hot weather

bevman

Hi everybody hope you are all enjoying this lovely weather i do not have auther myself but my husband has severe RA i just wondered weather anybody has had a really bad flare up today my husband has woke up in terrible pain up until then he was not to bad but today can hardley walk.We are going to the US in two weeks time and i am really thinking perhaps it was not a good idea.Alison

lindalegs

Hi Alison,

Sorry to hear about your hubby's flare. Do you think there's any chance of him having a muscular steroid injection before your visit to the States to dampen things down for him? It may be worth looking into if you've not already thought of it.

Luv Legs

woodbon

I'm sorry about your husbands bad pain today, I have OA, and I've had pain the last few days but, mine is due to the position I had to be in for a scan . I think Linda's idea sounds a good one, and if you can, a steriod injection could make a big difference to you both.

Hope you both have a lovely, pain-free holiday. Don't overdo it!!! Let us know how you got on. Love SUe

ifeelninety

I would echo about your hubby getting a steroid Injection soon - I find they take a couple of days to work but they do make all the difference.

Hope he feels better soon and you both have a great holiday 8)

joyful164

Can anyone explain why it is, that some joints which do not normally hurt, flare up during hot weather and not so much in cold weather?

Exactly 12 months ago, during a sudden hot spell, I woke up in excruciating pain in my knees. My left one was so bad, I couldn't even put my weight on it. I got out of bed and had to grab on to bits of furniture to get to the bathroom. My OH then had to support me so I could getback to bed. I spent all day Saturday in bed and then gradually, by evening, the knee seem to unlock itself and I managed to shuffle downstairs on my bum.
Now, this weekend, exactly the same thing happened, albeit, not quite so bad (due to the steroids) Wasn't on steroids this time last year.

Hot weather seems to have eased other joints and muscles. I expect, that when I go to the pain clinic on Thursday, nothing will hurt. Does this happen to anyone else. Screaming out in pain all year round but when the appointments come round, no pain. Typical.

joyful

eastmidlandsman52

Hello.I've often wondered why this happens as well. Most people (not me) assume that,when the weather is warmer,it makes joints in people like me better.How wrong can "they" be!I really do have great sympathy for you in these so-called "summer days".

Do you remember the old railway quote of "Wrong type of snow" which stopped and ruined many an electric and diesel train? Well,I think that,in summer for us "humans" its simply "The wrong kind of heat" which stops and ruins many an old joint or two for us mere mortals.

I've noticed with extreme high pressure areas that they act like low pressure areas in which the air pressure around our joints is changed. I wonder if the effects of transitory low to high weather patterns,and even high to low weather patterns,affect the way the actual joint functions. Most of us know when its going to rain when the air pressure changes from a high to low. I wonder if the same can be said for air pressure changes from a low to a high.

I know from experience that my joints hurt in hot weather.I can't explain it away easily.Sometimes my hands puffs up from fingertips to wrist but all I have is OA and fibro.I wonder if there's a scientific explanation that covers this? It stands to reason that by the time you wobble off to the pain clinic (lucky you - my nearest is 16 miles away),your flareup will have died down.

I'm going to investigate this a little more as I'm most intrigued between weather and flare-up. Take care of yourself though and wish you well for the clinic.

joyful164 wrote:

Can anyone explain why it is, that some joints which do not normally hurt, flare up during hot weather and not so much in cold weather?

Exactly 12 months ago, during a sudden hot spell, I woke up in excruciating pain in my knees. My left one was so bad, I couldn't even put my weight on it. I got out of bed and had to grab on to bits of furniture to get to the bathroom. My OH then had to support me so I could getback to bed. I spent all day Saturday in bed and then gradually, by evening, the knee seem to unlock itself and I managed to shuffle downstairs on my bum.
Now, this weekend, exactly the same thing happened, albeit, not quite so bad (due to the steroids) Wasn't on steroids this time last year.

Hot weather seems to have eased other joints and muscles. I expect, that when I go to the pain clinic on Thursday, nothing will hurt. Does this happen to anyone else. Screaming out in pain all year round but when the appointments come round, no pain. Typical.

joyful

helenf61

Yeah!!! how odd that your body does this. My hubby reckons i'm better at predicting the weather than the met man himself,lol :roll: . My rheumatologist says....... he is intrigued by my symptoms with the weather, i dunno if that's a good thing or a bad thing :?: But it's no joke and it's never a happy medium, feel sorry for all of you as myself, because some days more than ever seem too much. Take care all and hope we can get some kinda enjoyment from this glorious weather 8) .

Kind regards,

Helen.

joyful164

I have often been called 'complex' by my consultant, my gp and whoever. I have OA, PMR, RA and PA so it is not surprising that each part which is affected is going to react with different types of weather.

I can let everyone know when there is going to be a storm 24 hours before it happens. The pressure is so great, my head feels like it is squeezing inwards and so painful.
I know when it is going to rain because my toe joints go into spasms and ankles too.

The heat makes my legs and feet swell up like marrows, but that is because of my BP and RA medication I think.

All I can do now is go and find the coolest room in the house and get on with my painting. And leave the lovely hot weather outside.

