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 never know how to fill these things out. i get one at every rheumy appointment and i try to base it on how i feel compared to last appointment. i finally found something cool on tumblr - a post from a fellow spoonie that really seems to sum it up...
0 - Pain Free
1 - Very minor annoyance - occasional minor twinges. No medication needed.
2 - Minor Annoyance - occasional strong twinges. No medication needed.
3 - Annoying enough to be distracting. Mild painkillers take care of it. (Aspirin, Ibuprofen.)
4 - Can be ignored if you are really involved in your work, but still distracting. Mild painkillers remove pain for 3-4 hours.
5 - Cant be ignored for more than 30 minutes. Mild painkillers ameliorate pain for 3-4 hours.
6 - Cant be ignored for any length of time, but you can still go to work and participate in social activities. Stronger painkillers (Codeine, narcotics) reduce pain for 3-4 hours.
7 - Makes it difficult to concentrate, interferes with sleep. You can still function with effort. Stronger painkillers are only partially effective.
8 - Physical activity severely limited. You can read and converse with effort. Nausea and dizziness set in as factors of pain.
9 - Unable to speak. Crying out or moaning uncontrollably - near delirium.
10 - Unconscious. Pain makes you pass out.
i'm thinking about putting it on my medical cheat sheet too, so i have it to reference. i can also show it to my rheumy so she knows where i'm coming from.
0 - Pain Free
1 - Very minor annoyance - occasional minor twinges. No medication needed.
2 - Minor Annoyance - occasional strong twinges. No medication needed.
3 - Annoying enough to be distracting. Mild painkillers take care of it. (Aspirin, Ibuprofen.)
4 - Can be ignored if you are really involved in your work, but still distracting. Mild painkillers remove pain for 3-4 hours.
5 - Cant be ignored for more than 30 minutes. Mild painkillers ameliorate pain for 3-4 hours.
6 - Cant be ignored for any length of time, but you can still go to work and participate in social activities. Stronger painkillers (Codeine, narcotics) reduce pain for 3-4 hours.
7 - Makes it difficult to concentrate, interferes with sleep. You can still function with effort. Stronger painkillers are only partially effective.
8 - Physical activity severely limited. You can read and converse with effort. Nausea and dizziness set in as factors of pain.
9 - Unable to speak. Crying out or moaning uncontrollably - near delirium.
10 - Unconscious. Pain makes you pass out.
i'm thinking about putting it on my medical cheat sheet too, so i have it to reference. i can also show it to my rheumy so she knows where i'm coming from.
I get asked this every time I go to either of my docs. The only ones I knew for sure were 0 and 10. Since I was able to walk in to the office and can carry on a conversation, I would always just say 3 or 4. I realize it is all subjective and everyone is different in terms of pain, but I guess it does need to be rated somehow.
My wife always said she would say 11 - told her you can't do that as 11 would likely mean you are dead!
Copying/pasting this for my medical file for reference.
Also would be great for communicating to spouses/friends what your pain means for any given day. That way saying just '4' sums it all up.
I'm about a 4 today... 3 month check in with the rheumy tomorrow. My joints are gearing up apparently because of that!
thanks Steph
you were having a not great day the other day.
i hope today is better
Ros
At my last appointment, my Dr. also did a "joint count" of effected joints. He stopped when he got down to my knees. What about my feet?! Said if he did those, he'd need another whole form! Oh well...
click on this link and scroll down a bit to see the best scale yet!
How I feel is ever changing so I strongly dislike the pain scale.