Re: RA and tendonitis

[Guest guest]

Lucy:

I know a lot of women who develop tendonitis after having children - and the constant picking up of babies can aggravate it, especially as they grow and get heavier.

gloria

[Guest guest]

I have tendonitis in both shoulders and my rheumatologist told me that it isn't related, as in "caused by" RA, but that many people who have RA develop tendonitis in different areas.

----- Original Message ----- From: ltascone

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2004 1:39 PM

Subject: RA and tendonitis

Hello all. Hopefully you all can help me. I am 44. I was diagnosed with RA about 4 years ago by a Rheumatologist to whom I had gone because of finger stiffness and soreness. After about six months the problem let up. Sixteen months ago I had a baby. Thirteen months ago my entire arms from the tips of my fingers thru the shoulders started aching painfully every day. Other joints (knees, etc.) ached as well but not consistently. My sister and brother take MSM for arthritis (car accidents) so I started that. It helped me be almost painfree except for my elbows. My Family doc diagnosed elbow tendonitis. Now it is 13 months later and the elbows are getting progressively worse. I cannot pinpoint any activity to blame for tendonitis. Therapy and exercise cause more pain and swelling. I am seeing another Orthopedic Specialist tomorrow. Here is my question. Does anyone in this group think my elbow tendonitis could be related to my RA? My Family doc says "no".Thanks for your time. Lucy

[Guest guest]

Prednisone is often given for inflammation and that may help to relieve your symptoms and point toward a correct diagnosis. Good luck and God bless.

----- Original Message -----

From: ltascone

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2004 10:39 AM

Subject: RA and tendonitis

Hello all. Hopefully you all can help me. I am 44. I was diagnosed with RA about 4 years ago by a Rheumatologist to whom I had gone because of finger stiffness and soreness. After about six months the problem let up. Sixteen months ago I had a baby. Thirteen months ago my entire arms from the tips of my fingers thru the shoulders started aching painfully every day. Other joints (knees, etc.) ached as well but not consistently. My sister and brother take MSM for arthritis (car accidents) so I started that. It helped me be almost painfree except for my elbows. My Family doc diagnosed elbow tendonitis. Now it is 13 months later and the elbows are getting progressively worse. I cannot pinpoint any activity to blame for tendonitis. Therapy and exercise cause more pain and swelling. I am seeing another Orthopedic Specialist tomorrow. Here is my question. Does anyone in this group think my elbow tendonitis could be related to my RA? My Family doc says "no".Thanks for your time. Lucy

[Guest guest]

Lucy,

Your description reminded me of last summer when I hobbled into my

doctor's office in a walking cast given to me by a podiatrist for

posterior tibial (ankle) tendonitis. I held up my two swollen index

fingers and asked, " Do you think the problems with the fingers and

with the ankle could be related? " She said no, but my gut feeling

(now) says, " YES! "

Sierra

> Hello all. Hopefully you all can help me.

> I am 44. I was diagnosed with RA about 4 years ago by a

> Rheumatologist to whom I had gone because of finger stiffness and

> soreness. After about six months the problem let up. Sixteen months

> ago I had a baby. Thirteen months ago my entire arms from the tips

> of my fingers thru the shoulders started aching painfully every

day.

> Other joints (knees, etc.) ached as well but not consistently. My

> sister and brother take MSM for arthritis (car accidents) so I

> started that. It helped me be almost painfree except for my elbows.

> My Family doc diagnosed elbow tendonitis. Now it is 13 months later

> and the elbows are getting progressively worse. I cannot pinpoint

> any activity to blame for tendonitis. Therapy and exercise cause

> more pain and swelling. I am seeing another Orthopedic Specialist

> tomorrow. Here is my question. Does anyone in this group think my

> elbow tendonitis could be related to my RA? My Family doc says " no " .

> Thanks for your time.

> Lucy

[Guest guest]

Sierra

Yup! There sure seems to be some kind of correlation but this second Orthopod didn't even blink when I said I had RA. He too says I must be doing some repetitive action I am not aware of an also blamed it on having a toddler!!!

