Guest guest Posted February 27, 2004 Report Share Posted February 27, 2004 Sierra: Cortisone shots only last a little while. Although I got one in my foot that was great for about 3-4 months. But all the ones I've had after that have done nothing for the pain. I think there's also a maximum number of cortisone shots they will give you over a period of time. I think they don't want to cause more problems down the line? I don't really know. It does feel good to get out and do something. Good for you. gloria Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 27, 2004 Report Share Posted February 27, 2004 My rule of thumb for calling the doctor is that if you wonder if you should call, then you should call. Any significant change between appointments is worth a call. If nothing else they can enter it in your chart to have a more complete record of how you are doing. The doctor assumes that your disease is progressing as expected unless they are told otherwise. Often they can change or add medications if you are experiencing more troubles than the RD expected. Good luck and God blress. ----- Original Message ----- From: snowdrift52003 Rheumatoid Arthritis Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2004 8:44 PM Subject: Ouch! Hello,I just returned from a 4-day trip to Las Vegas with my husband. Before I left, I was told, "You'll do a lot of walking." That scared me a little, as I've been having more pain in my feet, knees, and ankles. I an newly diagnosed and my condition does not feel stable.Different joints hurt at different times. I've been on Plaquenil and Vioxx for a couple of months. Fortunately, I tolerated the walking, but had to "doctor" myself afterward with ice, rest, elevation, and Tiger Balm. The exercise felt very good, though.My shoulders have really been hurting. I'm thinking of calling my rheumatologist and getting in before May to see if something can be done. (Cortisone shots? Anyone have experience with them?) I know that pain is part of this illness. How do you know when to just put up with it and when to contact the doctor?I struggle with the "unknowns" of this condition. Mine has been a gradual journey into RA. Symptoms have come and gone for the past 5 years, but now they are fairly constant. Peace,Sierra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 27, 2004 Report Share Posted February 27, 2004 I think the Cortisone shot would be good. My doctor told me that if I ever was doing something really active, trip,etc he would give me one, and it would help. It really does. If it don't calm down, you might have to ask for something else for pain. Take care, Tawny > Hello, > I just returned from a 4-day trip to Las Vegas with my husband. > Before I left, I was told, " You'll do a lot of walking. " That scared > me a little, as I've been having more pain in my feet, knees, and > ankles. I an newly diagnosed and my condition does not feel stable. > Different joints hurt at different times. I've been on Plaquenil and > Vioxx for a couple of months. Fortunately, I tolerated the walking, > but had to " doctor " myself afterward with ice, rest, elevation, and > Tiger Balm. The exercise felt very good, though. > > My shoulders have really been hurting. I'm thinking of calling my > rheumatologist and getting in before May to see if something can be > done. (Cortisone shots? Anyone have experience with them?) I know > that pain is part of this illness. How do you know when to just put > up with it and when to contact the doctor? > > I struggle with the " unknowns " of this condition. Mine has been a > gradual journey into RA. Symptoms have come and gone for the past 5 > years, but now they are fairly constant. > > Peace, > Sierra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 27, 2004 Report Share Posted February 27, 2004 Sierra, I agree that you should at least call your doc's office - I've been lectured more than once that I should have called instead of waiting for an appointment. Only your doc can decide if a cortisone shot is right for your situation. They will help reduce inflammation, which can help with the pain, but if you have too many they start breaking down the tissues in the joint. Have you ever had shoulder problems before? I know that when I was first diagnosed but not yet 'under control' (a relative term), every joint in my body that I had ever stressed or injured became inflammed. I had developed tendonitis in my shoulders from swimming (over use injury) 15 years before RA, and suddenly they acted up severely. As the RA got more under control, they settled down - until I started swimming too much again Beth > Hello, > I just returned from a 4-day trip to Las Vegas with my husband. > Before I left, I was told, " You'll do a lot of walking. " That scared > me a little, as I've been having more pain in my feet, knees, and > ankles. I an newly diagnosed and my condition does not feel stable. > Different joints hurt at different times. I've been on Plaquenil and > Vioxx for a couple of months. Fortunately, I tolerated the walking, > but had to " doctor " myself afterward with ice, rest, elevation, and > Tiger Balm. The exercise felt very good, though. > > My shoulders have really been hurting. I'm