the request will be a 'surprise' for the doc.
I eat a banana every day, sometimes even at night...I do that for the complete food thing and the potassium.
My blood work has come back "good" so they say I am in a remission but I have to tell you, my days are not much better than they used to be, the nights can be horrible as well. Dr.'s seem to think it is from bone erosions and all the damage from RA...I dunno.All I know is some days I wonder if the blood work is valid at all.
jode
Muscle spasms are very much a part of RA. I have had them in my hands,wrist,back,and feet. Once I have one I will have several in a row and they are worse each time. My Dr. put me on muscle relaxers and that has helped a lot. I don't get them as often now but when I do it's when I am really tired and worn out or streseed.Hi Milobean, I also have suffered many of the weird things you describe. One morning I am likely to wake up with a grossly swollen knee as well as all the other stiffness and pains. The next day it could be an agonizing upper foot, wrist, or finger. Fortunately, none of these painful sites hang around for too long, and in a way it is a real guessing game where the next spot will be. I also am seronegative for RA, am on humira, methotrexate plus pain killers.
All the best,
Robbo from Australia.
My toes cramp badly especially in the night and first thing in the morning.I used to be able to move them back and forth until they cracked loudly, the cracking doesnt happen anymore, they just seem really swollen.
Sorry to hear you are having a bad time Milobean,hope you feel better soon Hey milobean, that foot thing your describinbg sounds a lot like plantar faciitis to me. You can relieve this with orthotics, or just try some cheap arch supports from the drugstore.
Hello, to all
I sometimes wake up in the night with cramps in my foot and sometimes in my jaw up around my ear. I have sometimes some activity in my teeth. ( i don't know for sure if that is RA) but it feels somewhat the same as some of the other hot spots that i have in my neck. I usually take a couple of pottasium and that helps in an hour or more.
Good luck
CJames