Rheumatoid Arthritis

Chris don't be embarrassed Togo back to your doctor and ask for pain relief of course this would have to fit in with the job you do but you must keep pushing it can take a wile to get in the system take care steve.b

Really sorry to hear of your pain etc, mine has been bad to mainly fingers and shoulders and I got diagnosed with RA about a month ago now and had a steroid injection straight away and put on methotrexate as it can take a few months to work properly. What medication have you been put on?

First thank you for your service Chris.  I can't imagine how you managed to work with all the RA pain.  I found the first year was brutal.  I was in so much pain and the only thing that helped me was moving.  Once I laid down or sat and then tried to move it was pain again.  It took me 2 rheumatologists later to come up with the right med for me.  Remacade, an infusion which I have every 2 months.  I'm now in remission and feeling great but that could change tomorrow and I'm aware of that so I enjoy every day to the fullest because I don't know when I will wake up in excruciating pain again.  Get with your doctor and let them come up with something that works for you.  It's different for each person.  I tried a lot of the meds that others on this site use and they did not work for me.  Good luck and know that you are not alone.  We have all been there and many on this site are still trying to find something that works for them.

In the meantime research pain and mind/body connection. Meditation for pain.  It really does help and makes life better. 

Take care. 

Wondering how long you ve taken mxt for as it takes up to 12 weeks to find out if it's working.

my advice is to tell it like it is to rheumy. Keep a daily record of RA activity( which new joints are affected or are tender or swollen) keep a record out of 10 as to how much pain- 1 being Very little and 10  having your arm wrenched off) it helps them work out how much disease activity is going on.

they are are supposed to diagnose early and treat aggressively as that has been shown to give best outcomes.( some research says treating with 2 or 3 DMARDS from the beginning is best) like many others I wasn't keen to have so many tablets- but it has actually worked for me.

They are dependent on your feedback to see what works. My treatment was escalated over 9 months  till I was on 3 DMARDS- mxt being one- plus corticosteroid tablets. So I was put on a biologic and that has worked for me. But I did have strong symptoms.and fortunately only very minor side effects.you may well find your RA responds at a much earlier level of med intervention.as everyone is different.

wishing you all the best in your appointment.

I take ibuproven [800 mg prescribed kind twice a day] for the pain although I must say that my pain is not the shooting pain variety or at least not from the RA but some caused from my diabetes which is nerve pain [had nerve tests done and confirmed this] but located in my lower arms. Pain levels in my case are being kept tolerable with the Ibuproven and as of last week they started me on MTX [methotrexate]. Before I was on Sulfazine which started with 1000 mg twice a day and then to double that amount after 3 months... did not do anything at all for my RA just made it worse especially after the increase of dosage.

The prescribed Ibuproven can be taken up to 3 times a day [no more then 2400 mg total] but make sure to eat first before you take those they can be hard on your stomach. On some occassions I will take extra over the counter but then only so I can sleep. Hope this helped 

Good Luck