Guest guest Posted July 4, 1999 Report Share Posted July 4, 1999 my understanding is that the inflamed synovial fluid begins to gel, thus causing the stiffness. As you move around, it thins out. That's my understanding for what it's worth. Mark rheumatic Stiffness > From: Anihan@... > > Has anyone gotten an answer from a Doctor as to why RA causes such stiffness > during sleep, and prolonged periods of inactivity? I have asked 3 Drs. and > none have an answer only saying it is a symptom of the RA. I never had it in > the early years of my RA or during 13 and 1/2 years on Mtx but since quitting > it my stiffness is horrendous. > > Could it be the Fibromyalgia that came on later? > > Anita > RA 26 years, Fibro, AP 17 months. > > --------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 18, 1999 Report Share Posted July 18, 1999 In a message dated 7/18/99 10:29:44 AM Eastern Daylight Time, LCARROLL@... writes: << I am scared to death over this . I feel the doxi must be accelerating this disease since I have never had any night stiffness or day stiffness before the AP. >> Hi , I too have experienced stiffness for the first time after going on the AP. Also I have joints involved that have never been inflamed in 26 years with RA. I now have inflammation and deformity in the knees. Stiffness and pain in the elbows, hips and ankles. Hips could be deformed but who can see the hips joints? (LOL.) I am not as stiff as I was 2 months ago. My steps are a bit faster than Tim Conways now in the mornings. Shoulders, hands and wrists have been my pain nemesis all these years. I am seeking a new Dr. (end of August) and am hoping she will work with me and the AP. I apparently need IV's or minocycline killers already. The Minocin is not doing it. Take care, and let's both hope we all get better SOON. I do mean ALL of us. Hugs, Anita RA 26 years, Fibro, AP 17 months Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 18, 1999 Report Share Posted July 18, 1999 In a message dated 7/18/99 2:47:18 PM Eastern Daylight Time, jkirsten@... writes: << Perhaps even the fact that our bodies do their healing at night has something to do with it. >> Hi Jan, Boy the above statement is a new one for me. Never heard that before. What I have heard, is that everything slows down at night, even our endorfins are not as active at night, hence the pain. Wonder why a baby always cries at night and wakes up Mom? LOL Anita Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 18, 1999 Report Share Posted July 18, 1999 In a message dated 7/18/99 3:34:20 PM Eastern Daylight Time, jkirsten@... writes: << Specifically, tissue repair occurs during a particular phase of our sleep. Stage II has some, Stage III has more, and Stage IV is when it's maximized. >> If that's REM sleep, well I'm not getting any. How about all of us? Don't suppose any of us are with the pain we're in. No wonder we hurt, huh? Thanks, Jan, Hugs, Anita Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 18, 1999 Report Share Posted July 18, 1999 Hi , About the only thing I can tell you is that I have been through phases like this and likely will again. I'm not going to claim to be in remission, but I am in a vastly improved state at the moment. And before I got here a couple of weeks ago I was having reasonably good days and nights just like you're describing. Waking every couple of hours completely locked up in my joints and back and just flaming pain through them, in my case my heels, elbows and shoulders. I haven't really puzzled any kind of a theory about it. Perhaps its a time when the body's doing some major kicking of the bugs. Maybe it's just a time of unusual high accumulation of the toxins or dead bugs in the joints since we aren't moving or flushing them with water. Perhaps even the fact that our bodies do their healing at night has something to do with it. The hope I can give you is that it did come to an end and over the course of a week or two the night pain and sleep problems went away too. Best - Jan K M Carroll wrote: > From: M Carroll <LCARROLL@...> > > Hello all, > > I would like to address a question to those who feel they are in remission > or close to remission or just to anyone who is going through this. > > THough my day pain has vastly improved, my nights have become sheer terror. > Before the doxi I never had any stiffness or pain when sleeping ( or > stiffness during the day either) Now when I wake in the middle of the > night, my elbows, shoulders, and knees ( especilly the knees) feel like > they are cemented together. When I try to straighten my knees or bend them, > they are " stuck " . I almost can not move them. When I do get them to move, > the pain is so great I feel as if I am going to pass out. > > Is this unusal or just part of the treatment? By day, I am doing pretty > much anything I want to, but by night I am getting worse and worse. > > I am scared to death