tendonitis

April 27, 2002

Hi Louise,

I have had tendonitis in my right shoulder for almost four years. But since I

had my first Remicade IV treatment on March 11, 2002, the pain and stiffness

in my right

shoulder has gone. Thus, Remicade works for me.

Sincerely,

Bill

April 27, 2002

dian46226 wrote:

>

> Hi Everyone. I haven't posted in about a year, but I'm still

> here ). Do any of you have problems with tendonitis?

<snip>

> [

April 27, 2002

i have an annoying case of " tennis elbow " (aka tendonitis) and my

rheum said that it is part of the PA ... i think i have it in my left

knee as well, but it's never been " officially " documented. my elbow

is a good indicator of when i need to take my next dose of meds,

because if i'm late it starts screaming!!

> >

> > Hi Everyone. I haven't posted in about a year, but I'm still

> > here ). Do any of you have problems with tendonitis?

>

> <snip>

>

> > [

April 28, 2002

wreid2@... wrote:

>

> Hi Louise,

>

> I have had tendonitis in my right shoulder for almost four years. But since I

> had my first Remicade IV treatment on March 11, 2002, the pain and stiffness

> in my right

> shoulder has gone. Thus, Remicade works for me.

>

> Sincerely,

>

> Bill

>

Hi Bill (do you still check the Totally Hip Web site? There's so much

traffic there I can't keep up!! :-)

It's great you're having such success with Remicade; it's great to hear

success stories of all kinds -- sometimes they seem much fewer than the

other kind, don't they!

It sounds like your tendonitis was constant? Maybe that's what the other

poster (have forgotten name) meant; mine on the other hand is very

intermittent. (I'm not even sure if that's necessarily what I have;

might be bursitis? I know for sure that before I had hip surgery, I had

trochanteric bursitis in that hip.) Anyway, since it comes and goes and

is fairly mild, I haven't paid overly much attention to it. Now if it

dogged me every day like my hands do, well that'd be another story. I've

recently (re)started the antibiotic protocol (with doxicycline)

hand-in-hand with supplementation (chondroitin, fish oils, etc.) for the

PA. I'm hopeful....!

congrats on the relief with Remicade,

--Louise

April 28, 2002

Tendonitis was my first symptom of PA, although it wasn't diagnosed at the

time. I now have it in my wrist, thumbs and elbow. I used acupuncture to

treat achilles tendonitis and it worked wonders compared to the taping and

injections and was much cheaper. Now I just have some burning on my heel

that won't completely go away.

And PS to whoever mentioned swollen ankles and Vioxx. That medication can

definitely cause swollen ankles and shins. Try going off the Vioxx and see

if it helps. I don't know what else to suggest for pain while you run this

little experiment so maybe it won't be practical, but I had to stop taking

Vioxx because it caused horrible swelling and tendonitis of my lower legs.

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April 28, 2002

Hi Louise,

Another suggestion for pain relief is Arava rather than prednisone. I hope

you feel

better soon. Take care and keep smiling.

Sincerely,

Bill in DC

April 28, 2002

Hi,

Yup, tendonitis is one of my biggest problems. I've had problems

with it flairing up for 10 years in my wrists. It's in my knees,

too. Other than my spine, PA shows up in my connective tissues more

than anything. I'm on NSAIDs and that's it. I ice up when I do

lots of walking. But if I don't watch it, it's easy for me to hurt

like heck after a day of normal activities.

