Kimberley.....I'm not sure why rheumies overlook the tendon issues. That was one of the first things I told my current rheumy. I said "I feel like I have systemic tendinitis." He had a surprise look on his face but did check my tendons and noticed inflammation in several.

I believe that the inflammation in my tendons is what helped him diagnose me. I love my rheumy...but it was incredible hard, long wait, to get in with him. Now I know why.

I hope my biologic starts working soon!!! First bio for RA...on Humira. I know I need to have patience, only had 3 injections so far.

In psoriatic arthritis, RA's nasty little cousin, enthesitis is one of the defining characteristics. (The entheses are the attachment points between tendon and bone.)

The more I learn about all of this, the more convinced I am that the borders between these diseases are somewhere between thin and vanishingly thin. If PsA hits tendons hard and often, why wouldn't RA hit them too?

By the way, I'm another one who has had tendon problems for years.

Yes I do think tendons are affected by RA. Ihad carpel tunnel & Vikings disease. My hand dr. said it was due in part to my RA. SO YES...

Vikings' disease- do you mean Dupuytren's, skyegirl? I've had some incredibly aggressive variant on that one since having trigger finger release surgery three years ago, followed by a fasciectomy a few months later when my palm started looking like bubble wrap. the nodules and contracture came back within months of the fasciectomy, and my doctor is horrified and perplexed. (I guess my hand did in less than six months what he generally sees is 7 or 8 years in aggressive Dupuytren's disease.) I'm very curious about any links between DD and RA. What do you know?

The early years if my RA felt like tendonitis. Someone in the medical field told me that the joint flare in RA affects the tendons. So even though it feels like a tendon problem, it is actually a symoyom if joint inflammation and RA. That meshes with my experience. Once we rested the era the tendonitis went away. Mostly.

RCross,

You aren't alone by a long shot by reading the replies. Nearly all my joints were hurting over the summer but especially my hands and wrists which have always hurt.

Then both elbows joined the party as they becalmed inflamed and very painful. My Rheumy wanted me to do PT on my elbows to see if that would help.

The only thing it helped was to increase my pain levels. The physical therapist wrote to my Rheumy that after three months of PT on my elbows that she didn't see any advancement and couldn't think of any reason to continue this therapy.

But, yes, I have had tendinitis in my shoulders and feet also. Pain, pain, pain.

Will someone put that that on my headstone? TheWino had a powerful thrust and drank til he could drink no mo'. Then he had pain.

That's it. If anything else happens, I'll update whoever is in charge of my tombstone.

Be well RCross,
TheWino

This all makes sense. About a year and a half before my RA diagnosis, I had incredible pain in first left, then right wrist. Ortho who had done my carpel tunnel surgery diagnosed tendonitis. Now thinking it was an early sign of the RA. Having a tendonitis flare (along with what I now refer to as a "bad RA day") in the right wrist.

Way back before anyone thought I had anything other than tendonitis, I took Meloxicam and it did nothing for me.

Celebrex was a miracle drug for me - i was able to squat for the first time in three years after being on that for awhile. But it didn't seem to work as well up here in a cold environment as opposed to how it did in a warmer environment (weird, I know)

These days, I take 500mg naprosyn 2X/day. one in the morning and one at night. It is VERY helpful for the insertion points. (and the mtx8)

I must of missed this thread when it began last month ...

Right now most of my discomfort is tendon related rather than joint related. My guess is that the Plaquenil/Methotrexate/low-dose prednisone are helping with most of the joint issues.

If I was a medical illustrator, without knowing any anatomy, I could draw the tendon structure of the palm side of my hands. I have actually confirmed this by googling "tendons of the hand" and looking at the images.

When the tendons/sheaths are acting up I find it difficult to reduce the pain. I do put on my fingerless gloves and that helps a bit.

Oh yes I have had tendonitis in wrists and thumbs both. My rheumatologist had me wear a brace for my thumb and wrist before....hang in there...it will get better.

I think the discomfort/pain from all the tendon issues is worse for me too. My right arm is basically useless at the moment...can't carry or pick anything up with it.

I have this same problem. In fact tendonitis in my foot popped up... out on no where 5 years ago. That was the beginning.... and i still get it in my feet if i do not wear good shoes. I get it in my shoulders and neck too.

Yes, RA effects tissues, joints, tensions, etc.

I do take NSAIDS.

What is meloxicam? I'm not familiar with that med.

mobic