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...
I haven't posted in a while. Guess I thought the increase of plaquenil to 600 mg would be my "miracle". Wishful thinking on my part...ugghh
Why is it that I'm suppose to be "Borderline/Mild" but I can have a flare up that makes me need crutches...I'm not using crutches, just walking very slow and very easy.
My right foot is flaring where the big tow meets the foot. It is very painful. Feels like it's on fire inside, plus it gets a shooting pain. The bottom side is red and a little swollen. The topside of the foot is swollen and getting shooting pains in a few other toes. Pains in my ankle, probably because of the way I'm having to walk. Big toe on my left foot is a little achy.
Pains in hands/fingers/wrist, elbows, knees and shoulders. As a matter of fact, the shoulder/arm joints have been paining for a while now. I had reduced prednisone from 5 mg daily to 2.5 mg 2-3 days per week. Actually 0 mg for two weeks. Really thought everything was turning around.
I still am very heat sensitive, get dizzy spells, buzzing-tingling-electric type shocks from head to toe daily. A few weeks ago I was trying to help my husband build a fence. I would work for 5 min then have to sit in the shade fanning myself for 15 min just to get up and repeat the process....almost passed out once. When I sit under the patio to watch my grandbabies swim...I have to have a fan blowing on me - same thing when I walk on the treadmill. This is getting ridiculous.
I don't see anyone else with RA speaking of being so heat sensitive - why am I ? Just makes me sad....I love the outside.
Why is it that I'm suppose to be "Borderline/Mild" but I can have a flare up that makes me need crutches...I'm not using crutches, just walking very slow and very easy.
My right foot is flaring where the big tow meets the foot. It is very painful. Feels like it's on fire inside, plus it gets a shooting pain. The bottom side is red and a little swollen. The topside of the foot is swollen and getting shooting pains in a few other toes. Pains in my ankle, probably because of the way I'm having to walk. Big toe on my left foot is a little achy.
Pains in hands/fingers/wrist, elbows, knees and shoulders. As a matter of fact, the shoulder/arm joints have been paining for a while now. I had reduced prednisone from 5 mg daily to 2.5 mg 2-3 days per week. Actually 0 mg for two weeks. Really thought everything was turning around.
I still am very heat sensitive, get dizzy spells, buzzing-tingling-electric type shocks from head to toe daily. A few weeks ago I was trying to help my husband build a fence. I would work for 5 min then have to sit in the shade fanning myself for 15 min just to get up and repeat the process....almost passed out once. When I sit under the patio to watch my grandbabies swim...I have to have a fan blowing on me - same thing when I walk on the treadmill. This is getting ridiculous.
I don't see anyone else with RA speaking of being so heat sensitive - why am I ? Just makes me sad....I love the outside.
Have you checked your thyroid for hyperthyroidism, and I hate to ask, but could your heat issues be female hormone related perhaps? Don't have to answer, just throwing out some ideas. I hope you feel better.
I am both hypo and hashimoto but meds have that well controlled
I am menopausal and have hot flashes from hades but this heat intolerance is different from that.
I have a problem with the sun too - I have to wear sunblock or I will burn severely and even get a rash from it.
I'll be fine. I think I let myself get my hopes up after hearing "borderline/mild" and increasing the plaquenil. I was really hoping to stop the prednisone and be able at some point to stop the plaquenil....afterall, I'm just borderline........
Heat is ok it's the humidity that kills me. It has caused me a few dizzy spells so I avoid it if possible. (My ac is broken in my car at the moment & I'm not a happy camper!) Living in Ga there really is no escaping it except for the a/c. But then the air makes me my teeth chatter. I'm not sure which I'd rather deal with..high humidity or air conditioning since my body reacts to them both.
I hope your start feeling better. Are you back on the prednisone? Can you increasse the dose to get the flare calmed down a little?
Take care,
Emerald
I, too, am on Plaquenil (as well as methotrexate), and the side effects warnings for Plaquenil include sun sensitivity. Hasn't been an issue for me, but it is listed.
Hope you start to feel better. How long have you been on Plaquenil? It can take up to six months to make a difference.
my inground pool is staying closed. i fought the ra and the ra won
good luck building fences and feeling better :) hugs
Depot
Emerald- heat and humidity weaken me, cold hurts me. Both bother me too. I started back on prednisone. I'm taking 5 mg in the morning and 5 mg at night. I might be worse without it...who knows.
lionprincess - If I don't get better in the next few days I'll call my rheumy and see if he wants to try something different. He really us good. I just can't take off work right now. Just frustrating.
Nikki55 - I've had the heat problem for at least 5 years...it's just getting worse. I tiik 400 mg plaquenil from Oct 2013-April 2014. Now U'm taking 600 mg daily.
altoclef - I love my pool. However I don't get in until the evening ir night. It feels pretty good. But if I do too much I can feel it in my joint even in the water. Getting out can be a challenge....makes my body feel like it weighs a ton...I look like a drunk stumbling around...ha
Even off I feel hotter then anyone else around me .
Constantly drenched in sweat.
The big toe sounds like it may have some neuropathy pain, burning pain.
I get that, wakes me up right out of a sound sleep.
I do feel for you it's a tough road trying to find a balance & relief.
There are times it seems there so little we can do.
Dizziness is a bugger. I've had that from the get go.
Before I was DXed. Honestly thought I was loosing it. Tunnel type hearing to. Like tunnel vision but with sounds & people talking. Sounds like it's coming from a distance when it's actually in the same room. Happens more so with exhaustion.
Strangest things.
So hoping things get better for you. Quality is so important.
Things have to get better right?
Sammy
I took pictures and documented the process....I'm not a "foot" person sothat was just weird to do! ha
im on celebrex (sporatic) & daily plaquinil..also meds for migraines.
maybe partly hormonal?
Just try not to over due working in the heat, wear a hat & shades & drink lots.
some days i feel like im 80.
;-(
Take care and hang in there.....