Stress.

[Mollieharry]

Do other members think their ra pain,stiffness and swelling gets worse at at this time of year.not necessary due to weather but more to do with feeling stressed with work and the run up to Christmas.

[Hidden]

Oh YES!! Any stress sets me off and I use to be so layed back🙄

[Lolabridge]

Definitely! We need to chill.

[Gjkas]

Yes I'm always much worse at this time of year. I think mine is to do with both.

The Stress of Christmas and the weather.. The cold really creases me. Then if i turn the heating up I get full of prickles.

Oh. Don't it get you down. Especially when we don't get our sleep. 😰

[allanah]

Yes.i learned over the years start early. Use delivery services such as Amazon prime and get the family to do a wishlist. Then get food order delivered. Invite friends to help you for a wrapping party and give them drinks and nibbles and finish up watching a movie...gets md through it!

[Bizzie in reply to allanah]

Oh what a good idea re the wrapping party Allanah. I’ll have to try that next year.

[rab1874]

Both I think but the damp cold weather doesn’t agree with me,hence why I go to the Canaries just after new year 🌞

[Gjkas in reply to rab1874]

Oh i wish. I'm not allowed to fly anymore. Worse Luck.

OOOH. Enjoy yourself in the Canaries.

Bring a little bit of sunshine back with you. Have a safe journey.

[rab1874 in reply to Gjkas]

Thanks xxx

[beeckey in reply to rab1874]

Me too.We have booked a wee villa for a month in January to get away after the stress of Christmas and the cold weather

[charisma]

Definitely stress does it to me! Damp dull weather makes no difference.

[Azabat]

For me I think it’s the combination. Damp weather added to stress is one thing too many.

[Caza]

Stress is definitely a trigger for me

[sunnyweek]

Yes stress definitely affects my pain, stiffness and fatigue. The weather doesn't seem to make much difference though.

[woodstar1]

Yep, stress is 100% my trigger.

[Pippy25]

Never under estimate what stress can do and Christmas time can be a stressful time of year for most without the added 'bonus' of having RD which is exacerbated by it. Take care and sending my best wishes to you.

[RxMe]

Absolutely! The most stressful time of the year! For the first time ever I’ve wised up and have ordered Xmas dinner...and am splitting the cost!!!

[catblue1865]

Yes lack of sleep due to the body pain I'm in and light sensitivity causes me stress but unlike few of you it's hot weather with medium and high uv I can't stand, but sure stress pain stress cycle

[TxKelly in reply to catblue1865]

My light sensitivity drives me nuts. I tested negative for Sjogrens but - have all the symptoms. What about you?

[catblue1865 in reply to TxKelly]

The rheumatologist I saw queried sjorens, it wasn't followed up, years later when my dry eye syndrome had been diagnosed by ophthalmologist I asked my g. P about it he said it was alot more dry eye syndrome which was really bad at time I went back to ophthalmologist who asked if I had a dry mouth which I didn't, so she said it wasn't sjoroyns

May have been some other symptoms she asked about can't remember, I've never had a test for it didn't know there was one.

[Hidden in reply to catblue1865]

Hot weather destroys me i have allergic reactions due to my body being under stress. My body’s much happier in the cold 🥶

[catblue1865 in reply to Hidden]

Amazingly my light sensitivity has got so bad now that my skin on face, and scalp is even burning in this low uv of 1, got some more photos on my phone to show dermatologist

[Hidden in reply to catblue1865]

Sun cream long sleeves hat and sunglasses is what I have to ware in the summer and still my skin reacts to to light any little bit of skin exposed even with high sun factor reacts instantly 🙄use to love the sun

[Esmereld]

Stress is definitely a trigger. The weather makes no difference to me, Stress has to be managed. Every year my New Years resolution is to be more organised. It’s the key. I aim to be as ready as I can for Christmas by the end of November. Everything is wrapped and written. This is when I get really smug. Hah!.

Try it. It’s a great feeling.

[Noutshi]

Oh yes Mollyharry, it's the stress not so much the cold.

[Mollieharry]

Thanks everyone for replying.i never even realise how stressed I get myself at this time,till bang the pain and overall fatigue gets worse.promise to myself to be more organised next year and pace myself.then at least hopefully I feel well enough to enjoy the festivities.merry Christmas to you all and wish you all a healthier 2020.

[Sockknitter]

Yes and also the long dark nights effects my mood. I wish I could hibernate until spring.

