Paladromic arthritis/RA

[Maggiemae58]

I have lived with this flitting type of arthritis for 20 yrs. One day I will have flareup in my thumb and next day flareup goes to next finger and so on through the rest of fingers and end up in the wrist. So much swelling and weakness and pain ++++. Then it can go to shoulder joint or knee or ankle and so on. During attack the pain and swelling come on very quickly and normally last 48 hrs. Debilitating and a general flulike feeling during attacks. Anyone with a similar debilitating type of RA. Am taking sulfasalizine and Methotrexate.

[Nsmith13]

Yes just getting over an attack felt so tired I'm waiting on phone call back from Rumie nurse on steroids but tapering no energy at all and this heat not helping at all you have my sympathy

[Elmo333]

Yes, I do. It’s very frustrating as it’s so unpredictable. I can just be sitting down and then suddenly within half an hour I won’t be able to move my hands, shoulder etc. I do try to comfort myself by saying that in a few days the pain will have gone or moved at least. I’ve been on mtx for over a year but it’s not stopping the flares so I added hydroxychloroquine a few days ago. Fingers crossed for us both for some pain free time!

[Beviej]

Yes I have both RA and PAL.25years for me.I am currently on Arava and it has helped a lot.At 1point I was on remicade and had very few PAL flares.Eventually the remicade stopped working for me.

[janmary]

Me too! Can crop up in any joint with no obvious cause. Got me in my right jaw joint last week - 2 days of being unable to eat and barely able to swallow. I can go from 'normal' to unable to walk/ get dressed/ use a hand - depending on which is the "joint of the day" in a matter of a couple of hours. It's unpredictable - and if I'm trying to explain it to people I feel as though I sound completely neurotic. It's good to know I'm not the only one.

I'm on M/X - and about once a year I have a steroid depot jab if necessary. I'm a very reluctant drug taker, and should probably be on a higher dose of M/X, (couldn't tolerate Hydroxy), and get by with a philosophical 'zen' approach (well, I try!)

[Maggiemae58 in reply to janmary]

Janmary I too hate taking drugs. I’ve had it several times in my jaw which is horrible. I too feel as though people feel I’m neurotic and so hard to explain. Your right every day is so unpredictable and is the reason I Took a early retirement. My A-hole manager did not understand. I too can feel a twinge of pain in whatever joint in the evening and within a couple hours it’s full blown excruciating pain. Try and explain that to someone and they just don’t understand. So nice knowing we can talk to each other regarding this illness.

[VeronicaF]

Hi I am new, I get it in my Jaw, what I have found does help with the pain in the jaw, is get your fingers each side of the jaw joint try to move your jaw to one side and other and then try to open your mouth slighty, keep repeating. plus get senerdine tooth past and rub it inside that sore side around the teeth up and bottom

the pain is always there but it helps the degree of pain

hope it helps you too