-Diane

April 29, 2002

I read where has tendonitis of her thumbs. I would like to

know what you are doing for it. I have tendonitis of both thumbs now

and nothing is working. I've tried ice, heat, parrafin bath,

Biofreeze gel to relieve the pain. Also, currently breaking in a

hard molded splint to one thumb. Have they been injected with

Cortizone or are you just putting up with the pain or what. I'm

getting desperate. I can't stand this in both hands. It seems to

hurt worse than the PA in my joints. I need relief. Cassie

April 29, 2002

Mostly what I do for my tendonitis is preventative. I work as a nurse and

discovered that popping meds out of blister packs was really doing me in so

now I use my pen to poke a hole in the foil side so I don't need to push so

hard to get the pills out. I sometimes pass meds to 200 people in the jail

and that's a LOT of popping! Also, I avoid shaking hands, opening jars or

doing anything with my hands that I can avoid. I don't carry heavy things

that require me to grip them. I try not to clench my fingers around the

steering wheel (or the necks of any annoying people, and you know, they're

everywhere...) I take evening primrose oil daily for inflammation. When I

plan to do something that I know is likely to flare my hands or thumbs, I

take naproxen or ibuprophen before I even start and every 4 hours for at

least a day or two after. If I'm in pain anyway, despite all my

forethought, then I use Tylenol with naproxen, taking both at the same time

and use ice on my joints. Heat has never ever been comfortable. If I found

myself unable to stop the pain I'd opt for acupuncture again. It did

wonders for my achilles tendonitis. But so far, so good. I pulled weeds

and gardened yesterday and worked today and I'm fine, still chugging down

the naproxen but have had no pain or swelling.

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April 29, 2002

Carlson wrote:

>

> Tendonitis was my first symptom of PA, although it wasn't diagnosed at the

> time.

You know, now that you mention it, that might also have been mine. I

recall seeing a rheumy in the early 1980s for just such a symptom.

[years fly by ...] And then all of a sudden, the symptoms I had were way

more than tennis elbow/tendonitis. Weird, weird, weird.

--Louise

April 29, 2002

Whenever I get pills in blister packs (like samples, etc), I use a

small plank that I've drilled holes of various sizes in. I place each

pill in the blister pack over a hole that's just slightly larger than

the pill, and tap them with a small plastic hammer I bought at the

hardware store (a tack hammer works well too, just don't hit them too

hard - a gentle tap will do), and they pop right out. :-)

-- Ron

> Mostly what I do for my tendonitis is preventative. I work as

> a nurse and discovered that popping meds out of blister packs

> was really doing me in so now I use my pen to poke a hole in

> the foil side so I don't need to push so hard to get the pills

> out. I sometimes pass meds to 200 people in the jail

> and that's a LOT of popping!

April 30, 2002

Hi 3rd time trying to post a re-ply without getting

disconnected while trying to send my post. I'm an LPN and have to

spike feeding bags, pass meds, do nebulizer treatments followed by

chest PT. I use a mask from an ambu bag to do chest PT because it

fits my hand and has cushion next to the client. I cut open the pill

packs except for narcotics that must be punched out and open bottles

by placing the bottle on the cart, holding with left hand and

pressing and turning with the palm of the right hand. I use a small

pair of needle nose pliers to get the plugs out of gastrostomy

tubes. Most meds are given with a bulb syringe due to 22 out of 37

clients having G-tubes. Haven't figured a way that works for spiking

the feeding bags yet. They are like IV bags and are done on a pump.

I prefer ice also instead of heat for the tendonitis. I have orders

2 thumbs splints made from neoprene that have a stay in the thumb.

The hard molded splint I'm using is too difficult to work in. MTX

and Enbrel work OK otherwise. Need my Vioxx back that the Rheumy

didn't think I needed. Thanks for your re-ply. Cassie

May 1, 2002

Dear , Your symptoms are just like mine. I have tendonitis

all over my body. The pain is horrible. Currently I am taking 200

mg Celebrex morning and evening, MTX 22.5 mg once a week, and I just

started Remicade last week. Finally, I am experencing some relief!

I still have some pain, but it is much better and I can move easier.

The swelling in joints and tendons is going down. I am looking

forward to the next treatment next week. My rheummy STRONGLY

recommended Remicade. I had the frustrating experience of having to

wait for three months until the insurance finally agreed to pay for

the treatment. If your doctor thinks Remicade would help, I say " go

for it " . I experienced no side effects during the infusion. Hope

this helps. Lee

>

> >Mostly what I do for my tendonitis is preventative. I work as a

nurse and

> >discovered that popping meds out of blister packs was really doing

me in so

> >now I use my pen to poke a hole in the foil side so I don't need

to push so

> >hard to get the pills out.

>

> Tendonitis is my biggest problem. Vioxx is a total lifesaver for

me,

> and really seems to be the only thing that relieves tendon pain.

> I've also discovered that prevention is key, and have had to start

> paying close attention to my activities. I've stopped strength

> training , except for gentle yoga, since working out with weights

> seemed to really irritate my hands, elbows, knees and wrists.

>

> I'm taking MTX (10 mg/wk) along with the Vioxx (25 mg nightly), but

> am not sure if the MTX helps or not. I still have much pain in my

> feet, which are my worst problem. I'm considering asking my Rheumy

> for Remicade treatment. I'm not sure if this would help the

tendons,

> but from what I've read in recent posts, it would seem to make

sense.