over this . I feel the doxi must be accelerating this > disease since I have never had any night stiffness or day stiffness before > the AP. > > Any thoughts are appreciated very much. > Thanks! > > > > --------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 18, 1999 Report Share Posted July 18, 1999 Hi Anita, Specifically, tissue repair occurs during a particular phase of our sleep. Stage II has some, Stage III has more, and Stage IV is when it's maximized. I haven't a clue if it's related to the discussion, but that's the bottom line of the research I found when I was investigating fibromyalgia. It's why the lack of sleep so common in fibro is believed to leave folks in so much pain. The daily maintenance of cellular repair and replacement supposedly aren't taking place, causing increasing pain as the lack of sleep continues. At least that's my take on it, more or less, without looking it all up again. Liz may have something more specific to say about it. HTH - Jan K Anihan@... wrote: > In a message dated 7/18/99 2:47:18 PM Eastern Daylight Time, > jkirsten@... writes: > > << Perhaps even the fact that > our bodies do their healing at night has something to do with it. >> > > Hi Jan, > > Boy the above statement is a new one for me. Never heard that before. What > I have heard, is that everything slows down at night, even our endorfins are > not as active at night, hence the pain. Wonder why a baby always cries at > night and wakes up Mom? LOL > > Anita Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 18, 1999 Report Share Posted July 18, 1999 http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/6028/drugs.htm Here's a link that talks about stage 4 sleep and drugs which may interfere with it. Although there are many theories as to what is the cause of fibromyalgia, and what can help it from what I've read so far, the one thing that most all seem to agree on is that sleep disturbance is a major factor. For me, sleep disturbance has been a big part of RA flares also. I have read that the same cytokines that are involved in inflammation can affect sleep as well. For me, stiffness has always been a sign of an impending RA flare. First overwhelming fatigue and feverishness, then stiffness, then joint pain and inflammation. Morning stifness was one of the first things to improve on the AP for me. Maybe you need to think of trying another variation of the antibiotic, or IV's now. I hope you both find something soon to help you. It is so very frustrating to go through setbacks once you have had some improvement, and have gotten a taste of the good life! Liz G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 19, 1999 Report Share Posted July 19, 1999 " Liz G. " wrote: > > Here's a link that talks about stage 4 sleep and drugs which may > interfere with it. Although there are many theories as to what is the cause Interesting... Anything on items which may enhance and/or prolong Stage IV sleep? -- Regards, ----------------------- Geoff Crenshaw ** Usual Disclaimers ** ----------------------- Religion: Man's attempt to discover God Christianity: God's offer to save humankind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 19, 1999 Report Share Posted July 19, 1999 Hi , I too went down hill fast on Dioxy--try a different antibiotic ASAP. It put me in a major setback. I know Dioxy works for great for some but for the rest of us...it's bad news IMHO. L RA 9 yrs, 7 yrs antibio (currently Minocin and Biaxin--very slowly improving) In a message dated 99-07-18 14:47:18 EDT, you write: << Hi , About the only thing I can tell you is that I have been through phases like this and likely will again. I'm not going to claim to be in remission, but I am in a vastly improved state at the moment. And before I got here a couple of weeks ago I was having reasonably good days and nights just like you're describing. Waking every couple of hours completely locked up in my joints and back and just flaming pain through them, in my case my heels, elbows and shoulders. I haven't really puzzled any kind of a theory about it. Perhaps its a time when the body's doing some major kicking of the bugs. Maybe it's just a time of unusual high accumulation of the toxins or dead bugs in the joints since we aren't moving or flushing them with water. Perhaps even the fact that our bodies do their healing at night has something to do with it. The hope I can give you is that it did come to an end and over the course of a week or two the night pain and sleep problems went away too. Best - Jan K M Carroll wrote: > From: M Carroll <LCARROLL@...