Hi all, the week before I felt terrific, lots of energy and doing the things I love, and last week the opposite. Really getting to mistrust these 'super meds'. I called my doctor Thurs and the nurse said she'd call me, but didn't, so I spent the weekend wondering WHAT TO DO. I ended up taking acedephemine (2 every 8 hours) for the pain in my shoulder, chest and hands. I'll start in again tomorrow and see if I should be doing something different. taking prednisone? I'll only take it for a short time, knowing how hard it is to get off of it!! I CANT UNDERSTAND WHY THESE MEDS AREN'T WORKING!!Lynda
Hurts,
For me, it is the nature of the beast. I can do all the same things and feel good one day and no so good the next.
I *know* stress has something to do with this disease, but I'm thinking that hormonal changes, nutrition can all have an affect on it. So, even though you are on the "supermeds", you might still have bad days. We can only hope to find the right combination to lower the bad days and increase our good ones.
Hopefully others will have thoughts too.
Phats
Could it be the weather or you over doing it? That is what is kinda sounds like to me.RA is a myriad of ups and downs on a sometimes daily basis. That is the nature of the beast. Unfortunately, I feel that we will never be the same as we were before the RA reared it's very ugly head. That is...I feel...also the nature of the beast. So in following that line of thinking...it is up to us to figure out what we can and can not do anymore. For example...today we went to the local park district pool and just had a blast. I am going to pay tomorrow for all the waterslide fun. We have to figure out just how much we can push our limits and what our new normal is. It is just very trial and error.
I really feel there is no "wonder med" or "super med" out there for RA. The best we can hope for is that our meds allow us to live as close to a normal life as possible. Has anyone else ever noticed that RA seems to strike incredibly active people??
I've found that prednisone helps when my symptoms wax and wane. Right now I am having a good stretch, but early last week I had to ramp up the pred. I'm now back down to 2.5 mg daily.The pain comes and goes. I'd rather take pain meds. and wait it out than start on Prednisone but that's my own way of handling a small flare. They invaribly go away and I feel great for a week, or two, or three. Then maybe my wrist starts hurting or my ankle and we start all over again. I'll resort to upping Pred. if I have to, but it's going to have to be pretty bad and last longer than a week or so. If it gets worse and other joints are starting to take a hit then I might up the Pre. I have the Pred. but so far I've resisted and just waited it out by taking pain meds. The pain and inflammation is so much less than before Remicade and MXT.
thanks everyone, ya know I don't feel like I'm doing anything much, but maybe 'golf' is a lot? I used to do so much more. What kind of pain meds are the best with the least bad things abot them? LyndaI don't play golf, but I used to drive the cart and watch my husband. It seems to me that it would hurt to grip and swing. Does it make your shoulder and hands/wrists hurt? Might hurt the hip to swing around as well. Just guessing.
I take 10/325 percocet and they work the best for me and do not make me at all sleepy. But when I'm really bad (like tonight) they don't help much. I don't take NSAIDS as they mess up my stomach. It's all so individual that it sometimes takes a period of trial and error to figure out what works.
Hope tomorrow is a better day.
based on your description of where the pain is located your golf certainly can be causing or at least worsening the pain. Have you thought about vsiting with the golf pro to see if something in your swing or grip either with technique or equipment can be improved. With your recent surgery and the effects of RA you may have subsconsciously changed the way you grip and swing . Also changing your fitness program to work on the the muscles that support your golf game might help the situation as well.
Like Joonie, I was going to inquire about your activities and the weather. Both have a large factor in my pain and stiffness levels.
Nothing ever takes ALL the pain away. However, meds...super meds..etc. can truly help. MTX and Remicade have restored my life immeasurably. I still get the occasional bilateral knuckle pain and stiffness and the swollen right ankle, but I know that when this happens, I need to slow down...watch TV, sit and watch the birds at the feeders, or take a nap. Yesterday I hurt a lot so I did very little. This morning I took a walk after doing some floor scrubbing. Will I pay for this tomorrow ...who knows...I just know that when I can do it, I do. When I can't...I wait until I can again.
Humidity and high heat has swept the Midwest so keeping the A/C running (but not too cold) has helped quite a bit.
I hope you can do everything that you need to do and MOST of everything that you WANT to do. Maybe bungee jumping and paragliding could fall into the latter category (lol).
Take care!
Molly Bee
The heat is supposed to break on Wednesday!!!! Only going to be 73 here in Cheeeeeseland!!!
Buckeye...great suggestion on visiting the golf pro. I bet they would help.
It really is hard to not overdo it. Yesterday we went swimming and ohhhh the fun on the water slides yesterday is just heck today. But I knew I would be in for it today. Sometimes...ya just gotta have let loose and have fun or go nuts.
Lynda,
Are you having a bad day the next day everytime you golf? I had to give up bowling because every time I went I woke up the next morning with a horrible flare in my knees and couldn't walk. Who would of thought?! Hope you're feeling better.
Peace & Love...Neasy
Thinking back last week was a doozie. Golf Monday morning until 11, then Yoga that afternoon at 1:30-3, took the Boniva which always gives me stiff joints, then Tuesday, I was in a bad way. Thursday, played golf again!!, took MTX also, felt wiped out. Pain in my shoulder Fri/Sat/nights, Sunday I took acetephimonine 500's every 6 hours. Today the pain is less and I'm 'resting', but bored. I love being out and about and playing golf in the sunshine. OH well, next couple of days I'll take it easy. I've had some disturbing news in my family, also to add mental stress.....it all ads up, doesn't it!!Lynda