Hi everyone, I am feeling quite painfull today and not sure if it is just because it's very cold outside or if it's to do with feeling stressed about a heart scan tomorrow, Does anyone know if stress has anything to do with the pain being worse? I hope you are all feeling as well as can be !!!!
Thanks Wendy x
Many say that stress makes them worse. For me it did used to trigger flare ups before the drugs started working but now I get in a right raffle about lots of things but haven't flared up as a result yet thankfully.
I often wonder which comes first - the stress or the RA? It's pretty stressful being in pain and not being able to move about properly and also the uncertainty of having such a variable disease brings a lot of stress with it too. But I don't really know the answer. I guess it must make a difference because it's an autoimmune disease. Good luck with your heart scan tomorrow. Tilda x
Thanks Tilda, I will let you know how I get on after the scan tomorrow. x
Stress definitely makes a difference for me, and also makes me acutely tired. I found a research paper somewhere that explained why it has such an impact on autoimmune sufferers - it's all in the cytokines, if I recall rightly.
Hi Nellysgran,sorry your feeling unwell, i think sometimes when you are in pain and worried about something it always gets worse, I hate hospitals i always fill really stressed when i have to go, I sometimes don't understand when people say you are in the best place, when hospitals make me stressed out, Its properly because i am always worried that it is going to be bad news, I'm sure you will be fine.
Hope you feel better soon X
Hi I know the feeling, i feel the same way about hospitals, hopefully it will be over tomorrow afternoon. then at least i will be able to have a cup of tea !! I am not allowed to have a cup of tea or coffee till after the scan. 
x
Hi not sure which comes first but I seem to have flare ups after a stressful time. I seem to get through the stress and then flare which was a good job because I was ok for my daughters wedding in August but then september had a big flare up. Also had work done in house and flared when nearly finished in May. Stress does seem to be a trigger factor for me. Hope all goes well for you tomorrow
cris xx
Hi Cris, thank you for your reply, it seems like stress is a trigger factor, just another thing to add to everything else, still getting used to RA. Glad everything went well for your daughters wedding.
Wendy x
Hi there. So sorry to hear you are feeling under the weather today.
Personally, I do feel that stress brings on an attack for me. My doctor has told me to avoid stress at all costs.
This may sound like an odd connection to be making, but I was having a discussion with a french friend who has a smallholding. He has his own chickens, pigs and lambs and is also a chef. He was explaining how essential it is to keep the animals calm and happy and how when it comes time for slaughter, if an animal is stressed, the chemicals released into the meat make the meat tough and unuseable.
Thinking about this, and realising that we too are but animals, then the same must occur in our bodes. If "stress chemicals" are released into soft tissue, it goes without question then that for RA sufferers this will surely trigger an auto-immune response.
Well, that's my and my farming friends theory...
Well then between the high stress levels and the RA meds it would take a lot more than a delicious apple sauce to make me remotely palatable these days! X
Im sure it was stress that caused my ra in first place, if thats possible.
This time last year was about the time i recollect my ra starting, my house was in total chaos undergoing a huge extension and at the same time trying to cope, accept and deal with my mum having ovarian cancer and the treatment! My son was also having an episode of tics (childhood form of tourettes)
Hope it all goes well for you tomorrow.
Take care.
Xxxxxx
Katie,
I too believe stress was the cause of my RA, I lost my beautiful granddaughter at the age of 4, 3 years ago, have never quite got over it. I have just been diagnosed with RA, not feeling too bad at the moment hope it continues.
I was on Sulfasalazine had to come off it, made me feel nauseus most of the time, As soon as I started to take 4 a day, I was not only nauseus but heaving with the sick feeling and a foul taste in my mouth. Anyone else experienced this .
Now waiting to see my consultant for advice on what to do next. I am on Naprosyn Nsaid) which I think helps also take painkillers when in pain.
Hope things turn out well for you tomorrow, Wendy.
Thank you everyone,
Well back home again now, feeling very tired, but I was told that would happen, but also a headache and sore throat which I think may have been coming on yesterday thats why i was feeling low i think.
I will have to wait till next week for the results of my scan.
Not so stressful now !! 
xx
So glad your back home and de-stressed.
Hope you feeling better with your sore throat and headache soon.
Take care.
Xxxxx
nellysgran
sorry to here you are feeling bad yes stress can make you worse
it some how i find tenses all your mussles and stops blood flowing well thats what i find in me legs
and the weather can make things worse if its cold the bod shuts down lower pars to warm you main frame. hope this helps
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