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Rank: Newbie
Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/23/2010
Posts: 2
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Hi There,
I am a new member of NRAS.I suffer from R.A,for last ten years.I am on Methotrexate,10mg. to 15mg.,with Nsaids when I get flare ups. Since last four months I have developed Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in Both hands,which has given me Painful Sleepless nights. I have had Decompression surgery on my Rt.Hand and waiting for the left hand due to be on 14th. Sept. But nights are still very painful.I do take Prednisolone 10mg. for a day or two when I get flares and it works.I dont want to take Pred. for a long time.
My worry is can any one help me with any tips how can I get relief from hand pain ,nights are worst.Days are not bad,as happens with CTS.
The other problem is the Immune system compromise are there any Immune system boosters one can take.
Sorry for long message,but will be happy for response.
Thank you all. God bless you.
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Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/1/2010
Posts: 255
Location: hampshire
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Hi. Welcome to the forum. I've only just joined myself and have found people very helpful. I wish I could help with the hand pain as I get is myself - spent several hours last night on the sofa with a book and a cup of tea! I'm sure someone else will have some advice  Good luck Sue
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 2/18/2010 Posts: 1,098 Location: farningham kent
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Hello and welcome to the forum.
Sorry to hear you are having such painful hands, always worse at night too. I have not suffered from CTS so not really able to help, have you had a word with your GP about some pain relief like co codamol ? Possibly others will be able to provide some good advice for you, wishing you all the best.
Julia
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009 Posts: 3,157 Location: Huddersfield
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Hi, welcome to the forum!
I'm 60 and have had RA for 9 years, now on mtx and humira.
Sorry to hear of your painful CTS, hope it all settles down when you get the other hand done.
As for boosting the immune system, it's a bit of a tricky question! As RA is caused by the immune system going into overdrive and attacking healthy cells, I wonder should we strengthen our immune system or not?
Looking forward to getting to know you.
Love, Doreen xx
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/4/2009 Posts: 1,524 Location: W. Yorkshire
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Hello and welcome from me too  I've had CTS in both wrists for which surgery was successful so I can sympathise with you. Do you use any painkillers already for your RA? Re the immune system, that's a question I've never really heard an answer to, like Doreen says, I'm not sure if we should strengthen our immune system as the drugs we take are supposed to damp it down to stop it attacking us. Would love to hear a professionals advice on this. YES I'VE CHANGED, PAIN DOES THAT TO PEOPLE.
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 4/20/2010 Posts: 1,749 Location: Somerset
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Good evening and Welcome to NRAS and the forum
I am Rose aged 56 from Somerset. Been diagnosed late 2008. Medication still not sorted.
I do have sore hands and wrists and have been given splints for day use. They also
gave me night splints but they made of a plaster of paris type material and not at
all comfy so I am afraid to say I do not wear very often.
CT I have not had , but I should imagine it is very painful
Keep posting
Rose
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 3/8/2010 Posts: 914
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Hi, I'm Lorna, I am married to Ken and have 3 daughters. I have had RA for almost 3 years, I was on the triple therapy and keep quite well now. Sorry you have RA but glad you have found the forum. We are a friendly crowd and someone is always there for advice. I feel for you in pain with carpal tunnel syndrome, a friend of ours had that and he had to have an operation in both wrists. He keeps well now though. I hope you get some relief soon, take care Lorna
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009 Posts: 1,689 Location: Durham
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Hello and welcome to the forum. I have no experience of CTS, sorry, but to help with night-time pain, my GP prescribed amitryptilene, to take alongside my normal painkillers, and this has been a considerable help, so at least I get some sleep. I`m with Doreen and Julie on the immune system thing - very wary of boosting it in case the RA goes into overdrive! No one seems to know whether we should or we shouldn`t with regards to immune system boosters. Take care, Kathleen x
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/4/2009 Posts: 856
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Hello and a welcome from me too.
I'm Maria, 53, had RA since 2007, but was diagnosed in 2008. They're still sorting out my meds, now on 12mg methotrexate per week and 2g sulfasalazine per day. I think they're just about starting to work!! I'm also on meloxicam nsaids but hoping to come off them soon.
Although I havent got cts, I find that my hands get very stiff and painful at night . Unfortunately I haven't found the answer yet- I take pain killers when neded but don't like to take too many.
Regarding boosting the immune system- like the others have said ,I'm wary of taking anything as the dmards are supposed to damp it down so I worry that taking anything to boost it might counteract the benefits.
I hope you get some answers/ help soon
take care
Maria
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Rank: Newbie
Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/23/2010
Posts: 2
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HI ,
I am so grateful to all those who responded,specially Sue,Julia,Doreen,Julie,Rose,Lorna,Kathleen.Maria etc.
AS no two Individuals are alike,No two patients are alike,although we may suffer from the same disease.We respond differently.This forum is so good with good people like you all.
