Morning stiffness

[Beccabee123]

Hi guys, I’m new to the site. I’m waiting to see the rheumatologist on 10th June as my gp thinks I have a flare up of inflammatory arthritis. I had been diagnosed 7 years ago with psoriatic arthritis following bilateral tendinitis, but on the whole have fared quite well. For the last 8 weeks I have had extreme pain and stiffness, which relieves with painkillers and movement, usually after a couple of hours ... but worse if I am sedentary. Just wondered if this is similar to other people’s experience of morning stiffness?

[helixhelix]

Sounds quite classic. I wake up stiff, and gentle stretching soothes it. And then for the rest of the day if I sit down for too long I stiffen up again. But it’s very mild now compared to how it used to be as the disease is much better controlled with drugs.

[Beccabee123 in reply to helixhelix]

Thanks helixhelix. Every morning I think I can’t go on like this, dressing and sitting on the loo and attempting to get in the bath seem impossible tasks. By midday I am usually feeling fine and then question if I want any of the meds the consultant may offer.

[nanapat61 in reply to Beccabee123]

I can totally sympathise with your morning "bathroom dread" Beccabee123 - it's so hellish to struggle to wash, use the loo, etc. due to severe stiffness and pain in the mornings. At one point, I couldn't even reach round to the loo roll, never mind pull sheets off it! I'm a lot better now on Mtx, Benepali and a short course of daily Prednisolone 5mg. but we're still having a 'Smart' toilet installed in 3 weeks' time as part a complete bathroom makeover which has been designed to make life easier for me and hopefully 'future-proof' it for our old age. I really hope that you can get on a medication regime which helps you in the long-term and that some of the other helpful pain-relief tips you've received can ease things for you in the short-term.

[HappykindaGal in reply to helixhelix]

Same here. If I sit for too long, it takes me a while to balance when I stand, but it quickly wears off. 🙏🏼🙏🏼 Benepali

[wishbone]

I wake up with painful stiffness every morning, my shoulders/arms/hands are the main problem. Using the bathroom can be a bit of an ordeal as you've discovered! Like you, things start to ease off a couple of hours after taking pain relief, but in my experience the real answer is to get your RA better controlled if that's possible. I had a recent all too brief spell when my RA was under reasonable control and though the morning pain and stiffness didn't go it was a darned site better than it is now, and a lot better than previous to that time when getting up in the morning was absolute hell! I often wake up throughout the night so have a glass of water and my morning pain relief at my bedside so I can take them an hour or two before I get up, which makes life much easier. I do occasionally fail to wake up in time, but manage ok most mornings. I'm on slow release tramadol twice a day so try to keep my doses equispaced.

[Beccabee123 in reply to wishbone]

Thank you wishbone. That’s good advice regarding pain relief. I had been putting off pain meds until I’d eaten... due to ibuprofen, but I could take some co-codamols on first waking. It’s so frustrating in the morning and I get annoyed that I feel so sorry for myself, but this seems a great forum and I’m picking up lots of tips.

[wishbone in reply to Beccabee123]

Tramadol's ok to take without food, but best check the type of pain relief you take.

Push comes to shove you could have two pieces of cold toast or a packet of crisps by your bedside to have with your pain killers.... just kidding.

Good luck with getting some relief.

edit... sorry, I overlooked that you are taking ibuprofen.

[Bookworm55 in reply to wishbone]

I have a packet of Water Biscuits by my bed to eat with any painkillers I need in the night or early morning. I also quite often eat a couple if I can’t sleep which usually works well. I went for these crackers as I reckoned they were very low in sugar. (teeth!)

[wishbone in reply to Bookworm55]

I find it difficult to eat as soon as I wake up, but if my in bed pain relief did need to be taken with food then I could manage a few crackers and a glass of milk no problem.

[Sarah_89]

Hey,

Yes this has been my experience of RA, laying still at night or sitting still during the day causes everything to stiffen, and it's not until I get moving that the pain starts to ease. I find it's best to try to keep moving, and don't allow joints to stay still for too long during the day (think rolling your shoulders when sat still for any length of time / going for a short lap of the office every half hour etc). This helps me anyway, worth a try

It sounds like your GP is on it, and if it is rheumatoid then they should get you sorted on some meds quickly

[Pinkypie2018]

My feet and ankles are most bothersome in the morning, can't get out of bed until I do stretches first, I also get up a hour earlier before my kids so I can take paracetamol and ease off the stiffness before I have to get them ready. Not easy sometimes if your tired and would just love to lie on. If I wake during the night I feel stiff all over an I would find it hard to move my fingers etc. I recently got a steroid injection so the stiffness has improved so it's great just getting up and feeling a bit more normal.

[Thingybob]

Just a heads up .. I usually experience stiffness and pain in hands, feet, knees , ankles. It lasts till 3pm or later, even after moving, stretching, exercises etc. I thought this was par for the course and as good as could be expected because when I mentioned this to my rheumy and the nurse they just said to exercise . So have been putting up with it for a year. BUT I am now in the middle of a flare so things are worse and I saw a different nurse for a steroid jab . When I told her how I was when not flaring ie the stiffness going on etc she said that it should not be like that and that it should be better controlled with meds. I am now feeling fobbed off and worrying about dammage done.

[HappykindaGal in reply to Thingybob]

My rheumy asked me the same questions as my symptoms were similar to yours. That’s when they prescribed biologics. I’d push the point again, as you really shouldn’t be feeling like this. I still do get stiffness during the day if I’m sitting and working for too long, but it soon goes again within a couple of minutes of moving.

[Thingybob in reply to HappykindaGal]

Thanks for the supportive response Cwendyn. I definitely will push the point . I guess I wasn't more insistent or demanding as I didn't know how good I was supposed to be feeling. I thought that maybe it was as good as I could expect to get, and was just grateful to start with to be able to move at all. Its only by responses on this forum from people like yourself that we get to know these things. I have a call from the nurse this week , after several requests, as the steroid jab hasn't worked that well and I shall definitely be seeking some answers .

[HappykindaGal in reply to Thingybob]

I totally get what you mean about thinking it could be as good as things get. I was also accepting and then just was very honest about how hard I found things, wasn't going out and potentially selling my business and i was listened to. I really hope things improve for you. 😍💕

[Darcy2000]

Had the same ended

Up being Polymyalgia Rheumatica bilateral stiffness

[Beccabee123]

I’ve just had some blood work back from gp showing positive for HLA b27 which I thinks may point to anklosing spondylitis, but negative to rheumatoid factor, but how everyone is describing their stiffness seems so similar to mine. Can’t wait for the consultant appointment as I’m feeling very pessimistic about work. I am a surgical ward nurse and struggling with things like helping patients put on ted stockings, slippers etc... guess I’m hoping the meds they prescribe will be a miracle cure. Thank you to everyone for your comments, and I will def take on board some of the suggestions.

[Coll2018]

I have psoriatic arthritis and bursitis and the weather affects it terribly. I have gone through quite a long list of drugs, most recently Cimzia (my second TNF blocker). Not a day have a woke pain free in the past 2 years. A warm shower helps first thing in the morning and ibprophen. I am an accountant and sit for hours on end in the office. My hips stiffen and it’s hard to walk sporadically during the day as well as getting a good nights rest. It mainly affects my feet, ankles, knees, hips and hands. My morning stiffness can last all day at times. Weather is a key component, plus stress levels, which is pretty high right now. I understand where you are and wish you the best of luck. Yoga helps tremendously; haven’t found a good cure-all yet though.