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Posted 1/8/2009 6:50 PM (GMT 0)
I have been having lots of tummy troubles and also with eating a normal portion of food, so the GI doctor did a scope and found inflammation in my stomach as well as the duodenum.  I also have inflammation in my bladder, IC or something like that.  I'm wondering for those of you with RA etc do you also find other ailments cropping up and they end up being due to "inflammation"?  I have had so many tests and always inflammation is found.  Is it possible to have inflammation through out your body? I'm getting to the point where if I don't feel well I'm chalking it up to the I word!
Posted 1/10/2009 3:16 PM (GMT 0)
Hi mom

I have RA, and also have tummy troubles just out of the blue...I will wake up with it and know it is with me for a bit. I didnt know for sure it was inflammation of the stomache lining..but not surprised, because along with the nausea, my stomache will feel bruised (like that feeling you get when you have a virus and been throwing up more than twice), and that "full" feeling even though I havent eat. I dont know what "I" is...but I do have bouts once in awhile with IBS, but not often..and it doesnt seem connected to the "bad stomache" that I get. I cant think of inflammation issues other than my joints and the stomache issue. I did have problems with pericarditis, but havent had an episode since 2004 (touch wood), some docs said it was from the RA, but I think it was PTSS

Sorry I couldnt be more help

Hugs,
Diane
Posted 1/12/2009 2:40 PM (GMT 0)
Momto3, I also have inflammation in my stomach,chest and also my arthritis . So I think its possible . I hope you feel better .
Posted 1/12/2009 5:07 PM (GMT 0)
Hi ladies,

Thanks for replying:)

The I meant inflammation, sorry!! Yes, it just seems to be everywhere these days for whatever reason. The tests I had done were so costly and yet that is all it is rolleyes I guess I will just talk to the rheumy about it when I go to see him later this month.

Diane, I'm sorry you have the PTSS, (post tramatic stress?) my son who is now 15 suffered with that for several years and even took meds for awhile to get him through, it is very unpleasant. Hugs to you!

Kara, I guess it just goes with the territory eh? I am starting to take Elmiron for my bladder issues but you have to take the darn things 3 times a day an hour before a meal or 3 hours after a meal so I'm constantly thinking about Elmiron turn but it does seem to help, so I can't complain too much I guess.

How is your sleep by the way??
Posted 1/12/2009 5:35 PM (GMT 0)
Hello Momto3 I never knew that you could have inflamation in the tummy due to arthritis but I feel your pain I have Psoratic Arthritis which is very similar to RA and I have really bad stomach pain and problems even pain in my abdomen both sides and nausea and feel full too i'm actually losing some weight before when I tried to lose weight I couldn't I had soo much pain in my right abdomen I had a scan done and found out my gallbladder was not functioning at all due to all the meds I have been taking so I had gallbladder removed on 12/11/08 and I still have abdomen pain on both sides nausea stomach pain I have also been diagnosed by my GI Dr with barrets esophagus I take nexium for. It seems once you get one thing wrong with you another 10 things follow. What do we do??? When and how can we feel better just to have somewhat of a normal life day to day????? Keep your head up and take it day by day. PR Glo   
Posted 1/12/2009 6:05 PM (GMT 0)

Hmmm!!  The plus side of this problem..for me anyway...I can eat anything I want, like I did over Christmas and not gain weight!! yeah

I guess my tummy troubles balance it out for me.  Not a good way to maintain my weight...but....trying to see the bright side of all these maladies rolleyes

 

Mom,PR, and Kara,  has it been very cold and snowy where you are?  Up here we have had soooo much snow since the beginning of November.(actually, I think it was mid-Nov) and now we have been dealing with record cold temps.  I wonder if this is why we are all suffering from more inflammation than  normal?  Just a thought.

 

Hugs

Diane

Posted 1/13/2009 1:09 AM (GMT 0)

prglo...I don't   really know if my inflammation is caused by the RA and my GI doctor will most likely dismiss this thought. The nurse contacted me this evening and told me that my emptying study showed that my tummy empties "very slowy" and I think it all must be due to all of our AI issues that we have somehow, some way.

It sure seems strange that all of my problems started when I went off of my Plaquenil shakehead

Diane..We have had a few snow storms, not like Canada but enough to make the joints hurt! I'm sure the weather also plays a key role in how we feel.

Posted 1/13/2009 1:44 PM (GMT 0)

Good Morning

Thanks for the hugs mom, I am still on meds for the PTTS, but it also helps with my anxiety.  I hope your son is ok now? I'm sorry that one so young had to experience it. gentle hug for him (())

AI...I didnt know it caused stomache ailments, but that is what it feels like at times.  Like whatever you ate the night before, or several hours before, seem to just sit there, not moving at all.  I faintly remember a doctor telling me that there is actually a med for that!! shocked However, the side effects could make you feel a constant hunger, so, because I dont get that problem too often, I just deal with it.  Sometimes though, that feeling can last for days.

My rheumy took me off plaquinal too mom, and I felt terrible for weeks. He doesnt like mixing methotrexate with the plaq. but I eventually started taking it again and feel so much better.  Why did your doc take you off of it?

