OMG - what is this?

bailey27
bailey27 Member Posts: 689
edited 4. Oct 2010, 16:00 in Living with Arthritis archive
OMG. If there is anyone awake and online at the moment could you offer some advice. I've been awake isince 1.30 and have excruciating pain down my pain. It is the worst pain I have ever felt. It is deep in my shoulder and travel down to my elbow where it feels my funny bone is being pressed on constantly. I also have a dull pain in middle of wrist but not sure if this os from elbow / shoulder. The last last week or so I been have funny twitches in the top of my arm where I be sat still / layingstill and would feel the top of my arm twitching when I looked down at it I could see small contractions of the muscle. Now I have unbearable pain. I am able to move it and think if I kee p budy I keep my mind off it but when I stop doing anything it is back with a vengeance. I have already cleaned my kitchen top to bottom although was unable to reach or up with my arm.
Any advice would be fab. I am boviously going to be phoning for emergancy Drs appointment at 8am but would like to put my mind at rest.
Cheers
«1

Comments

  • carola
    carola Member Posts: 786
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hopefully you've just been lying on it in a weird position.

    The pain you describe sounds like what I have every so often and I just put it down to my Arthritis. It can come right out of the blue just by moving it or sometimes when I am still. Yep, I know what you mean about seeing a bit of your arm almost pulse.

    I am sure it is nothing serious for you to worry about however for your own peace of mind you are doing the right thing by calling the Doc first thing in the morning.

    Hope you get a chance to relax and that everything is ok and let us know the outcome.

    Carol
  • bailey27
    bailey27 Member Posts: 689
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    So you think this is normal arthritis symptoms? wow, now I thought it was bad enough just having painful aching joints but this is on another planet. Still hsant let up so will stay awake now til I hone GP, need something for this pain it is too bad. Had a paracetamol and tramadol. Dont want to try and sleep incase i miss phoning at 8.
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Morning bailey, I hope things have eased somewhat. I can understand your depseration about the pain, but don't forget we are not doctors and it would be wrong for us to try and diagnose you. Have you considered it could be a trapped nerve? That would send referred pain all over. I hope you managed to get some rest of some sort and that you are able to get an appointment. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • julie47
    julie47 Member Posts: 6,041
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Morning bailey

    sounds like the peeps have given you good advice so all I want to say is I hope he pain has eased and you have now got the app at docs, or are you constantly dong redial as the time is 8.12am.

    good luck
    JuliePF x
  • bailey27
    bailey27 Member Posts: 689
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi
    I cant belive it. i've been awake with this since 1.30. i phoned drs at 8am and had it on redial constantly til 8.20 and hse told me there ar eno appointments til wednesday. dont know what to do. i;m in agony with this.
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    As you were awake, perhaps you should have gone there and been sitting on their doorstep when they opened the doors - they can't ignore you then! Ringing any doctors on a Monday morning is a hopeless task. As del says, go to A&E. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • clairc
    clairc Member Posts: 90
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    bailey27 wrote:
    Hi
    I cant belive it. i've been awake with this since 1.30. i phoned drs at 8am and had it on redial constantly til 8.20 and hse told me there ar eno appointments til wednesday. dont know what to do. i;m in agony with this.

    That sounds like my doctors surgery!

    You can't stay in this much pain doing nothing. Is there a walk in centre near you? You can phone NHS direct to find out. If not I'd go to A&E. I hope you find some relief soon!

    Clair
  • tillytop
    tillytop Member Posts: 3,460
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Bailey

    So sorry you are in such awful pain.

    My suggestion would be to go to the docs surgery, appt or not and stay there until you are seen. When they see how much pain you are in, I think they will have to see you - and I am sure they won't turn you away. Otherwise, as the others say, A & E.

    Thinking of you and hoping you can get this sorted soon.

    Love Tilly xxx
  • airwave
    airwave Member Posts: 579
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Yep, that 'sweet spot' of pain, we all know what you mean! That numbing feeling down to your elbow, arther has been getting that sweet spot just 'so', hasn't he! I always want to move away from it and end up twitching to try to, must look funny to others!

    Try laying your arm so that theres no weight on your shoulder joint and lots of heat with a wheatbag, a dose of painkillers help.

