I’ve been quite good physically over the past few months. Still aches, pains and chronic tiredness but nothing terribly awful. Nothing that stops me in my tracks and prevents me from getting on with things.
Until this week. Suddenly my hands and wrists are achy and stiff and I’m finding the smallest things, like brushing my teeth, really tricky. I’m hoping it’s just the cold weather. That everyone gets more achy in the cold but what if it’s my drugs suddenly not working and I’m going back into flare... how can I tell the difference?
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Jules13
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My Rheumy says the weather definitely makes a difference. He says as soon as it gets much colder, usually around November, his patients start to call saying they are in a flare and need a steroid injection.
Gosh I thought the cold and damp were the worst things for RA. the mineral hospital in Bath was actually set up because so many people were suffering from aches and pains and they concluded it was because Bath was in a low lying bowl. All the cold and damp lays low. Weird x
This is the same for me I have been more achy tired this week. I always associate my problems with the weather. This time last year I needed a steroid boost.
Now you mention it, my hands have been clumsier this week. I have dropped my electric toothbrush a could of times, spraying myself and the bathroom. Maybe need to revert to the old fashioned toothbrush in cold weather.
I find holding a toothbrush really difficult. It’s the angle that twists my wrist the wrong way. The worst thing though, and sorry to lower the tone, is trying to wipe my bottom after peeing. The angle of my hand is excruciating and that is definitely one thing you can’t ask a friend to help with!! God it’s awful.
Completely understand this, I now have some wrist supports from the OT, which really seem to be helping, I have some for wearing at difficult times of the day and then at the moment a splint type of thing for sleeping in, I only have the right hand one at the moment, she was waiting to see how I got on with it, until making a left hand one in between Xmas and New Year.
ah ok, yep they can get in the way and are bulky. I don't wear them all day, just for certain tasks, shopping, driving, carrying heavyish items, or when they feel a little sore. Still seem to have helped some.
Can you see if any of the bathing equipment aids online can assist with the loo issue? I know there are products which can help but have not used them myself. All these bathing problems can be a difficult issue with wrists. As for the toothbrush, I invested in an OralB 4000 in the sales a few years back but had always used disposable battery brushes after my wrists became compromised. I'm an artist and anything which can save my wrists and hands some work is very helpful.
I think only time will tell, but anecdotally, we do hear a lot of people find their symptoms worse in the cold, so hopefully it's just that. I did find a study once which supported the idea that the cold affects joints for those with a type of arthritis, but the conclusion was that whilst it seemed to affect symptoms for some, it didn't affect the long-term progression of the disease, so hopefully it will just be short-lived and won't cause any damage or progression of RA.
I think you’re right. I have the delightful combo of both RA and osteoarthritis so the second hurts in cold weather while the RA hurts all the time. I do find that a sauna really helps my RA though so there is something about heat definitely.
Here we are again with the thyroid connection with RA symptoms. Cold wheather forces the thyroid to work harder and if there are, which is very common, lowered thyroid function, without the needed boost hypothyroid joint symptoms that resamble very much RA symptoms follow. Here is an article that explains it better.
I also don’t have a thyroid. So I’ve been taking thyroxine for 25 years. I get very cold and weak in the winter and I completely forgot that was a thyroid thing and not an RA thing. Thanks for the reminder.
A two week holiday on the NHS sounds like a very good idea.
You just reminded me of a conversation I had with a friend in Norway. They have a health system similar to the NHS and anyone diagnosed with RA or an autoimmune disease are offered an annual 3-week retreat. It’s a sort of spa where they have access to heat treatment, massage etc. All paid for.
How does that sound?
I think I’m moving to Norway.... although the poor buggers do have loooooong winters and all those long days of daylight, so maybe not.
They do same in Germany its a 'cure' after any health issue. OK they have insurance but so is the nhs contributions. I'll join you in Norway been skiing so might be fun ! xx
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