Swelling down - pain up!

[mms1966]

I've been on prednisolone for the last year, it's almost kept my Still's under control (well one 2 week hospital stay), I suffer badly from weight gain and also swelling, everywhere. It's hard to know where the first starts and the last ends.

The last couple of days the swelling in my ands has subsided, a bit, the pain though has increased dramatically, feels how I imagine a broken bone would.

Has anyone else encountered this?

Also having mouth sores, a sure sign for me that a flare is imminent, I was passed for anti TNF's almost 3 months ago but am still waiting for them. If I am sick at my next appointment in 10 days they won't give me them - the irony, I have to be well to take the drugs that will make me better? How does that work?

Sorry, just sounding off to people that may know.

Thanks for reading.

[Hidden]

sending gentle hugs

Katie

[mms1966]

Thanks Katie, my poor son has to give me gentle hugs now - no more killer cuddles ??

[Hidden]

I can't really advise as steroids send me off my head but I do find that pain and swelling don't usually go together for me at all. Presently I'm not in much pain but feel all tingly and hot and my inflammatory markers are up significantly. However, when pain is really excruciating I usually find there is little sign of it in the form of swollen joints. The other night my knees swelled up and went very hot and red but I had no pain at all. Presently they are quite stiff and sore but no sign of any heat or swelling.

These inflammatory arthritic diseases are so weird you couldn't make them up. And I'm unable to take a higher dose of MTX that my body seems to require so I'm to be assessed for anti-tnfs soon, having tried and failed two other DMARDs. I'm avoiding all drugs apart from MTX in the hope that I flare up more and get a high enough DAS to qualify. But I'm taking Prednisolone with me on holiday just in case. How mad are these situations that we find ourselves in I agree?! I'm sure if we took ourselves and what is happening to us to the EU court of human rights the UK would be found in breach of ours. Sorry I'm now ranting back! Tilda x

[kizzy12]

hi, i am on 20ml mtx and 15ml prednisolone and have been on my 3rd anti-tnf which has finally reduced my swelling after 9 yrs of trying...the pain is much worse tho and the doctor says its because the pain is caused by damage already done so can only be controlled with strong painkillers..x

[mms1966]

Swelling is down a lot today but it just means I can see how disfigured my wrists and fingers are, the pain feels like they are broken, my right wrist looks like it was broken and badly set, I don't suppose any drugs are going to reshape it :(. Still waitinge on the anti TNF'S to be prescribed, even though I was confirmed as suitable for them 3 months ago.