    8)Its a grin, honest!
  • salamander
    salamander Member Posts: 1,906
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    hi Bailey, unfortunately, it sounds like what I had last year which was inflammation in my shoulder joint. This is related to inflammatory arthritis/RA and sometimes they tell you it is a frozen shoulder. It's excruiating. By the time it was treated I couldn't move my arm at all, wash myself, dress, anything. Get yourself to doc or ring rheumy and ask for an ultrasound scan. If I am right you can ask for a steroid injection into the joint under ultrasound.

    Don't let them tell you it will wear off itself as it takes months!
    Hope I'm wrong and it is something simpler.

    p.s. just read above posts to see you can't get a dr's appt til wed. Suggest you ring rheumy and talk to them about it. Might be quicker that way in any case.
  • bailey27
    bailey27 Member Posts: 689
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi all thanks for your advise.

    I ended up going to my lcal A+E which was only solution as my GP surgery were not helpful at all. I waited 2 hours to be told there is nothing they can do and to get my GP to write to rheumtologist to bring appointment forward. The only thing she suggested was to increase my prednisalone (which i know my rheumy is not going to be happy with as it has taken me a year to reduce to where i am now)
    She said it was an inflammatory problem and that they are not allowed to inject the joint at that dept. She was a lovely Dr, very undertsanding she said in broken English '' The system does not allow me to help you today I am sorry''. Think she was SPanish. I know for afact that in Spanish hospitals if you go to A+E and need to see a specialist they send you down the corridor to the relevant one. She did feel bad and apologised that the ''system'' did not allow her to help me today. she advised to increase pred which I have done and looking forward to them kicking in.
    She said I couldn't move my shoulder because it was inflamed and to ask GP to zap it again. Which he wont do because i only had it done 4 weeks ago. Surely if it is that come back it wouldnt cause all this pain. It was bad before and they said I had inflammation / inflames bursa and injected steroid into it and it was ok for a few days and gradually disappeard. This pain I have today is prety much the same pain but more intense and all the way down to funny fone which gets worse in my elbow and then continues down to my pinky. When i woke up this morning my pinky finger was in spasm and i couldnt move it at all.
    I really appreciate all your help and advice and in a way glad to know it is just another symptom and didnt actually break my arm in my sleep. Why cant arthritis just have one thing about it. It's enough we have to deal with joint aches and pains nd fatigue and everything else but with arthritis i am finding that it is effecting much more than i originally thought it would. At least i am now down to 4 mouth ulcers and no longer got masses of them.
    Hope you are all well this morning.
  • sharmaine
    sharmaine Member Posts: 1,638
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Bailey

    I hope you are feeling better now. I've been having problems with my shoulder/arm for the past 3.5 yeas. Seeing the specialist in 2 weeks time. Mine hasn't gone into spasm like yours but the pain/stiffness/discomforts travels down my whole arm. I even have tenderness and swelling under the arm. My other arm is going the same way. I would love to know what's causing it.

    Fingers crossed that the pain goes away completely. Sorry I wasn't up in the early hours to send you some hugs! The amytriptiline ensures I have a fairly good night's sleep.

    Take care.
    Sharmaine


    bailey27 wrote:
    OMG. If there is anyone awake and online at the moment could you offer some advice. I've been awake isince 1.30 and have excruciating pain down my pain. It is the worst pain I have ever felt. It is deep in my shoulder and travel down to my elbow where it feels my funny bone is being pressed on constantly. I also have a dull pain in middle of wrist but not sure if this os from elbow / shoulder. The last last week or so I been have funny twitches in the top of my arm where I be sat still / layingstill and would feel the top of my arm twitching when I looked down at it I could see small contractions of the muscle. Now I have unbearable pain. I am able to move it and think if I kee p budy I keep my mind off it but when I stop doing anything it is back with a vengeance. I have already cleaned my kitchen top to bottom although was unable to reach or up with my arm.
    Any advice would be fab. I am boviously going to be phoning for emergancy Drs appointment at 8am but would like to put my mind at rest.
    Cheers
  • bailey27
    bailey27 Member Posts: 689
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Sharmaine. I have pain under arm too, not quite in the armpit but where the muscle and boney bits are. It is horrible isnt it. Are you seeing an orthopaedic persona for this or a rheumtology type person?
  • salamander
    salamander Member Posts: 1,906
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    bailey27 wrote:
    Hi all thanks for your advise.