thinking of calling my > rheumatologist and getting in before May to see if something can be > done. (Cortisone shots? Anyone have experience with them?) I know > that pain is part of this illness. How do you know when to just put > up with it and when to contact the doctor? > > I struggle with the " unknowns " of this condition. Mine has been a > gradual journey into RA. Symptoms have come and gone for the past 5 > years, but now they are fairly constant. > > Peace, > Sierra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 27, 2004 Report Share Posted February 27, 2004 > My rule of thumb for calling the doctor is that if you wonder if you should call, then you should call. Any significant change between appointments is worth a call. Thank you for this good advice, Harold. Sierra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 27, 2004 Report Share Posted February 27, 2004 Only your doc can decide if a cortisone shot is > right for your situation. They will help reduce inflammation, which > can help with the pain, but if you have too many they start breaking > down the tissues in the joint. Yes--my mother-in-law showed me where she had received only one injection for trigger finger, and there is a good-sized, permanent indentation in the tissue. > > Have you ever had shoulder problems before? Exactly one year ago, I woke up the day after a yoga class and could barely lift my arms for three days. I thought I had injured my shoulders. Since then, pain has come and gone, intensifying with use. Lately, the pain has become more constant and sharp. Even lifting a coffee cup feels like an effort. I'd better make that call! Thanks, Beth. Sierra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 27, 2004 Report Share Posted February 27, 2004 wow!!! that must have been a great trip.. been a long time since i lived there,(1952-55) and visited in about '65, but it had changed a lot.i'm just a bit jealous!.. i'd kind of like to visit some of my old friends there before i cash in my chips! LOL.. i don't know if this will help you... it has helped me a lot.. but hope so. i find that stretch exercises , shoulders, feet, back, thighs,arms, the whole body , even flexing the feet up and down and massaging them thouroughly, soaking in hot water.. i can't easily get up and down from tub so take a shower in the tub and let the hot water stay in tub so as to soak my feet while i am bathing. this has helped my toenails, too.i have a heavy plastic step stool in the tub to sit when necessary. think it is really important to get enough sleep.. i don't always and when i don;t, i suffer. yesterday was a real down day as only slept 3 hours and was so exausted i didn't even do my usual exercises, only the yoga breathing ones. (a lot of things i needed to do so couldn't nap during the day.) i did better last night, got almost 6 hours and was able to do part of the exercises this a.m. (usualy do 1 hour but this a.m. only 45 mins.) i think it is pretty normal to hurt all the time, but i think it could be worse if i weren't doing some of the things i do. get plenty of rest, maybe take a nap, if only a short one, in mid morn and/or mid afteroon. eat plenty of the green and orange/yellow vegetables . I also take dried green herbs like dandelion, spinach, green algea, Astagalus, barley grass, seaweed, alfalfa grass, beet root, brewers yeast and others i can't remember, but this ensures that i get plenty of the vegetables, and too, i eat raw or nearly raw vegetables and fruit, (maybe some chicken or tuna) every day as well as sprouted grains, nuts and beans. i really think the RA would be further progressed otherwise. also take flax seed oil for the omega 3 fat, vit e and multivitamins, among a few other things. but i go on too much.. love.. granny lee ----- Original Message ----- From: snowdrift52003 Rheumatoid Arthritis Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2004 10:44 PM Subject: Ouch! Hello,I just returned from a 4-day trip to Las Vegas with my husband. Before I left, I was told, "You'll do a lot of walking." That scared me a little, as I've been having more pain in my feet, knees, and ankles. I an newly diagnosed and my condition does not feel stable.Different joints hurt at different times. I've been on Plaquenil and Vioxx for a couple of months. Fortunately, I tolerated the walking, but had to "doctor" myself afterward with ice, rest, elevation, and Tiger Balm. The exercise felt very good, though.My shoulders have really been hurting. I'm thinking of calling my rheumatologist and getting in before May to see if something can be done. (Cortisone shots? Anyone have experience with them?) I know that pain is part of this illness. How do you know when to just put up with it and when to contact the doctor?I struggle with the "unknowns" of this condition. Mine has been a gradual journey into RA. Symptoms have come and gone for the past 5 years, but now they are fairly constant. Peace,Sierra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 28, 2004 Report Share Posted February 28, 2004 Hi Snowdrift...I have had maybe about 3 cortisone shots into my finger joints...you know where the fingers meet the hand...they are not too bad as the doc usually sprays on