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...
Well I can say I definitely have been seeing some improvement here. I am still on Sulfazine 500 mg and mobic 15 mg and things are going well. I am now walking normal. My ankles and feet are not hurting and are not swollen. Was so excited I was able to wear my tennis shoes and all. My knees are better but still hurt a little but I am walking normal so I will take that. Not sure if they will ever feel like my knees again but this is a marked improvement. I have been exercising my legs and joints and arms and hands and it makes me feel better, hoping it is a little behind the improvement feeling as well.
I am still having problems with my hands. Left hand is never swollen but my thumb area really is touchy. Last night when pulling my pants on it felt like I pulled it in the wrong direction and I hit the ceiling, it hurt so bad, trying to keep it still today and let it mend. This is a troublesome area, as well as my right hand which does swell and is tight and stiff. I bought the wrist/hand braces and have been wearing them at night. I use them also when I lol, unload my heavy dishes out of the dishwasher and washer and dryer use as well.
You all, that are almost back to normal and have reached a steady point and do your normal activities, do you still hurt in some areas but get through it or has it really healed.
I am so afraid that if this hurting in the hands is going on it is damaging things badly on the inside that my hands will start to show wear and knarl up and loose my mobility with them. I am an artist, needleworker and gardener and I haven\'t been able to do anything much lately.
Still keeping my chin up and have been less depressed lately as the pain has eased. I do feel the stretching and all has helped me and am happy about that. With the fm I couldn\'t do that and with this ra it is possible so that is a positive.
Hope you all are feeling well today.
Renee
I am still having problems with my hands. Left hand is never swollen but my thumb area really is touchy. Last night when pulling my pants on it felt like I pulled it in the wrong direction and I hit the ceiling, it hurt so bad, trying to keep it still today and let it mend. This is a troublesome area, as well as my right hand which does swell and is tight and stiff. I bought the wrist/hand braces and have been wearing them at night. I use them also when I lol, unload my heavy dishes out of the dishwasher and washer and dryer use as well.
You all, that are almost back to normal and have reached a steady point and do your normal activities, do you still hurt in some areas but get through it or has it really healed.
I am so afraid that if this hurting in the hands is going on it is damaging things badly on the inside that my hands will start to show wear and knarl up and loose my mobility with them. I am an artist, needleworker and gardener and I haven\'t been able to do anything much lately.
Still keeping my chin up and have been less depressed lately as the pain has eased. I do feel the stretching and all has helped me and am happy about that. With the fm I couldn\'t do that and with this ra it is possible so that is a positive.
Hope you all are feeling well today.
Renee
Unless someone is fortunate enough to have complete remission, it\'s very likely that they will have some issue(s) somewhere in all the many joints. However, set your goals high enough to accomodate what you need to be able to do, and measure progress against that. I\'m not sure how long you\'ve been taking the sulfazine, but make sure that you keep your rheumatologist informed of your progress vs your needs, and be ready to amend your treatment accordingly.
I consider myself one of the fortunate ones. I\'ve had RA for 4 years, have had a couple of significant setbacks from drugs, but have emerged with few limitations, though not totally unscathed. I have some deformities in my fingers, although they aren\'t gnarled, and my thumbs can give me grief at any moment, but I\'m able to do most of the things I want.
BTW way, I have fibromyalgia, too. It\'s almost completely under control, mostly through stretching and exercise. I\'ve had periods with both fibromyalgia and RA where I couldn\'t do a whole lot, but slow, steady increases in stretching, then aerobic exercise, then strengthening, have been a key for me.
Best wishes.
Doug
It took me nearly a year to get to a point where I could \'fight back\' with activity. It seems to help tremendously on one hand, but takes more balance than I apparently have been able to do! I think it is a good goal...and hope...for us to think we will be able to function fairly normally, with occasional flares, and probably some degree of lingering pain. That\'s my guess. I hope others will give their input. It\'s a great question.