Hello Amanda

So sorry you are in so much pain with your shoulder. I have shoulder problems and can completely relate to the associated arm pain. I think that when the shoulder is inflamed, it can trap nerves, tendons etc and we also tense up because we are in pain which I think can also cause the rest of the arm to hurt. My arms nearly always hurt as you describe when I am having trouble with my shoulders.

As for what to do - as you say we are not medics but if you have pain meds/anti-inflamms available, you might find they help. I can't take anti-inflammatory tablets but I do use anti-inflammatory gel as well as pain meds and I find that does give me some relief. If you are unsure about what combination of meds is safe to take, you might find your pharmacist can advise you on that - or better your GP since you have seen her about your shoulder.

I really do hope your shoulder pain eases soon Amanda - and that the helpline calls you back so you can talk to them for advice.

Tillyx

Hi Amanda,I totally understand your arm pain,I have been suffering with. Its shoulder joints for a year,much better now that I'm I'm on mtx,but pre diagnosis and while waiting for mtx to work I was in severe pain,from my shoulders down to my elbows,it was awful,it would keep me awake all night,I got told it was a flare in my shoulder joints causing it all.i used heat pads,freeze gel,ibuleve gel and zapain.my hubby used to rub from my elbows up to my shoulders which helped greatly.on a positive note once it got under control the pain has subsided hugely.but when I have a bad day with my shoulders,my arms always play up too,so for me its defintly related.hope it gets better for you soon.itake care Michelle xxx

Remember the song..."wrist bone connected to the arm bone, arm bone connected to the shoulder bone etc etc". Pain often gets referred, ie it appears well away from the place where there's the problem, as well as things travelling along routes such as muscles and tendons.

As Tillytop said, best to ask doc or chemist re combining pain meds... but whatever you do do make sure to check what is in the different things you have so for example you don't inadvertently exceed the amount of paracetamol. Lots of things have different names even when they contain the same painkillers so look at the small print. I know when I'm in pain I just want it to go away so it's hard to be sensible, but do try.

So sorry Amanda to hear your suffering like this. I can empathise because I have a similar problem but in my right shoulder. I do know that my GP has told me in the past I can combine anti-inflammatory's with paracetamol if needed but as the others have said probably best to get medical advice.

Hope rheumy helpline gets back to you real quick. Big hugs xxxxx

Hi

I know I'm flaring when I have 4/5 joints in pain simultaneously and the pain is ramped up. Like you, if I have shoulder pain it also always affect my elbow.

Hot or cold treatments might help. I invested in a hot wax bath as my hands can get so bad (although I haven't used it for a while). For me heat works not the cold treatment, also fairly warm baths at night before I go to bed. I rub arnica gel on affected joints, as it's natural you can use as many times in a day as you need, without side affects. I also find thus offer some temporary relief.

It's essential you take pain relief as well as ani flams. Experiment with gp guidance on different brands to find the most effective combination for you. Also you can get steroid injections which help to lessen the flare symptoms.

Lastly when you and your medical team find the right drug combination for "you", you'll have less flares, be able to recognise them and start taking drugs to offer you relief more quickly.

Flares are a bitch and I sympathise with you. Hang in there,

Sending cyber hugs ((((x))))

Joanne x

Hi

I didn't realise as many people have shoulder pain. I'm sorry that you are feeling so bad. I too have been having a terrible time with my shoulders. I can certainly sympathise with the levels of pain you are experiencing for me ice packs help especially before bed to try and calm/numb the area before sleep. Of course this only lasts a short time.

I have also had numerous steroid injections into the joints and bursa which give better relief. Perhaps ask your rhuemmy or GP if this would help?

My physio has said that pain from shoulder will go down to elbow or wrist when shoulder v inflamed.

I eventually had an operation ( sub acromial decompression) on my right shoulder which involved making more space for the tendon and bursa. ApparentlyThese tissues can also become inflamed due to RA like a joint does. I am now 6 months on still under physio who thinks it will take another 3-6 months to make full recovery. But my right shoulder is so much better. It has certainly been worth it. Now waiting to see about my left shoulder!

Hope you get some relief soon and your flare doesn't last too long.

x

Hi Amanda, hope things are improving for you now? Do you have Naproxen and co-codimol or can't you take these? It seems like we are in similar boats with Hydroxy not being enough on its own. I keep waiting to be told to try it again because I had no side effects from it at least and have it in my drawer but rheumy has gone elusive on me and so I don't know what his plans are now I'm not on any drugs at all for RA.

I am not taking anything just now re pain meds either but these drugs do work for me usually - its just that my pain is much more like flu and very generalised and is not actually stopping me from moving about and in fact much worse when I'm still. If I take pain meds and nsaids now for this then I'm afraid of bloating/ fluid retention and stomach probs and that they wont be as effective when i really do need them. But pre-diagnosis and MTX when I needed assistance with everything because the pain in my shoulders and wrists was just staggering, I did take NSAIDs and it improved things a lot (shame my GP forgot to put me on stomach protectors!).

Thanks for reminding me what a complete horror RA can be though and also that I do definitely have it because all these descriptions are bringing it home. I'm not there yet - just in slow motion with stiffness and flu like ache in every joint and muscle especially shoulders, wrists and feet and fingers!

Let us know how you are today please. X

Glad you feel better. Hope it all settles down for you very soon. Tx

Hi Amanda,

Sorry to hear that the RA is biting back hard at the moment I had a flare a couple of weeks ago that started with my elbows, quickly followed by wrists, hands and shoulders before going 'global'. My elbows and shoulders were hellish and had hardly any movement - leaving me making little mewing noises when ever I had to move What works in this situation is very individual but I use the big guns as I'm not up to sensible conversation anyway! For me this is max dose Tramadol [100mg x4 in 24hrs], diclofenic gel [Voltarol] and whatever warm, soft and cosy clothing I can get into - my daughter said "it's a shame that you're not flexible enough 'cos what you really need is a fleecy onesie and booties"! She'll have me in the big Silver Cross pram at the bottom of the garden if I don't watch out - you know, the place babies used to be put to 'exercise their lungs'!!!

Hope this burns itself out soon,

Cece x