fatigue-drugs or RA have forgotten?

lizzieuk1

Well,has been ages since i've been on here but am needing a little help etc having had new baby last year i have been struggling to get the ra under control had to have several steroid injections to try and help whilst they hope the mtx starts sorting things out again but is now 8 weeks since the last and am starting to feel the aches returning again- am so sad as really thought it would sort it having swapped to injections of mtx, was doing really well before having baby dropped my dose right down and was i guess in remission for 7 years,
so really my question is does the fatigue carry on when you;re controlled or is it the ra flaring thats making me feel so whacked?? yes i have a toddler but honestly my friends expecting their 2nd babies have more energy then i do, am trying to work-part time am self employed but have a very physical job, as well as run the house and look after bub and some days i want to cry i feel so tired.
I really have forgotten how i was when my ra was controlled was i always this tired or is it because its flaring??
Also do the anti-tnf drugs help with the fatigue- this is my next option well am hoping to go on the newest one thats an anti IL6-anyone on it-think is toclixi something
sorry its so long an garbled! :roll:

stickywicket

Bless you, lizzieuk1, you are running a house, working part-time at a physically tough job and looking after a small child. I know several very un-arthritic people who would be floored by that workload. You may have some very fit friends but you also do have arthritis.

Mine flared after both my sons' births and took some time to get under control - in fact 'control' wasn't quite the word after the second.

My guess is that the tiredness is part RA and part demanding workload. Only your rheumatologist can decide whether you need to up the meth or move on to other things but I think the tiredness is very understandable and maybe you should try to take things a bit easier if you can.

lizzieuk1

thanks stickywicket, was hoping it would have settled by now- we really want to have another baby at some point but i wonder if i really can cope with that financially we can;t afford to have me off work permanantly so i;ve no choice really but to keep going am on 20mg mtx injections with hydroxychlor so rheumy has suggested biologics are next, is rubbish was only on 7.5mg mtx before having bub and i had very little remission in pregnancy .
am trying a new business venture that is non physical so hoping long term that will help but i love my job and will be sad to stop doing it- yet another thing we have to accept with ra-still not sure i;ve fully accepted it! whats worse is i can't ride my horse when i get time i feel rubbish and have no energy to go out- poo poo poo.
i hate to keep moaning to my family as think they must get sick of it, am so grateful the forum is here

stickywicket

We all understand the benefits of being able to have a moan on here rather than always inflicting our pain on the family.

We have a few horseriders, and owners, on here though it can be a struggle. I did RDA for about 10 years until my knee revision. It works perfectly but the surgeon got a bit jittery about what I might do to it so I bought an exercise horse instead. Not as much fun but, I guess, safer.

salamander

Hi Lizzie, I find the fatigue crippling at times. My 'normal' is nothing like other people's normal. Just doing day to day stuff tires me and anything extra completely wipes me out.

The anti tnfs help to a large degree. I don't get the sort of fatigue where I'm falling asleep in my chair in the afternoon, but I still don't have the stamina I used to have. Something simple like travelling anywhere or going shopping leaves me drained but I am not stabilised on the drugs yet so hope they will be more effective eventually.

I've learnt the value of pacing myself and prioritise like mad. Lots of unimportant things just don't get done and I've come to terms with that. I try to rest more too. I can see resting with small children is not really an option but can you get any help with things? Get a cleaner for a couple of hours a week for example, have take aways occasionally , get a friend to take the baby for an afternoon so you can get some rest. Are there any chores you can simply leave or do less often? Apologies if I am going over stuff you already do or have tried.

Also, don't forget the value of doing something you really love (horse riding) and leaving the chores for another day.

frogmorton

Hi Lizzie

I am with the others....the exhaustion is very likely the RA being uncontrolled so hopefully when the meds are working you should feel less tired.

Mind you there isn't much as tiring as being a new Mum is there?

Lizzie the new venture (being less physical) sounds a good idea long term, but probably is harder work just now?

Please do come on here and moan. Our families don't always want to hear it do they? We always understand.

Love

Toni xx

lizzieuk1

thanks guys, i really appreciate all your support have poorly hand today so trying to be careful typing! Slalmander thats just how i feel tiredness wise any activity like shopping wipes me out- i try to do it online as much as poss which is a bonus.
i would love a cleaner but we really cant afford one at the mo just about managing a couple of nursery afternoons for bub so i can work but being self employed never quite sure how much spare cash ther will be about.
will battle on at least i can moan here!!