Friday was a very bad day. I woke up pretty much fine, but with maybe a little more pain and stiffness than usual, nothing that brought up any concerns for me. Around noon, after I'd been sitting in the same chair for about 3 hours doing homework I got up and realized my knee was REALLY swollen all of a sudden. When I walked it felt like I was walking on a super full water balloon, but there was little to no pain, so I iced it up, took some tylenol arthritis and went about my day. By 2:30 the pain started getting bad, and I basically had to hop on one foot to get my daughter from the bus stop because I was having trouble putting weight on that knee. Then by 8pm the knee was the size of a large grapefruit/ small cantaloupe and I could not bear the pain anymore. So I went to the ER because I thought maybe it was something like a blood clot and I was really worried and scared. They took X-rays and found a little fluid and a whole lot of inflammation. Gave me some pain meds, crutches and a knee brace and sent me on my way. Saturday I couldn't walk at all. Yesterday I was able to get around the house a little with help, and today I am able to get around the house on my own.
This was the absolute most terrifying experience I have ever had with PsA to date. I went from being pretty much fine to completely immobile in less than 12 hours. Some one has got to find a cure for this!
I had a similar experience a couple of weeks ago with my foot. I have plantar fasciitis, so when my foot started hurting i iced it like i always do when it hurts. the next morning it was worse and by the eve, i had to get help to bed, took a pain pill and prayed for relief. the next am, i couldn't put any weight on the leg. i was crawling around until my hubby brought me crutches. i saw 2 docs over 2 days and a cortisone injection into the foot by a podiatrist helped over 3 days. it came on sooo fast, like you. i've been on crutches many times due to psa. Motivates me to keep taking the meds, right? Stem cell tx in panama is the closest thing to a cure right now, i guess. my bil did it for his M.S. and he's not had symptoms since. Food for thought.
Hey Rm, I can't say what is normal for everybody, but I have what my Rhu. calls "very aggressive" PsA, and this has NEVER happened before with me, so it is not normal for me. I called my Dr. this morning, waiting for a call back, If I have the opportunity, I will ask if this is normal or something she sees often. I can tell ya it pretty well scared the crap outta me, I honestly did not know if it was PsA related or not until the x-rays came back showing it was "just" inflammation
idk, I've had a ton of stress and havent been watching my diet like I should, might have something to do with it.
I've never had it happen with big joints like that. But I've definitely gone to sleep with my hands ok, and woken up with intense pain in one or more joints. I usually splint and they improve over time. The biggest joint that I've had similar with is in my ankle, where I've come up lame for a few days at a stretch. That's really frightening.
Scary stuff, Angie. I haven't had swelling to that extent but I do get really odd swelling in my calves and forearms (attachment points). I'm pretty careful with my diet, but when I'm stressed--BAM! Hope you're back to your usual self soon.
Thanks everybody. Yeah, I'm taking 20 mg/ day of prednisone since saturday, had my MTX day Saturday, and took my Simponi shot yesterday, and I am significantly better. I am able to walk to the bus stop (slowly) to get my daughter and do little things around the house. This is a HUGE improvement, as Saturday I was not able to walk at all.
It is just tough because it was completely unexpected. When I was in the ER and the tech was showing me how to use the crutches I just kinda broke down. Unrelated to the ER visit, I have lost complete mobility in my right ankle from PsA and wear an arizona boot to keep it stabalized and because I am so used to keeping weight off that ankle, I basically have had to retrain myself how to walk again to keep the weight off my other leg. Both my wrists are also fused which makes crutches not impossible, but a little more difficult. The tech at one point, after having to catch me from falling for the millionth time on the crutches asked if I'd like a walker. LOL, if looks could kill, he'd of been a dead man, but I just started crying, "I'm only 34!" and I don't think there was a dry eye in the room.
I'm a team captain for our local arthritis walk on the 8th, and I don't know if I'm going to be able to do it, and it is just breaking my heart. We have got to work to find a cure for this. It is ridiculous.
Now, I'm working on keeping my spirits up, doing what I can and accepting my limitations for the time being. I'll see my Rhu tomorrow and see where that goes. I'm thinking a cortisone shot will probably do a world of good.
