Swollen joints

[popsmith1874]

Morning everyone , another day struggling with swollen knees and ankles had to go back to doctors yesterday and get stronger painkillers and am on tramadol now but I'm going on holiday on the 9th of January so if things don't improve in the next few days I'm going to get steroid injections on inflamed joints .

[Smiler53]

Hope things improve for you before your holiday. Smiler. X

[nomoreheels]

I really hope you get benefit popsmith & you're able to enjoy your hols. Hope it's somewhere lovely & warm.

[Patsfan6866]

Know how your feeling. Been to primary, ER and back to primary in days following Christmas ... General flare but also severe pain with trigger finger ... now on even more meds.... prednisone ...percocet . Last time saw RA doc after being on leflunomide for 6weeks, he said the inflamation was gone?!! Cinfused me because i still was in pain and having unrelenting fatigue ! Very frustrated and frighten by the progression of this disease

Having trouble coping on so many levels!

Ps. Getting new RA dr!

I hope things improve for your holiday .

[helixhelix]

Sorry to hear this. But how can your rheumy say that you're as stable as you'll get if you're having flares like this? Have you asked about going onto biologics as it doesn't seem to me that your current meds are working well for you.

[popsmith1874 in reply to helixhelix]

Yes but she doesn't seem interested I've been on methotrexate for a year , salfazalazine for 2 years , hydrxocoloquine for 2 months plus I'm on tramadol for the pain , and now I'm having to use a stick because my knees ankles feet and hands are killing me,I was at my reumy consultant 3 weeks ago but it seems like she's in to much a hurry to get you in and out the clinic , my wife was with me and she was very upset then at the end of consultation she said she would see me in a year, I was at my go and he could not believe that she wasn't seeing me sooner. I will give it to next week then if I'm no better I will phone my nurse and tell her I want a second opinion , I think the fact that I'm seronegative is why she's dragging her heels , but that's not helping me so I'm not taking any of her crap anymore , sorry for harping on but it's so frustrating , never mind my next year they might find a miracle cure and we can enjoy life again take care

[helixhelix in reply to popsmith1874]

Grrrr...ask your GP to send you to someone else! That's dreadful. It doesn't matter a hoot that you're seronegative if you still have inflamed joints and that degree of pain then they should be paying more attention. Are your blood test results stable? As if you google DAS 28 you'll find apps to check your own DAS score if you know either your ESR or CRP results. And if it's over 3.5 then start getting angry. And if it's over 5 then shriek and complain loudly!

[popsmith1874 in reply to helixhelix]

My last crp was 270 I circled it and showed it to her and she just dismissed it and said I had an infection ,but I'm not going to let it get me down as the nurse I deal with is very good also my vitimum d was also low ,my gp phoned me because he was concerned so I'll give it a few days then if I'm still struggling ill phone the help line

[helixhelix in reply to popsmith1874]

You're being too generous to them... As you said up above - resolution for next year is not to take any more crap from them.

[earthwitch]

If your joints are flaring, then ordinary painkillers (even the strong ones) won't get to the cause of the problem. Are you taking any antiinflammatory medication or DMARDS?

[popsmith1874 in reply to earthwitch]

Yes I'm on sulfazalasine mtx inj 20 mgs hydroxocoloquine, naproxen and I'm no better I'm off work again and have to use walking stick as both knees,ankles feet and both hands are swollen

[nomoreheels]

Just as a thought, though you may know the difference..... could it be your OA giving you more problems? If your ESR/CRP are pretty level & your DAS acceptable it's worth questioning your GP. My ankles, knees & hands are all affected (neck & back too but not as easy to see changes) but I now know the difference in RD inflammation & OA inflammation. I find it more like swelling or water retention in look & feel but with the pain & more problematic if rested too long. Since I've paid it more attention & my Rheumy handed over my OA care to my GP it's better controlled, except for my neck but that's next to be addressed.

Might be worth looking at images online to see if it's similar to your inflammation.

[popsmith1874]

My gp put me on tramadol to see if that helps with pain so I'll wait till next week to see if it helps but it's my feet that are really bad which makes mobility a problem maybe the new year will be better all the best