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...
Trochanteric bursitis (Hip bursitis) is my new friend.
I have symmetrical pain in both hips that radiates to my rear and thigh. (The bursa on the hip is huge and can cause wide spread pain) Yesterday at the rheumatologist, I discussed this pain and it was immediately obvious to the doctor that I had bursitis. Suddenly, I realized that BURSITIS has been a diagnosis for me for over 9 years, just not in the hips. And my pain ends up being symmetrical if I wait long enough. (one shoulder will hurt, then two weeks later the other)
I always thought this was RA joint pain, but in fact, my RA presents as bursitis in the big joints.
My RA diagnosis was almost 4 years ago. Today, the doctor told me that many people have bursitis in their early years of RA and that anti-ccp can show 5+years before even the first symptoms.
On a positive note, the Enbrel is supposed to reduce inflammation so that the bursitis can calm down.
Just sharing so that anyone with similar issues will know that RA presents very differently sometimes, but it's still RA. The anti-ccp really is a special test for those who are seropositive.
I have symmetrical pain in both hips that radiates to my rear and thigh. (The bursa on the hip is huge and can cause wide spread pain) Yesterday at the rheumatologist, I discussed this pain and it was immediately obvious to the doctor that I had bursitis. Suddenly, I realized that BURSITIS has been a diagnosis for me for over 9 years, just not in the hips. And my pain ends up being symmetrical if I wait long enough. (one shoulder will hurt, then two weeks later the other)
I always thought this was RA joint pain, but in fact, my RA presents as bursitis in the big joints.
My RA diagnosis was almost 4 years ago. Today, the doctor told me that many people have bursitis in their early years of RA and that anti-ccp can show 5+years before even the first symptoms.
On a positive note, the Enbrel is supposed to reduce inflammation so that the bursitis can calm down.
Just sharing so that anyone with similar issues will know that RA presents very differently sometimes, but it's still RA. The anti-ccp really is a special test for those who are seropositive.
enbrel or humira did not work. a year each or more.. i'm on orencia in third year I think.
i am in the process of interviewing a second stick the crap in with a needle anesthesiologist "pain management" practice. i do a lot of quad work that buddha mentioned as being good for sucky knees. also good for sucky bursa.
depot
depot
Buddahcat - I rejected my RA diagnosis for such a long time. No joint erosions, only two small finger joints had normal "ra presentation"..but the achy inflamed bursitis was diagnosed many times before my RA. I think it's weird and sometimes don't believe I have RA but instead, some cousin to it that attacks tendons and bursa. But - that anti-ccp test is very specific for RA. And it's so positive, I gotta concede - just a weird presentation of RA or at least for now it's weird. It might go all "erosion crazy" in a few years.
i meet a new steroid needle sticker next week.
depot
i have a of these around the house bcatz
http://www.amazon.com/Love-Home-Comfortable-Quality-Cushion/dp/B00C5ZC3WG/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1417784423&sr=8-4&keywords=love+chair+pad
i know sitting sucks.
and i had another sleepless night so sleeping sucks also.
in empathy
depot
Really has me doing some thinking about doctors that specialize in this disease & dismiss complaints of problems because they are so hyper focused on the joints & bloodwork.
All these other painful conditions that can be contributed to RA & patients are in the dark.
Learn more from friends on support groups then those in the medical profession.
Thanks to the sharing here the next time I start with a new doctor I'll keep in mind how important it is to "interview" as patients we hire these doctors to do a job in caring for our health to the best of their ability.
Feel better.
Sammy
And, quick question on memory foam...does you back hurt from them? I'd love the soft impact on my hips and shoulders but wondered if you "sink" down so that the lower back aches?
Enbrel is slow acting this round, not really the magic bullet I thought it would be (or was last time), but I find that the stretching exercises and the sitting cushion helped it heal some too. I'd say I'm at 30-40% improvement which is huge compared to where I was.
I still wake a lot at night with shoulders aching or hips hurting a bit so we are going to order the memory foam mattress for the whole bed. I suppose we need to mattress shop too, but honestly, the new year started with a new ridiculously high deductible on health insurance so the memory foam will be our launching point for now.
I bought one of those cushions for myself for Christmas and I love it! Not only were they on sale but I also got it in hot pink. Perfection!
Bcatz,
I'm glad things are improving for you. Hopefully the Enbrel will kick in full throttle and things will get even better. I recommend the memory foam. I have a king size mattress and I love it. I bought it almost 4yrs ago from Overstock and its never lost its shape or anything. I might buy a topper just because my joint stiffness is ridiculous and more cushion wouldn't be a bad thing.
Take care,
Emerald
I get to wondering if there is a relationship between what I call regular Bursitis and the RA.
My first joint problem - which was wrongly diagnosed the first couple times - was in my left shoulder. It was the most painful thing I had ever felt. I had a couple bouts of it about a year before the RA symptoms started. Now I wonder which was which?
I know what the RA super flares feel like. But about 2-3 times a year I will get such severe pain in either my shoulder or hip that I wonder if maybe it is both happening at the same time. I just went through one of these sessions that started Thursday afternoon through Saturday night in my left hip. I can honestly say that these are easily 10 times more painful that even a bad RA flare. Even using the walker it was tears flowing just to get the 10' from my chair to the bathroom.
When I get it in my shoulder I can tell that part of it is Bursitis - my ultimate test is to bend over like I would be picking up something off the floor - I can feel the pain heighten in the front of my shoulder as the Bursa sack pushes toward the front of my shoulder.
I was literally totally immobilized and in extreme pain for those 2 days. The only reasoning I can come up with is the Bursitis in full form pushing on the joint lining which becomes inflamed because of the RA.
In many cases, your RA can cause the bursitis. I'm pretty sure that is my situation even thought the bursitis episodes preceeded the RA.
Here's a small statement about what happens. I know you can find much more:
"Inflammatory arthritic disease: Conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and gout can lead to the release of inflammatory agents into the bursae. Also, calcium-based crystals can form in the sacs, causing friction and tearing"
My first couple episodes of Bursitis came only a couple months before I started getting (feeling) the joint issues of RA.
i am 4 weeks post the guided injection. it's stubborn.