Rib and Back pain

[14penny]

Hi everyone, just thought I would post on here as I had rheumy telephone appointment yesterday and told him hands and wrists were good after taking Barasitinib for about 4 months now but I have terrible lower back pain and rib pain he assured me that it would not be RA and to take painkillers 8 times a day with exercise which I have tried but does nothing this pain is causing great discomfort and I was wondering if anyone else gets it with RA as it feels like it is associated with it.? Love some comments 14 Penny

[Caza]

I’ll be interested in the answers you get back as I’ve been getting the same problems. I do a fair amount of exercise but I can’t take painkillers. I’m convinced it’s RD. I did tell my consultant last time I spoke to him via the phone & he said he’d keep a close on it. The close eye is no tests & a telephone appointment 9 months down the line which happens to be in a couple of weeks time. My back & ribs can be pretty painful 😖

[14penny in reply to Caza]

Thanks for reply Caza, it does make you wonder as it feels all connected and consultant is not feeling it as I have looked on many sites and have seen other people suffering with this awfull pain I mean you cannot go around with a hot back pack stuffed down your clothes all the time and if I put my fist in the small of my back when walking it helps the pain but you cannot do that all the time I really do think it is all connected and would love to know what your rheumy comes up with this time as he said he is keeping a close eye on it - good luck

[Caza in reply to 14penny]

It’s on the 15th I’ll let you know not expecting much from the call.

[Deniseelk]

Have a look into the possibility of it being Costocondritis. There have been a fair amount of posts on here over the years and you may be able to find the old posts by searching it? It can be dreadfully painful and is due to inflammation. Mine only cleared after taking a course of Prednisolone prescribed by my Rheumatologist. Hope you get a correct diagnosis but do go back to your Rheumy team.

[14penny in reply to Deniseelk]

Hi, Yes it is a possibility as I had my ribs cracked open 5 years ago while having a teratoma remove and maybe it did not heal correctly in line as it was before but dont know where to go with this possibility x

[Deniseelk in reply to 14penny]

Ok, so bearing in mind you have had some pretty invasive treatment previously I would say this gives you an obvious reason to use this as a steer to get a medic to listen and follow through with investigations. If it were me I would start with my GP as they are the ones that need to refer us to specialists anyway ( I am assuming you are in the U.K.). You must stress the profound issues it causes you explaining the length of time these troubles have been with you. It’s great to keep a daily diary ready for when you speak to your GP. GP’s should know if it causes sleeping issues, stops you from working , driving or carrying out basic but necessary things such as showering / food shopping etc as this gives them an insight into the real, daily affect for you.... let alone the pain involved. This sounds like it may need some tests and this can take time but do persevere. Hope it’s an easy fix for you.

[14penny in reply to Deniseelk]

Thanks so much for reply I will go to GP to get this checked out again as it is so frustrating when rheumy says RA only affects joints and does not think it is related to what I have been experiencing it seems all very conflicting advice from medical people, but thank you for your kind advice. :))

[Marionfromhappydays]

I have lower back pain, neck pain, rib pain and my rheumatologist has taken this as being part of my RA.

Ankylosing spondylitis is part of the inflammatory arthritis family and I don't know if I have this separately or its just part of my RA.

When I was on methotrexate briefly it helped with this pain and now I'm on benepali the medication has helped alot with the pain and inflammation.

For me the pain is the same as my hands and feet etc so I was adamant to the rhemy that is it arthritis and they didn't fight me on this.

I hope you can get some help with it, I would tell your rhemy team the pain isn't going and it feels like you other arthritic pain (if that's how it feels for you )

Take care x

[14penny in reply to Marionfromhappydays]

Thank you yes when we get back to face to face appointments I will discuss this more with rheumy and Take Care too x

[Wobbies]

I have lower back pain, neck pain and shoulder pain and that led to my diagnosis of axial spondyloarthritis as part of my RA I think. Trouble with RD is that nothing is definitive and we are all very dependent on the rheumatologist's pinion and they all seem to differ. Good luck with the consultant and be insistent about the pain, is all I can offer. x

[14penny in reply to Wobbies]

Thanks I will

[Aliceeliza]

This is no cure but if I know I can't use a heat pad or hot water bottle I use a ' Cura heat'which helps when the weather is cool. I can't use a TENS machine as I've become allergic to the sticky pads. If you get any good advice for this please let me know as I hate it and am thoroughly fed up with the pain and I'm sure you are too.

[14penny in reply to Aliceeliza]

definately heat pads help but you cannot walk about with them easily

[nomoreheels]

I don't like it when Rheumy's dismiss a symptom because it was thought to not be affected by RD, or it's not joints included in the DAS 28. You might guess it's happened to me. Chronic back pain can be RD, but it can also be OA, which is what my Rheumy settled on (without confirmation from imaging). So, on my notes is lumbar spondylosis & cervical spondylosis, both chronic & for which I'm prescribed 3 meds.

Costochondritis is pretty common in RD. In my view that shouldn't have been dismissed as it can be treated with a steroid injection which of course will likely bring relief. Meantime what eases it for me is warmth & I have an array of electric pads, capes, full neck to base of back pads, for whatever needs relief at any one time. I find on waking I’m invariably on my back & it's sore. Actually I’m surprised it doesn't wake me it's so intense. Anyway if I turn on my side for 5 minutes before getting up the pain is slightly less & I can at least walk, or hobble!

Sorry I’m not giving any specific help but I think if you can at your next clinic appointment, when you actually face your Rheumy, state the facts & how it's impacting your life. He should at the very least examine you. Good luck.

[14penny in reply to nomoreheels]

Thanks for reply but rheumy says the pain is not connected to RA

[emmajj1971]

Yes I get it terrible but it's upper back and more the ribs in my back than lower back. There is a name for it but I have forgotten it but its linked to RA. Where the ribs going we can get inflammation there and it's extremely painful. But do check with gp because not all our pains are RA and we could be missing treatment for something else x

[14penny in reply to emmajj1971]

Thanks for reply , will go to GP as it is sooo painfull