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Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/1/2010
Posts: 255
Location: hampshire
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Hi all,
I've been a bit achy for a few days and had trouble with my hands, caused by too much computer. When I went to bed last night my knee ached a bit. I put it all down to the cold. I woke up at 3am - my knee was sooo painful (definitely an 8/9) I had some co-codamol by the bed which I took but it had no effect. Spent the rest of the night lying there not daring to move because it hurt so much. Like an idiot I staggered off to work today, managing by keeping a completely stiff leg and looking a right burke.
I rang my rheumy hot line. They eventually rang back and told me to go and see my GP. Fortunately I was able to get an appointment but he couldn't say what the problem is. No signs of inflammation, just exteme pain when I bent it (If I use my hands to bend my knee it is ok so I am sure there must be inflammation somewhere. Anyway he gave me some anti-inflammatories to take very short term (according to the pharmacist they increase mtx side effects!) and told me to stay home tomorrow.
My mtx was dropped from 10 to 7.5 2 weeks ago . I know it hangs around for a while and he said he doubts that caused it but I do wonder. The other possibility he mentioned was cartilage damage. Does RA make the cartilage weak. I mean, how can you tear cartilage in your sleep.
Oh well, moan over. I'm sure it will feel better soon, but I had plans for this evening.
From hop-a-long Sue
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 3/8/2010 Posts: 914
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Hi Sue,
Have you hurt your knee recently, I had my foot run over 28+ years ago and in the cold weather it hurts so much too. It is maybe just the cold weather. That does not help when you are in pain, try warm gel / heat pads. I have a lambs wool ankle support I use to keep it warm.
Hope you feel better soon, Lorna x
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Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/1/2010
Posts: 255
Location: hampshire
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Thanks for the sympathy Lorna. Knee is so much better today - magic pills ?? Feel a bit of a fraud after all the moaning yesrterday but it really was bad - honest. I am being very gentle with it today -just in case.  Take care Sue
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009 Posts: 3,157 Location: Huddersfield
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Glad your knee is feeling better Sue.
I don't know if others get the same, but I can often have a very painful joint for a few days and then the pain diisappears, It's very confusing!
Doreen xx
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 5/26/2010 Posts: 128 Location: Birmingham
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My joints twitch depending on which way the wind is blowing. Yesterday I could barely type, hold anything. Even using my walking stick was painful. Today - pah! Right as rain.
Some days it's my feet, some days it's my knee(s), some days it's everything all at the same time and some days you'd never know there was anythig wrong with me.
Hate this disease. I literally don't know how I'll be until I wake up and have a hard time convincing people when they're trying to get me to commit to anything in the future.
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Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 3/24/2010
Posts: 102
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I too, have problems that move round various parts of my body! It's less often now that the infliximab is working (although probably having to change as my skin is suffering badly!) Not looking forward to swapping anti-tnf  what if the new one doesn't work at all? Quite often the pain begins during late afternoon and gets progressively worse during the evening until it's terrible overnight - often preventing me from sleeping. Next day I am suffering and then day after - it all seems to have disappeared - making me feel a fraud!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sometimes it's my tendons in my wrist - or my ankle - or my knee - or my jaw - or my shoulder etc ............. I think this is just the nature of the condition - anyone else had the same experience?.
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Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 5/19/2010
Posts: 384
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Hi Beth
Absolutely. I'm waiting for the MTX to kick in again and this is exactly what happens to me apart from the morning, I only ache abit but come late afternoon it all starts again.