Being confronted with new limitations is always devastating. I'm glad you're doing better but sorry about what you are going through. Would forearm crutches work better with your fused wrists? I've heard good things about the Millenial ones. I know what you mean about not using a walker. It seems ridiculous to use one at a young age.
Are you kidding? do you know how much "stuff" you can haul with one with the basket on it. Just be sure and set the brake when using the stool (trust me on this, they can scoot pretty quickly.) I saw a lady with a scooter for her ankle the other day. Looked kinda cool sorta like a peg leg with wheels on it, could entertain the kids too visions of em scooting around the room on a "chopper"
Don't let silly "pride" keep you from using mobility aids when needed. If they take stress off a joint it can heal or keep you moving a whole lot longer. take a look in the mirror when naked. You will notice your derriere' already has crack. Fall because of poor balance, it won't take much to break it, Then you DO have a problem. :-) :-)
Marietta said:
Being confronted with new limitations is always devastating. I'm glad you're doing better but sorry about what you are going through. Would forearm crutches work better with your fused wrists? I've heard good things about the Millenial ones. I know what you mean about not using a walker. It seems ridiculous to use one at a young age.
Are you kidding? do you know how much "stuff" you can haul with one with the basket on it. Just be sure and set the brake when using the stool (trust me on this, they can scoot pretty quickly.) I saw a lady with a scooter for her ankle the other day. Looked kinda cool sorta like a peg leg with wheels on it, could entertain the kids too visions of em scooting around the room on a "chopper"
Don't let silly "pride" keep you from using mobility aids when needed. If they take stress off a joint it can heal or keep you moving a whole lot longer. take a look in the mirror when naked. You will notice your derriere' already has crack. Fall because of poor balance, it won't take much to break it, Then you DO have a problem. :-) :-)
Marietta said:
Being confronted with new limitations is always devastating. I'm glad you're doing better but sorry about what you are going through. Would forearm crutches work better with your fused wrists? I've heard good things about the Millenial ones. I know what you mean about not using a walker. It seems ridiculous to use one at a young age.
So, in a bizarre twist, my Rhu said I'm doing better than ever and DECREASED my methotrexate. I said, "huh?" At my visit today I explained everything, brought the x-rays and told her about my knee over the weekend. "It looks fine today" is what she said, and "I didn't see anything on the x-rays" she said that in fact, I seem to be doing better than ever if we look at the overall picture. She said my knee was like a "zit" something that just happens, it just comes and goes and not to worry. She said I am find to continue to exercise and that I should get as physically active as possible. All good News! Except this is coming 5 days after an ER visit. She said I did not need to come back again for 4 months. This is all so bizarre. I don't know if I trust this, but my knee did get better pretty fast. I kinda feel like maybe I blew it out of proportion? I don't know, I'm embarrassed.
I don't think you over reacted nor is there need to be embarrassed as it sounds as if you have a lot going on right now and "re-active" arthritis can come and go that quickly it doesn't really sound like psoriatic arthritis but something was going on and appears to be over. I am sending you lots of hugs and prayers as you seem to be of need of them!
Your definitely not over reacting! When a major joint goes out of whack all of a sudden its a frightening experience as well as an extremely painful one.
Monday evening my right shoulder went Pop! I ended up on the kitchen floor cos the pain, sickness and dizziness was going to make me faint…I just got on the floor and stayed there til my head cleared enough to get up lol. With my sons help (who was horrified at the swelling) I iced, took pain meds and prayed for the best as I was off to London (covent garden) for a girlie few days with a friend…Well I had a fantastic couple of days ok, my friend had to help me dress and I reduced my luggage to half so just had a small bag on wheels, but I coped and enjoyed. Still tender and reduced mobility.
Unfortunately I think this is normal for us that these things happen, I just know I’m so lucky it hasn’t happened to my knees, hips and not my feet for a good few years and wouldn’t you know it, I’d only seen my Doc on the Friday before!
Just a quick update. I am back on my feet and doing pretty good. Yesterday I walked a slow mile and I was fine. Today I went for a nice two and a half mile walk and I am totally fine. Looks like I'm going to be alright to walk (not run) the arthritis foundation's 5k next week! :o)
Thanks for all the nice comments and suggestions and everything! <3 you guys!
ok, my friend had to help me dress and I reduced my luggage to half so just had a small bag on wheels, but I coped and enjoyed. Still tender and reduced mobility.