> > > Hello all, > > I would like to address a question to those who feel they are in remission > or close to remission or just to anyone who is going through this. > > THough my day pain has vastly improved, my nights have become sheer terror. > Before the doxi I never had any stiffness or pain when sleeping ( or > stiffness during the day either) Now when I wake in the middle of the > night, my elbows, shoulders, and knees ( especilly the knees) feel like > they are cemented together. When I try to straighten my knees or bend them, > they are " stuck " . I almost can not move them. When I do get them to move, > the pain is so great I feel as if I am going to pass out. > > Is this unusal or just part of the treatment? By day, I am doing pretty > much anything I want to, but by night I am getting worse and worse. > > I am scared to death over this . I feel the doxi must be accelerating this > disease since I have never had any night stiffness or day stiffness before > the AP. > > Any thoughts are appreciated very much. > Thanks! > > > >> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 20, 1999 Report Share Posted July 20, 1999 >Anything on items which may enhance and/or prolong Stage IV sleep? Many fibro. patients use low-dose anti-depressants to assist with stage IV sleep. The same inflammatory reactions that cause swelling can also affect sleep, so if you can get the general state of inflammation down in the body it should help as well. Sleep disturbance, which has been a lifelong problem for me, improved a great deal when I started to respond to the AP. Liz G PS Ambien, a non benzodiazepine sedative-hypnotic seems to be one which is mentioned over on alt.med.fibromyalgia a lot as one which is especially good for sleep disturbance, and amitriptyline, an anti-depressant is also often used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 11, 1999 Report Share Posted October 11, 1999 what form of arthritis were you diagnosed with? Must not have been RA, cause morning stiffness and stiffness after sitting is pretty much a major trait of that particular form of arthritis. Mark rheumatic stiffness > From: M Carroll <LCARROLL@...> > > Hello group, > > There have been many wonderful improvements since starting the protocal but > I have one thing that did not happen before antibioitics that is happening > now...STIFFNESS!I never had morning stiffness or sleeping stiffness until I > started Doxicycline. I evne get stiff if I take a short nap. > > While I sleep the joints in my knees seem to cement together and it takes > all my might to move them and when I do it feels like they have been hit by > a hammer! > My shoulders are stiff, and the elbows but to " unstiffen " them doesn't > require this much effort or pain. > > Is there damage being done unbending the knees to have such horrible and > excrutiating pain? It make me feel as if I am going to pass out! > Does anyone else experience this? Thanks! > > I did stop prednisone this weekend and I haven't seemed to have had any > more stiffness or pain than usual. But I guess 1 mg wasn't doing all that > much anyway. > Any suggestions or input would be mucho appreciated! > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 11, 1999 Report Share Posted October 11, 1999 , Skip's first symptom of the RA was stiffness. It got so bad in 1988 that we set the alarm to go off 2 hours before she had to leave for work so she could try to get loosened up enough to work the gas pedal and brake pedal on the car. For a while she woke me up to help her to the bathroom if she needed to go in the night. Then the Dr. prescribed the Prednisone. The very next morning she woke me up at 4 a.m. to show me how she could dance around the bedroom. It had to be a miracle drug we thought. After a couple of years of high doses of prednisone we discovered a lot more about the drug and she slowly weaned herself off it and to this day will have nothing more to do with it. As she got off it, the stiffness returned. She still has the morning stiffness, although not nearly as bad as in '88, and after a couple of hours of riding in the car takes a while to loosen up. We figured that the stiffness was one of the first signs of the RA and will probably be one of the last to go. The stiffness you have was probably masked by the prednisone. We don't know if it will ever disappear completely but she is very much improved. Especially in the endurance area. The last month has been a real trial for her ( her brother had a triple bypass and her mother has severe back problems) and she has physically held up better than we had ever hoped for. Maybe someone else in the group can answer the question about the stiffness disappearing as the AP does its job. We can only pray for that to happen. Hang in there. Denny and Skip RA-12yrs AP-14months Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 12, 1999 Report Share Posted October 12, 1999 Thank you, . You reminded me that back in the " bad " old days Skip took cyclopenzaprine (Flexaril) and it helped. The only complaint she had was of feeling sort of out-of-it the next day. I will remind her when she calls, tomorrow, about taking it for the stiffness again. Denny rheumatic