Depression can trigger flares...

[MissMinto]

It's always been a bit of a chicken/egg scenario - do we get depressed because RA is such a mean disease, or can depression make RA worse and trigger a flare? This article seems to suggest so:

healthline.com/health-news/...

[Hidden]

Hard to know what came first for me, but I do know to try keep depression in check. If I'm feeling low everything feels worse.

I always wake up feeling low. I think partly due to inflammation. If I jump straight into a cold shower it seems to kick start my brain, and I feel a bit better.

Also the less active the more depressed I feel.

[MissMinto in reply to Hidden]

I admire your gutsy approach to cold showers Nettienet, I wimp out at the thought of them, though I'm sure they're worth it for the anti-inflammatory boost and after-glow.

You're a braver should than me!

[Hidden in reply to MissMinto]

Was tricky this morning after freezing to death walking dog. I usually start off hot then fling it to cold. Not sure how or why it works, but it does. Often gets rid of headache too.

I think it just sends the body into shock and it forgets how awful it feels! 😂

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Family friend who has this swears by cold dip in sea every morning, so may well be something in it; though how he’s going to manage in winter I don’t know? Wetsuit? If he can get one on 😉x

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Yes I thought of a wet suit, but in my case I'd be scared of being harpooned! 😂🤣

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

😂😂 x

[Bradclew in reply to Hidden]

I’ve just started on Benepaly and the day after the injection I feel dreadful and my fingers and hands are numb and the pain in my arms hasn’t stopped eitherInwas told this drug is amazing and I would feel great what I want to know is WHEN

Has anybody got ant ideas or knowledge of this drug

[MissMinto in reply to Bradclew]

I have no experience of Benepali but if you type it into the search bar at the top right hand corner of this page it will bring up all relevant threads/mentions on here of it - hope you find what you're looking for.

[Hidden]

That’s really interesting, thanks. It is v chicken n egg; pretty depressing being diagnosed with this anyway. I did old post from rawarrior where one of responders suggested cytokines & inflammation were implicated in both depression & fatigue (link no longer works, just tried sorry). You’ve also got the effects of meds too; MTX made me feel incredibly low. Thanks for posting x

[MissMinto in reply to Hidden]

Funny isn't it how we're all so differently affected by meds - oral steroids are my kryptonite, guaranteed to send me spiralling!

[Simba1992 in reply to MissMinto]

One thing in common in depression and RA that has been found in research is the existence of high level oxidative stress in both. OS leads to mitochondrial dysfunction and decreased energy production. Some meds like Mtx increase OS. This could maybe explain the fatigue those on mtx so often complain about (?) Just à thought.

Really interesting find also was when I looked into the original study quoted above, was that depression was increased in patients that were tapering their meds. These patients were all on biologics! Biologics, infact decrease oxidative stress and would thus have a possitive effect on depression and when decreased the effect would be the opposite since the existing level of OS would increase. Tapering mtx could have the opposite effect (?)

[MissMinto in reply to Simba1992]

Yes I noticed the concentration on people tapering their meds, felt this was significant, but couldn't work out how - thanks for the missing link!

[Mmrr]

Prof Edward Bullmore in his book 'the inflammed mind ' looks at the link between depression and inflammation.

It's a good read.

[MissMinto in reply to Mmrr]

That sounds an interesting read - I'll look out for that Mmrr.