Glad to hear you are doing better. /community/emoticons/smile.gif ...
Dont know if it is your RA, but my ankles are swelling too. My left is worse than my right. I am pretty sure that left one has some OA problem, but at least I am still walking. The heat seems to make...
Welcome! This is a good site for venting, information, and support....
Hi Bad, so sorry to hear you are feeling so poorly. Hope things look better soon. Thinking of you....
Hi Kiwi, Welcome to this forum! This is a nice group of people who will try to offer you whatever help and support that we can. Feel free to rant. Lot's of folks on this site are in the same boat...
I was wondering the same thing as weary. Seems like many people post that they are on Prednisone while waiting for the MTX to kick in....
Ditto on the fatigue and ditto on the sleep problems. I dread bedtime. My husband is very supportive but even he does not seem to understand this. I often have a hard time getting to sleep, then wake...
You might want to ask your M.D. about the Celebrex. I was on it for a few years then taken off when they reported cardiovascular problems. However, my M.D. put me back on it last year. I cant...
Hi everyone, Just wanted to report in after my trip. Because I had trouble reducing from 17 1/2 mg to 15 mg of Prednisone the prior week, my rheumy said to go on 20 mg for the trip. We took 2 days on...
I am relatively new to this forum myself and have PMR (polymyalgia rheumatica), an auto-immune disease in the same family as RA. PMR generally attacks older people, not someone your age. However, in...
Hi Couchtater, I think gout can cause pain specifically in the toes. Have you been tested for that? No other suggestions, sorry. Have a Happy Easter!...
Great news weary and happy Easter to you also!...
/community/emoticons/smile.gif Hi Wissie and welcome! I am not on MTX, but I do know that we have had other threads and many posts from those just starting on the drug. You might want to page...
I think you will find that many test negative but still have RA. A good rheumy will go by your signs and symptoms too. My rheumy thinks I have polymyalgia rheumatica and maybe RA too that will...
Oh Vannie, I so agree about the pain making your crave carbs. Talk about comfort food. And the problem is so much worse now on Prednisone. And dee2010, we are all moaning and we do understand!...
Hi Atticus, I am relatively new also. But I can tell you from being on this forum and others that a good rheumatologist is essential. Many times our symptoms and lab tests do not match and yet we are...
Hi Heather, Last year I had hip pain for about 8 mos. Not sure what got it started and at the time I figured it was the FM, since I had no idea I might have something else going on. Had a hard time...
I understand totally. I started on high dose Prednisone in January and have been tapering, but still at 17 1/2 mg/day. I cannot seem to control my eating. And I also eat for comfort, besides being...
Well, the sun is still shining most of the time here. The swelling in my feet/ankles has gone down some. I took an extra diuretic yesterday which probably helped. Trying to keep them elevated, but...
Hi Heather, So glad your flowers are blooming! I have a few tulips that are struggling. We had a short cold front move in a couple of days ago, but it passed quickly and I think they are going to...
Hi Jean, My hands hurt a lot during the night too. I am one of those where they think I have PMR (in the rheumatoid family) but have not discounted RA altogether. I use cold packs for my hands. It...
I would ask your pharmacist. The enteric coated protects your stomach since most of the drug is not released until it gets to the small intestines. But that does not necessarily mean that less is...
/community/emoticons/smile.gif Hi Heather, So glad your vacation went so well! /community/emoticons/cool.gif We missed you, but were hopeful that you were having a relaxing and enjoyable time....
Sounds like a good plan. Got to have a good rheumy....
Whether it was walk-in or not, I would not be able to sit in a tub. My knees dont bend well plus I would never have the strength to stand up when I was done. I do like the whirlpools that you can...
Oh wow Bad, I didnt think you were going to do this so soon! Now its on me to come up with the tune. Got the grandsons today so I will look at it again this evening probably. (that's if I can resist...
