At each of my appointments with the RA I fill out a questionnaire that asks me which joints hurt, how much they hurt on a scale from 1 to 10, which daily activities I can and cannot preform. The last question is "How long does the stiffness last when I get up in the morning".
I don't quite know how to answer the question. I've read that most people who suffer from RA are "stiff" for more than an hour when the wake up in the morning. I get up, wobble to the bathroom like I'm drunk because my feet wont actually bend and within maybe 10 minutes I could walk across the room "looking" normal, but of course hurting. I sit down and read the paper for maybe 45 minutes and of course I'm "stiff" when I get up and it hurts to walk. I'm confused and thinking that my RA is just not bad enough for me to be "stiff" for an hour after waking. I'm stiff when I get up every time I sit for more than 10 minutes!!
So I ask you the same question - How long does the stiffness last in the morning when you first get out of the bed? Thanks.
Mary
Hi Mary,
For the first 2 1/2 years I was like you. I could walk across the room but in a lot of pain then one day I could hardly move. I posted a question here asking if the bad morning stiffness felt like trying to walk through water cause that was how it felt and the answers were yes.
I don't think the level of stiffness by itself dictates our severity cause I have it pretty bad. Now I see a lot of the bad stiffness and it is irritating. I hope this helps and take care.
My morning stiffness usually lasts 3-4 hours. I don't even attempt to go downstairs until later in the day and always schedule my appts for the afternoons. Tomorrow I am seeing my neuro at 7:45.
kel
When I am not in a flare situation I have very little morning stiffness. When I am flaring it can last about 45mins-1 hour.my usual stiffness time is about an hour but thats also due to having hypothyroiditis. have to have thyroid tab on an empty stomach and not have pain meds and food for an hour. but having bad flare at moment and stiffness seems to be with me all day.