    I
    She said it was an inflammatory problem and that they are not allowed to inject the joint at that dept. She was a lovely Dr, very undertsanding she said in broken English '' The system does not allow me to help you today I am sorry''. Think she was SPanish. I know for afact that in Spanish hospitals if you go to A+E and need to see a specialist they send you down the corridor to the relevant one. She did feel bad and apologised that the ''system'' did not allow her to help me today. she advised to increase pred which I have done and looking forward to them kicking in.
    She said I couldn't move my shoulder because it was inflamed and to ask GP to zap it again. Which he wont do because i only had it done 4 weeks ago. Surely if it is that come back it wouldnt cause all this pain. It was bad before and they said I had inflammation / inflames bursa and injected steroid into it and it was ok for a few days and gradually disappeard. This pain I have today is prety much the same pain but more intense and all the way down to funny fone which gets worse in my elbow and then continues down to my pinky. When i woke up this morning my pinky finger was in spasm and i couldnt move it at all.


    Hi Bailey, I had more than one injection into the joint before they got it right. Which is why I suggested you ask for one under ultrasound. Then they can really see what the problem is and where to inject. My shoulder consultant (supposed to be the 'best in the country') and my rheumy both got the diagnosis wrong, it was the ultrasound consultant who knew what it was. He said he wished he could get the consultants down to his department to see what he is talking about as they often get their diagnosis wrong!! This could be why it is still painful, they may have injected in the wrong place.
  • bailey27
    bailey27 Member Posts: 689
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi
    Yes i can only assume he done it wrong. I have had 2 steroid injections into my shouler the past 2-3 months and he said he wont even consider another one until at elast december as you can ony give so many aparently. surely it doesnt count if it is done wrong. I had uultrasound scan done of my shoulder before i had the problem before and she said it was subacromial bursitis. She showed me a huge sack on the scan which she sadi was compressing when i tried moving my shoulder. i can only assume it is the same but has got worse. they pain feels a lot worse and down more of my arm now though so not sure.
  • woodbon
    woodbon Member Posts: 4,969
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi, Yes I get pain like that from my ulner nerve, the left arm is worse. Souinds like you need some help! :? I had nerve conduction tests, which aren't anything too bad. Love Sue
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 30,032
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    OMG Bailey!!

    You poor thing!

    I am so glad you have taken advice though at least you know what it is.

    So now you ahve to take that advice even if the doc cannot inject again can the rhumy nurses do it? Iris (Dorcas) had steroid jabs in her knees twice in a week didnt you Iris? So it CAN be dione if it is desperate.

    Thinking of you

    Love

    Toni xx
  • bailey27
    bailey27 Member Posts: 689
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi
    I have increased my steroids for now and will hope they kick in soon. I have contacted my rheumatologists secretary adn she is going to see if she can get me seen sooner. It seems unneccessary though as I really only need a jab in there (I think). Need to get it sorted thoguh. I am shattered. Only slept for about 2 hours last night. The pain is absolutely throbbing, it feels deeper than the bursitis i had before. It feeld deeper and more intense like it is in my bone.
  • bailey27
    bailey27 Member Posts: 689
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Just phoned my GP surgery on off chance they can do it soona dn the next time they can do it is the 13th!!! There is only one Dr at my gp surgery adn he only does 2 per day. Whats all that about 2 per day?? It sounds so ridiculous to me.
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Two what per day? DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • bailey27
    bailey27 Member Posts: 689
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Two steroid injections. She said that he needs to do an assessment prior to giving them and wouldnt book me in. I explaned he had already given me 2 but she wasnt a
    having any of it. I really dont know what to do. I have just taken more tramadol ibuprofen and paracetamol. It has taken the edge of a little bit but it is still very painful.
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Steroid injections are not handed out like smarties, or at least they shouldn't be. My hospital/docs have a strict policy of one every three months, no more. They don't always work either, one can have a run of good ones then they do nothing. I have never had a successful one anywhere, pigging things! I hope the pain dullers take the edge off soon for you. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • bailey27
    bailey27 Member Posts: 689
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thanks fro that. What are the options otherwise?
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I have no idea! I don't think I have what you have and I haven't had a nerve problem yet. There's tons of stuff I haven't had yet: if I wait long enough, I am sure some of it will turn up! DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • barbara12
    barbara12 Member Posts: 21,281
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Oh Bailey
    I am so sorry you are in so much pain, I do hope you are getting some relief from your meds.
    I think everything has been said on the steroid injections, hopefully they will send you to a specialist, they can do a nerve block, but again it means waiting list.
    Good Luck
    Love
    Barbara x
    Love
    Barbara