Is Chronic pain normal even when you’re on a biologic???

[RichDC]

Hi all, been on Cimzia several years but been recently having lots of left sacroiliac pain, shoulder pain, elbow pain. My rheumatologist says no signs of inflammation in my blood tests but I’m wondering is this much inflammation and constant pain normal? Should I push to change biologic? Any help deeply appreciated— The constant pain is getting to me!

[piglette]

Chronic pain can happen sometimes doesn’t matter what you are taking sadly. Up to twenty per cent of people do not show inflammation in blood tests for some unknown reason. Have you ever shown inflammation?

[RichDC in reply to piglette]

Hi Piglette, thanks for this; I’ll pursue the blood not showing thing with my doc.

[Tealblue2 in reply to piglette]

That’s very interesting- I did know that, thank you. My crp has never got above 5 and so I’m told the inflammation I have isn’t bad, even through I’m riddled with swollen joints, pain and other symptoms at the time…

[piglette in reply to Tealblue2]

I am the opposite. My CRP has never dropped below 30 and sometimes went up over 100, although I felt fine. Initially the doctors panicked and tested for cancer and other things, so I had lots of tests. They have now decided it is just me!! ie they have given up on me.

[Runrig01]

I have ankylosing spondylitis, rather than RA, which the predominant symptom is sacroiliac pain. In AS 50% of Pat ever have raised bloods. That’s quoted in booklets by the charity. It’s led to a lot of delays in diagnosis. I was 25yrs with the symptoms before I got diagnosed, so my sacroiliac joints and ribs are fused. My knees and toes are partially dislocated from tendons stiffening. So I have chronic pain from all the damage I have. I’ve had MRIs which shiw I don’t have significant inflammation, which tells him the biologic and methotrexate are working. It’s common to get osteoarthritis in affected joints, because the normal anatomy of the joint has changed. My AS literally affects every joint in my body, many just have spinal symptoms. I use a butec pain patch as well as tramadol as required, which helps pain as you don’t get the same peaks and troughs you get with tablets. Hope you find something to help.

[Happyrosie in reply to Runrig01]

Runrig01 you are the first person I’ve come across who has Butec patches! Mine were prescribed for pain caused by anti-cancer medication, now thankfully stopped but I’ve been unable to reduce the Butec dose.

My husband has AS though not as bad as yours. He was hospitalised for six months with his! The treatment in those bad old days was deep X-ray therapy which caused leukaemia and he wasn’t expected to survive. Sixty years later ….. Completely fused spine and of course pain all over but otherwise well.

[Runrig01 in reply to Happyrosie]

I was put on the patches after I had a severe stroke, aged 52, due to an adrenal crisis. It meant I had to stop my nsaid, etoricoxb. I was waking in agony every night, from the lack of nsaid. Do my gp suggested the patches, then I wouldn’t have to wait for an hour in the night for meds to kick back in. Been on them 6.5yrs, I’ve only increased twice, from 5 to 10, then to 15mg, which I’ve been on that dose for 3yr now.

Sorry to hear about you and your husband’s struggles. Take care 🤗

[RichDC in reply to Runrig01]

Thanks Runrig01 — I’ve never heard about pain patches. Will ask about them!