RE:Stiffness , Skip's first symptom of the RA was stiffness. It got so bad in 1988 that we set the alarm to go off 2 hours before she had to leave for work so she could try to get loosened up enough to work the gas pedal and brake pedal on the car. For a while she woke me up to help her to the bathroom if she needed to go in the night. Then the Dr. prescribed the Prednisone. The very next morning she woke me up at 4 a.m. to show me how she could dance around the bedroom. It had to be a miracle drug we thought. After a couple of years of high doses of prednisone we discovered a lot more about the drug and she slowly weaned herself off it and to this day will have nothing more to do with it. As she got off it, the stiffness returned. She still has the morning stiffness, although not nearly as bad as in '88, and after a couple of hours of riding in the car takes a while to loosen up. We figured that the stiffness was one of the first signs of the RA and will probably be one of the last to go. The stiffness you have was probably masked by the prednisone. We don't know if it will ever disappear completely but she is very much improved. Especially in the endurance area. The last month has been a real trial for her ( her brother had a triple bypass and her mother has severe back problems) and she has physically held up better than we had ever hoped for. Maybe someone else in the group can answer the question about the stiffness disappearing as the AP does its job. We can only pray for that to happen. Hang in there. Denny and Skip RA-12yrs AP-14months Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 1, 2006 Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 Hi All, I've been reading posts here for about 3 years (and occasionally participating). Something caught my eye when I read Gayle's letter to the group. It was about stiffness ....and even though stiffness is discussed frequently... and I hope this hasn't been discussed at length also..(MS brain you know)... I'm wondering why stiffness would appear or increase due to taking LDN..Endorphin production doesn't relate to stiffness does it ? I've mentioned before that I happen to be someone who has continued to take LDN only as a cost effective anti-depressant...since I seem to be one of those few where it has not stopped my " progression " nor caused any positive change in me except for mood (not a small thing).. At this point, I'm trying to recall if the stiffness which is always with me, began when I began taking LDN. (Note: a diary would be a great idea). Am considering going back to Prozac after reading Gayle's letter. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated. Take care, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 18, 2011 Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 Not really. But thanks Subject: Re: rheumatic stiffness cooky, does hot tub or sauna help you? sally Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 19, 2011 Report Share Posted March 19, 2011 How about fish oil? I take 9000 mg daily and swear by it, even tho the docs don't agree! Terri LN Ireland From: Cooky Stonkey <cookee1@...> Subject: RE: rheumatic stiffness rheumatic Date: Friday, March 18, 2011, 5:07 PM  Not really. But thanks Subject: Re: rheumatic stiffness cooky, does hot tub or sauna help you? sally Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 19, 2011 Report Share Posted March 19, 2011 If you are not already taking Omega 3's, fish oil or krill oil you could try that Kinga rheumatic stiffness Anybody have a supplement or vitamin that is for stiffness? Right now my body is so stiff (legs a lot more) and I stretch but it does no good. cooky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 21, 2011 Report Share Posted March 21, 2011 Just thought I would throw in here what I know about getting rid of Omega 6 (other than to give up everything you like eating)! What you can do is to get more omega 3 into you to offset the fact that you have too much omega 6, and distilled fish oil supplements provide the best source. If they are distilled they will be free from any harmful toxins like the heavy metals and PCB's found in fresh fish and be concentrated many times over in omega 3. I used to use a supplement high in DHA (an important fatty acid), the body converts it into a powerful anti-inflammatory chemical called Resolvin D2 to protect you from heart disease, lower cholesterol and relieve the symptoms of arthritis. DHA is also the main fatty acid found in the brain and helps to ensure proper functioning and research suggests it can help you to avoid degenerative neurological conditions like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Maz PS : If you don't want to take a supplement 'cold-water oceanic fish oils' are rich in DHA, so eat plenty of them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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