feeling very tired

[maria_68]

Hi, these past couple of days my joints have been really sore, and I have been very lethargic, does any one know if this is part of Rheumatoid Arthritis or not, my hands also keep shaking for no apparant reason, I take Methotrexate and Hydroxychloroquin, as well as pain relief, I have also started doing Pilates again recently.

[Livingston]

Joint pain and tiredness are major features of the disease for most people, but they can also come along with other things like viruses and infections.

If you don't feel right or this is out of the ordinary for you, a trip to the GP might be a good idea.

Hope you feel better soon.

[chlopage]

hi maria.

living in pain is exhausting at the best of times.

my hands also shake when they are swollen and sore. to get through a shift at work, I wear wrist splints so I can carry plates and pints (without shaking so much that I throw produxts over a customer).

hope it eases soon for you.

chlo

x

[Hidden]

Fatigue certainly can be part of the disease. How long have you been taking Mtx and Hydroxy? Fatigue often improves over time if the drugs are effective.

I think that doing Pilates is great and that any regular exercise is likely to help your RA including the fatigue side of things. You might want to think a bit carefully about which joints you are using though, and how you're using them. I've never really been clear about whether it's a good idea to put weight on my hands or not when wrists are inflamed. You could seek some advice from a physiotherapist perhaps.

Of course Mtx can cause some tiredness / lethargy too. Are you drinking plenty of water? I understand that water helps minimise any side effects from the drugs we take, especially Mtx.

[Victoria-NRAS Partner Moderator NRAS]

Hi Maria

It's hard to say what might be causing the shaking, but sore joints and fatigue are certainly very common symptoms. There is an Arthritis Research UK booklet on fatigue that might be helpful:

arthritisresearchuk.org/art...

Fatigue is a symptom like any other, so it can improve as the condition gets under better control, but there are things that can help, like pacing out your activities. Exercise can also help, as strengthening the muscles helps support the joints, so I hope the pilates will help.

Kind regards

Victoria

(NRAS)