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Posted 7/2/2007 5:36 PM (GMT 0)
Most of the pain (up until now) that I have had in the past has been general aching - some joint aches. Last Thursday I woke up with my right wrist and my right index finger knuckle swollen and painful. Friday I woke up with one of my finger joints swollen in the left hand. Yesterday I woke up with general aches everywhere and of course horrible fatigue. Is this type of arthritic swelling and pain common for lupus? I don't know if this is a flare or not. The last time I had a flare I was so weak and tired I could not get out of bed. Any ideas?
Posted 7/2/2007 6:58 PM (GMT 0)

I'm curious to see how others respond to this question.  The main reason my diagnosis was changed from Lupus to RA was because my joints are so involved.  I have swelling, pain and stiffness in most of my fingers and toes.  I have limited range of motion in my right thumb. 

So what you are describing sounds normal to me, but I don't know if it's normal for Lupus. :-)

Posted 7/2/2007 9:09 PM (GMT 0)
Gloryroad, I've never been to clear about joint pain and inflamation in lupus either. The joints in my hands and knees especially get hot and inflammed when I'm flaring but I don't know whether it is lupus or RA. Maybe someone else here can enlighten us. It does sound like you are flaring and I just hope that it doesn't last very long. What do you take for inflammation?
Posted 7/2/2007 10:32 PM (GMT 0)
Gloryroad,

Lupus can cause terrible problems with your joints.  I had terrible joint pain and swelling ....all joints, not just hands.  As my disease was brought under control, the pain and swelling has disappeared.  What I feel now is just osteoarthritis pain from too many years of athletics and just plain old age.  Working out helped and I took celebrex for a few years.

Have you had the blood tests to determine if you have RA which is entirely different from Osteo although the symptoms can be very similar.  My rheumy said that the tests are the only way to conclusively diagnose.

Bill

Posted 7/2/2007 10:42 PM (GMT 0)
I only take plaquenil - occasionally I take anti-inflammatories. My doctor has run an RA screen on me before and it was negative. I'm hoping that I will not have to take any steroids, as I hate the side effects.
Posted 7/2/2007 11:38 PM (GMT 0)
All my RA tests are negative too.....who knows!! Anyway, moist heat alternating with cold water or ice (I can't stand the ice so I just run them under cool water) helps my joints. Take care.
Posted 7/2/2007 11:51 PM (GMT 0)
Hi hun, I get the pain in my fingers/joints. The only thing that helps to get rid of it is unfortunately an increase in my steroids. It seems to come and go. I havn't really been able to nail down any specific reason though. I'm 50 years old so I could blame it on arthiritis but sometimes it just doesn't bother me at all. But like you I wake up with it and than it gets worse.

I know you don't want to take steroids. I can't say I blame ya there but maybe just when you are going thru this and than taper off in a couple of weeks? I'm sorry you are hurting so bad. I hope you get some help soon
hugs
carol
Posted 7/3/2007 12:20 AM (GMT 0)
Jeannie, have you tried putting ice in an ice bag and wrapping it in a hand towel? That sometimes helps me if I want to keep something cool on my back or hands for a while. It hurts to think of you having to stand at the sink long enough for the cold water to help.
Posted 7/3/2007 1:46 AM (GMT 0)
I also get the terrible joint pain, swelling, and heat in my hands. So far my joints don't look too badly deformed like they can get with RA. Last time I had blood taken and tested for the rheumatoid factor, it was borderline, so the rheumy didn't think too much of it. I do know when I am flaring my joint pain tends to get worse, so I hope what you are experiencing is not the beginning of a flare. If this doesn't go away soon, it might be a good idea to call your rheumy and let him know what is happening - he may want to see you. Take care and I hope you get some relief soon.
Posted 7/3/2007 1:58 AM (GMT 0)
I've tried doing that Pat, but for some reason I just have no tolerance for it. It is like the cold goes straight to my bones. LOL, yeah standing at the sink helps my finger, but then my ankles and feet hurt. :)  Thank you for the suggestion though!  Are you as happy as I am that we finally had a day with no rain?!!

Posted 7/3/2007 11:43 AM (GMT 0)
I have an appointment with my Rheumy on the 16th but I think I'll call today and see if I can get in earlier. It's probably a good idea for him to see me when I'm not doing so great.
Posted 7/7/2007 2:50 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Glory, I was wondering how the joint pain is going? I wanted to add that if you have sweeling in your joints you should get pictures of them to take with you. So many times when we get to the doctor the symptoms are gone.
I hope you are getting some relief.
hugs
carol
Posted 7/7/2007 5:42 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Glory,

   I hope you have seen the doctor by now and getting some relief. I have lupus and Ra. I can usually tell the day before it rains that its coming...lol. Mostly in my knees, feet, shoulders, fingers and wrists. Sometimes just one finger will swell or I will have pain in one shoulder or elbow, then a couple of days later it will be fine. It's strange! My knees stay swollen all the time though.

   Let us know how your doing and what the doc said if you got an appt. Take care and rest. You will be in my thoughts and prayers.

                                                                   Babs

  

Posted 7/8/2007 1:45 PM (GMT 0)
I deal with joint pain in my hands all the time...especially in the mornings. It's worse when I'm flaring. My knees are always swollen and tender to the touch. Other joints are involved randomly, but at some point, they all have hurt. Sometimes I even hurt in the spaces between my ribs when I'm flaring.

I have really been pushing it the last two weeks, with vacation last week and planning a big event coming up this Thursday. I woke up today to a dozen sores on the roof of my mouth--something that's always a warning sign to slow down or it's going to get bad. I don't know how I'm going to do all I have to do this week and still get enough rest to ward off a flare...any ideas?

Sorry...I didn't mean to hijack your post! But yes, the random joint pains are one of the things that first led me to seek a diagnosis three years ago. I'm overweight, but it just didn't seem right to have that much pain, and the orthopedist who saw my x-rays said there was more inflammation than should be there for my age and weight. He did my first autoimmune workup, and that's how I began my long journey through diagnosis.

I know that ice is the preferred treatment for pain, but sometimes I just have to have heat. I fill an old, soft sock with dry rice and microwave it for a minute. It's so lovely to rest my aching hands on top of it. I also take ibuprofen and sometimes darvocet or percoset for the pain.

Good luck!

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