Hey everybody. I’m still new to this even though I was diagnosed in 2004. Just recently started having many problems. I commented on my post from the other day about waking up extremely swoomy, dizzy, “drunk” and had a horrible headache . Almost like a hangover.
And btw, I don’t drink alcohol and I’ve even cut back on the caffeine, but gotta have my coffee when I get up. But coffee was making my head hurt worse. I drank some water, then Orange juice, ate a little bit. Somewhat better but I’m still a bit light headed and my headache has eased off.
I was reading some older discussions trying to figure out why I woke up like I did. It occurred to me that I may have just overdone it the past couple of days. My husband insisted I go with him to the campsite Thursday and yesterday I had to get my homemade soaps and groceries for the week. It was 95 with a heat index of 105 both days during the hottest part of the day.
So, I have a high pain tolerance, from what my doctors have told me. Like on the pain scale I’ll say my pain is about 5 or 6 but my bp will be way up. So I think overdoing it, plus hurting, add on that I wasn’t sleeping well, and maybe a bit dehydrated, equals high bp= headache and “drunkedness” hangover feeling.
Has anyone else ever had this happen?? Is my theory sound? Or am I totally off?
Thank you for reading. Prayers everyone has a pain free day. God bless.
Six years since I was diagnosed. Six. And still I have trouble processing the fact that overdoing things, getting knackered, getting dehydrated, blah blah blah etc. will result in rather more unpleasantness than would be the case if I did not have PsA.
Thank you hunny. i think I’m catching on. Lol or at the least figured out the why’s for today. Now tomorrow…Lol is to be seen.
My husband agreed with me, actually he suggested that I had overdone it. But it meant a lot to him that I was there. But I was determined not to stay the night. His mama would have had the air off or set up to 80! No way I could have gotten any rest. Not to mention the bed in the camper. After getting upset with him, he finally agreed that we wouldn’t stay the night. Thank God!!!
He seen how bad I was today before he went to work so maybe he’ll be more considerate of me next time. I’m hoping anyway.
Well the dizziness, “drunk” feeling seems to be gone but the headache keeps coming back. I think I need some restful sleep.
I’ll let y’all know what happens in the morning, well afternoon, when I get up. (My husband works night shift and for now I’m not working so I’m on his schedule. And I’m a night owl anyway lol)
Hopes and prayers every one has a good restful night.
Hey y’all.
Good news, didn’t wake up with “drunk” feeling but had a headache. Question: can PsA cause headaches?? My neck and left shoulder have been hurting, stuff, spasming a lot lately, could that cause headaches too? Would the headache be something that I need to make sure I tell the rheumatologist in August??
Hi Angie,
PsA can definitely cause headaches–probably more from the neck stiffness, though, I would think. I have little headaches almost every day. I think mine are from a blood pressure pill I take. But, I also have pain and stiffness in my neck that radiates into/around the base of my skull and the sides of my head…really annoying even though it’s not painful enough to be too concerned about.
The frequent or constant nagging minor pain can really wear you down, though, can’t it? For me, it’s usually not enough reason to take a pain pill, but today I took some Excedrin–I was just too uncomfortable!
Hey @Grandma_J. Thank you for your input.
I’m sorry for your pain and discomfort. This nagging “toothache pain” is very tiring.
I just got back from the gyno appointment. I take 600mg ibuprofen and 500mg Tylenol every 6 to 8 hours depending on how bad I’m hurting. If I’m not hurting I wait until I am. I can’t handle enough Excedrin or anything with aspirin in it to help with my pain. I’m very aspirin sensitive. I understand that annoying kind of pain.
I went grocery shopping before coming home today. My shoulder and neck almost had me in tears.
Good news is my gyno is taking everything more seriously about me and my condition now. Thank God! She gave me a prescription for methylprednisolone, name brand is medrol. 6 days pack with 21 pills. She also prescribed a modified Myers infusion that I’ll have to go to the office to get next week and have to get it for either 4 or 6 weeks, I can’t remember which she said. Praying I’m not allergic to any of it or have any kind of reaction except good results!
Praying that the Excedrin helps you feel better.
