Just over a week ago, my left ankle started to swell and I couldn't move my foot up and down or right and left. By the late evening, the whole foot was so painful I could not bear any weight on it at all. My toes had completely seized and would not bend, dreadful pain down the left hand side of my foot into the ankle and pain under the foot. Was dragging the foot along as couldn't walk on it at all.
Hubby asked what was wrong (these men are so insightful) and I burst into tears, hanging onto the bedroom door trying to get to the bathroom and told him I was in such pain, Took a couple of Nurofen and paracetemol and waited for some relief. Found an ice pack also helped with the swelling and pain and gradually over several days it began to go down. By the Monday I could get a shoe on again although still swollen and painful and today there is still some swelling but at least I can walk.
The whole foot was hot and bright red so assume it was an RA flare as I have been having so many of these recently but mainly affecting my hands, wrists, elbows and shoulders,
Still waiting to hear from the Biologic nurses about seeing if Rixumitab will be suitable. It is 2 1/2 weeks since I saw my consultant who wouldn't give me a steroid injection as he said he wanted me as bad as possible when I saw the nurses! How much longer can this go on?
I went to the optician today as having trouble with the sight in my right eye which is blurred. (I had cataract ops 3 years ago). The capsule round the replacement lens has clouded so I am being referred to the eye surgeon for laser treatment. The optician also found some cloudiness in the left eye but not enough to cause problems at present so I assume I don 't need to order the white stick and dog yet. (LOL). Apparently the clinic will phone me this week to give me an appointment for the laser treatment. It only takes a minute or two and my sight will be clear again. Whether they will then do the left eye I don't know - it may not be bad enough yet to do anything.
Berry dog has been ill again and another (expensive) visit to the vet on Monday last. He is now on antibiotics to help and has been put on a light diet and 3 smaller meals a day to help his tummy. I think he has a sensitive stomach anyway.
Hubby has a fungal infection on a toenail and is very tired at present. The company where he works is going down the pan apparently which has caused him a lot of worry. Thank goodness he resigned from being a director a couple of years ago so no financial burden will fall on him although he still has money in the company which means he will rank as an ordinary creditor so not much hope of getting it back unless they can sell the site to a developer which is on the cards.
Really fed up with the last few weeks - been so tired and in pain most of the time. Been living on Nurofen etc to control the pain and swelling. Even the MTX doesn't seem to make much difference at present. The toes on my right foot are getting quite mis-shapen and the ones on the left are going the same way. We are away for a few days later this week and if I haven't heard from the hospital when we get back, will have to ring them to find out when they intend doing my foot operation! At least my hands look fairly normal except when the joints flare up and they swell and are very red and hot.
Sorry to moan on to you all - I don't often and try to keep cheerful but this is really getting me down now - feel very tearful and out of sorts etc.
Love LavendarLady x
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LavendarLady
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Oh lavender lady what a terrible time you're having. I wondered why you hadn't been blogging for a while and assumed you were on holiday...........
So sorry to hear of all your troubles, never worry about moaning, we're here for good times and bad, we just all switch roles from time to time depending on how we are
Hello Lavendar Lady. So sorry you are having such a bad time at the moment.Have you had to reduce your medication before you are able to try the biologic?
Your foot problem sounds terribly painful.I've had similar problems recently as I was only allowed 10mg of methotrexate due to the consultant monitoring possible chest problems,so no biologics for me for the time being.I,m now allowed a low dose of prednisilone as well and I must admit this has helped.
Like yourself I was very teary and the pain was excrutiating.It is only in the last week that the pain has been manageable.
I found the only way to cope was to rest as much as possible. I spent most of my time sitting in a riser recline chair reading a book.I felt like the most boring person on earth.It is the first time I have given in to RA and I think that was the most difficult thing to accept.
It's good they can sort your eye problems , but I'm sure you could do without that at the moment.
Do take care,rest as much as possible and if the odd tear does squeeze out just let it fall.
So horrible when one bit of your body just goes isn't it - I think what I hate most of all is the unpredictable nature of a flare. Do hope that your foot, eye and hound all start behaving soon. And as for fungal toes, your hubby can be thankful that he's not on MTX as most of the pills for it don't mix with RA drugs so I've been battling to get rid of an infection in one toe nail for about 2 years now... Polly
Oh dear Lavender Lady you poor thing. I do identify with your ankle problem as I had the same thing going on in my left ankle this time last year. It went on for about 3 months and then finally flared big time when I was away on my own. This meant I had to travel with it and it was so hot and swollen that I couldn't even get my boot on. Luckily I found an old flip flop which got me to the airport and ended up with crutches to get me to the boarding gate. I usually manage to get things under control with Naproxen - which is less problematic for my stomach and a bit stronger. Maybe you need a switch in NSAIDs if Neurofen isn't working? I do hope the antibiotics work well for Berry and your hubby's fungal infection and job both sort out soon and that you get your next biologic - which it does sound as if you need rather badly. Tilda x
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What a week! From low to high! PIP post.
Rheumy Appt in 2 weeks tips on what to ask
Unsure about what treatment I can have after 2 biologics
What to do? What to say?