So BadDay, how about trying some lyrics then. I will put a tune to it, if you write some lyrics. Can you write some humorous poetry about our trials and tribulations? All song lyrics do not have to...
Hi BadDay, thanks for the suggestions. I might switch to nighttime as I do rely on my husband at least being in the house when I shower. I am a little afraid of falling or getting so weak I cant get...
Welcome Kathyrn. So sorry to hear of your awful pain. Cold compresses came to mind just like couchtater said, but I know they are not going to take a pain level of 10 away. Wish we knew something to...
Hi couchtater, where did you buy the waterpik?...
Hi golito and BadDay, Love your ideas! A cartoon ostrich would be very cute. Hmmm and we should have lots of off the wall joke type things like we have for the dreaded mammograms. As far as songs, I...
Hi Bad, I am home all the time too, retired. I try to avoid naps so that it does not keep me from getting to sleep at night. I can relate to your short trips around the house. I too make very short...
Hi golitho, The doctor just decided that I have PMR (polymyalgia rheumatica), with RA symptoms maybe popping up later as I wean off the prednisone. Same disease family as RA but without the joint...
Good luck with whatever you decide. I think it is a good idea to call your rheumy. I can relate to the ostich comparison bigtime!...
Hi WantRelief, not sure exactly what sacroilitis is, but assume it is inflammation of the sacro-iliac joint (?). Anyway, I think from my FM (fibromyalgia) , I had left hip pain for about 8 mos. last...
/community/emoticons/smile.gif Oh, you are only 36. Sorry I mentioned menopause. Did not realize you were so young. /community/emoticons/smilewinkgrin.gif Not TMI for us either. I think many are...
BadDay, so glad you can express yourself here! We dont think you are complaining. We wonder how you manage to cope. Thinking of you and hoping tomorrow will be better....
Hi Heather, I use a cane now, have done so for over 6 mos. It is really helpful. I bought 2 of them at Walgreens the first time I forgot to bring it with me. Now I keep one in the trunk of the car so...
Hi Heather, I agree with weary, you do need to call your OB-GYN. I had early menopause (mid-40's), so it could be that. But you dont want to take any chances with your health. I know the tests are...
/community/emoticons/confused.gif So this is not making any sense to me. Last night I slept 10 hours, not continuous as I always wake up every 2-3 hours and go to the bathroom. But each time I go...
Hope you have a wonderful vacation trip. Try to relax and let others do for you. We'll have to remember when we do not see you posting, that you are enjoying your week off in the mountains!...
Thanks weary. At first I thought the extreme fatigue wall all the PMR or RA, but have come to realize that Prednisone is also the culprit. I am on 17 1/2 mg now and I am feeling some better as far as...
Hi Heather, so glad you have your spring break week now. My ankles are back edematous today and I have been laying off the salt, so it must be the PMR or the Prednisone. I need to think about trying...
Is there a way to send private messages on this site? I looked around but did not see how to do this. Thanks....
Hi golitho, well it is hard to say what to do. I am not a big believer in surgery unless you have no choice. And to disturb the nice balance you have with meds and health seems like such a shame. So...
Hi everyone, The foot/ankle swelling is decreasing with elevation and no use of the salt shaker! I still have it, but about 1/2 is gone. I tried walking 2 days in a row now, but found that my right...
Wow Heather, I am not sure how you managed at all! Good thing the night custodian came by. Glad to see others posted some suggestions about the MTX. Hope you can get some rest and feel better soon....
Hi Everyone, Today was my 4th visit to the rheumy and he has decided that PMR (polymyalgia rheumatica) is my diagnosis (rather than RA). I agree with him and am happy not to have him thinking it is...
Actually I can only walk about 5 min and that with my brace on my right knee and the cane to help my left hip. But we are going to start again today. I will try 5 min for a couple of days, then up it...
Weary, thanks for the pep talk for all of us. Wish I had your control. I do agree that tracking what you eat is very helpful. We do it with WW points, and just writing down what you eat does make you...