Rheumatoid Arthritis

[gleaveyweave]

Hi all. My mum, who is now 56 was diagnosed with PMR 5 years ago and then a couple of years later the doctors decided that the PMR had gone and diagnosed RA. She takes methotrexate (sp?) and naproxen. For the last month she has been in great pain around her shoulders/neck/arms - so much so, that she is only managing a couple of hours sleep a night and is understandably exhaused and getting really down about it. She has been to the doctor but he just says that she should keep taking the naproxen and it will pass. I have a couple of questions - her pain is more in the muscles than the joints and the methotrexate/naproxen combo is not helping so could she have been wrongly diagnosed and also if this is RA, is it normal for a "flare-up" to last so long? I am really worried about her and would be really grateful to hear from anyone with any experience of RA as the internet is a bit of a minefield! TIA x

[bednobs]

My flare ups seem to last forever, and can quite easily be a month.althought it sounds to me like the PMR has come back, given where the pain is. When is she due to see a consultant next? has she had a blood test recently that showed increased inflammation? Anyway, as you probably know, that type of pain can be very hard to manage for both the patient and the doctor, however, there is nothing stopping her adding in 4 grams of paracetamol a day, which can give trememndous relief (unless she is on something else containing paracetamol) There is also nothing stopping her doctor prescribing more conventional pain killers like codiene or dihydrocodiene or even morphine (i have had all three in the past and was also on morphine patches) As another idea, she could try a different anti-inflammatory to see if that makes a difference (i have never found that the different anti-inflammatories are the same strength, eg if i take naproxen it dosent seem to help the pain as much as diclofenac or indomethacin)

[gleaveyweave]

Thank you very much for your answer bednobs, I will pass that info on to her. Hope you are well at the moment x

[Eve]

Ps, RA can be picked up in a blood test for RF Factor.

GP should be able to tell you if that backs it up or if it was diagnosed on symptoms.

[bednobs]

while that is partially true, you can get ra without the presence of rhuematoid factor

[gleaveyweave]

Funny you say that bednobs, my mum went to the doctor when this flare-up started and her RF was normal. Such a complicated illness.
Thanks again for your answers and to jenna too.

[andrea81]

My father has this and has battled with it for over 10 years now! to be honest, his medication has changed so many times as different ones have different side effects.

He has a really good doctor and together they have found the right combination of drugs. His flare ups are few and far between now but there are triggers..... chocolate.... alcohol....... over exerting himself etc...

A man who my dad knows uses Acupuncture and swears by it, but my dad is a bit too conventional to consider it!

[gleaveyweave]

Thanks Andrea, I think my mum would try anything at the moment!