Oh yes, then there is the hay fever!!!!
joyful

woodbon

Hi, I have OA, but I find that any extremes of weather hot, coldwet, all have the effect of making me more achy and if its thundery, I get awful headaches! Reading this makes it seem worse than it is, but weather does have an effect on me. Love Sue

bevman

bevman wrote:

Hi everybody hope you are all enjoying this lovely weather i do not have auther myself but my husband has severe RA i just wondered weather anybody has had a really bad flare up today my husband has woke up in terrible pain up until then he was not to bad but today can hardley walk.We are going to the US in two weeks time and i am really thinking perhaps it was not a good idea.Alison

Thank you all for your support and advice i will ask about a steroid injection befor we go.We have just been to the hospital for a scan on his hands and wrists and they have said the Auther is really swollen in his fingers and wrists he is in so much pain it is in his feet as well but will not give in to sitting in a wheel chair never new that this terrible disease could be so bad.take care all alison

Wonkylegs

Hi Alison and everyone else!

I really can understand what everyone on here has said.

I too find that different parts of me react in different ways to the heat.

Whilst my joints may be improved by sustained warmer weather, they cannot copewith htis constant see-sawing between one weather type and another.

Also the heat makes the fatigue even worse, and I too avoid the sun whenever I can.

I can say when there is going to be rain after fine weather (shooting pains through hands and feet)
when there is a sudden change in atmospheric pressure (increase in swelling, fatigue and stiffness) and am fed up of constantly being told that this heat must help me!

haveing a flare at the moment so that doesn't help.

also having to battle hayfever which has worsen ed since I am on MTX. Anyone else notice that? or maybe just that there is so much more rape being grown in the fields near us (i know that triggers it for me).

oh well, can't think of anything else to add to everyone elses suggestions regarding your trip, so just want to wish you well.
take care,
Wonky

lindalegs

Wonkylegs wrote:

............haveing a flare at the moment so that doesn't help.

also having to battle hayfever which has worsen ed since I am on MTX. Anyone else notice that? or maybe just that there is so much more rape being grown in the fields near us (i know that triggers it for me).

take care,
Wonky

Hi Wonky,

Sorry about your flare - seems to be taking a while to get under control doesn't it

It's strange your hay fever is worse, mine is fine this year and I put that down to the Mtx dampening down my immune system - suppose I could have finally outgrown it - either way I'm not complaining.

Hope things improve for you very soon.

Luv Legs

Wonkylegs

thanks linda

am seeing the Rheumy nurse (finally!!) on Thursday, so will be asking whether they think they could add anything to the MTX. I am struggling with this lesser dose (22.5mg), but couldn't tollerate the 25mg which worked really well for my joints. :roll:

just so tired with this heat ........ got all curtains closed, windowns all open, and trying to keep drinking (there's only so much water anyone can drink in a day surely!)

take care.
Wonky

joyful164

Hi all

I believe it may be possible to relieve these swollen limbs with massaging. It has helped me in the past, especially legs, hands.
It is mainly fluid building up and massaging, in my case, has worked in the past. No always if the limb is too painful. It is usually painful if I have left it too long.

When I use to go to the physiotherapist a lot, she helped me a lot in this way. But, unfortunately, like everything else, it costs a lot of money and this, I do not have. Premium bonds didn't come up this week and didn't win the lottery, but if I had, would invite you all on a spa holiday - get some pampering.

Love
Joyful

northumbrian

I can echo what people are saying about the hot weather and change in pressure. Flying can be a problem especially if it means two or three flights back to back. I sometimes take extra pain killers in advance. I also had a bad day yesterday with the heat. Freezer packs wrapped in a damp towel (never on bare skin) work wonders for aching feet in the heat. the flexible gell ones for sports injuries work best.

livinglegend

Being on an island, there is a lot of sea around. The hot weather increases the amount of water being evaporated into the atmosphere. Damp air plus evaporating sweat, not being good for joints, brings on RA flare ups. Also, with good weather and the air pressure rising, (a High), increases the pressure on the fluid in your joints.


Joseph 8)

joyful164

Reading some of the posts re the hayfever. I started on MTX about 3 years ago. Now MTX does affect the Immune system and I was finding that my hayfever did get worse, but then it had been getting worse over the last few years before I even started MTX. My allergy normally started the minute the spores came onto the bark in late Feb until almost the end of Summer. I must own up to not using my puffers as much as I should have done, but this was because of the irritation I got in the throat.

Since starting MTX, I have picked up various viruses, colds and in turn, these have all set my Bronchial Asthma off and I was in a poor way one way or other and would have to stop my MTX while I finished a course of antibiotics.
When I was put on steroids early last September, I spent a germ free autumn and winter. No colds, didn't catch any viruses, even from my OH who went down with one type of 'man flu after the other'

Now, my DIL, who is exceptionally poorly with Non Hodgekins is in hospital because her steroids and some drugs have been stopped to enable her body to start building up an immune system. Hers is nil at the moment. She told me that I could well be in the same situation when I finish my steroids at the end of June.

My hayfever is not so bad either. I am down to 5mg and 7.5 mg on alternate days at present and have managed to sit out in the garden during the hot weather without my allergy welling up and driving me indoors.

I am in terrible pain tonight though and this is probably because I am reducing my steroids . Can't win really can you.

joyful