Quick question...

[emandedmum]

Saw my Rheumy this week and she's suggested an increase in mtx to try to prevent any more flares and to start on Celebrex to help with the excruciating pain in my back...

I've never heard of Celebrex and google is proving scary! Are any of you taking it or tried it? Any side effects?

I'm thinking stomach related as I suffer badly with indigestion. Doctor has suggested taking Omeprazole as well to be on the safe side and thinks it would really help me if I could tolerate it.

Still a bit disappointed to find that RA is affecting my back too, that's pretty much everywhere now

[Gina_K]

My Aunt has RA and she swears by Celebrex. I'm not sure but I think it might be an older fashion drug? I Take Omeprazole Losec when taking anti inflammatories. I mentioned to my Rheum I was having back ache (not excruciating) and she said it was due to weight gain and would resolve itself. I thought at the time she was wrong, but actually since stopping steroids Pred my back problem has eased. Did your Rheum do any tests to confirm it was in your back? I think that is quite rare to get it in your spine?

[emandedmum in reply to Gina_K]

Doc examined my back and I was in agony even to her gentlest of touches! I think she's been in speaking with my physio (I've been seeing her with my shoulder, I know the list goes on) and my physio thought the same as the doc. Xray I had done last Aug showed general wear and tear and no degeneration so didn't warrant having another done so soon...if I'm no better on celebrex then I'll be heading 'back' again!

[Hidden]

Hi Jo

Celebrex is like any other anti-inflammatory which means it can cause stomach/gastric problems and has a long list of do's, don'ts and possible side effects. Omeprazole should help with these problems; I have found it to be a pretty good stomach protector.

I sympathise Jo, I too have RA just about everywhere, the only relief being it isn't all over the place at the same time! RA can attack the spine and I know several people who have this problem. I have it in the cervical spine (the neck area), which is the most common, but it can, and indeed does, attack any of the joints in the spine.

I hope the Celebrex eases your pain and you start to feel better soon. If the pain in your back continues it may be worth asking for a referral to orthopaedics who would perhaps be able to organise an MRI scan. X-Rays are fairly useless when it comes to detecting joint inflammation/damage.

[emandedmum in reply to Hidden]

I've had pain in between my shoulder blades for almost year and most days I'm on the verge of tears with it I guess I'll have to wait and see if the celebrex makes a difference, I am at this point willing to try anything!! Another round of trips to the gp and two weekly blood tests again but it's all worth it to get it back under control again.

It's good to have suspicions confirmed but it's a bit like being diagnosed all over again but at least this time I know what to expect

[Georgia3]

Hi, my back problems are getting worse, consultant doesnt seem concerned. Every time I go he says "next time we'll do a hand scan" and never does. I tell him my back is really painful, also top of leg and groin area really hurt when I walk, he puts this down to fibromyalgia. I had x rays when first diagnosed in July 09, but nothing since, could I ask for more to be done? Oh well, its May before I go again, perhaps it won't be too bad by then!! Barbara

[emandedmum in reply to Georgia3]

Only you know how much pain you are in so I'd push for more to be done, especially as it is getting worse and not better! It is amazing what we learn to tolerate pain wise but it's silly putting up with it. It might be doing all sorts damage that might be preventable and you could have something to ease your discomfort.

When I went 4 months previously my shoulder was a major issue and my Rheumy thought I could be suffering from referred pain in my back from being tense etc...but no, the steroid shot helped my shoulder but not my back as hoped. Sometimes a wait and see approach is the only way but why we have to wait so long I'll never know!?

[Hidden]

Hi hun Ive never taken Celebrex before so not sure there, I do however take Naproxen twice a day morning and evening for inflamation and have done for twelve months or more now, I already have a Hieatus hernia so to protect my stomach my doctor prescibes me Nexium 20mg x 2 a day and I also take gavison advanced 4 times a day as advised by my doctor and dont have any stomach issues at the mo, I only have them if I eat the wrong foods like spicy foods or pastrys.

Hope this helps you, Ive increased my methotrexate a few times up to 25mg now, hope the increase helps you it helped me a little.

My disc's have worn badly due to my arthritis and degenertive disc diease, this has shown on MRI's.

I also have found out since diagnosis that a lot off the all over pains I thought were the arthritis are acctually fibromalygia, it may be worth asking your doctor or rheumy to check the tender points on you to see if you also have this? Worth a try I have found now I take the Fibro meds I get better pain relief than I did before and a little better sleep anthough I never feel like I have!

[emandedmum in reply to Hidden]

A couple of other people have also suggested Fibro and I was going to mention it but it was a different doctor this time and it threw me off kilter! I go again in 4 months so if no better after increase and celebrex (I've tried naproxen and diclofenac already and found them ineffective) I'll mention it! They must be thinking along similar lines I would have thought...I would hope so anyway! Thanks for your help

[Hidden]

Hi Jo

it is quite unnerving how things cross my mind or I have some sympton or another and then I log on a lo and behold someone else is having the same. It makes me feel like a hypochondriac! Any how. I know nothing about Celebrex but I am surprised you are not taking a stomach protector. Like Lyn I take Omeprezole and would not start the day without mine, else I have awful tummy pains and indigestion. I was prescribed it when i was on Diclofenac.

I too have started to have and it has been getting worse, pain in the middle of my back between the shoulder blades. I thought it was from holding myself tense because of the stiffness and pain you get when I move and I am leaning forward when I am picking the eggs up off the egg belt each day. But sometimes yes it is like a knife in my back, that'[s exactly what I thought on Saturday. I over did it, my partner was getting behind with everything and I went to help him with his egg picking up. Big Mistake. It has knocked me for 6 for the last couple of days. I just can't do it. I as wondered whether I have fibro too, as I toss and turn at night and pressure on my hip or knees wakes me up. I can sleep all night and wake up aching all over and I don't whether it.s the RA or what. Only said to my partner this morning, what if I don't have RA and it's something else? It really gets on your pip because you think you know that you are up against, then then again.... Any way I hope the extra Metho will help you. Take care x

P.S. Don't know if you can tell the difference, I have got my lap top back have been without it for a month and I was fed up of using my old steam drive desk top!!!

[emandedmum in reply to Hidden]

Hi Julie,

It's reaasurng to know that you're suffering the same as me (I did start to think it was all in my head) but it's not good that either of us are in pain Bending, sitting slumped or lifting my lump of a 4yo up makes it worse...as does walking holding onto his hand as I'm at a funny angle - something I can't stop doing but I'm hoping will improve as he gets taller

[emandedmum in reply to emandedmum]

I've got to wait til next thrus to see the gp then hopefully I'll start to feel better...I'm just so fed up of being in pain!!

Hope you start to feel better soon too, it's so hard to feel you're of little help to others and then when you do help you end up in a worse state than before! It's a vicious blooming cirlce...grr!