Hi everyone,
Just thought I'd let you know I finally got to see a rheumatologist. I rang the rheumatology nurse to ask her about the morning nausea I'm experiencing and when she heard my story she got me to see the most lovely consultant I've ever seen that same morning (my gps request letter was already there). She listened & fully supported my desire to continue the IVF. She examined me and said I still have PA as my fingers aren't swollen and that she would inject the swelling in my right knee if it doesn't go down. She gave me the option of pain management with painkillers or steriods at 5mg. They thought the sickness when I stand up in the morning was caused by hormones from the miscarriage (STILL?!) and she said she was confident that the flare up would last 3months (I've had it about 6 weeks now getting progressively worse). So it was all really very positive.
However, I have now got a very painful stomach whenever I eat and it stopped me sleeping. I've been taking Omeprozole for 2 days, for it but am still feeling pretty ill,still feeling shivery and shakey. The stomach pain is now worse than the joint pain- it's like my body's just falling apart! I still feel hot achy and like death 'til about midday. All yet all my blood tests came back negative- which is good, but weird considering how ill I'm feeling. She said arthritis doesn't usually affect the stomach, but I am starting to wonder- it certainly feels like my body's attacking my stomach.
I just want to feel better!
Angel x

Hi Angel,
im so pleased you have managed to see the rheumatologist (and a lovely one at that), it makes all the difference to have one that cares and supports you.
Have you decided to take the low dose of steroids as this might help with calming your body down all over. Perhaps you could ask your gp for more advice about your tummy pains? I try to avoid certain foods such as cheese, chocolate, take aways etc... (all the fatty/greasy type of foods) which does help when my tummy is painful. Hopefully the omeprazole will help soon aswell.
Im assuming that you have had a scan to check all is ok?
emilyXXX.

Hi Angel

Lovelty to hear you had such a good appointment with a supportive rheummy. I think you should give your GP a ring if the tummy probs continue.

Take care and hope you soon feel much better.

Love
Jeanxxxx

Glad you had a nice rheumy to help you Angel - hope you feel better very soon.

Kathleen x

I got an out of hours doctor out yesterday, cos my stomach was so bad, so now it turns out I have gastritis. Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse they did. He told me to double the dose of omeprezole to 40mg it still hurts like mad about an hour after I eat. I see my own GP tomorrow, but I'm just praying it starts to work 'cos at the moment it feels like all this is just too much. I expect this explains the nausea I was having, I suppose it was caused by the extreme stress and distress..... my friend came round today & said I was on the ceiling so I'm going to try to relax, but it's not easy! By the way does anyone else get burning joints in the night more than the day during a flare?

Sorry to hear you are having such a rough time. You have all our sympathies. Coming to terms with RA is very difficult without feeling like hell as well. Hopefully your tummy will settle down soon. Yes my joints do seem worse at night, but then I think I may have more time to think about them. During the day I am spending all my brain power in trying to get through the day and all that it entails. Sometimes at night I just want to remove an ankle or wrist joint just to get some relief but of course the only relief available is lots of medication and the good old hot water bottle.

I do hope you start to feel a little better soon. Keep posting and asking questions as the support on this site is invaluable.

Jackie
xx

Hi Angel

Good luck with your own GP tomorrow.

The gastritis (inflammation of the stomach wall) could be caused by an infection which may require an antibiotic to clear it. Alternatively you may have a sensitivity to one of the drugs you are taking which is causing the irritation. Certainly worth checking out with your GP especially if you're not getting any relief.

Hope all goes well for you.

Lyn x

Hi everyone,
Had a good trip to my GP yesterday she confirmed gastritis and to give the 40mg omperazole a week to work. I can't take anything for arthritis flare at moment due to stomach which has been really tough, especially as last night just as I was able to eat my first meal without being in pain all night, I was up again from 3.30 with burning joints, head, neck, stomach and generally feeling so ill I couldn't stand it any longer. It was like my arthritis couldn't bear for even one part of me to get better ! It went on until 9 am this morning until it subsided a bit. So not much sleep for about a week now. In desperation I spoke to my consultant today who is still the most lovely Dr I've ever met. She agreed with my GP no steroids yet with my gastritis, but there's always the option for shot still if I can't bear it any longer. This would screw up IVF for a few months, so so she asked if I could try to be strong for a little longer and hope I'm nearly at the bottom of this pit. I am getting very depressed, distressed, stressed and worn down now, though so we'll have to see . The three month prediction was based on time for hormones to settle after miscarraiage .I'm praying it could be less, but think the raging autoimmune reaction may be worse due to all the over stimulation of my ovaries for the IVF. She said this was all on the edge of their knowledge of hormones and their effects on RA/PA. (Hurry up and discover it scientists!!)
Angel x

Hi,
Have been having similar problems from taking the steroids etc. Have started taking Omperazole and Mebervine which is a muscle relaxer. I take them both in the morning first thing and the mebervine half an hour before each meal. It seems to be making me feel better as every evening I used to feel awful with sickness and stomach cramps. It made getting to sleep difficult. This combination seems to be helping. It is really horrible to feel ill as well as the dreaded RA. I don't enjoy food anymore and just eat because I have to. On top of all my RA medication I have to take Beta Blockers for a heart condition which I am waiting for an operation to put right. In the morning before and with breakfast I take five different types of medication. This is somone who before these conditions didn't take any thing at all. I really hate it all.
Hope you feel better soon.

Jayne