The Pain Is Getting Better (?)

Wanted to report in. Had another shoulder injection last Tuesday, this time into the side of my shoulder. My rheumatologist decided on that approach, which is called a subacromial bursa injection, since the last injection didn't seem to do anything. She also used a different corticosteroid this time, Kenalog (Triamcinolone Acetonide), for the same reason.

She warned me this injection would hurt more, and that she'd be giving me a shot first to freeze the area. I was like, whatever, bring it on! I mean, I'd been having quite a bit of pain anyway, and the whole point of the injection was to help.

I won't kid you, though, it did hurt to a certain extent. Did it kill? Of course not. Whenever people talk about those pain scales of 1 to 10, I think of someone on train tracks getting their legs run over. I think that would pretty much be a 10. Kind of puts things in perspective, don't you think?

So the shot? Well, compared to that, I couldn't even really say a 1-2, but, yeah, it hurt.

Although, as I said to my doctor, compared to the pain I've been feeling, particularly for 1 two-week period I suffered through, it didn't in any way compare, so, again, whatever!

My very nice doctor gave me painkiller samples to get me through the next few days, since the last time I'd had a 3-day flare from the steroid.

I'd taken the day off, to rest my shoulder and ice it. I'd took the painkillers, but only for two days, because while taking them, I couldn't take sleeping pills, and I couldn't sleep because my shoulder hurt too much at night. Can you say Catch-22?

So almost a week later, I was pretty much convinced that, once again, steroid shots had failed me.

Until last night.

What changed my mind?

When I went to bed, it was the first night in pretty much three months that I haven't hurt to the extent that I couldn't sleep. I lay down, and waited for the pain to kick in. It's been hurting throughout the day, every day, but at night, it's unrelenting. No matter what position I lie in – on the shoulder, on my back, on the other side – it hurts.

Last night, not so much! It ached very slightly, but practically nothing!

I almost couldn't believe it!

And on Friday, I'd even started up my physiotherapy exercises again: heat the shoulder thoroughly with heat pack, do exercises, then ice shoulder, at least 3 times per day.

I'm thinking this might work!!

Yippee!

:) L

P.S. No, that's not my hairy back in the picture!
P.P.S. I'd like to know why my computer always insists I'm spelling the word "rheumatologist" wrong...

In Which a Number of Things Are History

The Arava's history, as is my shoulder apparently, mwahahaha!

All joking aside, I'm feeling about as gray as the day outside.

The Arava upset my stomach to no end. At first I thought it was something I ate. Then it went on and on and it occurred to me that, no, it wasn't any food, it was the freakin' drug! Not so good.

And today I went to my rheumatologist re my shoulder and confirmed that, so, Enbrel it is.

And speaking of the shoulder, she doesn't really know what's up. Yes, it is stiff and she thinks, a frozen shoulder now. How exciting. Rotator cuff tear? Possibly. Even more exciting.

She thinks its odd, though, that I have had pain even at rest, not just upon movement. Things don't add up in her opinion. Me, I'm just tired.

So she did up an ultrasound recquisition, then I walked down the hall to the X-ray place and submitted myself to torture. Yes, torture. It's all in the name of science and figuring out what's wrong, so it's all good, but definitely not a happy place.

Holding my hand on my lap? Done! Bending my elbow and moving my hand to the side? Not so done. Placing my hand behind my back? You have got to be seriously kidding me! By that point, my eyes were welling up.

The pictures looked cool, though. Kind of like the surface of the moon...

We should have the results in 2-3 days.

I just want my body back.

My Freakin' Shoulder...

 
...is still killin' me.

Went to see the physiotherapist again today. He had done a reassessment again last week and doesn't think it's a rotator cuff tear. Today, he checked for a pinched nerve. Doesn't seem to be that, either.

Nonetheless, I'm feeling almost constant pain.