Hi Angie,
Excedrin always helps my headaches…if I feel one coming on I usually take one Excedrin right away. If the pain got bad, I doubt it would help, though. I’ve reserved the stronger doses of OTC pain meds for the worst pain, which has been my feet for the past couple of years, but the pain varies in intensity. It sounds like you have tons of pain in many places! Before I started Enbrel I had a lot of tendonitis and achiness, but not severe pain. I’ve been lucky that way, although like we both said, the nagging toothachy pain gets really unbearable when it never lets up!
My back went out a few years ago and the pain in my butt and down my leg was horrible. I’m lucky it “healed” (not sure if it healed or caused stenosis because the weakness in my legs is coming from something and I think it’s my back). Anyway, that was the only time I took large doses of Ibuprofen and for three weeks–the max dose. At first it barely touched the pain–just enough to keep me from going to the ER and begging for surgery!!! Like you, I can’t handle NSAIDS in large doses, but I do take an 81mg aspirin for my heart.
I think the Medrol will help you a lot–when my doctor gave me prednisone, I was on top of the world. It would be nice to have a steady dose of that, but it’s not good for us. However, my 93-year old mom has been on a small dose for years. She just had a bout with polymyalgia and had to take a larger dose for several weeks. Now she’s on a maintenance dose of 7mg daily. It has her looking a little puffy in her face and her glucose number has been above normal. But, at her age, she needs to take whatever works to keep her feeling well and not in so much pain!
Hey @Grandma_J. (I’m remembering the @ almost every time now )
I’m very sensitive to medication, especially certain kinds. I’ve got some chewable baby aspirin that I can take but not more than one at a time. And just one doesn’t touch the pain most the time. Oh my! You were in a lot of pain before the enbrel. God bless you and prayers for you. I have pain and or “toothache pain” in several places through my body. The worse is my left shoulder that goes up into my neck. When it’s hurting, I can’t do anything! Messes with my thinking too. my lower back and hips are a combo pain. They like to make me near bout cry when they get to hurting. I can’t stand in one place for more than a few minutes like I need to to do household things. I get the weak legs too. Feels like jelly or just not there at times. Pretty strange huh?
Sure praying the medrol helps and I don’t have any allergic reactions to it. That’s my biggest concern is that I will have a reaction to it.
That’s so great about your mom! God bless her and keep her! I can only hope to see 93! I probably wouldn’t be able to walk or even take care of myself if I do tho but still.
I’m sure trying to hunny. I was stressed to the max last night and one in law decided to make it worse. But I don’t think they understand what PsA is or is doing to me. My husband is just realizing lately.
Thank you and you take care too!
PsA can give you aches everywhere and anywhere. I didn’t have headaches, but I did get into bed every night, aching from the waist down. What helped that was a muscle relaxant. Headaches can be caused by muscle tension too … I wonder if a muscle relaxant would help?
If the medrol helps, that gives you a pretty good clue about whether you have inflammation going on.
None of this is “strange” Angie. What’s strange is how some docs who should know, are clueless. Did your PCP really diagnose you with PsA, give you neurontin, and not refer you to a rheumatologist?
Hey @Seenie.
Thank you for your input.
I’m definitely figuring that out. Headaches, leg cramps and spasms, shoulder pain, neck pain, and on and on. Being so sensitive to medication and having low tolerance and allergic to almost everything it seems, muscle relaxers that I’ve tried, make restless leg syndrome worse. I did fInd one that I could use without that effect but I’d wake up feeling like I had a hangover. That’s what I don’t like about most pharmaceuticals.
My orthopedic doctor said I had a lot of inflammation in my shoulder which seemed to surprise him. I had bone spurs in it too along with the tearing of the main tendon on top and the ligaments inside the joint. My gyno seems to think my feet, ankles are swollen from inflammation. I’d be surprised if it’s not inflammation.
Thank you for that! I feel like a hypochondriac! I really need confirmation from a specialist.
Oh yes hunny the pcp at that time sure did. He tested for everything I believe that could be tested for. R A was negative. Thyroid was normal but on the low normal side.
