I’m wondering if I am very typical. If I walk, bike ride or do any form of exercise or things like sand an antique chair or wax the car, I’m pretty pain free. But when I lay down for a nap after I’ve had movement etc, after 15-20 minutes the cloud of stiffness descends, my joints all seize up and then the pain sets in. It takes 10 minutes of hobbling around and slowly opening and closing my hands etc. before things limber up and the stiffness fades. Pain moves from bad to not so bad…some joints just hurt all the time. Another example, I come in from some gentle yard work, sit down for a meal, and by time I’m finished, I can hardly get out of the chair…hand shoulders, neck feet, elbows…just stiffen right up. Again, this fades with motion. (I know, eat faster, right?)
Is the stiffness common to set in so quickly?
Why does rest trigger pain and stiffness? You’d think rest would help.
Is there a scientific explanation for the rapid seizing up?
I’m heading into my 3rd shot of Taltz on Sunday so I’ve finished month 2. Still waiting for improvement. I’m only taking Celebrex for pain and it sure isn’t as effective as some other meds that start with P. but If I can help it, I’m not going back to the “zone”…(Prednisone)
Yes the same can happen with me. For example I tend to walk my dog at lunchtime in the working day. So I come back and sit at my laptop for the afternoon. On getting up again my back will certainly be very stiff and much of the rest of me too. Same as it is when I get up in the morning as well. It can improve at times but generally I’ve just decided it’s just PsA. It’s what it does.
I’m guessing you haven’t quite got the knack of pacing yet. In all seriousness pacing means waxing the back of the car and then taking a break and doing something different with your body for 15 minutes or so before tackling the front of your car and so on.
An easier example to use is something like housework (I’m so grateful I have a cleaner) but in that scenario you would wash the kitchen floor, then take a break and only then start hoovering the living room floor but you would never go from one to other without a break. Or you would load the dishwasher but come back later to wipe down the counters.
So pacing means breaking the tasks down and doing a little at a time so your body isn’t stuck in the same motion for too long like the motion of waxing a car or sanding down an antique chair. Or indeed my lack of motion of sitting at my laptop for the afternoon after walking my dog. You would do each of those in stages. I should step away from my laptop more often in the afternoon too.
Go google the Spoon Theory. The original one by I think her name is Christina something - I can’t remember her last name. But it is excellent on explaining why we much pace.
The science boriehind stiffening up is relatively simple, all that synovial fluid and lactic acid is being buffetted by your insane immune system so aids stiffening up excellently.
Incidentally Celebrex isn’t a pain killer it’s an anti-inflammatory - its aim is try and take down the extent of inflammation which at best will simply provide some more comfort. But a pain killer it is not. For non prescription pain relief you’re better off taking two paracetemol (whatever you call them on the other side of the pond) every 4 hours up to the max of 8 per 24 hours every single day. Along with the Celebrex. You’ll notice after a few days the pain relief is actually happening. But you’ve got to rigidly take it on time.
Thanks @Poo_therapy, good reminders. Pacing, sigh. I’m a bit compulsive and have a tough time sitting when there are things to check off of my to do list. I’ve never thought to split up the item on the list…“move a quarter of the wood pile” and “move another quarter of the wood pile”. Sounds silly but if I’m not hurting while doing…just keep going, right? But you are right, pacing sounds wise. Perhaps for some of us, pacing is a bit of admitting defeat…the disease wins. Multitasking or mucking the whole barn gives a sense of accomplishment…but it always comes at a price.
I’ve been using Celebrex for many years and viox before that. (Viox was the anti-inflammatory that was taken off the market to make room for Viox. For me, Viox was much more effective. I had three severely herniated discs at one point.) when I say that I use Celebrex for pain it is because reduced inflammation reduces pain. But it really just takes the edge off and seems to be next to useless after 10 days. I’ve had two rheumys that highly discourage the continued use of Celebrex. It’s never bothered me but I guess it can be hard on the GI system. Though I have lived with this stiffness/pain issue for a number of years, I’m still surprised how fast I can go from mobile and active to seizing up…within 15 minutes of sitting still or laying down, I’m in pretty rough shape.
When I have greater disease activity, I will definitely stiffen up faster and have a harder time getting through it. It. Typically takes at least a few minutes for the initial stiffness to wear off. How long does it take to get stiff and painful on a day-to-day basis? Probably more like 20-30 minutes but it also does depend on how active things are and how bad things are
You do take a stomach protector with Celebrex don’t you - something like omeprazole? You really need to as you don’t want an ulcer or other GI tract issues as well. Try the paracetemol, done properly it can be very effective for actual pain relief rather than trying to reduce inflammation.
And it’s really hard when we realise we’re in pretty bad shape, emotionally if nothing else. Little and often is the way. The task still gets done but the effect on you from a PsA perspective is far less harsh. Battling on through with increased disease activity is futile. It just makes everything worse. Pacing and taking your time actually means the disease isn’t winning, you are.
But yes it’s a boring way to live and doesn’t much suit my personality either. Like you I’m more naturally impulsive too. But I remain determined to get the things I want to do done, even if it takes me longer.
I truly, truly hate pacing - always have. Rest when a job isn’t done just shouldn’t happen. But, my body sometimes forces my over eager mind to stop. Not fond of this disease, lol.
I know! Who wants to stop when on a roll? I find that it’s not just the obvious overdoing but the subtle things that are sort of unexpected. I just got off of the yard tractor which is really no hardship but the continuous turning of the steering has left my hands, shoulders and elbows in very stiff and sore condition after an hour at rest. And it has power steering!