Anne x
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Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/4/2009
Posts: 2,127
Location: Thornton Cleveleys
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Hi Sue and all! Nature of the disease ... it moves about as it feels fit! Up to the point where it really doesn't matter any more because you get used to it and it no longer jumps up to surprise you. Treat it with the contempt it deserves, take the pills and hope for the best!! As for the knees, inflamed knee joints can lead to cartilage damage without sustained injury. Another reason to keep popping pills and injecting needles! Over recent years both my knees have become progressively worse despite almost 10 years of anti-tnfs, methotrexate and everything else that can be thrown at it. Both will need replacing ... can't face that right now! In the last 7 weeks I have had both knees aspirated (lots of grotty goo!) and injected with maximum dose steroid. If this doesn't have the desired effect my consultant has suggested that possibly the steroid isn't reaching the joint due to the badly thickened synovium so is going to look into radio isotope synovectomy; injection to kill off the synovium rather than surgery to physically 'mow' it out. Nice .... I will keep you posted! My left knee was operated on in July and both cartilages required extensive repair so yes damage is caused by the RA and does not necessarily need be down to injury. I am sure the right knee is the same. If you feel discomfort when you press on the sides of the knee (inner and outer) that is where you are most likely to experience cartilage pain. It will show on an MRI scan but the extent may not always be visible. Anti inflammatories are very fast acting and definitely worth taking to relieve acute problems over a short period of time. Long periods though you will need a stomach protector such as omeprazole to ward off erosions etc. Hope you continue to get relief from the knee problem Sue Lyn x
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Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/1/2010
Posts: 255
Location: hampshire
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Hi Lyn, Good to 'see'you again. I've missed your sage advice. I agree with everyone. It is almost as if there is a little being in the body running from place to place at random, with a file and hammer to attack different bits at will - and sometimes he takes a day off. (and you can blame years of reading Beano comics for that analogy) Today my knee was virtually OK. I didn't set my alarm because the GP told me to stay home so didn't go to work. Felt really guilty to start with, then reasoned that he knows best and if I didn't rest it might get worse. Instead I enjoyed my illicit day and wrote my Xmas cards. Didn't feel too guilty when I thought of the days I've stuggled in when I should have stayed at home. Sue
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 4/20/2010 Posts: 1,749 Location: Somerset
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Hello Sue.
Sorry to hear that you were in so much pain yesterday but pleased that
the anti biotics have worked and the rest for not being at week. Rest is
definately the key to a lot of pain we suffer.
Hope things continue for you
Rose x
Yes Lynn W you have been quiet for a few days - missed you. Sorry that
you are still sufferring.
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 2/18/2010 Posts: 1,098 Location: farningham kent
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Hi Sue
Good to hear that you feel a lot better, and pleased you had that day off work, and helped so much.
Julia x
Note for Lynn
Sorry that you have not been good with those knees, I gathered you were going through it as you haven t been posting which is so understandable. I really hope the steroid in the knees does do the job, thinking of you.
Julia x
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009 Posts: 2,237 Location: nr Southampton
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just to say I did remember when I was first ill the RA jumped all over the place.
I would think OW OW OW this is agony, it will never be right again- If it gets any worse I shall hack the damn thing off myself! Then i would wake a few days later and "kerpow" the magic fairy has poked the RA monster up the whatsit and sent it packing into another joint or area to annoy.... bizarre.
Can you be seen by gp and ask for some big gun pain killer? if you are ok on co-codamol perhaps dihydracodeine might be worth an ask?
Hope the knee remains untroubled....
Jenni xx
PS Consider yourself congratulated for listening to your body and taking a day off xx how to be a velvet bulldoser
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/25/2010 Posts: 1,289 Location: Buckinghamshire
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hi Sue,
glad to hear knee's are improving ... mine are so painful with Osteo in both which need replacing but like Lyn i can't face the thought of it now.
sorry to hear you are struggling so much with your knee's Lyn ... take them for granted till they won't work for us eh.
hope the anti-inflamms have kicked in now Sue,
Suzanne x
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/16/2009 Posts: 156
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Hi
sorry to hear you have had the pains in your knees I like most of the others wake up and have the pain in one joint and then the other my rummy nurse told me this is what it does and to tell her if i have more pain then normal in one joint then the other, take the pain killers keep warm and rest do not try and do any more then your legs want you to do, so listen to your body but dont totaly give in to it.
take care
keep warm
Audrey
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