should I be feeling like this with Rheumatoid arthritis ?

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Hi new to discussion.

Have been diagnosed for about 4 years but I am in the middle of a flare up for the pass 6 weeks. Can extreme stress and anxiety led to flare ups. Usually manage the pain prescribed naproxen but sometimes not enough and have to take something else. Gel don't really work.

Now having pins and needles in legs and feet if sitting and when in bed on occasions both sides effected. Can even hold a book to read pain goes up my arm to shoulders then into my neck.

Feeling brain fog and fatigue, could not remember my own phone number the other day.

Any advice most welcome.

2

Stress definitely affects my RA. sounds like you're having a flare. My advice would be to see your GP if things don't calm down in a day or two.

3

Hi Lisa,

I believe that  stress plays a large part in having a flare up. In my case it is very true! I have low level underlying RA all the time but I've had 2 major flare ups in the 9 years I have had it. One at the very beginning and one last year they both lasted about 5/6 months. The one last year was brought on by extreme stress over several months and then the flare kicked in! 

What helped were the depo injections  I had 2 out of the allocated 3 over about 6 weeks. The other thing that helped was to de-stress? Which I know is often easier said than done?

Just try to keep telling yourself that it will ease off eventually?!

fatigue and brain fog are all part of a flare because pain does that!

hope all starts to get better for you soon and you get some relief from the RA and stress!

take care

Kat x

4

Thanks Linda have been attending doctor as not at work at the moment. He has prescribed another drug Amitripyline for never pain.

5

Thanks Kat 

 Sounds like the flare I am having, extreme stress for 2/3 months before flare up started. 

Wish i could distress but cannot at the moment dad just diagnosised with terminal lung cancer. Trying to get my head around this as he is a non smoker and only in his 50's.

6

I'm really sorry to hear that. Life can be so s*** sometimes!

hang in there.

lots of love. 

Kat x

7

Pain and stress are definite factors in my flare-ups. The key is how to avoid pain and stress. One of the things that has been very helpful to me is that I not only teach yoga, but I do a lot of yoga. I also rest whenever I need to; if you are extremely fatigued and try to push through it you may find yourself in a flare-up.

8

hi lisa,

i get prescribed morphine and take it regularly with co codamol, it does help but sometimes even that doesnt take the pain all away it just dulls it. what i do is listen to my body and if all you can do is rest then rest, maybe try and read some self help books which ive found helpful. research as much as possible to understand this disease and try swimming if you can,being in the water helps me as i feel weightless and its lovely although not when im in a flare. hope this is helpful if nothing else helps just by having a moan on here and listening to others help me. xx

9

Thanks lolou 

was thinking about swimming. Fatigue hit on Saturday just as you said I listen to my body on had a lay down on the couch on fell asleep, this is not like me at all to do this when I am fight fit. Xox

10

I absolutely find that stress is the worst thing for my RA symptoms. I am very careful to keep myself well by having a hot bath before an early night every night. As well as getting plenty of sleep I make time for leisurely meals. I have made a lot of lifestyle changes to allow this, including giving up a lot of other comittments. Being well seems important enough. 

Try to get rest and avoid stress, make changes if you can.

Good luck to you and best wishes