> I just hope I can talk him into it.

>

> Anyone out there had relief from tendon problems using either

DMARDS

> or Remicade/Enbrel - or are anti-inflammatories most effective?

>

> --

> Boice

May 1, 2002

Accupuncture isn't covered by my insurance. How much did you pay for it? Is it

expensive? How many times did you have to go? Does it really work? Sorry for

all the questions. I am willing to try anything. I am sick of all these

medications. Nothing works. Makes me wonder if I should try a different

approach.

carlsonc@... 04/28/02 11:44AM >>>

Tendonitis was my first symptom of PA, although it wasn't diagnosed at the

time. I now have it in my wrist, thumbs and elbow. I used acupuncture to

treat achilles tendonitis and it worked wonders compared to the taping and

injections and was much cheaper. Now I just have some burning on my heel

that won't completely go away.

And PS to whoever mentioned swollen ankles and Vioxx. That medication can

definitely cause swollen ankles and shins. Try going off the Vioxx and see

if it helps. I don't know what else to suggest for pain while you run this

little experiment so maybe it won't be practical, but I had to stop taking

Vioxx because it caused horrible swelling and tendonitis of my lower legs.

_________________________________________________________________

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May 2, 2002

Dear Cassie and Others, I have suffered with tendonitis in multiple

joints for years. The most painful joints have been my right

shoulder, elbow, wrist and right thumb. I also have tendonitis in my

ankles at times. My rheummy has injected these joints multiple times

with steriods. In the beginning that helped for about a month - now

it only helps for 4-5 days. He told me that is a DEFINITE symptom of

PA. Othopedic doc has recommended multiple surgeries on my right

arm. I have just started Remicade. Rheummy recommends waiting for

Remicade to reduce inflamation before getting surgery. He says I may

not need surgery after Remicade. We shall see. I wear a supportive

cuff just below my right elbow during the day to help that joint. At

night I wear splints on both hands. I really didn't think splints

would do much, but they have made a huge difference.

I really " love " my new rheummy. He was an orthopedic surgeon for 8

years before going into Internal Medicine and specializing in

Rheumatology! What a deal! He is the best doc I have ever had for

knowing EXACTLY how and where to give steriod injections. They

still " hurt " but not as bad as when others have done it. He is also

very personable and takes time to really explain what's going on in

terms that I can understand. Wow!! I feel very blessed. His name

is Dr. Fan located in Dallas, Tx. Phone number is: 214-345-1400.

> I read where has tendonitis of her thumbs. I would like to

> know what you are doing for it. I have tendonitis of both thumbs

now

> and nothing is working. I've tried ice, heat, parrafin bath,

> Biofreeze gel to relieve the pain. Also, currently breaking in a

> hard molded splint to one thumb. Have they been injected with

> Cortizone or are you just putting up with the pain or what. I'm

> getting desperate. I can't stand this in both hands. It seems to

> hurt worse than the PA in my joints. I need relief. Cassie

May 2, 2002

The acupuncture treatments cost $70 each, very expensive unless you have

insurance. My insurance paid $60. After the first tx I could walk to my

car without pain. I was amazed but decided I was just having a placebo

reaction. The next morning the pain was back but not as bad. Two more txs

and I was in more pain than ever. At the 4th visit the doctor turned me

over to his wife who examined me (pulses and looked at my tongue just like

he did) and decided it was my back more than my foot. She put the needles

in my lower back, much more comfortable than the foot. I had 6 more txs and

have been fine ever since except for some occasional burning on my heel. So

over $600 compared to the $1300 tha had already been paid to the podiatrist

and that included cortisone shots to my heel - yikes!! My new insurance

doesn't cover alternative medicine so I'd be out of pocket but I think it

would be worth it.

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May 2, 2002

> Dear Cassie and Others, I have suffered with tendonitis in

multiple

> joints for years........I have just started Remicade. Rheummy

recommends waiting for

> Remicade to reduce inflamation before getting surgery. He says I

may

> not need surgery after Remicade. We shall see.

I have also had tendonitis, I guess, in my left shoulder. After the

x-rays/MRIs, we found out that rather than the torn rotator cuff

which we thought I had, I had NO tendons remaining, and my only

option was shoulder replacement surgery. Bummer!! I was in such

terrible pain that I was seriously considering it. But, I started

taking Enbrel, and what a miracle that has been. Enbrel hasn't

stopped all my other pains, but my shoulder pain has completely

gone. I will never get back the range of motion I have lost, but I

don't have the terrible discomfort that I was having 24/7.

