Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...

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Feeling weird

Shanudge
Shanudge

HI all. So when I started this whole journey back in February, it was becasue my hands hurt...more than I thought they should. And that led me down the road of blood tests, some wait and see, more blood tests, and then a trial of prednisone to see  how I would feel. And now finally with the RA diagnosis...


I am weaning off the prednisone (down to one pill a day) and taking the hydrixychloquine one pill a day (low dose). Eventually I should only be on the Plaquenil (2 pills a day)...and yet my hands and wrists are hurting again...and I don't feel great. Can't exactly put my finger on it. Just "off"...I am not missing work, I am able to write and type (with some pain), I am eating and sleeping (take melatonin) but something feels weird...I think if I allowed myself a chance to lay down I could doze off. And this pain in my hands is annoying and frustrating. I keep wondering if its all in my head! :(


I wish I knew myself and my body better....


WarriorGal
WarriorGal
Some doctors suggest night splinting of hands. Warm water in the AM helps. I also use Aspracream.

How long have you been on Plaquinel? Has rheumatologist suggested Methotrexate??
Shanudge
Shanudge
Just started it 2 weeks ago...I have been taking Advil or Alleve for pain...it takes the edge off somewhat...I have Voltaren too...should use it more often
nonightshades2
nonightshades2
Just a guess, the weaning may be the culprit. Pred can cause it when you are dropping down...

Welcome to the insurance ladder (my term). If you're lucky the plaq will be all you need but it will take several weeks to build up enough to tell if it's working (GET EYE EXAMS!!). The pred is helping the symptoms but not the disease. MTX (methotrexaite) will most likely be added as the next step with the plaq. If that combo does work then on to biologics. Insurance doesn't let Docs jump to the good stuff right away, they insist on the older, cheaper alternatives first.

You be very careful using the Volterin with the over-the-counters like Alleve, can be a bad combo for the liver. You beginning a journey in which you're going to find out more about yourself and your body than you ever imagined. The disease is not "all in your head", promise. Suggest you exercise what is in you head to learn control, patience and calmness. Anxiety is a dangerous enemy in the space that exists between your ears.....you must control that space at all times. Wish you well.
Millcomp
Millcomp
I was diagnosed about 5 weeks ago now. It started out with what I called weird feelings. I later came to realize that in my case it was a feeling of weakness. Weak joints and muscles. Since then the pain has started and the stiff hands and knees. I also have muscle pains in the mid section of the back. For me that seems to be t he worse for sleeping.
californialynn
californialynn
Yes, I'm inclined to think that the weaning off the Pred may be the culprit. That's not to say you should up the dose of the Pred.......but I would suggest that either the Plaquenil hasn't kicked in yet.

Why are you on Plaquenil? MTX is more often the starter DMARD.