As regards Immune System,I will seek Med Advice.Maria,I am sorry to know you have stiff hands,if you have any pins and needles in your fingers e.g Thumb,Index,Middle and half of ring finger and a weak grip,make sure u get med. advice.Hope u dont have CTS,it can be very painful,as the Median nerve gets pinched in the tunnel at the wrist.
I am having my keft hand done in two weeks.Keeping my fingers crossed.Thanks once again.D.Mohla
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009 Posts: 3,157 Location: Huddersfield
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If you do ask a doctor's advice about boosting the immune system will you let us know what advice you are given?
A lot of us are puzzled by this, there are things we could do to boost the immune system but we don't know if it's a good thing for us to do!
Doreen xx
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Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/4/2009
Posts: 2,127
Location: Thornton Cleveleys
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Hi Welcome to the forum. A great place to be for support and information; lots of folk, lots of knowledge and a wealth of tried and tested experiences! I'm Lyn, married to Mike, and we have four children, Abby 22, Ian and Jake 17, and Louis 15. All four in various stages of education! We live in Thornton Cleveleys in north west Lancashire. I was diagnosed with sero-negative RA 22 years ago and have since run the gamut of medication and had several surgical procedures along the way. Currently on Enbrel, Prednisolone and Naproxen and a jolly assortment of pain killers! Sorry to hear that you have CTS; hope the surgery is a success and you are able to get some relief from the problems. As regards the immune system, RA is caused by a 'sensitive/ over reactive' immune system (not a weak one as is often assumed!) and the main way of treating autoimmune conditions is to suppress the immune system. It is the immune system that is attacking the body and boosting it is likely to cause even more problems as it has the opposite effect of what is required! I have been told this by at least two rheumatologists and suspect if it was anything other we would be prescribed booster meds as a matter of course! This article on "Boosting your immune system" may be of interest. Lyn x
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/4/2009 Posts: 331 Location: South London
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Hi Mohla
I too have RA in both wrists with carpal tunnel and tendonitis. I also have issues with the ulna nerve. When things kick off with my wrists I wear splints at night. This stops me bending my wrists and I also try to keep my arms straight as it can be brought on by bending my elbow and wrists. So I recommend wearing some splints at night so you can rest your wrists. My carpal tunnel has eases recently but think thats because my RA has too. Good luck with your op and welcome to the forum.
Hi Lyn,
Interesting article... thanks for posting.
Mari
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Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/26/2010
Posts: 30
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Hi I am a new member but have just had a quick look at the thread and I have drop foot which is a very painful thing!!!! i was given a drug called Pregabalin for the nerve pain which is really good as my nerve pain was horrendous and resulted in sleepless nights and days and lots of tears. It may be worth having a chat to the doctor and reserching it online. Hope this helps x dawn
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 7/10/2010 Posts: 43 Location: Little Dewchurch, Hereford
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Hi! I'm a fairly new member too, & very new to the forum. Great way to share frustrations, advice & fab support.
I only got my RA diagnosis in 2007, but it began to be serious in 2002. I did have carpal tunnel in one wrist & tennis elbow as well as odd ankle pains when I was 10 so really know how annoying & frustrating it is! My ankle & elbow settled with steroid injections, but the carpal tunnel only got diagnosed when it flared up badly at Uni. Ironically this was because as a med student I was doing a lot of work with my left hand (I'm right handed, & originally playing the violin set it off) - dissecting a human arm. Eventually it dawned on me that I actually had pins & needles in a very specific area, including only half of my ring finger, & I had an injection into the carpal tunnel after tests. It came back with avengeance when I was pregnant the second time, more so in my right hand, & i had both operated on a frew months apart when my youngest was coming up to 2. Massive decrease in pain, though I still have relative numbness esp in my left hand.
Recently it has come back (its now 13 years since my ops). I had a really helpful assesment with an Occupational Therapist who made me 2 custom-made night splints. They are made out of some sort of perforated plastic which softens when put in a hot water-bath. (one's purple & the other black so even i can tell which is which) She drew round my hands first, then gradually shaped it to fit exactly, before adding velcro straps made out of soft beige stuff. They make a huge difference, though you can't really wear both at the same time or you can't do anything! I tend to alternate them if both are playing up. The holes mean it doesn't get too hot - I was even able to wear them all night in the South of France earlier this month. They're not exactly sexy night attire - & you have to be careful not to hit your hubby on the head with them - but could be worth a try if your problems persist or you have to wait for your second op.
Regarding the Immune sytem, I definoitely remember reading (I think in an NRAS booklet about alternative medicines) that we mustn't take echinacea or other 'immune boosters' as this will only make things worse as our problem is already an over-active immune system as someone else has already pointed out. Interestingly this was when I was still working in General Practice & I remember being surprised that I'd never been told this in any lectures or by any other doctor as it makes perfect sense. Gues many GPs could be just as ignorant as I was!
Good luck with the ops! Let us know how you get on
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