Muscle pain

[Ninnin67]

Morning everyone im hoping for more good advice plz. Does anyone get severe muscle pain in tops of arms. Mine is so bad esp after being in bed i struggle to lift my arms up. This isnt new but seems to be getting worse. On my 2nd metho dose and consultant increased steroids again sadly hasnt helped with swollen fingers . Still cant believe how quickly RA has taken over my life . Thanks in advance

[sylvi]

Sorry to hear you have this disease,. I would suggest you contact your rheumy my darling and tell them about this again if you have already mentioned it.xxxx

[Hidden]

I get exactly the same! My right arm is usually worse than the left. I put it down to the RD as inflammation can effect the muscle and bones. 🤗X

[Dobcross1 in reply to Hidden]

Same as you! Right worse than left. It sounds ridiculous but if I eat certain things my arms kick off more than usual.

[Hidden in reply to Dobcross1]

I don’t find eating anything in particular makes mine worse, it’s just the RD rearing it’s ugly head in different places all the time. Like wishbone said, painkillers first thing in the morning and rest periods do help until the inflammation subsides. 🤗X

[Lolabridge]

Hi I’m sorry to hear you’re suffering and I agree with Sylvi that you should contact your Rheumy as your meds may need adjusting. When I had the same problems my consultant gave me steroid injections into each shoulder which made a huge difference until we could find the right drug to get my disease under control.

[wishbone]

I've had it in both arms for a couple of years and it can be absolute hell trying to move my arms, especially in the mornings and more so when I'm off meds as I currently am. I can't even raise them to the horizontal some days.

I may well be wrong, but I think the problem, at least for me, is inflammation of the muscles stemming from RA damage in the shoulder joints. I find applying ibuprofen gel helps a bit, but the only real answer is to get your RA under better control. Time to see your rheumy by the seem.

edit...forgot to say that I need to take strong pain relief. Taking my morning dose an hour or two before I get up makes life that bit easier.

[charisma]

I have a lot of that currently but it is probably due to many months of RA just not controlled. Review yesterday showed no RA activity in hands, surprising since so much swelling and pain everywhere. My biologic might be kicking in but the in between phase kills!

Paracetamol was recommended. I have a gel for joints too, going to apply that as had paracetamol hours ago.

But if disease is not well controlled for you, and you have been taking DMARDs for three months, time to get advice on increasing dose/changing drug/s. Hope you get answers soon!

[oldtimer]

The medical team put mine down to polymyalgia and say - just keep taking the steroids, and by the way, we'll refer you to physio again as we can't think of anything else. The physio just sighs and points out that I'm 'adequately motivated to exercise' and discharges me (although I do sometimes get hydrotherapy again which is super).

[nomoreheels]

You don't take statins by any chance do you? Some do have upper arm muscle pain with them.

[sallygrain]

Hi. My arms are so sore at the top that I cannot bare the BP cuff on either arm and my BP goes sky high when I have to endure it. The dr is far more interested in this then the muscle pain. I am not fully controlled these days and it’s such a pain as it’s so hard to see consultants at guildford

[Kaz13A]

Yes worse in my right arm, I love to sleep with my arms up but having to sleep with them down at my side, hands feet knees all chronic , I can't make a go with my fingers they hardly move in any more 2 fingers on one hand and one on the other the rest of fingers don't bend, I've been on MTX nearly 6 months, only pain killers in on are over counter Sophadine Max , ( nothing helps I've been on tramadol but couldn't take it) ...

This is still and immobilising in 55 and gel 95 some days but on the plus side in still here to enjoy my family and grand babies .. X wishing you well hope you get a respite my flares never go away 😚 I have psoriasis arthritis and osteoarthritis .... ( But only have psoriasis on one elbow )

[Maggiemae58]

My muscle pain is and has always been the major part of my RA symptoms. My muscle pain has been everywhere but directed in one specific spot at a time. I’ve been on Methotrexate 20 mg for the past 2 yrs and it has worked great for me. I get the odd muscle/joint flare up now but less severe.

[bear4ble]

May not be useful, but have a look at NCBI and DOMS ( delayed onset muscle soreness ), with emphasis on not drinking enough water.

[Agoodlife]

If you are on steroids you have much less morning pain if you take a modified release prednisone in the evening that starts working at 3 o’clock in the morning, the time when your own cortisone begins to rise. The steroid has been shown to be more effective this way too so you may not need to up your dose.