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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debRAinOC 03/12/2011

I overdid the stairs last night and woke up this morning with a swollen and throbbing knee. We went to the theater and had "cheap" seats in the highest balcony. After the show, the crowd at the elevators was so big that I told our group I felt fine and suggested that we could use the stairs. I underestimated the number of flights we had to walk down, but I truly felt fine. Then, in the parking structure, the elevators were again crowded, so up the stairs we went. I felt good the whole time though--until this morning.

I need an early warning system that sets off an alarm in my head: "You have 10 minutes left before you have to pay for this tomorrow!" Can anybody tell me where to find one of those?

lghthouse4 03/12/2011

Wouldn't that be great! I wish I knew the answer. I know what you mean. I have overdone before only to pay for it the next day. I am trying to be better about reminding myself to not overdo it. Hope you wake up tomorrow morning feeling better :)

deleted_user 03/12/2011

It's so hard not to to keep going when you feel like you can. It would only make sense that we hurt "while" we are overdoing it. Not "after". An early warning system would be awesome. Maybe we can tie into a pedometer somehow. Have it beep real loud when we've taken to many steps. That way it will include all the activities we're taking those steps to do ;)

deleted_user 03/12/2011

I over-do it all the time! I'm learning when that switch hits too hun. Take it easy today, hopefully you'll feel better tomorrow.

deleted_user 03/12/2011

I know exactly how you feel. I didn't quite go through all that walking you did, but yesterday spent 4 hours sitting in a hard backed chair at the hospital waiting for my husband to get out of his endoscopy - I just had knee surgery exactly one week ago - well 4 hours of sitting, not elevating your leg as I should have been, brought agonizing pain to the knee ALL day today - worse than the day of surgery after the anesthesia wore off! I've taken more pain med today than in the past 3-4 days all together!!!

We always do pay for stuff we do! I should have known better than to just sit there - I should have gotten up and walked around from time to time *sigh* I'll never learn!!!

deleted_user 03/12/2011

The early warning system would be great. Especially for us newbies who are still trying to figure all of this out! I'm guilty of overdoing things on my good days also. I hope that you all get some relief soon!

deleted_user 03/12/2011

Gosh, Debra, that would we AWESOME! I can feel your pain - totally overdid last weekend and wound up in bed unable to move without pain for close to 24 hrs. How do we know when to say when?

deleted_user 03/13/2011

Oh what I would give for one of those! : )

Angelpuss 03/13/2011

That would be wonderful. When we're feeling good, I think we all overdo it to make up for the times we can't. We were away last weekend and did a lot more walking than usual and not all on flat ground. I've paid for it all week.
I hope you're feeling better soon.

deleted_user 03/13/2011

I hope you were counting stairs. That could be your early warning the next time. An interesting thing we noticed at a lot of attractions in Europe were the posted warnings about the number of steps (eg, 300 steps to the top of the basilica at Sacr-Cur). Test your limits, then remember.

Hope you recover quickly.

camba 03/13/2011

Am in this club too! But dont always get a reaction after doing a lot of stuff cos I feel good - half the time get away with it. That's what makes it so impossible to know.

debRAinOC 03/13/2011

Thanks for the good wishes, all. My knee is much better today.

I have to confess that part of the problem was that I was with a group and I didn't want to be the "weak link." Next time, I'll have to remind myself that it's okay to tell people that I'd rather wait for the elevator.

deleted_user 03/13/2011

Boy, can I relate to this! I ran into that problem ALL the time after my hip replacement last spring--I'd be feeling great and over do it--and the next day would feel like a train hit me. I have the same problems with the RA. What I've found to be the most effective is to simply stop whatever I am doing when I still feel like I could keep going on. Simply stop and rest, and then maybe do a bit more of really light activity. I always feel like I'm taking the easy way out but stopping when I do--but I find I have fewer wiped out days because of it.

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