MRI was inconclusive for MS. After all of the tests didn’t point to one specific diagnosis, he said so you have PsA and having abnormal nerve sensations. Huh. Yeah. Seriously! At that time I was pretty naive and didn’t even ask about a specialist. I thought he was the doctor so to speak lol
He prescribed me the neurontin and told me to come back in a couple of weeks. I did as I was told lol
For years I haven’t had many problems with it. I dealt with it, each symptom as they showed up and things settled down or I’d cope with them with otc meds and supplements and trying to keep my weight down. Since I’ve been out of work and really unable to do much physically, my weight has increased and especially since February, the hysterectomy, I guess, upset my body to the point it hates me now.
I like to think I’m a bit wiser now and know to make myself heard one way or another. I’m so thankful that my gyno is FINALLY listening and taking everything more seriously.
No rheumatologist yet? I hope your gyno (haha, that first autocorrected to ‘Gino’ and then ‘guns’ LOL ) refers you to one asap!!! Even tho your gyno at least figured out it’s PsA…
Wow, I’m wondering if that hysterectomy caused all your symptoms to snowball, huh? Sad sad sad we can’t have surgeries w/o triggering something awful!!!
So sorry your inlaw was insensitive—sometimes they, and even friends, can be that way. Seems they just don’t get it!
As far as not being able to think straight (I think you said something like that earlier ), yes the pain can get in your head and take over. I seem to have my worst issues in the forefront of my thoughts a lot of the time and it’s annoying! Seenie and I have similar problems—from our waist down we’re a mess! I’m chuckling, something about that comment seems funny (probably that my husband would prefer it not to be a mess, but yeah, I won’t go there!)
Anyway, sounds like you’re doing pretty well considering! Keep up the doctor visits and get to a rheumy to move ahead with treatment specific to PsA.
Hey @Grandma_J.
My gyno has referred me to a rheumatologist. My first appointment is aug 23rd. (Auto correct is funny!)
Oh most definitely could drive me crazy if I let the thoughts get to me. It seems my problems are from head to toes. If it’s not my shoulder and neck, it’s my hips and lower back causing me pain. (Yeah I hear ya! My husband is just like that! Sorry for them, bahaha, sorry for us, right?!)
I’m dealing with it all as best I I can. It would help tremendously if family and in laws were more understanding and concerned. But such is life.
Oh definitely going to keep my appointments and do what the docs tell me to, to the best of my ability anyway.
Hey @Seenie. Thank you for the suggestions for preparation.
Just took pictures of my knees and ankles. Hands aren’t swollen today, go figure. I don’t know if my shoulder and my neck are swollen. I’ll have a get my husband to check and get pictures if they are tomorrow.
I made a list of every part that hurts or swollen last week actually. I wrote down everything, and I do mean everything! Lol should I do that daily tho?
I will for sure accept any treatment or therapy he suggests or prescribes.
Thank you again!
I’m so thankful to have found this forum!
Noting symptoms daily can be cathartic or it might make you more anxious. Only you can decide whether it’s a good idea for you or not. But however often you make a note, there will come a time when you can sift through and pick out the main points ready for your appointment.
I’ve been attending various appointments with my adult son and eventually he got sent to rheumatology (fortunately it doesn’t look like he has PsA). He has had so many concerning symptoms over the years, it was really hard to get 'em down to a list short enough to convey without sending the doctors to sleep. But by the time he trucked up at rheumatology he’d nailed it & it was interesting watching someone else in the hot seat. His list was fairly concise and he was able to relate all the key issues with confidence. It’s a process worth putting some time and thought into for sure.
Hey @Sybil. Thank you for your input.
I’ve just been adding new aches, pains and swelling to the list when they appear or noticed. I’m not sure if a daily listing would help me. Honestly I think it would make me more anxious. Oh yes I’ll definitely have to condense it somehow. It’s a bit of a long list. Lol (funny that it’s so long but kinda saddens me too but if I don’t laugh, I’ll probably start crying.
That’s great your son doesn’t have this awful disease! Thank God!! prayers for you and your son.
i think I’m catching on. Lol or at the least figured out the why’s for today. Now tomorrow…Lol is to be seen.
)
) refers you to one asap!!! Even tho your gyno at least figured out it’s PsA…
), yes the pain can get in your head and take over. I seem to have my worst issues in the forefront of my thoughts a lot of the time and it’s annoying! Seenie and I have similar problems—from our waist down we’re a mess! I’m chuckling, something about that comment seems funny (probably that my husband would prefer it not to be a mess, but yeah, I won’t go there!)