It’s my OH who has RA rather than me. He takes sub cut MTX and benapali weekly and has done for around 7 years now. Until about 6 months ago it was controlling the RA reasonably well, but since the start of the winter things have gone a bit downhill. He’s had the ‘normal’ short lived flares where he’ll have inflammation and pain in one hand for a day or so, then a hip for a day or so, just moving around. And although it’s very unpleasant he can pretty much live with that.
There are three things we wanted to ask you gang about though and see if anyone else has experience of them.
First he’s been feeling cold ALL the time. Even when it isn’t cold - not just fingers / toes like raynauds but his whole body and covered in goose pimples. Anyone else have this with RA or is it something else? His nurse said it wasn’t an RA thing.
Second he’s had a tickly cough for about 12 months. Again no one seems that’s interested.
But the third thing and what’s prompted me coming on here is that for the last 5 days he’s had a pain up the side of his neck, across his shoulder, in his throat and down into his chest (right side so not a heart attack!) - he isn’t short of breath at all but it does hurt to take a deep breath. Anyone experienced anything like this? Just another way for this bloody horrible condition to flare or something else?
Thankyou for reading.
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Chickenkeeper2015
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With the cough worth going to the GP to be checked _ I started on MTX and had to come off as caused some asthma like issues
But I believe lungs can be affected by RA so worth chasing. They got me to a chest clinic to check input and output which was worth doing.
In regards to pain shoulders neck etc again could be another AI or maybe fibromyalgia worth being checked for. Again stated with RA now have Raynauds fibro and sojerns. It’s like buses sometimes. My raynauds did make me cold all over too.
So worth detailing issues and then calling Ra team and GP to discuss.
I have just been diagnosed with Fibrosis due to RA and MTX. I am still processing the implacations of what it does to my body. I know i get out of breathe a lot. I have had pneumonia since Christmas which has now gone. I have had problems with ground glass appearance on my lungs and i had to come of MTX which has now cleared. I think you should get your hubby looked at darling.xxxx
Sounds like he needs an appt with GP - and rheum dept. I think that we tend to blame any new symptoms to Rheumatoid or its meds, - but unrelated conditions can occur
I agree with sylvi. Like her I was also diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis after getting increasingly tight chested and breathless, and developed a cough. Initially they thought it was my asthma, but didn’t respond to changes in treatment. I have ankylosing spondylitis rather than RA. It was picked up on a HRCT scan, and I was referred urgently to a respiratory consultant. I spent 7 months being told I had a 2-5yr prognosis, only to find out in December when the Brompton studied the images, that the damage is due to micro aspiration of stomach acid that’s damaged the lungs. I also have pockets of Atelectasis, which is collapsed lung due to my ribs being fused and having no chest expansion. It still needs close monitoring as the aspiration can cause fibrosis. Unlike sylvi my specialist let me stay on MTX as she says they used to believe MTX caused fibrosis, but more recent thorough studies actually show it may delay onset of pulmonary fibrosis, so I continue on 25mg. There are several lung conditions that can be caused by MTX, weeks or months after starting it, so it definitely needs further investigation. Good luck, but push for answers 🤗
As everyone has already advised it is definitely worth having your husband checked out by both a GP and his rheumatologist.
Both RA itself and the medications used to treat it have the potential to lead to other health conditions such as with the lungs. I provide a couple of links to articles on our website below for your consideration.
Should you or your OH require any more support or information please reach out to our helpline at helpline@nras.org.uk or call us on 0800 298 7650 (Mon-Fri, 9.30am till 4.30pm).
I have lung issues but my rheumy says it's not rheumatoid lung but more likely to be the loose asbestos I worked with 50 years ago that have caused my nodules. My irritating, tickly cough is much worse during cold/wet weather so it's usually around for most of the year as I live in the UK but disappears completely when we travel to better climates. I tend to run rather hot but my OH who has osteoarthritis is always cold, especially hands and feet and spends most of their time wrapped in a blanket whilst I'm sweating. This is just an example of how we're all different and for different reasons. If your husband's nurse says the cough isn't an RA thing, it needs investigating to see what sort of a thing it is so I'd be persistent with the GP, after all it's their job to look after a patient's general health. Some of us tend to think that any health issues we have are because of RA but sometimes they're not and they need to be properly investigated and appropriately treated.
OH has had a very positive experience with his GP this time.He filled out an econsult which our surgery now ask for as an opening gambit. This was followed the day after by a call from a Dr at our GPs surgery and he was then asked to go in and actually see the GP.
This has resulted in a chest X-ray and a face to face appointment with rheumatology (although I suspect this will be a nurse rather than a consultant) within 2 weeks of seeing the GP.
Obviously we’re hoping the chest X-ray comes back clear, and hoping for something that moves him forward from the rheumatologist, but even if those things don’t initially happen, we can’t fault the GP who has been excellent so far this time.
OH has had a very positive experience with his GP this time.He filled out an econsult which our surgery now ask for as an opening gambit. This was followed the day after by a call from a Dr at our GPs surgery and he was then asked to go in and actually see the GP.
This has resulted in a chest X-ray and a face to face appointment with rheumatology (although I suspect this will be a nurse rather than a consultant) within 2 weeks of seeing the GP.
Obviously we’re hoping the chest X-ray comes back clear, and hoping for something that moves him forward from the rheumatologist, but even if those things don’t initially happen, we can’t fault the GP who has been excellent so far this time.
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