Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

I am up again after only a few hours sleep. Backs of hands and fingers are just screaming for 4th day in row and getting worse. barbecued today for 9 people so knew using my hands would aggravate it. Anyone tried slicing a watermelon open lately? I tried - no way was it happening - had sharp pains all the way up to elbows and had to get son to do it. I know alot of you are struggling with your meds working but I really can't wait to get started trying ANYTHING. Couple more weeks.

I am with you donna. I can hardly wait to see new rheumy, in a few weeks. I hope he will try Arava. I don't really care, though, as long as we try something.

I am sorry your hands are hurting. I thought I was never going to be able to read a book again because I could not hold one. Finally, I figured out to lay a thick cushion on my lap, then all I had to do was turn pages.

I guess we use our hands so much that it can be devastating when pain and stiffness stop so many everyday things.

Maybe when we get started on RA meds our hands will become useful again. Not not maybe...but will.

We will compare what our rheumy have prescribed dear.

Gentle hugs my friend.

I really shouldn't be complaining about daytime use with hands. They've been much worse before I started the Pred. I haven't had bad book issues since and up till a few days ago no really bad pain either when i wasn't using them. It's just the same thing we all get so frustrated with. Doing the little simple everyday things that keep telling you how bad it's still there even though they don't hurt much when not in use and you think it's better.

Back to the back hurting. For anyone with back and neck pain that's able to get on all four and put weight on wrists. The cat stretches work wonders for it if you do them daily. Also wonderful for the shoulder muscles. They showed me these in phys therapy for my neck and loved how it also relieved back pain. I can't put the weight on my wrists anymore so i do them with butt up in the air and laying on my arms from wrist to elbows.

Donna, can we get a picture of that?! (kidding) Im glad that those stretches help you. Im always afraid that if I get on the floor I wont be able to get back up because my hands hurt too bad to push myself up! Then there I am, flopping around like a beached whale...lol

By the way... just toss the watermelon on the floor next time.. it'll break open by itself :-O

I hope that you'll start feeling better soon. Give those hands as much rest as possible. Maybe invest in one of those paraffin wax things that you can put your hands in? I have one, and it feels heavenly. Plus, it makes your skin nice and smooth.

Feel better, everyone. xoxoxo

karen

KV, wow we think alike alot. LOL. I can imagine how i look doing those but do struggle to do them. They really help. I did go thru the past year not being able to. Same thing with not being able to get up or down from the floor.

yes, i had imagined myself opening that watermelon on the floor if noone else had been around to help out of pure frustration and anger. LOL.

Yes and darn it who would mop up the mess??? Us, of course.. Ahh dont worry about what you look like in that fetching position. If it helps thats all that matters.

In the last year, I've had 3 shoulder surgeries, both knees repaired, right carpal tunnel done, leg muscle biopsy, left breast biopsy. I'm not whining lol. My only point is, I can't remember the last time I could get anywhere close to the floor with the exception of when I fell before the knee surgery

Connie

Gee Mammy..........that's a lot of surgery! What did they do in

those shoulders?? Is it all RA, Osteoarthritis?

You are scaring me......Kath

Connie, aside from supporting the hospitals and doctors, how are you doing after all that? Is everything healed up and did it all work? That is an awful lot to go thru in a year.

My shoulders are not healed up yet and it is sort of RA related. Having surgery takes alot of your body and slows down any healing process that was already trying to take place. First, I tore the ACL in both shoulders for no apparent reason and then just recently while the left shoulder was healing, I ruptured a tendon in my bicep. The doctor immediately looked into a antibiotic that was given to patients that was causing this kind of thing to happen to joints and tendons. Well I did take something similar but not the exact drug so we don't know for sure but each time the shoulders had to be "cleaned" up cuz of the RA. If the healing process proceeds I should be okay for a few years but I now already have the popping,crackling thing going on. I suffered from depression during all of this. I never knew that anesthia can cause or worsen depression and I think I had enough for a lifetime

Connie