But, my Enbrel delivery has been delayed and I have been taking

either l/2 doses, or just 1 shot a week now...and I am starting to

feel the first bit of discomfort. Hopefully, my meds will be

arriving any day.

I would love to be on Remicade, but insurance won't cooperate with

that right now. That may be my next battle.

May 2, 2002

Dear Edsall, I am so sorry to hear about your shoulder. You

must have been in terrible pain! I am so glad to hear that the

Enbrel has made such a dramatic difference for you. That gives some

hope for the rest of us! Here's hoping that you get your enbrel soon

before all the pain returns. Perhaps the fact that you cannot get

Enbrel would be a reason for your Rheummy to make an appeal to your

insurance. We had to go through the appeals process for my Remicade -

it took about 3 months, but it finally worked! Wishing you gentle

hugs. Lee

-- In @y..., " sandraedsall " <sedsall@s...> wrote:

>

> > Dear Cassie and Others, I have suffered with tendonitis in

> multiple

> > joints for years........I have just started Remicade. Rheummy

> recommends waiting for

> > Remicade to reduce inflamation before getting surgery. He says I

> may

> > not need surgery after Remicade. We shall see.

>

> I have also had tendonitis, I guess, in my left shoulder. After

the

> x-rays/MRIs, we found out that rather than the torn rotator cuff

> which we thought I had, I had NO tendons remaining, and my only

> option was shoulder replacement surgery. Bummer!! I was in such

> terrible pain that I was seriously considering it. But, I started

> taking Enbrel, and what a miracle that has been. Enbrel hasn't

> stopped all my other pains, but my shoulder pain has completely

> gone. I will never get back the range of motion I have lost, but I

> don't have the terrible discomfort that I was having 24/7.

>

> But, my Enbrel delivery has been delayed and I have been taking

> either l/2 doses, or just 1 shot a week now...and I am starting to

> feel the first bit of discomfort. Hopefully, my meds will be

> arriving any day.

>

> I would love to be on Remicade, but insurance won't cooperate with

> that right now. That may be my next battle.

May 3, 2002

Dear _and_Lee, My ortho doc also wanted to fuse the joint in my

thumb but I refused for know. I've had 3 injections to the right

thumb. If I ever do get the surgery then I will find another doc to

do it. The original ortho doc I had was in the same office but he

retired last January. I don't like the others in that group and

overheard one of them talking about another patient who was fixing to

lose the use of both hands and they had not referred her to a hand

surgeon. The ortho docs there do not specialize in that area. The

closest one who does is about 100 miles away. All the docs who see me

said it is best to get a hand surgeon. I always thought ortho docs

could do surgery on joints no matter where the bones were located but

the hands are tricky according to them and they are to precious for

me to use function of that particular body part. I'm going to

discuss it again next time I see my Rheumy. The make replacement

joints for knees, and hips, ankles and I may have dreamed it but I

think I was told they make replacement joints for fingers but that

they don't work well. Cassie

June 5, 2002

Hi Louise -

Im reading your reply to Bill belatedly. How's your experience w/

doxicyclene?? My Rheumy dissed it as thoroughly discredited out of date

medical theory. I'll be interested in anything you can tell me. I've had

PA x almost 3 yrs; taking Vixoxx and Plaquenil, w moderate results.

Thanks in advance,

e Dixon-Moses

At 07:48 AM 4/28/2002 -0700, you wrote:

>

>wreid2@... wrote:

>>

>> Hi Louise,

>>

>> I have had tendonitis in my right shoulder for almost four years. But

since I

>> had my first Remicade IV treatment on March 11, 2002, the pain and

stiffness

>> in my right

>> shoulder has gone. Thus, Remicade works for me.

>>

>> Sincerely,

>>

>> Bill

>>

>Hi Bill (do you still check the Totally Hip Web site? There's so much

>traffic there I can't keep up!! :-)

>

>It's great you're having such success with Remicade; it's great to hear

>success stories of all kinds -- sometimes they seem much fewer than the

>other kind, don't they!