[vonniesims in reply to Sockknitter]

Iam a different person when I use my light box

[Hidden]

I always have much worse pain at Christmas and the new year and I really don't know why as my husband does all the work of it and the cooking etc. I make and write the cards which I enjoy doing and I sit and direct my husband and son with decorating the tree and putting up decorations, but despite that that pain has always been at it's worse just now. Today I am sitting here on one side because my lower back is so bad that I can't bare to sit on it properly.

[Ssmart]

Definitely worse, I usually have stuff hands in mornings took me ages to straighten my middle finger this morning it was almost stuck. I get the prickling with heat too x

[achyknitter]

Stress will always cause my RA to flare and these days it takes very little for me to feel stressed - I can have a flare by worrying about not having a flare for an important occasion. This is so different from the way I lived my life before RA, when I actually enjoyed overcoming the challenges of a highly stressful work environment. Nowadays, having had to retire, I find it difficult to cope with the ordering and cooking of Christmas food, cleaning the house, decorating, buying presents, seeing friends, etc. that is an essential part of Christmas and invariably at some point will wake up with painful, swollen joints and a bad case of the dropsies (a technical term used to describe the inevitably outcome of having swollen fingers) - hopefully not the turkey as it comes out of the oven on Christmas day.

I hope you, and everyone on this forum, have a happy and pain free Christmas and New Year.

[auntypank]

I actually believe my RA and bronchiectasis was partly triggered by stress having lived 14 years with an abusive alcoholic. Now, I cannot cope with much stress--- be it happy or sad. It affects my RA and my breathing. Also the cold weather can be tough for me. I have dry eyes and can no longer make tears, sometimes I would love to relieve tension with a good cry!

All the best and merry Christmas and not too much excitement. xx

[Ferret18 in reply to auntypank]

Absolutely agree that my stress was triggered by stress, caring for my mum who died of bone cancer, divorce, work (I work in child protection) etc etc.

We do need to be kinder to ourselves, but easier said than done.

[phebamom]

I gave up Christmas 20 years ago and have never looked back. It is a silly vapid orgy of consumption and stress. When I had to buy a Christmas present for my ex-husband's first wife that did it for me. Holy bananas, I said to myself, this holiday has nothing, and I mean nothing, to do with Christianity. So, I said goodbye, and it was the wisest thing I ever did, both to Christmas, and the ex. The money I would have spent on gifts and decorations gets donated to a charity that supports foster children in my area. I buy kids coats for winter. I used to bake cookies, but since we are both pre-diabetic I stopped doing even that. If I see an item I know a loved would could use and would like I buy it, all year round.

I volunteer at a thrift shop that supports our food bank. We are inundated with stuff in January, holiday decorations and unwanted gifts.

It is tragic to me, and I can't understand why people throw away Christmas decorations after the holiday. So much waste. Just 1% of goods purchased in the U.S. (not counting cars and appliances) are still in use 6 months later.

On the pmr/gca front I am doing better than I have in 15+ years of struggling with. I am alert, the fog has lifted, pain is normal aging aches and pains, and pred. is down to 7mg. I see my rheumatologist next week, but feel it is a combination of Actemra, which I took, but stopped because It made me feel so bad and a round of Sulfa for Diverticulitis. I feel great and I am not going to let something as silly and stressful as Christmas ruin that for me.

[nomoreheels]

I can understand that this time of year can be stressful so it can result in unwanted symptoms of RD creeping in. If you can at all try to take a bit of time out, it needn't be very long, just when you feel it getting a bit much sit down & do whatever relaxes you be it a cuppa or just sitting somewhere away from things. It's knowing when you should do it before it hits, just as long as you do it. I think I’ve managed quite well again this time, more internet shopping & just the one shop, TK Maxx, who have the option of a gift receipt. Amazon Prime has been such a help, not needing to be concerned about having to be at home on specific days knowing whatever is purchased will there the following day. Of two things that were bought elsewhere only one remains to be received but it's not the end of the world if it's late as the person it's for doesn’t leave the UK til 1st Jan. All veg & treats/nibbles shopping is done, going to the farm shop tomorrow so that will be Christmas dinner meat, cheeses & whatever takes my fancy bought & that's me done. 🙆🏻

[Stephenlangtonriley]

Stress is known not only to create health issues but also aggrevate them for a variety of conditions and diseases, it will always be difficult to avoid stress but recohise when it is coming and get out of the way, your health comes first and any decent employer, friend or family member will help you out, well I hope so because my back is in agony tonight and correcting my spilling mistakes isn't helping. The last one was deliberate.

Have a good Christmas to you all.

[turtlemom2]

Absolutely! Mine gets really bad when I get the least bit stressed. It's rediculas. Life is stressful and my body hates this. I think RA should come with automatic disability lol.