His recommendation was another cortisone shot (my third in 9 months), mild stretching and ice. Return in four week. Well we will see! I don't really see any alternative. Apparently surgery (who wants it anyway) doesn't carry a great chance of success.

Did your ankle tendonitis clear up? How long? What did you do?

Also - one of the gentlemen here suggested oral prednisone. Well I took a 6-day Med pack two weeks ago when I couldn't straighten or bend my arm. That reduced the swelling significantly but the pain was still present.

Does anyone here have a personal experience with prednisone that involved mood changes, extreme fatigue and the like? It seems like I did. I'd rather have the pain. (LOL)

Lucy

[Guest guest]

See below

----- Original Message -----

From: ltascone

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2004 12:39 PM

Subject: RA and tendonitis

Hello all. Hopefully you all can help me. I am 44. I was diagnosed with RA about 4 years ago by a Rheumatologist to whom I had gone because of finger stiffness and soreness. After about six months the problem let up. Sixteen months ago I had a baby. Thirteen months ago my entire arms from the tips of my fingers thru the shoulders started aching painfully every day. Other joints (knees, etc.) ached as well but not consistently. That's what my first *really bad* "flare" was like. my hands were so painfull i couldn't stand to touch them and it lasted for over 4 months during which time i was almost incapable of attending to my personal cleanliness needs and couldn't get up when i got down without extreme effort, had to get a toilet seat that was about 8 iches higher than normal.. i started taking ginger root in my cerial and in capsuls and i gradually got better to where i could drive to a Dr. I recommended my self to a Rheumatolagist, and because my hands didn't look too bad by the time i got to him, and a practitioner hadn's recommended me, he was really sceptical. He took tests and the test showed positive but to be sure, he had me take some prednison which will clear up the inflamation if it is RA. it got better quite rapidly and i leveled out for a while, but when i started to stop the prednison, it started to get worse again. that was about 5 years ago, and like you, always had muscle and joint pain all my life. i got down to 5 mg pred for a long time but now am back up to 10 mg Prednisone daily, 500 mg Naproxin (Alleve) 2 x daily or as needed, after a flair i both arms like tennis elbow, which it tendonitis.

My sister and brother take MSM for arthritis (car accidents) so I started that. It helped me be almost painfree except for my elbows. My Family doc diagnosed elbow tendonitis.

I am taking MSM and think i would be worse off if i weren't.My brother who is 3 yrs older than i, (he is 78 yrs plus)swears by it.

Now it is 13 months later and the elbows are getting progressively worse. I cannot pinpoint any activity to blame for tendonitis. Therapy and exercise cause more pain and swelling.

That's why my pred was upped to 10 mg day. as i was getting worse, fingers drawing up, unable to straighten and unable to totally close fist. But, i think i really aggravated the arms/elbows/wrist when i moved some concrete bird bath componets. I have had problems with exercise as too much, as you say, causes the pain and swellig. in fact it can cause a pluerousy type symptom..or at least for me. but we have to keep moving. it has helped me to try to work out as much as possible with a TV exercise program which works with aerobicks (sp) =, yoga, tai chi and others. I can do some of the, like the stretches and breathing exercises but not all of them, but we have to do what we can, to just keep the body moving. i do feel better but i have to be careful not to over do it. or i rue the day! <G>

I am seeing another Orthopedic Specialist tomorrow. Here is my question. Does anyone in this group think my elbow tendonitis could be related to my RA? My Family doc says "no".Thanks for your time. Lucy

i think that i wouldn't have the tendonitis if i didn't have the RA. my muscles are so much weaker than before the RA progressed, that i am more apt to strain them having been used to a very active life where i could do anything, lift anything, etc... my arm muscles have really atrophied, i guess that would be what it is called, because even though i have always done some arm and wrist exercises (as well as leg)they simply seem to be drying up. It has been my experiene that the RA can dance around the body anywhere it chooses. especially if the muscles are compramized, like straining them. if i do too many tai chi movements, i may end up with what is like pleurousy pains in the back rib areas where the movement has been strained a bit too much..

but I am probably telling you more than you care to know.. sorry, but i think you need to know what happens from those of us who have been there and i think people who have not experienced it simply don't realize the problems, even the specialists and general practioners.

any way.. i go now..

love... granny lee