muscles - again

[Brychni]

Hi everyone

I've spoken before about painful pulling sensation between joints and especially from the back of my neck which has in the past given me a cold flue like feeling. I've also written about how weak my arms are; I almost got into trouble trying to hoist myself out of the river last summer and was shocked by my lack of strength. Also, early on I noticed disproportionate muscle pain after a new activity - apparently this is all quite common with RD.

Since day before yesterday I have a new muscle symptom. It's almost like I have just lifted heavy weights without warming up and got that 'jelly' legs feeling but it's in my arms too and it just came on while watching tv in the evening. I've still got it now and there is dramatically increased weakness in my wrists, struggling to hold a pan comfortably, and making sure I have both hands round a mug of tea.

I don't feel particularly tired or lethargic but my arms and legs feel dead.

Does anyone else get this?

[Marionfromhappydays]

I miss read that and thought you'd been in the river lately 🏊‍♀️ , thought its a bit cold for that !

Yes I do get this ive put it down to fatigue. It comes and goes, not everyday but it just kind of happens randomly. It's not very nice but I just tell myself "this Will pass " !

Take care x

[Brychni in reply to Marionfromhappydays]

Hey - my husband does the cold blast at then end of his shower and has talked of going up to the river in recent weeks! I can't think of anything worse. I think I would literally die.

[Marionfromhappydays in reply to Brychni]

He's brave 😆

[Brychni in reply to Marionfromhappydays]

or mad! Apparently it's very good for you!

[bubblyalex]

My hand/finger grip is shockingly bad and getting worse. Yet no pain or swelling there or in the surrounding at all. I get lots of pinging and loss of feelings in my lower legs, feet and calves ... feels like my blood flow... goodness knows what’s going on lol 🤔 I would imagine it all linked to the disease one way or another. Do tell rheumy. My puff rate has reduced yet I am not asthma’y or wheezy and certainly have no infections.

[Downtime]

I don’t get the jelly legs much but your first symptoms describe me exactly. Muscle aching after a new activity. It even wakes me in the night. Considerable weakness in my arms, legs and wrists too. I assume it’s all part of this lovely disease. Mine has certainly ramped up recently, I seem to be flaring somewhere most of the time . I’ve put it down to generalised anxiety due to the pandemic which has changed my life so much and means I have too much time to think about things! There’s no doubt that in my case my mental state really affects the RA.

I think I’m going to start swimming as soon as things open up as that must surely help arm strength.

Take care x

[madme1 in reply to Downtime]

I have still kept my choir practices going on zoom and also just rejoined in the writing group having been stressed as my mum had a fall on Boxing Day breaking her right wrist and is in hospital.

[Durrell]

I can certainly sympathize with you here, I think we have so much going on when in a flare, fatigue, aches & pains, I started to take magnesium daily (advised) & this has helped me a lot, as some of mine was definitely cramp which I was miss reading as usual aches & pains.. however I do hope you are getting the help/treatment you need with your Rheumy as you sound as if you in a flare & they don’t half take over & run with it given the opportunity as we all know to well..

[madme1]

Hi Brychni, yes there are many times when my fingers and hands look almost normal but my fingers feel as if they don't belong to me. If feels like I've got jelly on the end of my hands. At the moment I've got an uncomfortable pulling sensation on the left side in the rib area, that can travel around to my back and go into my stomach. Tried pain killers, made too drowsy, heat patches, all to no avail so I've had to contact doctors again. I don't think you're alone in this.

[Brychni in reply to madme1]

oh yes - I've had that. It manages to be in my spine, stomach and sternum all at the same time. Really burns.

[Mmrr]

Over the past year or so my muscles and tendons have been a bigger problem for me than my joints. A MRI showed tenosynovitis in my wrists.I understand what you say with the lack of power in your arms and jelly like giving way of your legs. My arm muscles also cramp up, the pain is breathtaking at times. My consultant advised to exercise my arms, but I find that when I undertake any exercise they just flare up. Sorry I can't be of more help.

[LauraJM]

I've had problems like this in my hands and left shoulder in the past and have mentioned it to my rheumy, who has investigated and found it to be inflamed tendons, which have responded well to steroid injection.

[Brychni]

Well! I am beginning to wish I hadn't called rheumatology now. I explained my symptoms including some I won't go into here that happened just a few times a few weeks ago and she wants me to have an mri scan. She told me to make an appointment immediately with GP - I've already spoken about these things with him - the earliest I could get is tomorrow at 10. Not sure what to say. She mentioned cord compression.