Yesterday, I was so beside myself I had to go for a walk because I was desperate to distract myself. I walked and walked and walked. I walked for almost an hour and a half, till I was getting quite tired and my arm was getting sore – this time from hanging at my side for god's sake! Although at least it felt a little more relaxed – I'd told the physiotherapist that my deltoid has been feeling all contracted for some time now, like when you go to a massage therapist and there's a knot, and they push and there's that crazy painlike feeling just before the knot releases? That's how my deltoid has been feeling. Only the last few days, that feeling has spread to my bicep. Then yesterday, the muscle in my forearm joined the fun. WTF???????????????

Yes, I cried.

Bloody freakin' shoulder.

I have an appointment with my rheumatologist next Monday to get her to check it out.

Course, watch: by next week, it'll be just fine!!!

Update

I know I haven't posted in ages.

It's been crazy at work and otherwise somehow. How is it possible to go into the office only 3 days a week and still be crazy busy? But there you go!

Here are some quick updates on what's up in my world:

Shoulder: killing me practically constantly + pain in deltoid and even bicep now at times. Going to go see family doctor in a week when she's back from vacation to see what the heck is going on.

Sleep: Went to sleep clinic. Doctor thought problem wasn't apnea or anything. Tried medication, which worked in terms of prolonging sleep till later. Excellent! Now sleep totally screwed up because of pain of shoulder. Meeting with sleep doctor again next week. Not so excellent. :(

Meds: Trying Leflunomide, aka Arava. Basically, when my benefits run out sometime next year, I'll have to apply for government benefits, and I'll need to have tried Arava. Really don't know the ins and outs of all this. Still need to research everything. I'm keen on it, cause it's way less expensive than Enbrel. Had to laugh at my pharmacist, though, cause when I went to pick it up along with refill of Methotrexate, he said something about it being expensive. I said, "Um, not compared to Enbrel!..." Let's hope it works as well as the Enbrel. Have to admit, I've been so busy, I haven't even researched how well it's supposed to work compared to Enbrel re joint damage, etc. Must find time this weekend to look into everything! And I mean everything!! Just started on it. Pills not injections, too – um, can you say bonus!

That's it, I think! Sorry for the rush!

Injection Rejection

The shoulder pain continues. I have no clue why.

I had a corticosteroid shoulder injection Monday morning, which, one would think, would be working by this point.

I know the injections don't actually help with pain, they reduce inflammation. I also know that they can cause a flare, which indeed this one seemed to have.

By Thursday, there was a brief period of relief, and I though to myself, Yes, this is it, it's working!

Alas, it was not. I don't know ho to sit or lie. Or stand for that matter. Yesterday I went to watch my niece's riding lesson and it was bloody cold. Tried to put my left hand in my coat pocket, but that was a no go, BECAUSE IT HURT TOO MUCH!!! So then, on top of the pain, I ended up with white corpselike fingers because of Raynaud's, which in turn, is because of the rhuematoid arthritis. Perfect timing for Hallowe'en. Ah, it's a grand little world. (I did, by the way, have Thinsulate-lined gloves on.)

Again, I have no clue why the damned injection isn't working for me. They don't work for everyone, it's true, and, apparently, I'm one of those lucky few, as fate would have it.

Could I be one of those lucky few who win a lottery? Well, no! That would just be too much luck!

I had a systemic corticosteroid injection back in December of last year and that didn't work either. It did zip all. Nada. Zilch. Same for this. In fact, if anything my shoulder is worse off because I haven't done my physio exercises for a few days now.

Seriously irritated.

And getting a cold on top of things.

P.S. For those who are interested, the injection didn't hurt. It was my first joint injection and as far as I can figure, was a posterior glenohumeral injection, I believe. Since I'm not a doctor, don't quote me on that!! Piece of cake, though, especially if you've been injecting yourself and getting blood tests done left, right and centre...

A Pain in the Shoulder

My left shoulder is killing me.

It's been bothering me for probably the past three weeks. I think I aggravated it at the gym somehow and just haven't given it enough rest or something because, well, everyday life is getting in the way of that rest. You know. Things like getting dressed and sleeping and stuff.

Going to see a physiotherapist on Wednesday to see what he thinks. It was the shoulder that hurt like hell when RA first hit. But it's also the shoulder that can hurt slightly when I don't work out and my muscles start getting too weak, I think to support the joint.

Whatever it is, I'm getting really annoyed...