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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yazzy23 03/02/2017

Hi Everyone,

I've been having New symptoms and I'm not sure if it's because of the medication or the OA or the RA ?.?.?.?

So I'm currently taking plaquenil and docusate sodium. The symptoms I have been having are spine compressions in my mid back, low back pain, and a feeling of a warm liquid falling down my leg. What is going on? I'm pretty scared. Has anyone had this before???

yazzy23 03/02/2017

The second medicine is actually called diclofenac sodium

journeythru 03/03/2017

Yazzy23, sad to hear you're having these symptoms. i was on Plaquinal and had bad side effects, so I can't take it, but I didn't have the symptoms you are describing. I, also, use Diclofenac Soduim Gel, and it helps dial the pain down. It can be hard on the liver. If you haven't already, I would call your doctor because this doesn't sound good. I hope this gets resolved quickly.

yazzy23 03/03/2017

Hi Journeythru,

Thank you for your response. Can you tell me how long you were on planequil? What were the ad side effects you were having?

WarriorGal 03/03/2017

Every drug effects each of us differently, but if you think what you re experiencing is related to your meds - all to your rheumatologist. I wish you good luck.

journeythru 03/03/2017

Yes, yazzy23, I can tell you. I was on it two whole days, but I couldn't walk; I was falling over. I was emotional. My husband was helping me get to PT. I had to go down a hallway, and I felt like I was tipping over; it impacted my visual field, so the hallway looked like it was turning and tipping. It was very Alice and Wonderlandish! It was a nightmare. But that doesn't mean it will happen to others. I have a friend who has been on Plaquinal for years, and it has really helped her. I hope you will call your Rheumy and tell s/he about your symptoms.

MarleneJ 03/04/2017

First, be ready to get off Plaquenil if it doesn't work, which is most of the time. Methotrexate is a much better option. Diclofenac is an anti-inflammatory. It will help the swelling and pain, but it does not treat the disease. Thus, you will be happily going downhill, with more and more deformties, because it treats symptoms, not the disease. (I tried it a long time ago, and it worked well, except I was very violently allergic to it. Strangely, the plo-gel does not affect me!)

Second, I had that weird feeling of warm liquid flowing down from my ear. It was after my jaw had been dislocated by a bad flare. I took muscle relaxants, and they helped. I also went to physiotherapy and he moved my jaw more or less into place, and it gradually stopped.

So, perhaps something in your back has become dislocated or subluxed, and it is pressing on the nerves. I would go to your primary care doctor, and get some PT if possible.

nixe 03/05/2017

No Bueno! Those Symptoms or Side Effects sound pretty bad I would get into at least see your PCP right away. Good Luck!

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