Hope you are having a good start to your day,

Hugs

Diane

 

Posted 1/13/2009 3:47 PM (GMT 0)

Good Morning Diane :-)

My son spent several years in counseling back when he was in elementary school around age 11 or so, but by the time he was at the end of his 7th grade year, he was emotionally healthy to the point he no longer needed the meds or counseling.  Those were hard times for him, but we had great doctors.  Now at 15 he is a wonderful kiddo, and sometimes things happen to us beyond our control and we need help.  I'm glad your meds help because anxiety is  very unpleasant!!

The tummy issue is that you describe is what I have and I was on the phone last night with the GI nurse and she was explaining to me that my gastric emptying test showed that my stomach emptied very sloooowly rolleyes and that the doctor wanted me to come in to discuss my "treatment" and I asked what is normally done for this issue and she said sometimes diet or medications...gosh I hope not pills, I take so many of those already, I'm sick of pills.  Yes, the one you are talking about is Ethromycin (sp?) and it empties the stomach and there is another but can't remember.  So I made my appointment for the 23rd since he is out this week.

I had to stop the Plaquenil because it was building up on my retina (becoming toxic) basically I failed my visual field test the second time I took it, so the rheumy said no more, and my eye doctor said if I kept taking it eventually I would lose my eye sight.  I also felt crummy after stopping it and I haven't felt good since.  It was my magic cocktail along with the MTX and Enbrel, I was even working out and getting on the treadmill with no problems.  I stopped the plaq, and slowly that came to a halt, soon I couldn't finish my walk on the treadmill, my energy disappeared, and the tummy troubles started.

I have a rheumy appointment today so I'm hoping to get some answers, usually he is really great about answering any questions that I have.

Happy Tuesday :-)

Posted 1/13/2009 4:36 PM (GMT 0)
Mom, My dr put me ambien and im sleeping better. Since I switched pharmacies I had no side effects from ambien. I still take the trazodone at night to so I think the combination is working. I also have slow stomach emptying and I am on reglan. I hope you feel better soon.
Posted 1/13/2009 6:39 PM (GMT 0)
My doctor will NOT prescribe sleep meds....boy I wish she would...but I do take xanax, so it helps alot of the time. Let us know how your apptmt goes today Mom!!!

Good luck,
Posted 1/13/2009 7:37 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Kara..

Did you go through all of the GI testing as well?? Reglan....I will look that up, so far I have looked this issue up and found scary meds with awful side effects.  Do you know the cause of your slowness? Well you know what I mean wink When I tried to find info, it kept talking about individuals with diabetes and I had my blood sugar tested so it is not caused by that.  This is a real mystery until the 23rd.

Diane....I wish your doctor would prescribe sleep meds as well, since lack of sleep contributes to our joint point, I'm surprised he does not recognize this fact? Although mine never gives predinose but will give out pain meds when in fact prednisone works and pain meds don't do anything, go figure!  When my oldest son was getting diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, my pcp gave me klonopin to help me sleep/relax and boy oh boy did I have an awful time stopping those! I tried and tried and finally had to stop them altogether but I had terrible side effects in the process..please be careful with the benzos sad But they do work for anxiety that is for certain.

I will update you later.

Posted 1/14/2009 1:39 AM (GMT 0)
Mom, maybe you're lucky your Dr won't prescribe prednisone. I hate it and love it. Been on it off and on for 2 years now and I'm really struggling to come off it again. The arthritis really flares once I start dropping my dosage even by 2.5 mg. I have also started with an upset stomach, had it for over a month now, didn't even concider it could be RA related or even drug related, just assumed it was allergies due to rich Christmas fare. Prednisone gives instant relief but it masks infection, depleats you of vitamins, can cause eye problems, teeth to decay, lots of nasties to internal organs. I think its wonderful short term but so dangerous long term. With your bloodwork does your inflammation turn up? I can't remember what the initials are for inflammatory factor? You would think the enbrel would deal with any inflammation, how frustrating for you being on all these strong drugs and still having inflammation

Posted 1/14/2009 3:08 AM (GMT 0)

Hi golitho,

I went to the rheumy this afternoon, and he said my intestinal inflammation could be possibly related to the RA but it usually   shows up around the lungs, heart and in the eyes (iritis) he said my issues could be med related but not my RA meds and those are really the only ones I take so who knows, I guess I will wait for the GI doctors explanation.  I know the pred is evil, but it seems I have all of those things going on without taking pred rolleyes

Posted 1/14/2009 1:00 PM (GMT 0)
What meds do you take? My aunt usually get drugs from Totaldrugs24.com for arthritis treatment.

Post Edited (Gordon22) : 1/17/2009 1:33:43 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 1/14/2009 5:06 PM (GMT 0)

Gordon,

I take Elmiron, Enbrel and Methotrexate so it must be one of those, it is hard to say.  Do you have tummy issues as well?

Posted 1/15/2009 6:52 AM (GMT 0)
Well we all know how toxic methotrexate is!!! How long have you been on it?

Posted 1/15/2009 3:28 PM (GMT 0)
would also like to know...is there a time limit for one on MTX??

Posted 1/15/2009 5:11 PM (GMT 0)

Maybe it is toxic to the brain because I know it has been at least 2 1/2 years but can't even remember when I first started taking the crazy things! The rheumy said some of my troubles could be caused by meds but which ones? He thought I was still taking Celebrex and I haven't touched those in many months, after a couple of days my stomach starts to feel like it is on fire or I have done too many sits up but haven't, so I tossed those.

Diane, I don't think there is a time limit because I have noticed people on here saying they have been on MTX for 15 years or longer.

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