some kind of novocaine that " freeezes " the area so you do not feel much..I do not know bout knee, ankle stuffs as of yet but my elbow has been bugging me and he wanted to give me a shot in it a couple of wks ago..I resisted as I HATE SHOTS...TOLD him I will take cortisone (youknow that stuff that comes in a blister pack, called Methylprednisolone) for a week..well, that worked but guessss whattttt...the elbow is stiff once again..I gotta a feeling i need to bite the bullet and call him this week and go in to be harpooned....... It is not all that bad...but well, I just hate needles...I only take methotrexate..and occasioonal pain killers..since 1998...I have a relatively " mild " case of RA, so far...but I am only 45... Good luck and God bless...do what feels right for you to do...ok? Take care Lindy:) > Hello, > I just returned from a 4-day trip to Las Vegas with my husband. > Before I left, I was told, " You'll do a lot of walking. " That scared > me a little, as I've been having more pain in my feet, knees, and > ankles. I an newly diagnosed and my condition does not feel stable. > Different joints hurt at different times. I've been on Plaquenil and > Vioxx for a couple of months. Fortunately, I tolerated the walking, > but had to " doctor " myself afterward with ice, rest, elevation, and > Tiger Balm. The exercise felt very good, though. > > My shoulders have really been hurting. I'm thinking of calling my > rheumatologist and getting in before May to see if something can be > done. (Cortisone shots? Anyone have experience with them?) I know > that pain is part of this illness. How do you know when to just put > up with it and when to contact the doctor? > > I struggle with the " unknowns " of this condition. Mine has been a > gradual journey into RA. Symptoms have come and gone for the past 5 > years, but now they are fairly constant. > > Peace, > Sierra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 28, 2004 Report Share Posted February 28, 2004 --- In Rheumatoid Arthritis , " lem820 " <lem820@y...> wrote: > Hi Snowdrift...I have had maybe about 3 cortisone shots into my finger > joints... Thanks, Lindy. I'm feeling better now, after seeing the acupuncturist, the chiropractor, and the massage therapist in the past 24 hours! I called the rheumy's office too, and described my pain to the nurse, but didn't get a call back on Friday. The chiropractor said he thought the pain was more muscle (than joint) related. If that's true, it's good news. Sierra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 29, 2004 Report Share Posted February 29, 2004 Sierra, on the 17th i had a shot in left upper arm and right elbow and they are so much better that it is almost unbelievable. those are the ones i strained lifting the concrete bird bath components. i wouldn't allow it two weeks before, but my dau kind of pushed me into it by getting me an appointent with the pain specialist who helped her with her sacroiliac problem. the shot was practicaly painless, actually almost totally painless!!!. and while i certainly won't make it a habbit getting shots every time i get a fart crosswise, there are times when one should go aead and get some relief. i am so glad you are feeliing better and hope for continued improvement. love... granny lee---- Original Message ----- From: snowdrift52003 Thanks, Lindy. I'm feeling better now, after seeing the acupuncturist, the chiropractor, and the massage therapist in the past 24 hours! I called the rheumy's office too, and described my pain to the nurse, but didn't get a call back on Friday. The chiropractor said he thought the pain was more muscle (than joint) related. If that's true, it's good news.Sierra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 29, 2004 Report Share Posted February 29, 2004 Sierra, I'm happy to hear that you're doing better. One of the toughest parts of this disease in the early stages is figuring out whether you're feeling joint pain or muscle, and if it was caused by over- exertion, or if it's the RA activity. Beth > > Hi Snowdrift...I have had maybe about 3 cortisone shots into my > finger > > joints... > > Thanks, Lindy. I'm feeling better now, after seeing the > acupuncturist, the chiropractor, and the massage therapist in the > past 24 hours! I called the rheumy's office too, and described my > pain to the nurse, but didn't get a call back on Friday. The > chiropractor said he thought the pain was more muscle (than joint) > related. If that's true, it's good news. > > Sierra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 29, 2004 Report Share Posted February 29, 2004 > Sierra, > > I'm happy to hear that you're doing better. One of the toughest > parts of this disease in the early stages is figuring out whether > you're feeling joint pain or muscle, and if it was caused by over- > exertion, or if it's the RA activity. Yes. And when you're pursuing lots of different therapies at one time, it's hard to know if it was one that helped, or the combination of them, or if feeling better is coincidental! I find I'm relying a lot on my intuition for direction lately. Sierra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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