Rheumatoid arthritis

[AnyaMarx]

Anyone any words of wisdom .

I'm 51 . Always been fit , active and healthy .

For a year I've been debilitated by flare ups of swollen joints and excruciating pain, started with one knee , now it's one knee and both ankles .

It
Literally feels like someone has taken a hammer to
Both ankles and I'm now presently unable to get
Up or
Down stairs, driving is problematic, and rest does help but then the minute I try and become active again , I'm talking a dog walk - I'm crippled
Again.

Has anyone any advice please? I've gained weight . I'm fed up . I'm currently off sick from work again because the latest flair up has affected both ankles plus my knee .

I'm so fed
Up . I'm waiting for
An MRI on my knee and X-rays to
Come back on ankles as the ankles only started 2 weeks ago but I can't get up or downstairs without being on my backside .

It was 506 x

Ouch! My 242 seemed bad but that's off the scale.

GP has referred me for an urgent Rheum consult but the first appt is November 🤦🏼‍♀️

Yes, extremely high. Was in a lot of pain and that reading was the only thing in my bloods that showed up as abnormal.

Don’t stop your walks and hobbies, the worst thing you can do with RA is to stop moving. I know it hurts like shit especially at the start but keeping active really does help your joints.

Manage your expectations though, say try walking half the distance you usually do with your dog or alter the route so you walk less but the dog can run around safely in a field.

Don’t keep going down the stairs on your backside. I remember doing similar when I was first diagnosed as a child so totally understand why, but it will just make other joints hurt.

People have already mentioned naproxen/omeprazole but also get some Flexiseq gel for your knees. You can get it from Amazon, it’s great stuff.

Something else to think about - joint pain can be part of the delights of peri menopause. Vitamin D deficiency can happen suddenly too which will give you fatigue.

The clear MRI on your knees ruled out osteoarthritis but you really need the test for the rheumatoid factor and ask for the vit D test too.

The problem I h E now if I do ANYTHING at all - even stand for a period of time , my ankles and feet are swelling up so badly I can't move the next day .

I've not had the MRI yet

I've got an appt with a rheumatologist in 2 weeks and cannot bloody wait

This weekend I went to a fundraiser where I had to stand for a while , danced to one song , then sat down
Sunday did a Sunday lunch with neighbour
By last night my feet and ankles were so swollen I couldn't even get Birkenstock sandals on , they were hot and the skin so stretched it was agony .

I just can't do anything at the minute .

I have had debilitating migrating pain since January. My GP thinks it’s RA due to blood results and symptoms so has referred me to MSKCATS and rheumatology. I’m also on a silly amount of pain killers that barely help the pain.
I was considering calling social services for help as I can’t even pick up clothes to do washing or hold a hoover to clean. My kids are old enough to clean up after them selves and cook ect. But I can’t expect them to do it all. My ex helps a lot, we are best friends and were together a long time so he helps me wash and things. But I don’t want to put all this on him either.
would social services help with these things to alleviate the stress it’s putting on my family?
would they even consider it if I don’t have a diagnosis yet?
I was working up untill 2 months ago when things got really bad. I’m suppose to be starting an office job on Monday, which I think I’ll manage as the office is Tiny and I can still use a computer but can’t do the working away which work is fine with. I’m a tad worried I won’t be able to do it but I don’t want to not even try.
I hope this all makes sense. And any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Sorry I was trying to make my own threat and replied to this one instead x

At the min I'm exactly the same as you but I have talked to
Others who say when you're on the right treatment you can live quite normally.

Fingers crossed!

Hello, I’m in the middle of a flare, oral steroids aren’t touching it and GP has offered me the magic intra muscular injection… but only if rheumatology say yes (seeing them next week) nurse thinks rheumatologist may want to see me in the flare. If they say no to the injection they’ll be seeing my temper flare! (Just kidding, I’ll just cry)

I can’t even get a private appointment until mid July.

Fresh bloods taken this week so hoping they’ll be happy to see the inflammation markers in that and not make me suffer another 5 days 😭

(Mine has been managed with hydroxychloroquine for the past year but I caught a virus earlier this month that has caused major repercussions)

How did you get on in the end?