Shoulder pain

Hi everyone, this is my 1st blog . I have had RA for 4 years tried everything going & i have been on tocilizumab monthly infusion for 5 months. I have managed to work up until September last year when i got up one morning & felt the worse i've ever felt. I've suffered with my right shoulder for 10 months but that day i sat & cried with the pain. Had a scan on it, RA nurse told me i needed a mri because they couldn't see my tentons. Had mri last week waiting for results. The pain is getting worse every day, i will be so glad when they sort it for me. I woundered if there was anyone else out there that has had the same thing & what was done for them. Xx Alison.

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hi there welcome my real name but as it is such a popular name I have the pen name of summer, I am sorry you are in such pain.. can they give you a steroid injection and or review your pain killers?. I have had similar problems severe elbow pain again tendon related. golfers elbow / tennis elbow and I play neither!!

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Hi Summer. I have had 2 injections but they didn't help. I have been on tramadol since September but they have stopped working, think my body's got used to them. Someone has told me it looks like i may need an opperation :-(. Xx

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ooh dear bet of luck x

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I have just read an article on shock wave therapy for shoulder and elbow pain in a mag article it says further info can be founf on the nice( national institute of clinical excellence website)

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Hi there Alison - welcome. Sorry you are having such terrible pain in your shoulder. I had this in the run up to my RA diagnosis and it was hellish for a while. But I did hear a programme with Dr Mark Porter on radio 4 last year about shoulder problems and they said it was one of the most successful parts of the body to operate on with very good results - maybe worth googling and seeing if you can track it down? I did have short/ shock wave therapy for my wrists and it seemed to tie in with the pain in my wrists subsiding. I was referred to the hospital physio department for this - can't be sure if it was this or the MTX that sorted my wrists out so much but it's worth a try if Alison (Summer) has read about it too. Tilda x

[asasmum]

Hi Alison! Very similar to you. I was diagnosed April 2008 with RA and have been on numerous drugs since. I am on my 6th Toxilimumab infusion and although I have had some relief in swellings for part of every month it has also come with side effects too. My liver results are ever increasing,I have had to have a steroid injection in my left shoulder and investigation by ENT and Maxillo facial as swelling in kneck and coughing up blood.This is apart from the regular taking of piriton for hives and allergic skin reactions. Sometimes I do think what is the point of taking this toxic stuff, but on the other hand I am running out of options as I have already tried the usual drugs and 4 other biologics. I am now medically retired after having been very ill and off work since September(2011).

Hope this helps. Asa's mum xx

[lorann]

Alison, I have exactly that now in my left shoulde3r! Woke one morning, realized it hert. Have gone through now not being able to lift my arm very far, making getting dre3ssed very difficult, since moast I wear are sweaters and sweatshirts, since i can't button things so well. My right shoulder has been only half functional for years. SDo now the laft one is so bad, I can't get dishes out of the cabinets, or put some away. So they stay in the dishwasher. I have had the left one injected with cortisone two weeks ago, has done nothing, have an appt next Tues, will finally have eray, prob MRI, prob surgery, for torn rotator cuff. I have not been playing football, baseball or basketball, not doing push-ups, etc., so why, I don't know. Wise Ortho. surgeon says I've had more birthdays! I am getting sick of hearing that excuse for everything! Know you are not alone! Loret xxx

[lorann in reply to lorann]

PS Sorry, I really do know how to spell!