hi Naomi,

my left wrist is the one joint that is painful, and i'm left handed to boot.

if i turn a tap wrongly, or do too much cleaning etc. i can get a sharp pain and i pay for it later. i have a new steam cleaner which is fantastic, but you have to press the trigger to use it and if i get carried away with it my left wrist and hand in general really plays up for a good few days.

i think this is the one joint where i probably have some joint damage, and it's never been suggested to me that there is anything more can be done.

i am sorry to hear it's also affecting your walking, perhaps a call to your Rheumy Nurse might help.

Suzanne x

Ow!
You could do with some sexy splints my friend.
Thinking positively this, together with some physio/ hand therapy can stop this happening so much.
Get referred through ringing the nurse specialists or the gp. You need an OT assessment I think
I've got a few splints and the air cast ankle ones are very good.
http://www.physioroom.co...e_Brace/2030/36207.html

My wrist ones I haven't find as helpful
The bar hurts up inside. Night resting ones I find too hot.
I can tolerate the ones that just do thumb and wrist better, but you might find completely different for you.

Jenni xx

The steroid injection hurts for a tiny moment
But I completely understand fear
It doesn't matter what anyone says!

Can someone go with you?
I'd come :)

There are ways of dealing with fear
Telling yourself its irrational doesn't help much IMO
It considers this a threat
Your body and brain is reacting differently, so needs to alter its response to this 'threat'

I've got some thing to post on panic
In the meantime- there are these elastic resistance bands
The physio did them with me to strengthen my joints

Love jenni x

I had a similar problem with my ankle, and my rheumy consultant suggested I should try to wear footwear which gave the ankle some support, eg ankle boots. She also organised a walking stick for me. Boots certainly helped.

Kathleen .

I saw the podiatrist for the first time since getting diagnosed on Thursday. A long awaited for appointment. He looked at my Xrays (taken over 20 months ago) and pointed out a bone spur on my painful big toe and showed me other joint damage on the small bones. He thought the leg numbness was due to a trapped nerve in the wonky knee. My lower leg muscles are weak too and he thought that was causing issues with the tendon in the ankle. It's so good to feel that he is acknowledging that there are problems there as I always half expect health professionals to think it's all in my head because this is what happened for 2 years prior to diagnosis. Anyway the upshot is he has given me exercises to do to strengthen the calf muscles (yet more on top of the physio and OT's exercises, sigh....) and he has given me advice on footwear as apparently i'm wearing completely the wrong shoes. He said Ugh to my Uggs. He is ordering me some insoles too and will see me again soon to fit them. He wanted to do a cortisone injection into the big toe but I said no. I draw the line there, Simply cannot 'man up' to this. I know some people will think I'm silly or a baby but I know I can't put myself through it. I wish I could but I can't. They'd have to put me to sleep. The terror is simply too much. Anyway I'm feeling a bit more positive about it all as at least I have some positive action to take now. Best wishes to everyone and I hope you are all winning your RA battles. xxxxx

Thanks Jenni.....don't feel such a baby now.