>

>It sounds like your tendonitis was constant? Maybe that's what the other

>poster (have forgotten name) meant; mine on the other hand is very

>intermittent. (I'm not even sure if that's necessarily what I have;

>might be bursitis? I know for sure that before I had hip surgery, I had

>trochanteric bursitis in that hip.) Anyway, since it comes and goes and

>is fairly mild, I haven't paid overly much attention to it. Now if it

>dogged me every day like my hands do, well that'd be another story. I've

>recently (re)started the antibiotic protocol (with doxicycline)

>hand-in-hand with supplementation (chondroitin, fish oils, etc.) for the

>PA. I'm hopeful....!

>

>congrats on the relief with Remicade,

>--Louise

>

June 25, 2002

e Dixon-Moses wrote:

> Hi Louise -

>

> Im reading your reply to Bill belatedly. How's your experience w/

> doxicyclene?? My Rheumy dissed it as thoroughly discredited out of date

> medical theory. I'll be interested in anything you can tell me. I've had

> PA x almost 3 yrs; taking Vixoxx and Plaquenil, w moderate results.

Hi; I've been away from this list for nearly a month (!) ... not on purpose,

though.........anyway, in answer to your question, my experience is: so far, so

good. In conjunction with the doxy, I take specific supplements (in my case,

chondroitin/glucosamine, EPA/ fish oil capsules, Ultraflora probiotics, calcium,

and vitamin B-100 complex), plus Celebrex. I haven't noticed a tremendous

improvement thus far, but I've been on this only since early April. As you (may)

know, the antibiotic regimen can take up to several years

to have positive results, particularly if the underlying condition is

long-standing. Which mine is.

I've had the official diagnosis of PA for about 3 years; however, on examining

my own medical history, I know for sure that I actually had the beginnings of PA

almost 20 years ago. ONLY NOBODY KNEW IT. At the time, I had " trigger finger. " A

couple years later, " tennis elbow. " Etc., etc., etc. -- this is a very sneaky

ailment.

Ah well -- I'm doing pretty well, considering. (I define " pretty well " for

myself in terms of functionality -- I can do what I want, mostly. I do have

several enlarged knuckles, and some limited range of motion in my hands, that

I'm probably stuck with.)

Interesting that your rheumy has decided doxy is thoroughly discredited and out

of date. On what basis?? If anything, the antibiotic protocol that Dr.

MacPherson Brown originally put forth, with the more recent help of Henry

Scammell in the book " The New Arthritis Breakthrough, " has been borne out by

further tests and trials, _not_ discredited. But if the Vioxx and Plaquenil are

working for you, then all to the good.

--Louise

December 12, 2009

Hi Everyone,

I hope everyone is doing really good. I know I am really ready for Santa!

I have been on antibiotics (mostly Minocin) for 11 years with IV's to start.

So I slacked off this spring and started having problems this fall. After

restarting antibiotics I realized the pain is not like rheumatoid. It is

tendonitis in different areas depending on the day. They don't travel like

rheumatoid does. To give you an idea, My left ankle tendon feels like it is

" going out " or wants to break. I splint it for a few days and its better.

Both rotator cuffs behaved the same way but I just din't use them as much as

I was able to not. Knees both.the same. Knees only hurt when going

downstairs. I also have osteo in my fingers.

So do any of you ,that do a lot of looking on the medical sites know

anything about such a disease as compared to RA? I have been using curcumin

because OTC and script meds really upset my stomach. Anybody have any other

ideas of meds specifically for tendonitis? Supplements?? Ideas?? Hepl!

Hugs

cooky

December 12, 2009

Hi, Cooky!

Â

I don't think I'm quite ready for the holidays, yet, but I am really glad I have

enthusiastic kids who are willing to jump in and help decorate, wrap, or bake

when I run out of steam!Â : )

Â

I was wondering if you have compared your symptoms to those of fibromyalgia?Â I

have fibro with my RA, and I didn't realize I had two different issues until a

rheumatologist pointed out that many of my pains weren't in my actual joints.Â

Any fibro website can probably show an anatomical map of the sore points typical

of fibro.Â I think the first time the doc tested those sore points, I scored a

100%.Â I had never even heard of fibro!

Â

Best wishes!Â I know one of the hardest parts of medical issues is just

figuring what the problem actually is!

Â

Blessings!

Terri

From: Cooky Stonkey <cookee1@...>

Subject: rheumatic tendonitis

" rheumatic " <rheumatic >

Date: Saturday, December 12, 2009, 7:40 PM