Hi Cassie!
Yes, this is the place to go crazy! I think we all do it at one point! Me? I did it last night! It really helps to know that others know exactly what you are going through.
Unfortunately, the pain I fear will be a companion to you. You will get used to it and then realize you are just in constant pain and then only really notice it when it gets super bad.
My knees are constantly swollen and hurt really bad and yes, getting up from sitting is the worst!
I would suggest not doing laundry for now and rest :)
When you go to a RA doc, I bet he treats you with something and hopefully you will get some relief.

Cassie, knees were what put me over the edge. I had pain in my feet for a while and some stiffness in my hands. When my knees started, I was tested for Lyme and RA. Lyme neg, RA positive. Chances are if I had been tested earlier it may have been borderline. It is so hard when the knees are constant sources of pain-you don't realize how much they do. Rest, try heat (most of us seem to adore hot baths with Epson salts!) and push the neuro to get you to a rheum. Good luck,
Patrice

Hi Cassie, I don't know if you have read much here or not...but you still can have RA even if the blood work shows negative... Sero-negative RA and a lot of folks on here have it too. So read away there is lots of info on here that others have talked about. Some rheumies won't treat sero-negative so sometimes it is best to find one that will.... let the doctors know you are in pain.. Sure hope you find some relief very soon... and get some answers to what is causing your pain. We are here... we know the pain. This is really a good support group so if you have questions ask..

Hi

I don't have much to contribute to the discussion other than I'm sorry that you are feeling so badly.

All aare welcome here that are dealing with RA and need to vent, rant, or just whatever - we do understand

Peace
Bluedogs2

Hello,
MY knees are awful also and we tried the cortisone shots but I couldn't really get any relief from those..not sure why because the Prednisone helps some. What works for me is my doctor prescribed Lidoderm patches. They have numbing agent in them and on bad days I put wrap two around my knee and try to stay off it. That helps. I do enjoy hot baths alot but have to be careful to only take one when my adult daughter is here to help me if I cannot maneuver out of the tub. I hope u feel better quickly and find some relief.Hugs.

Thank you all so much! I actually just woke up from a nap with my 2 year old lol and... what a wonderful thing to wake up to! Thank you again, it's good to know I can vent somewhere and that you can all relate.
My sister was diagnosed with RA a couple years after I was diagnosed with MS. So I knew a little of the pain she was going through, said that she'd wake up some mornings feeling like "Frankenstein". I never knew what she meant, man I do now!!
:) Hope everyone is doing well

Dang it, I am sorry you are in pain. My husband struggled a long time because he was supposedly borderline but finally his Dr found the right medicine for him. I am glad you finally get to go to the Rhuematologist. I love the description "Frankenstein" I have never thought of that before.

Sorry to hear you're in so much pain and this is the right place to come and vent away and ask your questions.Good luck at the rheumo..

Hi Cassie. I am so sorry to here of your pain. I also find my veins bulging in my neck reading your post!!! Your sis has RA and you have an autoimmune disease and they won't treat you for RA?! Get thee to another doc immediately!!! I am new to RA (6 weeks into treatment) but my neighbor has MS and says the diseases share many of the same meds.

I use a small walker by my bed at night to get to the bathroom if need be when my knees and body are very rigid from sleeping. Maybe that would help your knees to get over this flare from hell?

Hug to you.

Pain is something I cant deal with so full of sympathy. Just wishing you a positive outcome from your appointments. And yes had terrible pain at outset and occasionally at other times.

There is usually something they can do to take the edge of that and restore functionality to your life although it varies as you will see on here.

Oh my, Cassie. I hope you get to a Rheumy quickly. It does sound like RA. Symptoms, family history, MS, the flare you are experiencing,putting it all together, I'm betting you can get some treatment that would be appropriate and offer relief.

In the meantime, heat or ice packs, pillows under your knees when you lie on your back, and between your knees when you lie on your side, going down stairs backwards can help. (I've never understood why going down steps were worse than going up them.) Hang in there. We know the pain.

Cassie, I hate that you are in so much pain. I completely understand as I suffered greatly before being diagnosed with RA.

By April 2010 I could hardly walk. I would take 800 mg of ibuprofen and lay in bed for an hour waiting for it to kick in. Only then could I put my feet on the ground. But when I sat down on my couch or the toilet, I could barely get up. My knees, ankles, and wrists were burning with pain when I tried to use them, so I could not push myself up from the seat. I was carrying my 2-step ladder around my loft and using it as a walker.

Finally I had had enough and called my GP. He saw me immediately and I was crying in his office. I could not get up from the chair and move to the examination table without his help. It was awful. But you know what, he "diagnosed" me right away and said I would be walking pain free by the next day. I could not believe it. And he was right!!!!

Prednisone was a life-saver for me. But I am happy to say that now I only take Humira, and my symptoms are greatly improved.

I hope you feel better soon! Hang in there. It gets better:)
Debbie