Just diagnosed with psa a couple of weeks ago! Had painful foot for 4 months then pain in one wrist. Wrist now swollen, painful (like really painful) and have spent last few days crying - don’t ask me why. Have been exhausted for a while, so guess it all fits in.
Due to start methotrexate tomorrow but scared!
Live in montreal, and as my name implies - love golf! Am hoping this isn’t the end of it all.
Can’t take nsaid’s or steroids as have bad reactions to both, and am also a type 1 diabetic. Pain is unbelievable and Tylenol doesn’t seem to touch it. Looking forward to meeting you all
Welcome to the group! It can take time for the meds to kick in, especially since you can’t use supporting meds like NSAIDs.
In the meantime, what about supportive therapies? This could include heat, ice, topical such as Icy Hot, etc. I’m wondering also whether seeing an OT might help. S/he could give you bracing suggestions to protect it, ultrasound, etc. also, if you’re willing, acupuncture for pain relief?
Hi Stoney - thanks for welcome! Am using heat and ice and have a wrist brace. Am definitely open to acupuncture - have a clinic very close, so will look into that! Due to start methotrexate today, so a little bit nervous about that!
Welcome - you have come to good place. Methotrexate can be a scary idea - but so many of us have been on this drug, and it has been used longer than many of us have been alive. Try not to focus on it too much. Ice/Heat therapy is good, you can learn to meditate to relieve the stress and anxiety related to chronic pain and there are many things that you can look into. Diet helps many sufferers, exercise when you get to the point that isn’t too painful and talk to your Doctor about other pain medication options. Tylenol has not worked for me since I was 13yrs old.
We are all here if you need emotional support or have questions - sometimes just gripping about it helps
I know the fear of taking is drug is irrational but it helps to be reassured by others. I love to exercise (golf and gym) but snow has put paid to golf and can’t even get my trainers on at the moment so gym will have to wait! To be honest just feeling exhausted at the moment so hopefully Meds will help and I can get back to some sort do normality! Anyway put off drugs til later today when my friend is around to distract me.
Most people here are using meds to control the disease. Many many people use MTX either on it’s own, or with a biologic. I added in a biologic nine months ago, after having been on dmards and NSAIDs only for the first six plus years following diagnosis. There are lots of different meds and combos of meds that can be used, and your doctor will help you find what works well for you, and it may change over time.
Golfnut said:
Thanks nic.pat!
I know the fear of taking is drug is irrational but it helps to be reassured by others. I love to exercise (golf and gym) but snow has put paid to golf and can't even get my trainers on at the moment so gym will have to wait! To be honest just feeling exhausted at the moment so hopefully Meds will help and I can get back to some sort do normality! Anyway put off drugs til later today when my friend is around to distract me.
I take Enbrel and Nsaids, as well as pain medications as needed. My wrists are killing me today. I have taken methotrexate in the past - it was great for my smaller joints, like fingers and wrists - but did nothing for my spine and SI joints.
About being tired all of the time. Sorry, that seems to come with the territory. I really do not remember the last time that I was not tired. Watch your diet, eat healthy, stay hydrated (very important) and get some form of exercise in when you can. A walk, some stretches anything you can.
Nic.Patterson
Sorry your wrists are hurting! I guess I’m lucky in that I only have it in the one wrist currently. I’ve only seen the rheumatologist once and there was no real discussion or anything, I was just told to take methotrexate! As I’m moving to toronto soon I will find another doc when I get there. Was lucky to get in so soon to see him as hospital appointment came through for march - can’t imagine surviving like this until march!!
It’s horrible to hear how others are suffering with this, but makes me feel lucky that mine was picked up quickly!
Hi Golfnut and welcome! Sorry about your wrist. Hopefully, this will be one of those PsA symptoms that disappears as fast as it appeared, and doesn't leave any permanent damage behind. I've had painful wrists many times and other pains that would go away, especially if I babied the area for awhile and used heat or ice. There are good wrist supports, and I used one with the metal piece for stability.
PsA is depressing and I'm sure the sadness is another symptom. :-( There are better days ahead. I felt so sad all the time before I started Enbrel. all the advice here is helpful to one degree or another. Most of us depend a lot on ice, heat, p.t., exercise (or just movement) and rest, as the other members mentioned. Rest is the tricky one because always feeling tired it can be all you want to do, but then the stiffness sets in and makes you feel even worse! But things will get better! Take care!
Thanks for the positive message grandma j. Am really hoping wrist settles down too. I think the depression I’m feeling is probably linked to the pain and the shock of diagnosis as I am never depressed. There’s an element of why me as having coped with diabetes for 16 years I was hoping not to get anything else - doesn’t seem to work like that. Anyway your message gave me a lift, so I am grateful for that!!
Yay that’s great news! Rheumatologist I saw didn’t fill me with confidence to be honest. Will ask him to do a referral for me before I move. Thanks for info
I’d suggest starting the referral asap, as it can take a while before you get in. Your family doctor can do that for you as long as you have a diagnosis from a rheumatologist. And then you will need a referral to a regular rheumatologist as well. I’m guessing that, from the point of view of your PsA, this will be a good move for you.
There, aren’t you glad that you met us? LOL
Well after much delay, finally took my first methotrexate 30 minutes ago! Am totally freaking out about it but pain is so severe, didn’t seem to have any other options! Fingers crossed xxx
Thanks seenie - trying to focus on the positives! Hoping this will help me get some of my life back! Gp gave me codeine for the pain but haven’t taken any as yet! Does anyone have any experience with this as not sure I can endure this pain for the next couple of months waiting for methotrexate to kick in!
Only side effects from methotrexate has been slight nausea which I’m managing with folic acid! Feel like I’m getting a sinus infection and wrist is getting worse. Tylenol just aren’t helping at all and I haven’t slept well in a couple of weeks! Pain relief options seem to be limited and I just feel so helpless and useless, don’t see rheumatologist again til January so looks like it’s not going to be a very merry Xmas!!
Sleep problems are terrible, aren’t they? Could you possibly go to your clinic and ask for some short term insomnia relief until the mtx kicks in (10-12 weeks, groaaaaan)? Most docs (the good ones, anyway) are reluctant to give sleep meds. Some of us here have had good luck with amitriptylene (an old-school anti-depressant) used at night only for sleep. Or trazodone, also an anti-depressant used the same way. These are not habit forming and can be very helpful. Worth asking about, and doctors seem to be more willing to dish these out than sleep meds.
I’d also be asking about short-term pain relief from your clinic. It’s highly unlikely that the rheumatologist will give you anything for pain. What kind of Tylenol are you taking? The arthritis formula, which is longer acting? Before my disease was under control, I found that the only way that I could get it to do any good was to take the maximum dose, non-stop. If I waited until I couldn’t tough the pain any more, Tylenol was about as effective as eating a tic tac.
Was thinking about asking for amitriptylene as had read it can be good for pain! Rang rheumatologist but all he could suggest was steroids and as I’m diabetic with high blood pressure and last time I took them I ended up in hospital, don’t really want to try these again! I’m on tylenol arthritis but only 2 a day - that’s what he said and worried about effect on liver with methotrexate as well! I know you’ve all been here but it just all feels so awful and depressing with no end in sight … Maybe if I get some pain-free moments things will seem brighter?
Hubby’s birthday today and all I want to do is go to bed! Don’t know how he puts up with it!